The SUN HK : Filipina worker seeks help to recover lost $5k

By Daisy CL Mandap

Natividad says she realized she had lost her $5k after having lunch at Jollibee in Central

Filipina domestic helper Christchin S. Natividad thought she found relief when she was told about a news report in The SUN about a bunch of thousand-dollar bills being found in an MTR station.

It was because 29-year-old Natividad had just lost $5,000, also in thousand-dollar bills, and she was hoping the money that Herminihilda B. Molina had found was hers.

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Natividad’s cousin, Isa, had reached out to check more information about Molina’s find, and was disheartened to learn that the total amount was just $4,000, and it was found in Kowloon MTR station.

Nevertheless, Isa asked that Natividad’s loss be publicized, just in case an honest

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According to Isa, her cousin was not sure how she lost her money, which was part of her $6,000 salary which her employer had just given her that day. The money was wrapped in tissue paper, as the employer reportedly shirks at handling bills, saying they’re dirty.

From her employer’s house in Mount Pavilla in Sai Kung, Natividad took a taxi to Hang Hau MTR sation. En route, she took out a $1,000 bill from the stash, and put the remaining $5,000 back in her bag, still wrapped in tissue.

At the Hang Hau station, she met up with Isa and together, they got off at the North Point interchange, then headed on to Central.

There, they went straight to a clothing shop on the third floor of World-Wide Plaza, then had lunch at a nearby Jollibee outlet. All the while, Natividad said she was using the $1,000 that she took from her salary to pay for her shopping and food.

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It was only after she had lunch and was on her way to remit the $5,000 to her family in Mindoro that Natividad discovered the money missing. She hurriedly retraced her steps, then went back to her employer’s house, hoping she had actually left the money there, but was dismayed to learn that it was really gone.

Natividad's bag where she had put the $5k wrapped in tissue

There were at least two instances when she could have accidentally dropped the money while on the MTR, Natividad said.

“Sa North Point MTR nagbukas po ako ng bag ko, kinuha ko po ang powerbank ko dahil naki charge po kasi ang pinsan ko. Tapos sa loob din po ng MTR nagbukas po ako ulit ng bag, kinuha ko naman ang phone ko,” said Natividad.

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(I opened my bag at the North Point MTR station and took out my powerbank because my cousin had asked me to help charge her phone. Then while inside the MTR I opened my bag again to take out my phone).

Asked if it was possible the money was picked while they squeezed themselves into the Sunday crowd at World-Wide Plaza, Isa said it was unlikely, as she took Natividad’s bag while her cousin shopped for clothes, and kept it close to her chest.

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There was, of course, also the possibility that Natividad’s money was taken while they were busy chatting and taking selfies while having lunch at Jollibee.

But both women say this was not likely, as the money, being wrapped in tissue, would not have easily caught a pickpocket’s eye. Besides, there were three of them there, and it would have been more difficult to pick any of their bags.

“Sana po mai post rin ang problema nya para makatulong rin ako sa kanyang sitwasyon,” said Isa. (Hopefully you could also post a story about her problem so I could help her get out of this unfortunate situation).

Natividad chimed in: “Hindi ko man po makita o hindi na maibalik sa akin iniisip ko na lang na dinonate ko na lang sa nangangailangan para magaan sa pakiramdam.”

(If I don’t get to find <my money> again or it is not returned to me, I would just think that I donated it to someone in need so I could my mind at ease).

But the reality of having lost a big chunk of her salary is weighing down on Natividad, who moved to Hong Kong only in December last year, after working for two years in Bahrain. She is now forced to do more work for her employer so she could send a bit of money to her husband and two young children to make up.

Molina says no one has yet come forward to claim the $4k she found in the Kowloon MTR station

Meanwhile, Molina told The SUN in an update that she had reported to the police about entrusting the $4,000 that she found with the MTR staff in Kowloon station. The police in turn, told her to get a reference number for reporting the find.

As of last Saturday, Sept 18, which was her day-off, Molina said nobody had yet shown up to claim the money.

If the cash remains unclaimed for three months, it would be turned over to her in line with the Police Force Ordinance.

(Anyone with good news to relay to Natividad may contact her at telephone number 9082 6924)