Manila plugs drug flow to HK, using convicted carriers

By Vir B. Lumicao

When tourist Ann Raian Cruz cleared security and Immigration unchallenged at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on the evening of July 30, 2016, she had no idea she was closing a dark and notorious chapter of the gateway’s history.

On arrival at Hong Kong International Airport a few hours later, she was arrested by Customs and Excise for bringing in some 700 grams of suspected cocaine.

Hong Kong has benefited from Philippine anti-drug measures based on information from mules convicted in HK.

But since then, the drug flow from Manila to Hong Kong has stopped, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said in a recent letter to the High Court. The letter was submitted by defense lawyers in hopes of reducing the sentences on three convicted Filipina drug mules arrested 10 months ahead of Cruz.

Cruz, a 38-year-old single mother and call center agent in Manila, was the first Filipina drug mule to slip out of NAIA barely a month since President Rodrigo Duterte took office, winning heavily on the back of an anti-drug campaign promise.

Her arrest showed that despite Duterte’s bloody anti-drug crackdown, international drug syndicates continued to use the country as a major transshipment center in Asia, apparently with help from crooked elements at NAIA.

But she appeared to be the last Filipino drug carrier to have passed through NAIA security unchallenged. Duterte’s bloody crackdown has apparently whipped airport security personnel into line.

However, two foreigners carrying drugs still managed to pa ss through NAIA just months after Cruz’s arrest. They were a Venezuelan woman and a Bolivian man who took circuitous routes to Hong Kong via various cities, with NAIA as the last stopover.

 The lawyers for Shirley Chua, Remelyn Roque and Ana Louella Creus secured the letter from PDEA through the Consulate, which in turn coursed the request through the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila.

In the PDEA letter, it was also said that information given by the three drug mules to ATN had led to the arrest of Nora Noora, the alleged mastermind of the fateful trip on Sept 25, 2015 that landed them in a Hong Kong jail.  A fourth defendant – Maricel Thomas – was acquitted at the end of the trial last Nov 14.

The lawyers told High Court Judge Aubrey Campbell-Moffat the information also led to the capture of Ugandan national Rufus Katumba, the alleged kingpin of the Nigerian drug syndicate in the Philippines, and his Filipino wife Marlyn Ramos in October 2015.

“Basically, we are appreciative of the fact that, through the information given by the three Filipinas, somehow naipadala natin sa Manila and the DFA coordinated with the PDEA, which led to the arrest of Katumba, na apparently ay Nigerian drug trafficking syndicate member or leader,” Consul Paulo Saret told The SUN when asked for a comment.

“Because of the information, I think binigyan naman ng credit ang three ladies dahil sa apprehension ni Katumba. Kasi narinig ko ang sinabi ng judge, ‘They led the authorities to Noora, it was Noora who led the authorities to Katumba’,” the consul said. 

Saret said it appears that the tip-off from Chua, Roque and Creus gave the Philippine authorities the initial impetus to arrest Katumba.

The arrests of Chua, Thomas, Roque and Creus brought to seven the number of Filipinas nabbed at HKIA in 2015 for drug trafficking. This was the biggest annual total recorded for Filipinos in data compiled by the Customs & Excise Department from January 2010 to November 2016.

On Feb 2, 2015, pregnant tourist Catherine Bustillo was arrested when 1.8 kilos of cocaine was found in secret compartments of her hand-carried baggage. She pleaded guilty to trafficking on Sept 25, 2015 and was sentenced on Dec 22 to a “lenient” 14 years and eight months in jail by High Court Justice Kevin Zervos.

Another Filipina tourist, Ma. Cristina D. Dia, was charged with drug trafficking for bringing into Hong Kong 1.3 kilos of suspected cocaine worth about $1.3 million on Sept. 5, 2015.

On July 15 of the same year, Susan Cumpio was intercepted while trying to bring in nearly 2 kilos of cocaine from Brazil. The Filipina had admitted bringing the drugs into Hong Kong as part of a deal to gain liberty from her Nigerian common-law husband in Sao Paulo. She was sentenced to 17 years in jail in May last year after pleading guilty to drug trafficking.

Cruz, the last of the Filipina drug mules to Hong Kong, was sentenced by a High Court judge to 12 years and three months in jail after she pleaded guilty on Apr 8.

Paggawa ng embutido at empanada, itinaguyod ng Card HK

Ni Cecilia Eduarte

“Ang pagsusumikap at sigasig na matuto ng karagdagang kaalaman pangkabuhayan ay mabisang sangkap para maabot ang mga adhikain sa buhay.”
Ang mga salitang ito ay nagsilbing gabay sa pagdaraos muli ng pagsasanay pangkabuhayan ng Card-HK Foundation  para sa mga manggagawang Pilipino noong ika-18 ng Agosto sa Bayanihan Centre sa Kennedy Town. Ang itinuro sa mga kalahok ay ang paggawa ng dalawa sa paboritong pagkain ng mga Pinoy, ang embutido at empanada.
Ayon kay Gigi Lingao, isa sa mga tagapagsanay, ang pagluluto ng Filipino-style embutido ay nag-umpisa noong panahon pa ng mga Kastila na sumakop sa Pilipinas ng mahigit tatlo at kalahating siglo. Sila daw ang nagdala sa ating bansa ng kaalaman para sa paggawa ng embutido, na kabilang sa pamilya ng mga sausages.
Payo naman nina Lia Galve at Jhoan Cabudil, katuwang na trainor ni Lingao, mas mainam na gumamit ng dahon ng saging para pambalot ng embutido. Healthy na makakatipid ka pa, dagdag ni Galve.
Samantala, magkatuwang na ibinahagi muli nina Elpie Leba at Pamela Agbao ang kanilang husay sa paggawa ng empanada sa mga sumali sa pagsasanay.
Laking pasasalamat naman ni Farrah Jane Cercado sa bumubuo ng CARD- HK Foundation at sa mga trainor na walang sawang magturo ng  pangkabuhayan. Dahil sa ganitong pagsasanay ay nagagamit nila ang iba nilang natutunan sa CARD tulad ng paggawa ng kutsinta. Sa kanya na raw nagpapaluto ang mga kasamahan niya kapag may espesyal na okasyon sa kanilang dinadaluhang simbahan.
Masayang nagpasalamat din ang ibang kasali sa mga trainor na hindi iniinda ang  pagod at init ng panahon maibahagi lamang ang mga kaalaman pangkabuhayan sa mga kapwa nila OFW. Ito ay parte ng adhikain ng Card OFW HK na tulungang maghanda ang mga migranteng manggagawa sa kanilang pagbabalik-bayan.

Ang susunod na libreng financial literacy seminar ng Card ay isasagawa sa ika-21 ng Oktubre. Sa mga nais dumalo, tumawag lamang sa numero 56002526, 95296392 o 54238196


Embutido 
Ingredients:
2 lbs minced pork
14 pcs Vienna sausage
3-5 pcs hard-boiled eggs, sliced
½ cup sweet pickle relish
½ cup tomato sauce
2 pcs raw eggs
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup carrots, minced
1 cup red bell pepper, minced
½ cup raisins
1 cup onion
2 tbsp garlic
¼ cup condensed milk
2 ½ cups bread crumbs
4 tsp salt
dash of pepper

Instructions:
1. Place ground pork in a large container.
2. Add break crumbs, then break the raw eggs and add it in. Mix well.
3. Put in the carrots, bell pepper (red and green), onion, pickle relish and cheddar cheese. Mix thoroughly.
4. Add the raisins, tomato sauce, condensed milk, salt and pepper and mix well.
5. Place the meat mixture in an aluminum foil, and flatten it.
6. Put the sliced Vienna sausage and sliced boiled eggs alternately in the middle of the flat meat mixture.
7. Roll the foil to form a cylinder – locking the sausage and the meat in the middle of the flat meat mixture. Once done lock the edges of the foil.
8. Place in a steamer and let cook for 1 hour.
9. Place inside the refrigerator to cool.
10. Slice and serve. Enjoy!

*Recipe yields 14 pieces of embutido

Empanada 
Ingredients:

For the pastry:
3cups all-purpose flour (375 grams)
¼ cup white sugar (50 grams)
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine salt
½ cup oil or 128 grams butter
1/3 cup water

For the filling:
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
100 grams onions, minced
¼ kilo ground pork (250 grams)
½ tsp salt
Cooking oil for frying
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp sugar
150 grams French beans, cut small
150 grams potatoes, cut into small cubes
150 grams carrots, cut into small cubes
1 boiled egg

Procedure:
1. Mix the pastry ingredients  and roll dough to1/4 inch thickness.
2. Using a small plate as guide, cut dough into rounds.
3. To prepare the filling, saute garlic and onions.
4. Add the meat, potatoes, carrots snd French bean.
5. Add salt, sugar and bac pepper to taste. Cool.
6. Put a tablespoon of the filling in the middle of each rounded dough.
7. Fold the dough in half and seal the edges by pressing them together with your fingers.
8. Deep-fry until golden brown.
*Note: Ingredients for the filling may vary, depending on what vegetables and type of meat you prefer. For vegetables, red bell pepper and green peas are used most of the time. For the pastry, readymade puff pastry or dumpling wrappers which are available in supermarkets or markets, can be used.

IMAP-HK officers take oath

The newly elected officers of the Integrated Midwives Association Hong Kong took their oath of office before Consul General Antonio A. Morales at the Consulate on Aug. 19, along with their adviser, Babes Mercado of Metrobank.

ConGen Morales thanked the midwives for choosing him as their inducting officer, and called on them to continue promoting unity within their ranks.

Those sworn into office were Brenda Atrero, who was reelected president; Phyllis Pugong, vice president 1, Leonora Mangahas, vice president 2; Emma Suenan, secretary; Julie Obispo, asst secretary, Analissa Garcia, treasurer; Alicia Agbuya, asst treasurer; Jocelyn Melegrito, auditor, Lolita del Rosario, PRO; and committee heads Maggie Pea, membership; Genalyn Cachuela, midwifery education; Ma. Elena de Vera, legislation and appointment; Odelie Gannaban, external affairs; and Teresa dela Cruz, internal affairs.

A fellowship lunch followed at Empire Hotel in Wanchai after the induction.

IMAP HK was founded in 2006. For the past 12 years, it has been giving free blood pressure check to migrant workers at the Metrobank office in Admiralty, and at community events where it is invited to take part.

The group aims to promote camaraderie among Filipino midwives in Hong Kong, and provide them with updated training and information about the profession.

According to Atrero, her group is now focused on conducting outreach missions to find more midwives and midwifery graduates who need advice on taking the board examination in the Philippines. Atrero said those planning to take the board are advised to time their vacation in the Philippines on the dates the examination is set to be held.

IMAP-HK is an affiliate of the Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines. - DCLM

Integrated Midwives Association Hong Kong officers, led by Brenda Atrero, who was reelected president, pose with their inducting officer, Consul General Antonio A. Morales after taking their oath at the Consulate.

Abot ang pangarap

Simula pagkabata ay pangarap  na ni Lanie, 46 taong gulang at panganay sa limang magkakapatid, ang makapag- aral at makapagtapos sa kolehiyo, ngunit dahil sa hirap ng buhay ay hindi siya pinalad na makatuntong man lang ng high school.

Pagkatapos niya ng elementarya ay napilitan siyang mamasukan bilang kasambahay sa isang mayamang angkan sa kanilang bayan sa Legazpi. Magsasaka ang kanyang ama at hindi sapat ang kinikita para sila ay makaraos sa araw-araw,  kaya kinailangan ni Lanie na magtrabaho agad upang makatulong sa mga magulang na paaralin at buhayin ang mga kapatid.

Taong 2001 nang siya ay umalis ng Pilipinas upang magtrabaho sa Singapore at nang kalaunan ay lumipat ng Hong Kong. Simula ng siya ay mag abroad ay ibinuhos niya ang oras sa pagtataguyod sa mga magulang at mga kapatid na pawang nakapagtapos at ngayon ay may kanya-kanya nang pamilya.

Bandang huli, siya lang sa kanilang limang magkakapatid ang hindi nakatikim tumanggap ng diploma.  Ngunit hindi ito naging sagabal para mawala ang hangarin ni Lanie na makapag-aral muli.

Kamakailan ay sumali siya sa isang programa na nagtuturo sa mga dayuhang kasambahay ng kanilang mga karapatan sa ilalim ng batas ng Hong Kong sa pamamagitan ng mga senminar. Layon ng programa na ang pagtuturo ay ginagawa sa University of Hong Kong na bigyan ng boses ang mga kasambahay, at magkaroon ng positibong  pananaw at kaalaman tungkol sa kanilang kalagayan.

Pagkatapos ng ilang buwang pagsasanay ay gagawaran ng patunay ng pagtatapos ang lahat ng mga sumailalim sa pagsasanay. Si Lanie ay isa sa mga tumanggap ng patunay ng pagtatapos sa isang pasinaya na idinaos sa nakaraang buwan ng Hulyo.

Tuwang tuwa siya dahil kahit na hindi natupad ang pangarap niyang makapagtapos sa Pilipinas ay nakapasok siya at nakatanggap ng diploma mula sa pinakatanyag ng unibersidad ng Hong Kong. Ayon pa kay Lanie, sino ba ang mag-aakala na sa edad niya na halos 50 na ay makakapag-aral pa siyang muli?

Si Lanie ay tubong Bicol at apat na taon nang naninilbihan sa mag-asawang Intsik na nakatira sa Kennedy Town. – Ellen Asis

Pasaway si ate

Tanging mga kaibigan ang hingahan ng sama ng loob ni Jazz, dulot ng panganay niyang kapatid na kasama niyang nagtatrabaho sa Hong Kong. Kahit na panganay ang ate Minerva niya ay isip bata, waldas at mayabang, na siyang nagiging suliranin ni Jazz.

Mahilig itong umako ng mga responsibilidad na di naman kaya, tulad ng pagpapaaral sa kanilang mga pamangkin dahil wala itong sariling anak. Pero imbes pag-ipunan ang pang-matrikula ng mga ito ay ang paghahanda ng magarbo ang inaatupag, kaya pagdating ng bayaran sa eskuwela ay kay Jazz lahat ipinapasa ang obligasyon.

Lagi nitong sinasabi na abonohan na muna ni Jazz ang gastusin, at babayaran na lang siya sa araw ng sweldo. Ngunit maraming beses na itong nangyari, at ni minsan ay hindi nagkusa si Minerva na bayaran ang kapatid, hanggang lumaki na nang husto ang pagkakautang niya kay Jazz.

Dahil sa ugaling ito ng kapatiday naubos na ang pasensiya ni Jazz, lalo na nang ang perang itinabi niya na para sana pagpapatayo ng bahay para sa kanilang mga magulang ay inutang na naman ng kanyang ate at hindi binayaran.

Nang matapos ang isang linggo na hindi pa rin ito nagbabayad ay sinubukan ni Jazz na maningil, pero nagalit pa ang kapatid sa kanya. Sa galit ay nag deactivate ng account sa Facebook si Jazz at hindi sinasagot ang mga tawag ng kapatid. Kapag day-off at gustong makipagkita ng kanyang ate ay sinasabi ni Jazz na hindi siya pinalabas ng amo dahil kailangan siya.

Mahirap man ngunit tinitiis ni Jazz ang kapatid para matuto ito na hindi waldasin ang perang pinaghirapan niyang ipunin. Kaya nagpapakahirap si Jazz na mag-ipon ay gusto niyang mabigyan ng mas maalwan na buhay ang kanilang mga magulang samantalang ang panganay nila ay panay ang pagwaldas ng pera makapagyabang lang.

Sa totoo lang, wala itong ipon at ni wala man lang savings account sa bangko. Sa ngayon ay nagsisimulang mag-ipon si Jazz habang nagdarasal na sana ay magbago na ang kapatid dahil tumatanda na rin ito. Sana raw ay matuto itong maging masinop sa pera na pinaghirapan dahil hindi habambuhay ay malakas siya at nagtatrabaho sa abroad.

Si Jazz ay tubong South Cotabato, dalaga at 32 taong gulang. Naninilbihan siya sa mga among Intsik na taga Yuen Long. – Ellen Asis

Huwag magsanla ng pasaporte!

Ganoon na lang ang gulat at takot ni Rosemary nang may tumawag sa kanya sa telepono noong ika-14 ng Agosto at nagpakilala na isang pulis ng Hong Kong. Tinanong siya kung nangutang ba siya sa isang tao na nangangalang Edgar, at ibinigay ang kanyang pasaporte bilang pang-seguro.

Dahil sa takot ay sinagot niya ito ng “No”, gayong alam niya na may pinahiram siya ng kanyang pasaporte para gamitin ito sa pangungutang. Dali-dali niyang tinawagan ang kanyang kaibigan na nanghiram ng kanyang pasaporte, at doon niya nalaman na nahuli ng mga pulis ang “kuya” na pinagsanlaan nito ng passport niya noong nakalipas na araw, ika-13 ng Agosto, sa North Point.

Agad-agad niyang tinawagan ang tinawag nitong “kuya” na isang Intsik, pero hindi na nag-ring ang telepono nito. Ayon sa balita, hinuli ang Intsik at pati ang katulong nito na isang Pilipina din dahil sa pagpapautang na ang tubo ay umaabot sa 120 percent, doble sa legal na interes.

Tarantang taranta si Rosemary at hindi malaman ang gagawin. Iyon ang unang pagkakataon na pumasok siya sa ganoong transaksyon, na hindi pa siya mismo ang nangangailangan.

Kung tutuusin, maliit lang naman ang perang kailangan ng kaibigan niya at marami naman itong kakilala na pwede niyang malapitan para mangutang, pero hindi niya alam kung bakit agad siyang nagpadala sa pakiusap nito.

Mabuti na lang at wala sa Hong Kong ang mga amo niya na kapwa guro dahil umpisa na ng bakasyon ng mga estudyante, kaya agad siyang nakapunta sa Konsulado para humingi ng payo.

Pagkatapos siyang pakinggan ni Danny Baldon ng assistance to nationals section ay sinabihan siyang gumawa ng salaysay, at saka pinag-affidavit para makuha niya ang bagong pasaporte niya na nakatakdang ilabas sa ika-3 ng Setyembre.

Kailangan kasi na ipakita ang lumang pasaporte bago ibigay ang bago. Tinanong ni Rosemary ang opisyal kung nai-report na sa kanila ang mga pangalan ng mga nagsanla ng pasaporte, at sinabi sa kanyang hindi pa.

Gayunpaman, hindi na rin naman maibabalik ang mga nasamsam na pasaporte dahil gagawin itong ebidensya kapag kinasuhan na si Edgar na usurero, at pati ang katulong nitong Pilipina na ayon sa pulis ay tumutulong na kumuha ng kliyente para dito.

Tinawagan ni Rosemarie ang isa pang tumulong sa kanya at tinanong kung kokontakin daw ba ng mga pulis ang kanyang amo para sabihing isinanla niya ang kanyang pasaporte. Saka lang siya nakahinga ng maluwag nang sabihin na malamang na hindi dahil pribabong transaksiyon naman ang pangungutang, at tanging ang mga kolektor lang naman ang laging nagsusumbong sa amo para pilitin ang isang katulong na magbayad.

Gayunpaman, nangako si Rosemarie sa sarili na hinding hindi na niya gagamitin o ipapagamit ang pasaporte sa iba, sa pangungutang man o sa iba pang bagay. Ayon na rin sa payo sa kanya, ang pasaporte ay pag-aari ng pamahalaan ng Pilipinas, at hindi dapat ipagamit ng isang pinagkalooban lang nito.

Nakatulong din ang nangyari para mapagtanto niya na ang isang tunay na kaibigan ay hindi gagawa ng anumang ikakapahamak niya. - Rodelia Villar

Pinay, pinalaya matapos kasuhan ng amo

Ni Rodelia P. Villar

Pinagpiyansa sa halagang $100 lamang si Liza Panabe, 46 at taga Calinog City, Iloilo City, matapos siyang ipahuli sa pulis ng kanyang amo sa salang pagnanakaw diumano ng sleeping pills, face mask at sigarilyo.

Ayon kay Panabe, mismong mga pulis ang nagsabi sa kanya na mag-impake na at bumaba sa bahay ng amo sa Wong Tai Sin  noong ika-25 ng Agosto, matapos nilang makita doon ang mga gamit sa paghithit ng marijuana. Ipinakita din ng Pilipina ang mga kuha sa kanyang telepono na nagpapatunay na lulong sa ipinagbabawal na gamot ang kanyang among babae.

Isang linggo bago mangyari ang insidente ay napansin na diumano ni Panabe na iba na ang takbo ng utak ng amo, marahil dahil sa sobrang paggamit ng marijuana. Noong ika-3 ng Hunyo, halimbawa, biglang may dumating na pulis sa kanilang bahay na may kasamang ambulansiya dahil sinaktan ng amo ang kanyang ina. Isang linggo bago siya ipadampot ay nag-away daw silang matindi ng kanyang amo na laging mainit ang ulo.

Gustong gusto na daw ni Panabe na iwanan ang baliw na amo nguni’t naawa siya sa 16 taong gulang nitong anak, at pati ang ina na matanda na. Gusto rin ng Pinay na tapusin na muna ang kontrata para hindi siya mahirapang humanap ng lilipatan.

Gayunpaman, sinunod ni Panabe ang payo ng mga kaibigan na gumawa ng diary para may proteksyon siya sa kung anumang gawing hindi tama ng amo. Isang beses din na pumunta si Liza sa Philippine Overseas Labor Office para ibahagi ang ginagawa ng amo ngunit sinabihan niyang kailangan niyang ireklamo para may umaksyon.

Madaling araw noong ika-25 ng Agosto nang bulabugin ng amo ang mga pulis para ipahuli si Liza. Hindi natakot si Liza dahil alam niyang wala naman siyang ginagawang masama.

Pagdating ng mga pulis ay itinuro ng amo ang isang itim na bag kung saan nakita daw nito ang 17 pirasong face mask, dalawang kahang sigarilyo, at 30 tableta ng sleeping pills.

Itinanggi ni Panabe na kinuha niya ang mga gamit na nandoon, na wala namang halos halaga, pero pilit siyang pinapaamin ng amo sa salang pagnanakaw. Sinabi ni Panabe na dahil sa sobrang paghithit ng marijuana ay hindi natutulog ang kanyang amo ng dalawang araw na magkasunod minsan, at laging nakasigaw.

Tiningnan naman ng mga pulis ang bag, pero sinabihan si Panabe na mag-impake na para makaalis. Tinulungan pa nila ito na bitbitin ang kanyang maleta at iba pang gamit para makababa na noon din, at dinala siya sa Wong Tai Sin police station.

Pasado alas dos na ng madaling araw nang makatawag si Panabe sa kapatid na isa ring OFW sa Hong Kong, na mabilis namang humingi ng saklolo sa Facebook page ng kanyang grupong Domestic Workers Corner.

Bandang alas sais ng umaga ay hindi na ma-contact ng kapatid si Panabe kaya naisipan ng isang miyembro ng grupo na tumawag sa Wong Tai Sin police station, at nakumpirma nilang nandoon nga ang nawawalang Pinay.

Agad na sumugod sa istasyon ng pulis si Rain Tuando ng DWC para alamin ang kalagayan ni Panabe, at bandang gabi ay sinabihan siya na puwede na niyang bayaran ang piyansa sa halagang $100.

Tuwang-tuwa si Panabe nang palabasin na sa istasyon, kasama ang apat na pulis na bitbit ang kanyang mga gamit. Binigyan pa siya ng address ng isang shelter kung saan siya tutuloy, at lahat ng mga impormasyon para sa kanyang pag report muli sa istasyon.

Pinayuhan din ng mga pulis si Panabe na kasuhan niya sa Labor Department ang amo dahil wala itong ibinayad sa kanya nang bigla siyang pababain. Sinabihan din siya na pwede siyang mag-apply ng extension ng visa at malamang na payagan na kumuha ng bagong amo nang hindi muna bumabalik sa Pilipinas. Laking pasasalamat ni Panabe dahil hindi naniwala ang mga pulis sa maling paratang ng amo.

Tumuloy si Panabe sa shelter ng Konsulado, at kinaumagahan, kasama ng kapatid ay inasikaso niya ang pagsasampa ng kaso laban sa amo sa tulong ng Help for Domestic Workers.

Peso sinks to P54.13 to US$1; lowest since Dec 2005

By The SUN

The peso exchange rate at today's close of trading was at P54.13 to US$1, or P6.88 to HK$1

THE Philippine peso breached the P54:$1 (HK$1:P6.88) level today, Wednesday, falling 19 centavos weaker than the previous day’s close at P53.94. 

The foreign exchange trading opened at P53.90:$1 and fell to P54.14 during the day. It closed at P54.13 per dollar, its lowest since the P54.15:$1 finish on December 2, 2005.

Shares at the Philippine stock market also continued sliding down as the Philippine peso posted its lowest finish against the greenback in 13 years, alongside escalating trade tensions between the United States and China.

The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) dropped 0.91 percent or 68.81 points to 7,449.20, marking its sixth straight day of decline. The broader all-shares index also went down 0.43 percent or 20.12 points to 4,577.16.

“The peso breaking out of its psychological 54 resistance level (i.e. peso depreciation) to make an intraday high of 54.153 may have had a hand in today’s weakness,” Papa Securities Corp. trader Gabriel Jose F. Perez said.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng observed that demand for the US dollar remained strong amid the peak season for imports in September to October.

“The widening trade deficit due to a weak export performance and sustained strong imports also contributes to the weak market sentiment on PHP (Philippine peso),” he said.

The government had reported that the country’s trade deficit widened significantly to $3.546 billion in July, expanding the year-to-date tally to $22.490 billion.

Imports totaled $61.234 billion during the seven-month period, surpassing $38.744 billion in exports.

Land Bank of the Philippines market economist Guian Angelo Dumalagan said the peso’s weakness could be attributed to continued trade tension between the US and China, as well as the dollar’s rally following better US jobs data.

ING’s Cuyegkeng said that while the market expected the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to raise its policy rate later this month, “such a timeframe of policy response is perceived to be unaggressive.”

“Recent developments about soaring inflation and weakening peso could prompt an earlier off-cycle move as an indication of BSP’s seriousness and aggressive response to soaring inflation, deep- in-the-red real policy rates and some political noise,” he said.

Above-target inflation has prompted monetary authorities to raise key interest rates by a total of 100 basis points since May. August’s nine-year high of 6.4 percent has raised the prospect of another rate hike when the Monetary Board meets later this month.

Nightmare’s over: Erwiana graduates with honors

Erwiana with her proud parents on graduation day

By The SUN

The Indonesian migrant worker whose horrific abuse at the hands of her former Hong Kong employer sparked international outrage, has graduated with a degree in business management, cum laude, from Santa Dharma University in Yogyakarta where she was on scholarship.

Erwiana Sulistyaningsih announced her graduation through Facebook on Sept 8, along with pictures of her and her proud parents, as well as friends. The announcement was met with great rejoicing, particularly by her fellow migrant workers in Hong Kong.

In her Facebook post, 26-year-old Erwiana thanked God, her family, university officials, fellow students, and fellow migrant workers for helping her with her intellectual pursuits, as well as her advocacy for “fighting injustice against migrant labour”.

Among the first to congratulate her were Indonesian migrants rights advocates and staff at the Mission for Migrant Workers, who helped Erwiana fight her cases in Hong Kong, both criminal and civil.

Erwiana’s plight came to light in January 2014, when her then employer, housewife Law Wan-tung, put her on a flight to Jakarta, hardly able to walk, and with her face and body all swelled up and bruised. Erwiana had worked for Law for just seven months.

A fellow Indonesian domestic worker who was on the same flight took pictures of Erwiana’s extensive injuries and posted them on social media, before accompanying her to her home in Central Java where she was promptly hospitalized.

After media picked up her story, Hong Kong authorities sent a team of officers to the Indonesian hospital to personally interview and examine Erwiana. 

Law was subsequently prosecuted, and the court heard Erwiana’s testimony of how she was repeatedly tortured by Law over seven months. The two most serious injuries inflicted by Law included a hard punch in the mouth, which fractured the maid’s three front teeth; and the second, when she inserted the metal tube of a vacuum cleaner into the victim's mouth, then twisted it, resulting in a bleeding torn lip and a permanent scar. 

Thirteen months after the abuse was uncovered, Law was convicted on 18 charges of assault, intimidation and underpayment of wages, for which she was jailed for six years.

In December last year, Law was also ordered to pay Erwiana a total of $809,403 in damages.

In thanking all those who helped her rebuild her life, Erwiana said they were “a gift and a bringer of hope,” sent by God to her. She pledged to continue the struggle for “the people who are still oppressed.”

HK Filcom mourns death of 'Magsasakang OFW'

By The SUN Writers

Rose Perido (rightmost and inset) with her fellow farming enthusiasts 

The Filipino community in Hong Kong has lost one of its most dedicated  leaders, migrant worker and agriculture trainor Rosanna “Rose” Perido.

Perido, who was married but had no children, died at her home in Indang, Cavite, on Sept. 6, exactly on the date of her 50^th birthday. She had been home for only four days when she passed on.

The cause of her death was not immediately known, but some of her closest friend said Perido was diagnosed with lung cancer. Others, however, claimed her ailment was a mystery even to her.

According to one of them, Hong Kong, entrepreneur Angel Payos, Perido was taken to hospital after complaining of shortness of breath. She was in hospital for about two weeks, before asking to be flown home.

Payos said Perido was cheerful and hardly looked sick during her confinement.

But according to Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre who met Perido at Manila airport, the OFW leader was already quite sick on arrival.

“When I met her at Manila airport, she couldn’t even speak and we communicated through sign language. It was very fast,” he said.

But Dela Torre declined to give any more information, saying, “She didn’t want the cause nor her hospitalization broadcast to the community.”

Staff at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office said Perido was escorted on the flight home by a doctor and staff from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. They were met at the airport by Dela Torre, who then joined Perido and her escorts in the short trip to her home in Cavite.

Perido, who had reportedly worked for the same employer for 18 years, was a volunteer trainor in the agriculture livelihood course of POLO/OWWA for the past 12 years.

People who knew or trained under Perido were shocked and saddened when Labatt dela Torre announced her demise on Friday evening, Sept 7.

Perido's photo in Labatt Jolly's Facebook post

Dela Torre, who had worked closely with Perido on several agri-based livelihood seminars at POLO, took to Facebook to express his grief over her untimely death.

“We announce with great sadness the passing of one of our most active volunteer trainors in the field of agriculture, Rose Perido,” he wrote.

“Rose exemplified the hardworking, selfless and dedicated corps of volunteer trainors of POLO HK, without whose sacrifice of spending their day offs in teaching and training our OFWs, Polo OWWA HK would’ve been hard pressed in preparing our OFWs for their eventual return. She didn’t mind the long hours, and even added value to the training through her field trips to farms in Hong Kong.”

“I am sure many of her students and graduates, many of whom have returned and engaged in agriculture in their hometowns, will miss Rose and her deep interest in farming, and her abiding concern for the welfare of OFWs. Every Sunday, she was always there, on the dot, and she would go home long after her students had gone.”

Labatt Nida Romulo, who was posted in Hong Kong pending Dela Torre’s return, also expressed shock at the news about Perido, to whom she awarded a plaque of appreciation only last month, during the graduation ceremony for the latest batch of POLO trainees.

“Tuwang-tuwa ako sa kanya dahil well-appreciated siya ng mga tinuturuan niya rito,” Romulo said.

Romulo said she was impressed by Perido’s knowledge of modern agriculture, including how to optimize production from whatever size of farmland.

Perido used to teach two lessons each on Saturday and Sunday with 30 trainees per four-lesson batch. That meant at least 240 trainees graduate from the agricultural livelihood course in a month, or an average of 2,880 graduates annually.

Small wonder that within the first hour of the announcement of her passing, scores of Perido’s friends and former students had expressed sorrow and surprise. As of Sunday evening, nearly 400 had shared their grief over the loss of someone they fondly called as the “Magsasakang OFW”.