Always cook with passion, says this OFW

By Rodelia Villar

Visitacion Flores

Our guest cook for this issue is another active member of the Domestic Workers Corner, a group of Filipino migrant workers dedicated to helping each other make their stay in Hong Kong as easy, if not pleasurable, as possible.

Visitacion Flores, who is 51 years old and hails from Nueva Vizcaya, is busy practicing her culinary skills at her employers’ house in Ma On Shan, where she looks after two adults and two teenagers.

Flores says cooking is her passion, and believes in the saying, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

Thus, she gets overjoyed and overwhelmed when somebody praises her cooking, or tells her that she has prepared a great meal.

“That makes me more confident and determined to push through with my passion,” she says.

Having learned to cook a variety of dishes, from Western to Asian, she says learning to cook is not easy, but the hardships can disappear if the food that she prepared is appreciated.

Like most migrant workers, Flores is given a budget for the family’s daily meals. But with a daily budget of between $200-$280, her chore is relatively easy compared to most.

She says she is expected to cook mostly pasta, vegetable salad and pizza, but on occasions, is able to add dishes like adobo to the menu.

Having worked as an all-around domestic worker for decades, Flores says she is happy to share her recipes with fellow DWC members. But she is equally delighted to learn new dishes from their FB page, saying it is important for one to keep learning new things.

As an advice to fellow OFWs, she said “Let’s continue pursuing our passions.” But knowing that not everyone is keen to cook, or do particular chores, she says one must try her best at work, anyway: “Gawin natin ang mga bagay ng buong puso at siguradong magbubunga ito ng tagumpay.”

As in cooking. “Pag ikaw ay nagluluto gawin mo ito ng may kasiyahan at pagmamahal, at tiyak na ang kakain nito ay masisiyahan at malalasahan ang sarap ng pagkaing iyong ihinanda”.

Be yourself, she adds. Be the best that you can be.

Here are two of her quickie recipes:

Steamed tofu with abalone and carrots 
Ingredients: 
Soft tofu
Sliced abalone
Sliced carrots
Spring onion for garnish

Sauce:
Abalone sauce

Procedure:
1. Slice the tofu, then insert sliced abalone and carrots in between the sliced tofu.
2. Steam all for 8 minutes, then turn off the stove.
3. Pour the abalone sauce onto the steamed tofu, then garnish w/ sliced spring onion.
4. Dish up

Steamed minced pork in pumpkin
Ingredients 
Minced pork
Sliced pumpkin

For marinade:
Soy sauce
Sugar
Oil
White pepper
Cornstarch

Procedure:
1. Marinate minced pork.
2. Cut off pumpkin top. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and membrane of the pumpkin. Wash a pat dry using kitchen tissue.
3. Stuff the pumpkin with the marinated minced pork, then wrap in foil.
4. Boil water in a steamer, then put the pumpkin. Steam for  25-30 minutes.
5. Sliced the steamed pumpkin before serving.

Stir-fry mixed vegetables
Ingredients:
Snow peas
Baby corn
Lily bulb
Minced pork
Garlic
Oil
chicken powder

Procedure:
1. Wash all vegetables, then cut both ends of the snow peas.
2. Cut the bottom and top of the lily bulbs to separate the sections.
3. Cut baby corn into halves
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok, then garlic. Saute until fragrant.
5. Add the minced pork, then stir for a few minutes.
6. Add the baby corn and stir-fry for 3 minutes, before adding the snow peas and lily bulbs.
7. Season the mixture with chicken powder, then stir-fry for 3 more minutes or until the vegetables are cooked to your liking.
8. Serve hot.

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Panibagong pagsasanay ng Card sa pagpapalago ng kita

Ni George Manalansan

Isinagawa ng Card Hong Kong Foundation ang ika-51 sesyon ng kanilang libreng pagtuturo ng “financial literacy,” o ang pamamaraan para mapangalagaan at mapalago ng mga migranteng manggagawa ang kanilang kinikita.

Ilan sa mga kasama na pagsasanay.

Ang pagsasanay ay isinagawa noong ika-21 ng Oktubre sa Bayanihan Centre sa Kennedy Town, at nilahukan ng 44 migrante.

Isa sa naging paksa ay ang pamumuhunan. Tinalakay at binusisisi ng nakatokang trainor ang mga dapat malaman ng isang gustong pumasok sa anumang klase ng pamumuhunan, gaya  ng layunin, akmang panahon, kaalaman sa produkto, at mga kaakibat na panganib.

Ayon sa tagapagsanay, ang layunin sa pamumuhunan ay dapat klaro sa isang mamumuhunan sa simula pa lamang. Para saan ang perang ilalagak? Hanggang kailan ito nakalagak? Paano ito gumagana at kumikita? At anong peligro ang nakapaloob dito?

Ito ang mga katanungang dapat sagutin kaagad.

Nagbigay din ito ng isang halimbawa: kung ang pera ay para sa pang matrikula sa  unibersidad ng anak, limang taon pa mula ngayon, dapat maging maingat ang mamumuhunan bilang panigurado. Dapat na ilagak ang pera sa pamumuhunan na mababa ang peligro ( low risk) gaya ng time deposit. Kahit mababa ang kita mula rito ay hindi naman mawawala ang puhunan dahil sagot ito ng bangko sa ilalim ng PDIC- Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Kung ang balak naman ay ilagak ang pera sa isang instrumento na may takdang panahon, hindi dapat masira ang termino para walang penalty o multa sakaling bawiin ito nang mas maaga sa napagkasunduan.

Bukod dito, dapat ding alamin ang lahat ng dapat malaman sa papasukang investment. Kung hindi masyadong sigurado, dapat ay sa low-risk o mababang peligro muna maglagak ng puhunan. Saka na mamuhunan sa mga mas kumplikado at high risk investment kapag mas  naiintindihan na ang kaakibat nitong posibleng tubo at peligro.

Kung ang balak ay mamumuhunan sa stock market, dapat alamin kung gaano katatag ang kumpanya na paglalagakan ng pera. Isang halimbawa dito ang isang minahan sa Benguet na gumuho dahil sa bagyo. Sa isang iglap nagsara ang kumpanya at naburang lahat ang halaga ng shares dito. Ito ang tinatawag na “negative returns” o pagkalugi sa pamumuhunan.

Ipinunto ng trainor na maging maalam sa pamumuhunan para lumiit ang panganib ng pagkalugi, at mapalaki ang posibilidad na lumago ang puhunan, at gumanda ang kinabukasan.

Isa sa mga halimbawang ibinigay na mataas ng peligro ay ang paglalagak ng pera sa lupa at bahay. Ayon kay Cynthia Lopez, nadismaya siya ng husto nang hindi matupad ang pangako ng developer na kanyang kausap sa kanilang bayan sa Quezon na mapasakanya ang biniling townhouse sa takdang panahon.

Sabi niya, “usisain mabuti ang mga dokumento bago magbitaw ng pera sa developer”.

Inilahad naman ni Shiela Amina na siya ang napilitang magbayad sa loob ng isang taon ng inutang na pera ng kanya mismong kapatid na may asawa.

Nanghihinayang daw siya dahil noon lang siya natuto ng tamang paghawak ng kanyang kita. “Disin sana ay marami na akong ipon ngayon kung agad akong nakadalo sa ganitong pagsasanay” wika niya.

Ang susunod na pagsasanay ay sa taong 2019 na isasagawa. Ang mga gustong lumahok ay mangyari lang na hanapin at mag “like” sa Facebook page ng Card Hong Kong Foundation.

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Emry’s probers seek more video evidence

By The SUN

Ester Ylagan in better times.

Police investigating the alleged job scam of hundreds of Filipinos by recruiter Ester Ylagan and her companies Emry’s Staff Services Agency and Mike’s Secretarial Services are asking for the applicants who documented the transactions on video to step forward.

Labor Attaché Jalilo dela Torre disclosed this as he and Consul Paul Saret of the Consulate’s assistance to nationals section prepare to meet with the police to check on the progress of the probe.

Labatt Dela Torre said the investigators need the names of those who took the video recordings so they can be submitted to the Justice Department as additional evidence.

The footages, at least two of which were shared with The SUN, were taken discreetly by complainants with their cell phones as they made payments to Ylagan at her former office at World Wide Plaza in Central.

The Police Regional Anti-Crime Unit is investigating Ylagan, 66, and suspended barrister Ody Lai Pui-yim, 56, for suspected fraud and money laundering in connection with the alleged scam.

About 200 applicants, mostly Hong Kong-based domestic workers, filed complaints against Ylagan for charging them placement fees of $10,000 for a wide range of non-existent jobs in Britain, and $15,000 for positions in Canada.

About 300 more victims of the apparently recruitment scam have either chosen not to pursue their claims while others have found new jobs overseas or gone home after losing their jobs here.

The complaints led to further investigations into the suspected scam by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office and the Consulate’s ATN sections, and in turn, resulted in the arrest of Ylagan and Lai, who are both out on police bail.

Both suspects have been told to report back to police at regular intervals while the investigation into the case continues.

Many of the complainants have submitted evidence to support their claims to Mission for Migrant Workers director Edwina Antonio who is representing them in court. She is also expected to supply the names of those who took the videos to investigators.

The next hearing of the claims will be held at the District Court sometime next month, following a postponement on Oct 26.

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3 Pinays in rehab hospital after stroke

By Vir B. Lumicao

Two Filipina domestic workers are undergoing rehabilitation in Tung Wah Hospital in Causeway Bay after both suffered a stroke that left one comatose for five days, and the other having half of her brain removed to save her life.

The information came from Overseas Workers Welfare Administration officer Marivic Clarin, who also said that a third Filipina helper stroke victim is recovering in the same hospital.

Clarin told The SUN on Oct 21 that the conditions of the patients are being monitored by doctors at Tung Wah.

The first patient, 29-year-old Ledesma Jugo from Pangasinan, reportedly had neurosurgery at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan to remove a blood clot in her brain.

A Filipino worker’s group said she had been at the hospital’s intensive care unit since Oct. 2.
Clarin said Jugo collapsed at the house of her Indian employer, who then took the worker to the hospital. The Filipina had just renewed her contract, and was reportedly taking case of a child aside from other chores.

When a team from OWWA visited her at the hospital on Saturday, Oct 20, staff there reportedly said the patient had already been transferred to Tung Wah for rehabilitation.

Clarin said Jugo has regained consciousness and can now move after being comatose for five days, but still has difficulty talking. A sister of Jugo had reportedly come to Hong Kong to look after the patient.

The OWWA officer said the stroke might have been triggered by a family problem. The night before she was stricken, Jugo reportedly received news from Pangasinan that upset her.

The patient is married and has a young child, Clarin said.

The second patient, Perla Pasion Lagar, 48, from Isabela, was admitted to Tung Wah on Oct 14 after suffering a stroke. Doctors reportedly told Clarin that the left half of Lagar’s brain had been removed to save the other lobes from being affected by the damaged part.

Clarin said a son of Lagar who is an OFW in Taiwan was at her bedside at Tung Wah. But he will return to Taiwan once his father arrives from Manila, the welfare officer said.

She said Lagar had been working for 20 years with the same employer.

Clarin said the third stroke patient is a 64-year-old domestic worker whom she did not identify. She said the patient was already up and about and recovering.

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Litigants no-show in compensation claim over Filipina who fell from employer's flat

Neither party was in District Court for the hearing

By Vir B. Lumicao

The hearing of a compensation claim by the family of a Filipina who fell to her death in Mid-Levels four years ago faces a further delay as both parties failed to show up in a hearing at the District Court on Nov 9.

Judge Katina Levy adjourned the case for another six months after claimant Virginio Jose or his representative, and defendant Cheung Yeuk Lee, both failed to appear at the hearing.

Jose, common-law husband of deceased domestic helper Ruby Ann Diola, was to have been represented by Mission for Migrants director Edwina Antonio, who filed the claim on his and his son Vivejo’s behalf.

Mission’s general manager Cynthia Abdon-Tellez rushed to the District Court after being informed by this reporter about the hearing, and apologized for the absence of Santoyo, who she said was in Mexico.

Tellez asked if she could take directions from the judge regarding the case, but was told she could not as she was not the representative on record.

“I cannot give directions now because you cannot represent the claimant and, also, because the respondent is not in court,” the judge said.

But Levy told Tellez the claimant should apply for legal aid so a lawyer can be appointed to represent him, and also to find out the present address of the respondent where summonses can be served.

The judge noted that all the notices sent to the last known address of Cheung on Robinson’s Road, Mid-Levels had not been received.  She said the case could not move forward without Cheung getting the notices and appearing in court.

The judge suggested adjourning the hearing for nine months, but Tellez said six months would do. So, Levy adjourned the hearing to Apr 12, 2019.

Diola, then 27, fell to her death from the 32^nd floor flat of Cheung, and her body was found on the podium next to a swimming pool in the morning of Oct 23, 2014. Police classified the case as “death by falling.”

At an earlier hearing, Levy took note that Cheung had been fined $5,000 by a court for failing to take out life insurance for the maid.

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