Filipina dies a month after being diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer

By Vir B. Lumicao

 

Bonagua before, and shortly after being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer

A 52-year-old Filipina domestic worker who was found to have stage 4 ovarian cancer after being taken to hospital by a migrant support organization last month succumbed to the disease earlier today, Sept 20.

Merle Bonagua from Polillio Island, Quezon, reportedly died at 3:30 this morning in Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei, after being transferred there from Tseung Kwan O Hospital.

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Her cousin, Teresita S. Panti, said in a post on the Facebook page of HKOFW that Bonagua was put on life support in Queen Elizabeth as “the cancer had spread to her liver and lungs and she was in great pain.”

Panti said Bonagua’s belly had bulged so much from the cancer that she looked like she was eight months pregnant.

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Bonagua’s death came barely a month since HKOFW rescued her from her employer’s house with help from the police after a neighbor sounded an appeal on her behalf.

At the time, she was still struggling to work although she suffered constant abdominal pain and had lost considerable weight that left her looking emaciated and a lot older than her age.

Bonagua was put on life support at Queen Elizabeth Hospital shortly before she died

Merle Manabat Nootenboom, wife of HKOFW’s founder Pieter, expressed sympathy to Bonagua’s family on Facebook, and said the deceased’s death had put an end to her pain and suffering.

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Nootenboom said Bonagua’s death should serve as a lesson to other migrant workers to take care of their health, which is their capital. She advised them to go for checkups, especially during the pandemic, if they have any ailments.

On Aug 24, an oncologist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital had ruled out surgery for Bonagua after the results of various tests revealed that her cancer was at an advanced stage. The specialist said the cancer had spread in the patient’s abdomen and her health needed to be boosted to enable her to undergo chemotherapy.

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When contacted in TKO Hospital a week after the grim diagnosis, Bonagua said her employer had objected to her going to hospital, and instead told her to see a private doctor.

She said then that she was feeling better because she had been given medical attention, food and rest. 

“Mas maayos na po ang pakiramdam ko ngayon,” (I feel much better now), Bonagua said. She said she wanted to go home soon, but worried about her two young grandsons, who relied on her for support.

Pieter Nootenboom said Bonagua’s family in Polillo had been contacted. He also said the Consulate’s assistance to national section and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration “are fully aware of the case.”

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He has set up a TNG account to receive donations for the family of Merle Samar Bonagua, he said in a post on the HKOFW page. The TNG account number is 6101-8019-7441-2047 and the QR code is on the post.

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Covid-19 tally past 5k mark, with Pinay & Indo DHs among new cases

 By The SUN

The Indonesian helper visited Mong Kok with 2 friends on Sept 14

The total number of Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong has reached 5,010, with 13 new cases recorded on Saturday, Sept. 19.

Nine of the new cases were imported, including a 45-year-old Filipina who tested positive while on quarantine at Ramada Hong Kong Grand in Tsim Sha Tsui.

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But most of the cases were from India, with five returnees aged 17-28 testing positive on arrival at Hong Kong airport. Two came from Argentina, and another from Ukraine.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said that of the four local cases, three were of unknown sources, while one was linked to previous infections.

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One of the new untraceable cases was a 23-year-old Indonesian domestic worker who lives with her employer in Villa Oceania in Ma On Shan.

According to Chuang, the helper mostly stayed at home with her employer, but on Sept 14, went out to shop with two fellow Indonesian helpers in Mong Kok, and ate in Sham Shui Po and Tsim Sha Tsui. She started having symptoms the next day.

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Another was a research assistant at the University of Hong Kong’s School of Public Health, who was helping with data entry and analysis of genetic sequencing of the coronavirus.

The 28-year-old woman who lives in Sai Ying Pun did not deal with infectious virus samples, said Chuang, which explained why her case was classified as from an unknown source.

Her infection was detected during weekly screenings of the laboratory researchers. But a colleague who shared a computer was her tested negative.

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About 330 specimen bottles had been distributed to other workers in the building where she worked, and six of her friends and colleagues were placed in quarantine after being identified as her close contacts.

The last case of unknown origin was 79-year-old female retiree who lives at Yau Oi Estate in Tuen Mun. She reportedly visited a shopping centre at Yau Oi Estate during the incubation period before developing a fever on Sept. 11.

Chuang says people must remain vigilant to avoid getting the virus

Chuang said the recurring infections of unknown source show the need for people to remain vigilant.

“From the universal community testing, we understand that there are a certain number of [hidden] cases in the community which are difficult to be picked up, so with the increase in social activities … it is possible that there may be some more cases coming and it is even possible to see a wider spread in the community,” said Dr Chuang.

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She said more than 10 people tested preliminary positive, including some new arrivals.

Including the new cases, a total of 199 confirmed patients are being treated in 19 public hospitals and the community treatment facility in AsiaWorld Expo, while the death toll stands at 103.

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Meanwhile, police conducted spot checks on several bars in Tsim Sha Tsui and Central Friday night. About 20 officers inspected bars along Granville Road, Carnarvon Road, Chatham Road and Knutsford Terrace in TST, as well as those in Lan Kwai Fong in Central.

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Bars were allowed to reopen yesterday, but are required to conform to strict distancing rules, like allowing only two guests to sit per table, and with no live shows being held.

According to authorities, about 2,070 inspections were made relating to catering businesses, and 18 reminders were issued.

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PCG asked to mediate in P1-M ‘double-your-money scam'

By Daisy CL Mandap

 

The Facebook cover photo for the group behind the 'double your money' scam

The Consulate has been asked to settle a case involving an estimated Php1million allegedly fleeced by a Filipina domestic helper from people based mainly in Hong Kong, who were lured by her promise of doubling or even tripling their money in a few days.

At least 22 complainants with claims totaling more than Php600,000 have sought the help of the Consulate through The SUN, in getting their money back from Ailyn C., who reportedly told them she  was into investments and had a string of profitable businesses back in the Philippines.

According to their leader, the money involved should be no less than Php1million, as there were around 60 of them who had been lured into A.C.’s investment scam, which had been set up like a pyramiding network.

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Apparently sensing she was in big trouble, and professing to be a victim herself, A.C. also reached out to The SUN, and promised to return all the money being claimed from her salary as a domestic helper.

A.C. said she had been disowned by her family who were all exposed on social media from the bashings made by her investors, and she needed to work in peace so she could pay them all back.

But she insisted it was a scheme gone awry because her investors did not wait for the right time to claim their earnings. 

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Originally, it was supposed to be an “Invest, Wait, Earn” (I.W.E) scheme and she said she was still trying to set up a “source” for the payback, but the investors demanded she paid them back fast, so it collapsed. 

She and the complainants are set to meet at the Consulate this Sunday, Sept 20, so they could work out a repayment deal.

One of the Facebook posts set up to lure more 'investors' into the scam

According to most complainants, they were promised a 100% return on their “investments” after 10-14 days, while a Filipino working in the United Arab Emirates said he was told he could triple his money in 15 days.

Asked why they fell for the stupendous offer, they said A.C. was very convincing in her approach, even sending them copies of her Hong Kong ID and passport as proof she was not out to con them.

The group’s leader, M.C., said the sweet-talking A.C. had told them she would help them all get rich like her. A.C. reportedly said she was in a very profitable online investment herself, and had various businesses in the Philippines, including a water refilling station, an air ticketing and remittance companies.

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She also listed in her profile that her husband was a seafarer, which made her investors think she was indeed loaded.

What many chose to ignore was why A.C. still worked as a domestic helper in Hong Kong when she should have been running all her businesses in the Philippines which she claimed were all turning in a good profit.

It did not occur to them, either, to check if A.C.C. was a registered investment company, and was making such incredible profit as to give back the outlandish interest promised them.

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The biggest claim came from M.M., another UAE-based OFW who said in a handwritten statement that she had “paid in” a total of Php236,300 in ACC Investment between Jul 25 and Aug. 8 this year.

M.M. says the P236,300 listed in her claim includes money from other people 

M.M. said the money was partly her own, and partly collected from other people she had enticed to join the apparent scam.

In Hong Kong, the biggest claimant is M.C., who said she had put in a total of Php112,000 belonging to herself and her husband. A big chunk of the money was paid to ACC Investment in three installments, while Php7,000 was paid to her “team” she collected money from.

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Online chats with M.C. revealed A.C. managed to get people to send her money through conduits known as administrators. Many of her investors were family members, friends or co-workers who were identified in the scam by aliases and the money they paid separated by batches, ploys which A.C. apparently used to distance herself from them.

M.C. herself managed to encourage a co-worker R.M., to put in Php26,000 while she herself was encouraged to join the scam by her cousin, L.P., who said A.C. was her reseller in her online business.

A.C. was reportedly a good business partner who never failed to settle her obligations promptly that L.P. did not think twice about putting in her hard-earned Php30,000 in the investment scam, despite well-meaning advice from some friends.

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A.C. got them all hooked also because she did have “pay-outs” for some investors, though not big enough to dent the stash she had built in less than a month of peddling her get-rich-quick ploy.

She must have also been such a hypnotic seller that even after she disappeared with their money, some of her victims still believe she really has profitable businesses that could help her pay back all that she owes.

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But on hindsight, M.C. thinks A.C. could also have been a victim of her own greed, as she had apparently put in and lost some of the money she had collected from them in other, similar online scams.

M.C. is calling on other people who may have been tricked into dealing with ACC Investments to join them in filing a complaint with the Consulate’s assistance to nationals section.

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Health officials warn, fourth wave of Covid-19 infections could be most severe

By Daisy CL Mandap

Dr Chan says a new wave has always been more serious than the previous one

Hong Kong health officials say they expect a fourth wave of coronavirus outbreak during the winter, and that it could be more serious than the third wave which peaked two months ago.

The alert was issued by Secretary for Food and Health Dr. Sophia Chan during a press conference earlier today, Sept 19, to give an update on the local coronavirus situation, and the government’s latest actions to combat the contagion.

“It’s expected that the fourth outbreak may happen in winter. The situation may be more serious than the third wave,” she said.

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Dr Chan said two factors indicate that Hong Kong is facing an even worse outbreak. First, the fact that the second wave was worse than the first, and the third, worse than the second. This could mean that if a fourth wave does occur, it could only be worse than the third, which continues to affect the city.

The second reason, according to her, is that the virus keeps mutating, with the later mutations worse than previous ones.

This is why the government is not letting its guard down, despite a drastic drop in the number of new infections, which in early to mid-July went up to more than 100 each day.

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She made the statement as three new cases of Covid-19 were reported today, two of which were linked to previous infections, and the third an imported case in the United Kingdom, which brought the city’s total to 4,996.

Chan also disclosed that the government has set aside $8.4 billion to procure vaccines for twice as many as Hong Kong’s total population.

"Procuring two times of our population would provide some safety net, so that if one of the vaccines is not working out, we would still have a vaccine enough for the people in Hong Kong," she said.

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On top of this, Hong Kong has joined the World Health Organization’s COVAX facility that aims to buy and distribute Covid-19 vaccine to practically all countries around the globe.

Chan says the mass testing helped equip the government against a more severe outbreak

But until the vaccine is acquired, Chan said the government is pressing full steam ahead to prepare for another outbreak.

“We have to enhance our ability to cope with the disease because as I said, the next stage could be more serious than the third,” she said.

Such preparation includes maintaining cross-border restrictions, given that the global situation is deteriorating, according to her.

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She cited statistics showing that from 100,000 daily new cases in May, the figure rose to between 160,000 and 180,000 in June; then went up further to 220,000 in July.

Chan said the number of countries deemed high-risk could be extended, along with the strict pre-boarding requirements imposed on all travelers coming from these places.

Another step is to continue the targeted testing of people deemed vulnerable, including staff at care homes and restaurants, workers in wet markets and public transport, as well as those in “essential facilities” like slaughterhouses and the container terminal.

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While the tests will remain free and voluntary, the health chief said they “strongly encourage” those in the targeted sectors to take part.

Contract tracing is also being enhanced with the development of an IT platform that will make the current system more efficient. Along with this, more quarantine and isolation facilities will be built to meet any eventuality.

After the universal community testing, Chan said Hong Kong’s capacity to process tests has been ramped up, so that health facilities can now conduct up to 7,000 tests per day.

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DH accused of stealing $100k ring denied bail

By Vir B. Lumicao

 

Narcelles's bail application failed after her guarantor failed to show up in court

A Filipina maid accused of stealing a tourmaline ring reportedly worth $100,000 from her employer in Stanley failed today in her bid to gain temporary liberty in Eastern Court when the magistrate rejected her bail application.

Defendant L.V. Narcelles, 36, offered through her lawyer $5,000 bail money for her temporary release from custody, and said she had a friend who was willing to put up a guaranty.

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Magistrate Bina Chainrai turned down the bail application after the friend did not show up in court. But the magistrate told the helper she could go to the Court of First Instance to pursue her application.

Narcelles was charged on Sept 9 in the same court for the alleged theft of the ring, but no plea was taken. She is due to return to court on Oct 23.

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The prosecution said the ring that belonged to Chua Eh-fong went missing in  the employer’s house at Regalia Bay in Stanley, between Aug 27 and Sept 9.

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The employer reported the case to police on Sept 9 after allegedly finding the ring during a search of the defendant’s luggage. - Vir B. Lumicao

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