DH gets bitter lesson from stealing 100 yuan

 

 Kwun Tong Court

A domestic helper today found out that stealing 100 yuan from her employer would cost her far more in terms of money, time, anxiety and a criminal record that would make it hard for her to find a new employer after being terminatedd.

D. Duban, 45. years old, pleaded guilty today at Kwun Tong Court  to stealing 100 yuan from her employer at their residence at a flat in Malibu, 1 Lohas Park Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories last June 16.

Acting Principal Magistrate Li Chi-ho sentenced her to a fine of $1,500 plus seven days’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.

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Tseung Kwan O Police charged her with theft, contrary to section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.

As a result, she lost her job, and was listed as having “no fixed place in Hong Kong” for address.

Meanwhile, at the West Kowloon Court, a Filipino student was fined $500 after he pleaded guilty to possession of Part I poison, contrary to sections 23(1),33(1) and 34 of the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance.

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J. Esteban was arrested last February 3 inside the Buddhist Fat Ho Memorial College, Tai O Road, Lantau Island, New Territories for possession of a device containing a poison included in Part I of the Poisons List, namely, 5.77 grams of a liquid containing nicotine.

Principal Magistrate Don So set the fine to be equivalent to Esteban's cash bail.

Filipino nurses who want to work in Canada, take note

 

MWO Vancouver will conduct the information session

Filipino nurses who are interested to know the rules, requirements and procedures for getting admitted as a registered nurse in British Columbia, Canada may attend an online information session this Friday, August 14, 4:00-6:30pm.

The briefing will be conducted by the Migrant Workers Office in Vancouver, Canada, and is open to all Filipino nurses, wherever they may be.

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MWO Hong Kong shared a poster on the session on its Facebook page, saying it could help Filipinos in Hong Kong gain additional knowledge.

The briefing is also aimed at helping Filipino migrant workers avoid taking irregular migration pathways and protect them from illegal recruiters.

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There are only a limited slots available, so everyone is encouraged to register promptly through this link: (𝑏𝑖𝑡.𝑙𝑦/3𝑇𝐻49𝑁𝑀) 𝑜 scan the 𝑄𝑅 𝑐𝑜𝑑𝑒 in the accompanying poster.

MWO HK also reiterated a warning for all Filipino jobseekers to ensure they go through the legal and authorized process approved by the Department of Migrant Workers if they want to work abroad. 

MWO checks on 61-year-old Filipina stabbed by amok in Pokfulam

 

MWO staff with the stabbing victim whose face is blurred

Staff from the Migrant Workers Office Hong Kong have visited at the hospital the 61-year-old Filipina domestic worker who was stabbed in the back and side by an apparently mentally ill man in Pokfulam last Monday.

A statement issued by MWO on Tuesday said the Filipina who was confined at the Queen Mary Hospital was in good condition. 

Labor Attache Cesar Chavez, Jr. told The SUN earlier she was  expected to be discharged after only one day.

“Mabuti na lang at hindi malalim ang mga saksak sa kanya sa likod,” said a senior MWO officer who helped check on the victim’s condition. (It was a good thing the stab wounds on her back were not deep).

The MWO statement said the worker will be supported and helped throughout while her case is being investigated.

A police report on the incident said the Filipina who resides in the Baguio Villa estate where the 22-year-old assailant also lives, was stabbed at 550 Victoria Road opposite the housing block.

Still shot from a video recording of the stabbing incident

Videos of her being accosted, chased, then stabbed with a knife by the Southeast Asian-looking man went viral. Two men who came to her rescue prevented her from getting seriously hurt.

Another video showed her standing still with blood seeping through her shirt while a police officer convinced her to get onto a waiting ambulance.

A 61-year-old male security guard was also injured at the elbow while parrying thrusts by the suspect.

Officers arrived at the scene at about 9:24pm after receiving numerous calls for help from bystanders. Their preliminary investigation showed the attacks on the victims were random. The knife used on the Filipina was a fruit knife measuring 28 cm.

When the officers checked the flat of the suspect, they found a cat with a head injury. The cat was taken to a relevant institution for care and check-up.

No mention was made in the report of any case being filed against the attacker, reinforcing stories that he had a history of mental problems.

 

 

 

 

2 Pinays acquitted of illegal work charges

 

Shatin Magistrates Court

Two Filipinas charged by the Immigration Department with breaching their condition of stay after they were arrested for illegal work in a Tai Po restaurant, were acquitted on the first day of their trial on Tuesday at Shatin Court.

Deputy Magistrate Chan Yip-hei pointed to errors by Immigration officers in arresting Katherine Mae Barroa, 33 years old, and Remedios Banac, aged 52, as reasons for the acquittal in the middle of the trial.

Three Immigration officers testified for the prosecution, but the defense lawyer pointed out that the case document was completed only eight months after the arrests, that the two defendants were not properly advised of their rights, and no Tagalog interpreter was present during the arrests.

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With Magistrate Chan’s decision, the second day of hearing was cancelled.

Both Barroa and Banac were charged with breach of condition of stay, contrary to section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance, and by virtue of Regulation 2 of the Immigration Regulations, after they were arrested on Nov. 9, 2025.

Barroa was charged with performing “odd job duties at No.76 Lo Tsz Tin Village, Ting Kok, Tai Po, other than approved by the Director of Immigration,” while holding a domestic helper’s visa to work for Leung Ka Ling at his address, the charge sheet issued by the Immigration Department said.

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The visa was granted to her by an immigration assistant on March 18, 2024.

Banac was accused of working at the same Tai Po restaurant, contravening her condition of stay imposed by an immigration assistant on January 25, 2025, which permitted her to remain in Hong Kong for employment as a domestic helper for Ronald Lam Siu Por at his specified address.

Migrants groups slam employers’call for wage freeze

 

AMCB says the minimum wage of $5,100 for FDWs is already 'very low' (File)

Migrant domestic workers’organizations have lashed out at a proposal by a coalition of employers’ groups to freeze their statutory minimum wage, calling it a “backward demand” that targets the most vulnerable and vital labor sector in Hong Kong.

The Asian Coordinating Migrants Body (AMCB), an umbrella organization of foreign domestic worker organizations from various ethnic groups, said they realize that times are hard because of the economic global crisis, but migrants should not be used as “economic scapegoats for systemic local inflation and lack of public welfare.”

The International Domestic Service Industry Development Federation and the Quadripartite Alliance for Harmonious Employment Practices (QAHEP) called for a wage freeze earlier this week, claiming that mandated pay hikes could cause mass contract terminations.

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The coalition cited a July survey showing 97% of employers are opposed to wage increases for FDWs, saying it would strain their finances. The group also said FDW pay has risen7.8 percent over three years while the consumer price index rose only 5.4 percent.

Instead of a statutory increase in the MAW, the employers called for a mechanism that will reward exceptional domestic workers and retain the current minimum pay of HK$5,100 per month for all others.

But AMCB says the current MAW is already “incredibly low” as it translates to just HK$10 an hour, given that MDWs work 16 hours on average.

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Freezing their wages would push migrant workers deeper into financial hardship as it would effectively amount to a pay cut, given the rising cost of basic commodities.

They also accused the employers’groups of using faulty logic in comparing their wages to civil servant salaries which are far above the minimum wage, and sowing fear among migrants by warning of mass terminations.

Another group, the Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Union (FADWU), also hit out at the call for a wage freeze, saying recent salary increases have failed to catch up with the rising cost of inflation.

Both groups urged the Hong Kong government to reject the employers’ call, and instead address the long-standing problem with the low wages paid to locals and migrant workers.

 

DH gets 9 months for laundering $279K

 

West Kowloon Court

A Filipina domestic helper was jailed for nine months on Tuesday after a trial at West Kowloon Court, for a charge of money laundering. A total of $279,859.55 passed through her bank account eight years ago, and she was presumed to have known that the money came from crime.

Mary Grace Camania, 51 years old. was charged with dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence, contrary to sections 25(1) and 25(3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

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Magistrate Shirley Hung handed down the sentence on Camania for the offense that took place from June 28 to August 29, 2018.

Camania had been accused of handling, together with other persons unknown, $279,859.55 in her account with Hang Seng Bank Limited.

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A charge sheet issued by the police said the amount, in whole or in part directly or indirectly, represented any person's proceeds of an indictable offence.

 

Filipina DH among 2 stabbed by amok in Pokfulam

 

Assailant is caught in the act of stabbing the Filipina

A Filipina domestic worker was one of two people who got injured after an apparently mentally ill man armed with a knife went on a rampage at the Baguio Villa estate in Pokfulam this Monday morning.

This was confirmed by Philippine Labor Attache to Hong Kong Cesar Chavez, Jr. who said his staff have been in touch with doctors looking after the Filipina, and have been informed that she could be discharged from the hospital tomorrow.

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Labatt Chavez said the Filipina worker sustained three stab wounds on her back but they were shallow, and caused no extensive injuries.

He assured the community that they will continue assisting the migrant worker even after she is discharged.

A guard and another man stopped the attacker from inflicting further harm on the Filipina

The Filipina was one of two people stabbed by the assailant who attacked them at the residential complex at about 9am.

The other victim was a security guard who sustained wounds to his hand. Both he and the domestic worker were conscious and were on their feet when taken to Queen Mary Hospital.

The suspect, who was described by onlookers as of South Asian origin, was arrested by police at the scene after he was restrained by security guards and passers-by. Taken from him was a knife measuring 28 centimeters long.

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The case was classified as wounding and is being investigated by the Western Police District.

Several videos uploaded online showed the entire incident. In one video, the Filipina who appeared to be in her 40s, is shown freezing in her track when she came face to face with the bearded amok outside the estate, on Victoria Road.

A Filipino man could be heard shouting from atop one of the buildings, “Äte, ate, layo!” (Big sister, get away!)

The Filipina tried to sprint across the street but the assailant pursued her, and started stabbing her from behind.

A security guard and a black-clad man who was described in news reports later as a friend of the assailant, rushed to her rescue. The man in black pushed the assailant away, while the security staff used a long stick to separate the two.

The Filipina initially refused to board the ambulance despite blood seeping through her shirt

Another footage showed the victim being asked in Filipino by bystanders why she was stabbed and she replied in Filipino, “hindi ko alam.” (I don’t know).

Police officers who had by then arrived asked her to board an ambulance which was on standby but she initially refused, despite blood seeping through her shirt. She was eventually persuaded to board, and was whisked away to hospital.

The wounded security guard, on the other hand, was shown parrying away the knife held by the assailant before fellow guards came to his rescue.

Filcom leader Aziz Tuano is confirmed as hiker found dead in Tai Po

 

Aziz with Suzette in one of the many hikes they took together (Suzette Bagatua's FB page)

Friends and family members have confirmed that Aziz Tuano, a longtime Filipino community leader in Hong Kong and migrant worker, was the man found dead by hikers along Plover Cove Country Park trail in Tai Po yesterday afternoon.

His partner, Suzette Bagatua, who used to also work in Hong Kong but has since moved back to her hometown in Zamboanga del Norte, told The SUN she will fly in as soon as she finishes preparing the documents she needs to bring his body home.

Tuano, who turned 64 only last month, was found dead by rescue workers yesterday afternoon after receiving a call from other hikers at 2:17pm. An initial post-mortem determined he had been dead for between six and 12 hours.

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A bloodied rock found nearby appeared to indicate Tuano fell and hit his head on it.

Marites Nuval, one of his longtime buddies and a fellow former president of Global Alliance Hong Kong, said Tuano was hiking alone. He started off Saturday morning amid a “very hot weather” warning from the Hong Kong Observatory.

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Nuval said Tuano was a regular hiker and former soldier who remained fit without any known ailment. He came to Hong Kong in 1986 with his employer, a prominent Filipino businessman who lives on Tregunter Path in Mid-Levels

Despite this, his friends often reminded him not to hike alone, especially to remote areas as was his wont, which he started doing after Bagatua who used to accompany him on his hikes, went home for good two years ago.

Still from a video Aziz sent to Marites Saturday morning showing the start of his hiking trail

Shortly after 10am on Saturday, Tuano sent a short video of his hiking trail to Nuval, showing a long unshaded and paved road in the middle of the Plover Cove Reservoir. That was the last communication she had with her longtime friend.

That evening, Bagatua called Nuval as Tuano was no longer picking up his phone. Together, they and a few other friends, called over and over until his line went dead.

“Sa umaga pa lang (Sunday) iba na ang nararamdaman ko, pero pinag pray ko na sana walang masamang nangyari,” Nuval said. (Early Sunday morning, I started feeling uneasy but I just prayed that nothing bad had happened).

Bagatua also saw news reports about a man being found dead on the Plover Cove hiking trail that afternoon, and contacted Nuval to confirm if that was the same place Tuano had sent a video from. Dread washed over them both after Nuval said it was.

At 4:50pm, after seeing that Tuano’s messenger account was active again, Nuval called, heart pounding, but it was a police officer who picked up and said Tuano had met an accident and they needed to contact his employer immediately. Nuval knew then that something terribly wrong had happened.

His employer was duly informed, and he is reportedly flying to Hong Kong today to help with identifying and repatriating the remains.

Aziz's selfie during one of the hikes he had with Suzette and Marites

Nuval is heartbroken, thinking that her former hiking buddy could have been saved had there been someone with him, or the hikers who saw him had decided to take the trail hours earlier

“Siguro biglaan ang pagkatumba kaya di na sya nakatawag ng 999 at wala sigurong nag hike doon last Saturday kasi nga po sobrang init” (He might have fallen suddenly so he was not able to call 999 and there were probably no other hikers around because it was really very hot).”

The official cause of his death will be known after an autopsy. Funeral arrangements will be announced in due time.

In the meantime, people who knew Tuano, especially the many friends he made throughout his long stay in Hong Kong, are asked to pray for his eternal repose.

OWWA clarifies anew terms for use of OFW lounges

 

OFW Lounge at NAIA Terminal 3

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has amended the rules at its OFW lounges at the Manila Airport, to accommodate those who arrive from abroad and have domestic connecting flights within 24 hours.

The amendment came after a Facebook post that became viral recounted an OFW's experience of being initially rejected upon her arrival at NAIA Terminal 3 from Miami, because her connecting domestic flight was more than 6 hours later. She was later accommodated, but only for six hours.

“OWWA listens to the experiences, comments, and suggestions of our OFWs,” it said in a Facebook page. “… we apologize for the added fatigue and frustration this has caused to our compatriots upon their return home. Every comment is an opportunity to review our policies and further improve our service.”

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The post said OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne “PY” Caunan, along with OWWA Management, visited the OFW Lounge at NAIA Terminal 3 to observe the actual operations, listen to OFWs, meet with frontline personnel, and ensure that the clarifications and improvements are clearly and properly implemented.

OWWA clarified the following guidelines:

• Returning OFWs who arrived from an international flight and have a confirmed domestic connecting flight within 24 hours of their arrival may use the OFW Lounge.

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• But the maximum of six hours per Loungevisit for all other OFWs will remain to ensure equitable access and to provide an opportunity for everyone to use the Lounge.
• The 24-hour period for inbound OFWs with connecting flights is the basis of eligibility and does not imply a continuous 24-hour stay in the Lounge.
• Extension of stay may be considered based on available capacity and verified special circumstances, such as medical needs, senior citizen status, disability, and other situations requiring additional assistance.

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The OWWA post said that every day, an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 OFWs depart from NAIA. “The seating capacity of the OFW Lounge in Terminal 3 is limited to 216 and 140 in Terminal 1. The six-hour limit is important so that more OFWs can take advantage of the facility, especially those whose departure time is approaching,”it added.

OWWA has an online, real-time OFW Lounge Management and Monitoring System to monitor the number of users and available seating capacity in each Lounge. Before entering, OFWs can see on the display outside how many slots are still available. Through this, they can immediately know the actual situation in the facility, avoid overcrowding, and better manage the use of the Lounge.

“When the Lounge is full, our personnel will implement a proper waiting or queuing system. OFWs will also be clearly informed of the current occupancy, expected waiting time, and available assistance,” OWWA said.

It added that all frontline personnel were reminded of the proper implementation of the clarified guidelines.

“Beyond following the policy, they are expected to treat each OFW with understanding, patience, respect, and concern, especially those who are tired from long trips or have special needs,” the OWWA said.

OWWA will also coordinate with the New NAIA Infra Corp. to study possible measures to improve operations and expand the OFW Lounges.

“We also request that respect and understanding be practiced among each other. May personal judgments be avoided against the OFW who shared their experiences and our frontline personnel who continue to serve. We can express our opinions, listen to each side, clarify policies, and improve services without hurting or belittling anyone,” the OWWA said.

Elderly Filipino dies while hiking amid record hot weather

 

The hike up Plover Cove Country Park is classified as 'hard'

A 64-year-old Filipino driver was found dead while apparently hiking in Tai Po amid the hottest day ever recorded in Hong Kong.

Police said they received a report at 2:17pm from hikers about the man being found unconscious on the Plover Cove Reservoir Country Trail.

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Firefighters rushed to the mountain trail, while the Government Flying Service was also dispatched. But the man who was on foreign domestic worker visa was pronounced dead at the scene.

Reports said a doctor had put the time of death about six to 12 hours earlier. The reports further said the Filipino man was in hiking attire when found.

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He had a head wound, while a nearby stone had traces of blood. But no signs of struggle or fighting were found.

The cause of death will be known after an autopsy.

Swimmers had to use umbrellas to protect them from the scorching sun (China Daily HK)

The incident came as Hong Kong sweltered through its hottest day since records were first made in 1884.

Urban areas sizzled in 36.9 degree-temperature at around 2pm on Sunday , while in Sheung Shui, the temperature shot up several degrees higher, at 39.8 degrees.

The Hong Kong Observatory said the extreme weather was driven by subsiding airflow from Severe Typhoon Dolphin which made landfall earlier in the Japanese island of Okinawa.

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In the Philippines, Dolphin had the opposite effect, causing torrential rain that led to massive flooding in several parts of the country, including Metro Manila.

Hong Kong’s very hot weather condition is expected to last until midweek.

 

Observatory raises ‘very hot weather’ warning

 

People are told to use head covers if going outdoors

The Hong Kong Observatory has issued the Very Hot Weather Warning today, Saturday.

The Observatory said daytime temperatures are expected to soar to 37 degrees or above over the next day or two, with some isolated showers. It will be a couple of degrees hotter in the New Territories than in urban areas.

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This comes as the cooler air from Severe Typhoon White Dolphin begins to subside as it moves closer to the coast of Guangdong on the way to Japan. This morning it was centered about 170 kilometers west-northwest of Okinawa, and was projected to move westward at about 10 kilometers per hour.

The heatwave is expected to continue until the middle of next week.

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The public is advised to avoid prolonged activities outdoors to prevent heat stroke.

If planning to engage in outdoor work or activities, wear a wide-brimmed hat and light-coloured, loose-fitting clothes. But as much as possible, stay in shaded areas if going outdoors is unavoidable.

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To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of water, and avoid beverages containing caffeine or alcohol.

Consult a doctor right away if feeling unwell.

 

8 beaches get top water quality rating

 

Repulse Bay beach" Rated Grade 1

Eight of Hong Kong’s 39 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach have been rated as Good (Grade 1), according to the latest grading of beaches’ water quality released by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD).

EPD said 27 of the beaches were rated as Fair (Grade 2) and five as Poor (Grade 3).

Grade 1 beaches are:  Hap Mun Bay Beach, Repulse Bay Beach,  Hung Shing Yeh Beach, Shek O Beach, Kiu Tsui Beach, South Bay Beach, Lo So Shing Beach and Upper Cheung Sha Beach.

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The Grade 2 beaches are: Anglers' Beach, Kwun Yam Beach, Butterfly Beach, Lido Beach,  Cafeteria New Beach, Lower Cheung Sha Beach, Cafeteria Old Beach, Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach, Casam Beach, Middle Bay Beach, Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach, Pui O Beach, Chung Hom Kok Beach, St. Stephen's Beach, Clear Water Bay First Beach, Stanley Main Beach, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Tai Po Lung Mei Beach, Deep Water Bay Beach, Ting Kau Beach, Discovery Bay Tai Pak Beach, Tong Fuk Beach, Golden Beach, Trio Beach, Hoi Mei Wan Beach, Turtle Cove Beach and Kadoorie Beach

Grade 3 beaches are:, Approach Beach, Silver Mine Bay Beach, Big Wave Bay Beach, Silverstrand Beach and  Castle Peak Beach.

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Compared with the grading released last week, Repulse Bay Beach, Shek O Beach, South Bay Beach and Upper Cheung Sha Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, and Casam Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Tai Po Lung Mei Beach has been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2.

"The changes in beach water quality are generally within the normal range of natural fluctuation," an EPD spokesman said.

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Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.

While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a tropical cyclone or heavy rainfall.

12 arrested for illegal work

 

Immigration officers escort one of those arrested

The Immigration Department (ImmD) arrested 12 persons in raids on multiple target locations -- including restaurants, massage parlors and flats under renovation -- during anti-illegal worker operations last week.

The raids were part of Immigration’s territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed "Twilight", "Contribute" and "Lightshadow"; a joint operation with the Labour Department codenamed "Fastrack"; a joint operation with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed "Windsand"; and a joint operation with the Hong Kong Police Force and Hong Kong Customs, from July 31 to August 6.

Of the 12 suspected illegal workers arrested, 10 were men and two women, aged 35 to 62.

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Among the men one was holding a recognisance form which prohibits him from taking any employment.

An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out, ImmD said.

Charges of breach of condition of stay are exected to be filed against them.

Domestic helpers and visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment.

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“Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties," ImmD said.

The prohibition from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining any business also applies to an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission.

 “Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment,” it added.

“Under section 20(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance, the Chief Executive may make a deportation order against an immigrant, prohibiting the immigrant from being in Hong Kong at any time thereafter if the immigrant has been found guilty in Hong Kong of an offence punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years," The ImmD said.