Consumer complaints end 3-year rise with 6% decline

 

AI-generated photo from Artlist

The number of complaints received by the Consumer Council last year brought an end to the 3-year upward trend, falling to 38,187 cases -- a 6 percent decrease compared with more than 40,000 cases in 2024.

Accounting for nearly half of all cases were online shopping, the council said in a yearender.

The Council received 18,913 online shopping complaints during the year, a 12%  increase from 16,950 cases in 2024.  These complaints accounted for around 50% of the 38,187 complaints, higher than the 42% in the previous year.

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The total money involved surged by 45% to nearly $93 million.

Among the online shopping categories, Food & Entertainment Services were the most complained about, accounting for 4,964 cases for an increase of 29 percent from last year. Travel Matters accounted for 2,475 cases for 13 percent increase, followed by Clothing & Apparel with 1,071 cases for 19 percent increase, Computer Products with 916 cases for a 37 percent increase.

Accommodation with 915 cases had the biggest increase at 44 percent, from 2024.

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With consumption transcending geographical boundaries, an international metropolis such as Hong Kong has been entering into agreements with 36 countries or regions to establish a complaint referral mechanism.

These include 30 provinces and cities in the Mainland, Macau, as well as South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

“The Council said it will continue to explore ways to strengthen collaboration with countries and regions with which Memorandums of Understanding have been signed, with a view to fostering a more secure cross-border consumption.

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The Council also designated the Guangdong Consumer Council as the pilot partner for its Mainland cooperation program.

In addition to coordinating consumer rights protection policies between the two places, the Council also joined the drafting of the “GBA Standards” together with the Macao SAR Government Consumer Council, and will explore collaborations in conducting product tests or research projects, as well as launching joint education and promotional initiatives.

Filipinos traveling to HK told not to carry bags for fee or favor

 

The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong has advised Filipinos traveling to the Special Administrative Region not to carry luggage for other people, in exchange for a free trip or a fee.

“Filipinos traveling to Hong Kong are advised to carry only luggage that was personally packed with all contents accounted for,” said the PCG advisory issued Monday.

“This is to ensure that instances of persons becoming unwitting mules for illicit substances (i.e. illicit drugs, endangered species, vape) will be avoided.”

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The warning came as at least two Filipino tourists appeared in court recently on charges of drug trafficking, one of the most serious offences under Hong Kong laws, for which the maximum penalty is life imprisonment and a fine of up to $5 million.

There could be more, as press statements from Hong Kong Customs and Excise Bureau report of drug-related apprehensions being made at the airport, mainly from travelers from Bangkok and more recently, from Cambodia.

The number of drug-related arrests spiked soon after the pandemic, and appears to have become even more frequent in recent months, involving millions of dollars’ worth of drugs.

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In one of the recent cases, a 28-year-old Filipina tourist who listed her occupation as “freelancer” was arrested on Oct. 18 last year after she flew in from Bangkok, allegedly with 15.5 kilos of marijuana worth more than $3 million in her checked-in baggage.

Ma. Cristina Fernandez remains in jail and is due to appear again in court on Mar 11.

Separately, 27-year-old Filipino tourist Clay John Tianzon appeared in West Kowloon Court last Feb. 11, charged with bringing in 9.2 kg of suspected cannabis buds worth around $2 million, apart from an “alternative smoking product” or vape.

Sample of cannabis buds seized at the airport by customs agents

Tianzon is charged with trafficking in a dangerous drug contrary to sections 4(1)(a) and (3) of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, and importing an alternative smoking product contrary to Section 13B of the Import and Export Ordinance.

Like Fernandez, the defendant who is a photographer, had flown in from Bangkok on July 25 last year.

Both were remanded in jail after their hearing, and given the gravity of the charges against them, would most likely have their cases transferred to the High Court.

Top Phl law firm to give free legal advice in HK

 

One of the Philippines’ top law firms, Divina Law, will take part for the first time in the “Idulog Mo Kay Atorni” free legal advice program of the Philippine Consulate General  to be held on March 15, Sunday, 10am to 5pm at the OFW Global Centre on the 18^th floor of United Centre in Admiralty.

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Lawyers from Divina Law will provide legal advice on Philippine laws while Pro Bono Hong Kong will respond to questions on Hong Kong laws.

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Registered clients will be provided with one-on-one consultations throughout the day. But only 40 participants will be accepted, 20 for the morning session and 20 for the afternoon session.

Those who wish to avail of the service should register no later than March 10 b scanning the QR codes in the attached poster or through the following links:

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Inquiries on Philippine Laws: https://forms.gle/CqGjpm42Phi5pXZLA

Inquiries on Hong Kong Laws: https://forms.gle/vYn2bw2scYuUaPgc8

 

 

Airport’s Terminal 2 to open May 27

 

The new coach terminal; above it are the check-in facilities

Filipinos going home for vacations may be taking their flights from the new Terminal 2 of Hong Kong International Airport starting May 27.

Some 15 airlines serving cities in the region -- such as Cebu Pacific, Air Asia, HK Express and Hong Kong Airlines – and those operating short-haul routes are expected to operate from the new terminal.

Officials postponed the terminal’s opening to make way for comprehensive testing of facilities such as baggage systems and smart check-in.

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Airport Authority Chairman Fred Lam said the opening was also timed for the expected summer travel peak.

The new terminal aims to relieve pressure on Terminal 1, freeing up space for more long-haul and premium flights, as well as position Hong Kong to remain the world’s busiest airport for the 15th year. 

Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan reported that the airport handled 61 million passengers last year, up 15 percent from the previous year.

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The airport targets 70 million passengers this year, and T2 could handle about 15 million passengers using the facility by year-end; a full-year operation could bring its output to 20-30 million.

Support facilities are already in place, such as the new coach terminal at Terminal 2, which began operations on September 23, 2025. It offers 41 parking bays for tour buses, cross-boundary coaches, private cars, crew buses and resident buses, plus cross-boundary ticketing counters serving over 110 destinations in the Greater Bay Area.

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The commissioning of the third runway has expanded air links, prompting the government to sign aviation agreements with nine new partners, including Chile, Ecuador and Poland, last year, with plans to add 10 more in regions such as South America, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa next year.

Pre-EDSA commemoration focuses on ending corruption

 

Tens of thousands watched the Edsa kick-off concert

Several Filipino celebrities led by Ogie Alcasid and Janno Gibbs entertained tens of thousands of Filipinos at Quezon Memorial Circle (QMC) on Saturday in a “kick-off concert” for the 40^th anniversary celebration of the Edsa People Power Revolution.

The six-hour show focused solely on fighting corruption, and made no calls on ending oppression and abuse in the country, which were what fueled People Power in February 1986.

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A day-long series of prayer marches, programs and a concert will be held to commemorate the actual 40th anniversary of the Edsa revolt on Feb 25, across three sites in Quezon City, in a third installment of the Trillion Peso March against corruption.

Ending corruption was the theme of the QMC show

The “Awit at Aksyon Kontra Korapsyon” at QMC was organized by Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG) and Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, and held four days before the actual People Power revolt that ousted then President and dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr.

Ironically, the celebration of four decades of People Power is being held four years since the late dictator’s son, Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. became the country’s president, and six months since he took the lid off the massive corruption in the country’s flood control projects.

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Likely because of the incongruous scenario organizers of the QMC celebration made an obvious effort to steer the program away from politics, and focused entirely on cracking down on corruption and getting the culprits held to account.

Yellow was the dominant color

Throughout the program, the hosts said it was a gathering of people from different political persuasions and colors, but yellow which was used by protesters during the Edsa revolt dominated, with a smattering of whites, blues and red (a color identified with Marcos. Jr.)

Not one of the organizers’ shirts was colored pink, which was identified with former Vice Prsident Leni Robredo when she campaigned for the presidency against Marcos, Jr in 2022.

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Neither was green used, the preferred color of incumbent Vice President Sara Duterte, who has publicly severed her political alliance with the president and has been heaping harsh verbal attacks on him since.

Most tellingly, guest singer Nica del Rosario did not (or was not allowed) to sing her massive hit “Rosas” as it was used as a theme song for the failed presidential bid of Leni Robredo, who has since been elected mayor of Naga City.

But after a just a little nudge from host Ogie Diaz, many in the audience gladly broke into singing the familiar refrain of the song, which they obviously knew by heart.

The audience consisted largely of young people

Politicians were also noticeably absent from the stage, although the cameras focused on Senator Bam Aquino at one point, and hosts said Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte had greeted them backstage.

But what was left unsaid subtly found its way to the crowd through old footage from the Edsa revolt that was flashed intermittently on the screen, and fiery speeches from some of the guest entertainers, notably actress Iza Calzado.

Surprisingly, singer and actress Ice Seguerra who was a known supporter of Marcos Jr’s predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, opened the main part of the program by singing the much-loved protest song, “Bayan Ko”, and taking a strong stand against corruption and abuse.

Duterte, who is now imprisoned in The Hague after being charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, had appointed Seguerra chair of the National Youth Commission but he quit after two years.

Also among those who took part in the show were Bea Binene, Elmo and Arkin Magalona, Rivermaya, Ebe Dancel, Pio Balbuena, Amiel Sol, Earl Agustin, Chelsea Alley, Over October, Femme MNL, Morobeats, Madeline, Hey Moonshine, Stonefree, Chloe Redondo, Jkris Dantes, Crispin, Sisa and Bassilyo, TSN Drag, DJ Jhaiho, Mz. Chronicles and Jasmine Dudley-Scales.

 

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36 persons rounded up in latest anti-illegal worker drive

Immigration officers escort suspected illegal workers after arrest.

The Immigration Department (ImmD) rounded up 36 persons in its latest anti-illegal worker operations.

Those arrested consisted of 24 suspected illegal workers, nine suspected employers and three suspected aiders and abettors.

The arrests resulted from ImmD’s territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations, as well as joint operations with the Hong Kong Police Force, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the  Leisure and Cultural Services Department and Hong Kong Customs, from Feb. 6 to Feb. 15.

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During the anti-illegal worker operations at various Lunar New Year fairs, ImmD officers raided multiple stalls at the events and arrested 12 suspected illegal workers and six suspected employers.

The workers comprised four men and eight women, aged 18 to 52. They were found selling goods at the stalls.

Two men and four women, aged 33 to 49, were suspected of employing them.

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Apart from mounting enforcement operations, ImmD deployed a promotional vehicle and ImmD officers to distribute "Don't Employ Illegal Workers" leaflets and convey the message to Lunar New Year fair stall owners and other retailers across the territory.

In other anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD officers raided multiple target locations including restaurants, retail stores and garages etc. and arrested 12 suspected illegal workers, comprising three men and nine women, aged 20 to 54.

Among them, two men and two women were holding recognisance forms which prohibit them from taking any employment, with one woman also being suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card.

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The arrested workers were found performing dishwashing, garage mechanic and goods loading duties.

Two men and one woman, aged 35 to 65, were arrested for employing the illegal workers. Furthermore, the suspected aiders and abettors arrested were three men aged 42 to 45.

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

'Blood moon' lunar eclipse visible in HK on Mar 3

 

This is how the 'blood moon' will look like to billions of people all over the world

Weather permitting, Hong Kong residents (and billions of people around the world) will again be able to see with the naked eye the red “blood moon,” indicating a total lunar eclipse, on Tuesday, Mar. 3.

The rare phenomenon will start at 4:43pm but can only be seen in Hong Kong before the moonrise at 6:22pm, when part of the moon is already in the earth’s umbra or shadow. This can be viewed about 83 degrees toward the east.

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The moon will be completely engulfed by the umbra at 7:04pm and remain covered until 8:03pm, when it begins to move away from the earth’s shadow.

The total eclipse will last for 59 minutes, leaving the moon glowing in deep red during this period.

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Astronomists say this is the effect of the blue light from the sun being scattered by the Earth’s atmosphere and the remaining red light being refracted onto the lunar surface.

Details of this total lunar eclipse are as follows:

Date	Time	Phenomenon	Elevation	Direction (Azimuth)
March 3 (Tuesday)	4.43pm	Moon enters penumbra	Below the horizon	Not visible in Hong Kong
	5.50pm	Moon enters umbra	Below the horizon	Not visible in Hong Kong
	6.22pm	Moonrise	-1 degree	East (83 degrees)
	7.04pm	Total eclipse begins	9 degrees	East (87 degrees)
	7.34pm	Maximum eclipse	15 degrees	East (90 degrees)
	8.03pm	Total eclipse ends	22 degrees	East (93 degrees)
	9.18pm	Moon exits umbra	38 degrees	East (101 degrees)
	10.25pm	Moon exits penumbra	53 degrees	East-southeast (112 degrees)

The whole process can be viewed by all via a webcast webpage, jointly hosted by the Hong Kong Observatory, the Hong Kong Space Museum and three other groups.

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For the latest weather conditions and the astronomical observation conditions on March 3, please refer to the Hong Kong Observatory's 9-day weather forecast webpage and the Weather Information for Astronomical Observation webpage.

The next lunar eclipse that can be seen with a naked eye in Hong Kong will be a penumbral lunar eclipse on Feb. 21, 2027. The next total lunar eclipse is expected in the latter part of 2028.

 

 

Pinoy gets 3 months jail for operating gambling den

 

Entrance to the building where gambling establishment was operating

A Filipino who listed his occupation as a restaurant manager, was sentenced to three months in jail after he pleaded guilty twice to managing a gambling establishment.

Roel Galanza, 42 years old, faced the charge of violating section 5(b) of the Gambling Ordinance.

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He was arrested twice working in the same establishment, located at Room B. 1/F, Fok Ying Building, 379-381 King's Road, North Point.

Magistrate Ko Wai-hung sentenced him to two months in prison for the first offense, for which he as arrested by anti-triad police officers on Oct. 28 last year.

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Magistrate Ko sentenced him to 10 weeks for the second offence, after his arrest on Dec. 16 last year.

However, the first six weeks of the sentence for the second offense will run at the same time as the first sentence, leaving four weeks to be added to the first sentence.

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Under the Gambling Ordinance, “any person who on any occasion… manages or otherwise has control of a gambling establishment… commits an offence and is liable—

(i)         on summary conviction to a fine of $5,000,000 and to imprisonment for 2 years; or

(ii)        on conviction on indictment to a fine of $5,000,000 and to imprisonment for 7 years.”

DMW forges global alliance to protect OFWs from scams

 

Hanley and Cacdac (1st and 2nd from left) at signing of MOU

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) as part of its continuing effort to protect overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families from online scams and digital fraud.

The agreement was signed in Bonifacio Global City earlier today, Feb. 19, by DMW Secretary Hans  J. Cacdac and GASA Director for Asia Pacific Brian Hanley.

Through this initiative both parties aim to strengthen digital safety initiatives, improve cross-border intelligence sharing, and expand access to tools and resources that will assist migrant workers in detecting and avoiding fraudulent schemes.

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OFWs are often targeted by scammers, given their vulnerability due to long hours of work, preventing easy access to reliable information; and their improved financial capacity.

In Hong Kong, for example, OFWs are often preyed upon by money launderers who offer them cash tokens in exchange for surrendering control over their bank accounts, which are then used as conduits for money derived from crimes.

Cacdac said the partnership is not merely a campaign for awareness.

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“We entered this agreement not only to campaign against scams, but to address the underlying causes - whether it's a lack of jobs or opportunities — and to respond with real solutions. By boosting our information efforts and connecting victims to employment options, we aim to take both preventive and corrective measures,” he said.

For his part, Hanley stressed the importance of collective action to combat a global menace.

“This is the time for the public sector and private entities to come together, because scams are no longer just a government concern — they are now recognized as a global concern and as a cybercrime,” he said.

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The partnership will cover expanded public awareness campaigns, digital literacy programs, joint training sessions, and research initiatives aimed at equipping OFWs and their families with the knowledge and tools to recognize and avoid scams.

It is hoped that the collaboration will enhance the Philippines’ role in the global effort against cybercrimes.

GASA is a global coalition dedicated to protecting consumers worldwide. It consists of leading technology and financial institutions, including Globe Telecom, Gogolook, Meta, Google, and Mastercard.