No deal with Maute, says Palace

The Duterte administration has hardened its stand on the Islamist-inspired militants in Marawi City, with presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella vowing that no deal will be struck with the group.

The Maute and Abu Sayyaf militants, who tried to control Marawi City on May 23,  earlier laid down a condition to release Catholic priest Fr. Teresito “Chito” Suganob in exchange for the freedom of the extremists’ parents and relatives in government custody.

“The government’s policy is not to negotiate with terrorists,” Abella asserted during a press briefing at Malacanang. Government authorities earlier captured in separate operations the Maute patriarch Cayamora one June 7 and the matriarch Ominta Farhana on June 9.

After five weeks of fighting, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) expressed confidence that offensive operations will soon be over and victory will be at hand.

Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera, spokesman for Task Force Marawi, said government troops are focused and will accomplish their mission to retake Marawi City. “Troop morale remains very high and we appeal to everyone to continue to support and pray for our troops. The Armed Forces of the Philippines is winning and that victory is irreversible,” Herrera said.

Militant-held areas are continuing to grow smaller as government security forces advance into the city, he said.

“Troops continue to get deeper into once enemy-held positions as evidenced by the recovery of cadavers of terrorists and their firearms, computers and peripherals as well as communication equipment and accessories,” Herrera said.

But he admitted that government forces are still facing challenges in their clearing operations. The ISIS-inspired local terror group has planted improvised bombs in houses and buildings they are ready to set fire to once government forces come near.

Still, indications are that government forces are gaining ground.

Islamist militants still entrenched in Marawi have beheaded several individuals, the military spokesman said, citing accounts of rescued civilians. But so far, the military has not recovered any decapitated body.

Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, AFP spokesman, said the Islamic State-inspired Maute militants had executed Christians, based on the information provided by individuals who had been rescued or who escaped from the militant stronghold at the heart of the city.

Padilla said their assessment was based on survivor accounts as well as on the videos posted by the militants on the websites of their sympathizers.

However, when asked if they had recovered any body whose head had been severed to serve as proof that beheadings really transpired, Padilla said: “Opo, wala pa po tayong nare-recover bagamat maaaring ginawa ito sa lugar na pinagkukutaan nila na sa ngayon ay hindi pa natin napapasok.”

Padilla said the beheading did not just happen at the beginning of the conflict but has been continuing up to now, according to those who have escaped. “Tama po ‘yung impormasyong nakuha natin. ‘Yan po ay naging parte ng simula ng pagkakaroon ng bakbakan diyan. Napakadami na rin pong impormasyon dahil lahat po ng kanilang nahuhuli at nakikita nilang mga Kristyano ay ine-execute nila,” Padilla said in a news briefing.

“Ngayon ito naman pong nare-rescue nating mga kababayan natin sa loob at ‘yung ilang nakakatakas, ganyan na rin po ‘yung binigay na feedback. Kaya malaki po ang pruweba na hindi lang po nung simula nila ginawa ito kung hindi patuloy pa rin hanggang sa ngayon,” he added.

Padilla said that based on the information from the local government there were still around 500 civilians trapped in the heart of the city, where the clashes have been the most intense.

Earlier, Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera, spokesperson of the Joint Task Force Marawi, said only around 100 to 200 individuals were trapped or being held hostage by the Maute rebels.

Herrera had reported that rescue operations had freed around 1,704 civilians taken hostage or caught in the hostilities.

OPM icon Bamboo rocks HK

By William Elvin 

In simple and unassuming black shirt and jeans, Bamboo Mañalac and his touring band electrified Halls 5F-G of the HK Convention and Exhibition Centre with sheer undeniable musical talent. The expo halls were packed on June 4, Sunday, with adoring Filipino fans who expected nothing less than a rocking afternoon, and they were not disappointed.

The solid two-hour concert – dubbed as “Noypi” - opened with a few tracks from his 2015 album “Bless This Mess”, which included the singles “Firepower”, “Nothing Like You”, and “Call”.

The string of energetic, albeit lesser-known songs eased the crowd into a set of indelible OPM classics such as “Himala”, “214”, and “Awit ng Kabataan”, originally performed by Bamboo as the original frontman of pop-rock legends Rivermaya.

Also featured in his performance was a rock version of the early 90s hip-hop hit “Ice, Ice, Baby” by Vanilla Ice. Later in the afternoon, he also churned out a cover of Kendrick Lemar’s modern hit entitled “I”, as well as the Michael Jackson classic “Man in the Mirror”.

But the show’s highlights were Bamboo’s contemporary anthems “Noypi” and “Hallelujah”, with the highly energetic singer running around the concert venue to get closer to his fans.

The show poignantly closed with “Flowers”, a relatively obscure song penned by Rico Blanco for the 1996 album “Trip”.

Bamboo Mañalac first rose to fame in 1994 with the debut of Rivermaya, and was caught in a heated hit-charts rivalry with fellow OPM legends The Eraserheads.  He left the Philippine music scene to live in the United States in 1999, and returned in 2004 with the album “As The Music Plays”.

Aside from his solo music career, he is also popularly known as one of the judges of The Voice Philippines in ABS-CBN.

Bamboo’s Noypi Concert was organized and produced by Barkadahan sa Smartone.

Singer-comedian Mikey Bustos entertains HK Pinoys

By William Elvin

Filipino-Canadian entertainer and YouTube sensation Mikey Bustos gave a homesickness-inducing comedy concert to a full-house crowd at the Duke of Windsor building in Wanchai on May 28.

The hour-long event was produced and organized by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association.

Known for his song parodies that celebrate Pinoy customs and culture, Mikey performed a string of his most well-viewed YouTube videos with frenetic song-and-dance numbers. Opening his act was “I Go To Palengke”, to the tune of Meghan Trainor’s hit “All About The Bass”. This segued to a parody of Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines”, with lyrics about the Filipino’s habitual tardiness.

Mikey slowed the pace down a bit with a serious rendition of Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud”, before launching into one of his original novelty songs entitled “Sanggol The Pig”, about a black pig which he adopted as a pet.

To perform a song about traditional Filipino courtship, Mikey changed into the character of “Super Pinoy Boy”.

The character’s silliness made the next number the highlight of the whole concert, as he sang about the horrors of provincial circumcision in a parody of Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me”.

Next came another energetic number with a Filipino version of Psy’s “Oppa Gangnam Style”, followed by a serious interpretation of Lionel Richie’s “Hello”.

A humorous bogus love story countered the seriousness of the next number, as he performed a duet of “The Prayer” with himself on video dressed as his “wife” named Michelle.

Transitioning to his set’s final stretch, Mikey sang the Martin Nievera classic “Kahit Isang Saglit”.

Another Meghan Trainor parody followed with a comedy anthem to the tune of “No”.

Mikey performed with dance group Star Pinoy HK.

To close his concert, Mikey called on the audience to dance with him in his original novelty song “Halo Halo”, about the Filipino cold dessert.

Audio problems bogged the show down, and the lack of staging spectacle and production undeservedly made Mikey Bustos’ set feel a bit flat. However, the comedian’s eagerness to entertain complemented by his natural charm and charisma more than made up for the event’s shortcomings.

For more of Mikey Bustos, subscribe to his YouTube Channel: https://www.b youtube.com/user/MikeyBustosVideos.

DC to hear money claim vs. dead DH’s employer

By Vir B. Lumicao

The District Court will begin hearing in December this year a claim for compensation filed by the relatives of a Filipina domestic worker against her employer as a result of the woman’s death by falling in October 2014.
None of the litigants was in court on June 2 when Judge Katina Levy was supposed to begin the hearing the case, but she adjourned the hearing to Dec 8 to give more time for the relatives of Ruby Ann Diola to prepare their case.
Only Edwina Antonio of the Mission for Mgrant Workers was in court, but her application to represent Diola’s next of kin, her live-in partner Virginio V. Jose, was turned down by the judge.
“Where is the applicant?” Levy asked when Santoyo said she was representing Jose, who was in his hometown of Lingayen in Pangasinan.
Santoyo explained that the elderly man had told her he was not financially capable of coming to Hong Kong.
“I’m not sure if you have the capacity to represent the applicant,” the judge said, adding that she could not see any Hong Kong law that would allow Santoyo to represent Jose.
Santoyo said if that were the case then she would talk to the Legal Aid Department to ask for a lawyer who could represent Jose.
But Levy took note that Santoyo’s group, the Mission for Migrant Workers, was helping Jose in pursuing the compensation claim against Diola’s employer, Cheung Yeuk Lee, who was also absent from the hearing.
“I’m quite surprised that the respondent is not in court and, as the employer of the helper, she should be here,” Levy said.
She noted that Diola was not insured at the time she fell to her death from the 32nd floor of a residential tower on Robinsons Road in Mid-Levels, Central. At the time of her death, Diola was 26 years old.
Levy also said that Cheung had been fined $5,000 by a court for failure to take out life insurance for her maid.
The judge said that since the Mission was assisting Jose, “you will now do the liaising between him and the court. I think you could contact the family and help them apply for legal aid.”
The body of Diola was found beside the swimming pool on the morning of Oct 23, 2014, in a case that police classified as “death by falling”.
The following month,the police asked Jose to come to Hong Kong to help with their probe.
 Diola, a native of Palo, Leyte, and Jose lived together in Lingayen where they operated a mineral water business until the woman came to work in Hong Kong as a domestic worker in 2014.
She broke her contract with her first employer in May 2014 and was hired by Cheung  through Goldjoy Employment Agency.
Jose said in November 2014 that Goldjoy was offering US$3,000 for funeral expenses and US$1,000 each to the victim’s mother and her son in exchange for his signing a prepared agreement.
He refused to sign the document after realizing it was a quitclaim freeing Cheung, the agency and its two partner-agencies in Manila from further claims relating to Diola’s death.

Health benefits of herbs and spices

By Jo Campos

In the past issues, I focused on the use of herbs and spices, from growing your own little herb garden to sharing recipes using different herbs and spices. For this issue, let me share some useful tips on the health benefits of herbs and spices and how to maximize their potency on our everyday cooking.

Herbs and spices have been in use throughout history because of their medicinal benefits, apart from their culinary use. Modern science shows many of them indeed carry remarkable health benefits.

Here are some healthy home remedies and medicinal properties of herbs and spices:

* Cinnamon lowers blood sugar, making it a very powerful antidote to diabetes. A popular spice, it is found in all sorts of food, especially baked goods. Its potent antioxidant property helps fight inflammation and has been shown to lower cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. It contains a compound called cinnamaldehyde, which is responsible for cinnamon’s medicinal properties. Most importantly, cinnamon can lower blood sugar by slowing down the breakdown of carbohydrates in the digestive tract and improving insulin sensitivity. Studies have shown that cinnamon can lower fasting blood sugars by 10-29% in diabetic patients, which is a significant amount. The effective dose is typically 1-6 grams of cinnamon per day.

* Sage improves brain function and memory. It was generally regarded as having healing properties during the middle ages, and was even used to help fight off the plague. Sage got its name from the Latin word salvere which means “to save”. Current research indicates that sage may help improve brain function and memory, especially in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Other studies have also shown that sage can improve memory function in healthy people, both young and old.

* Peppermint relieves irritable bowel syndrome or IBS, and could also reduce nausea. Peppermint has a long history of use in folk medicine and aromatherapy. Many studies have shown that peppermint can improve pain management in IBS. It appears to work by relaxing the colon, which relieves the pain experienced during bowel movements. It also helps to reduce abdominal bloating, which is a common digestive symptom. There are also some studies showing that peppermint in aromatherapy can help relieve nausea.

* Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow color. It contains curcumin,  a remarkably powerful antioxidant, helping to fight oxidative damage and boosting the body’s own antioxidant enzymes. Curcumin contains several compounds with medicinal properties. This active ingredient in turmeric has major health benefits, including the prevention and cure of arthritis and reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease, among others. Turmeric is also effective in relieving seasonal allergies. A natural antihistamine, turmeric could prevent the body from releasing symptom-triggering histamines with this spice-infused beverage: stir one teaspoon of ground turmeric into an eight ounce glass of water and drink. Certain oxidants in turmeric help suppress histamine production.

* Rosemary helps fight dandruff flakes. Rosemary rinse will help prevent your scalp from producing too much sebum, an oil that contributes to dandruff. Make tea by adding rosemary leaves to one cup of boiling water. Cover and steep for 20 minutes, then strain and cool to room temperature. After you shampoo and condition, apply the tea as a final rinse. Massage into your scalp and don’t rinse out.

* Black pepper can quell coughing. Give your throat a break with this peppery recipe: place one teaspoon of black pepper in a teacup, fill with boiling water and steep for 10 minutes. Add two tablespoons of honey and drink. The pepper acts as a decongestant and the honey’s antibiotic qualities soothe the throat.

* Thyme leaves help clear up athlete’s foot. Add two tablespoons of thyme leaves to one cup of boiling water and steep for 10 minutes. Strain and let the liquid cool, then soak a cotton ball into the thyme tea and dab on your feet and between the toes. Let them air dry. Antifungal compounds in thymol kill the fungus causing your stinky feet.

* Ground nutmeg consists of compounds containing strong antibacterial properties. To cure acne, mix equal parts of ground nutmeg and honey and dab on your pimple. Let it sit for 20 minutes, then wash off. Honey contains antimicrobials that help fight the infection and reduce inflammation.

* Oregano leaves reduce and soothe pain. Place a heaping tablespoon of oregano leaves in one cup of boiling water, then steep for 10 minutes. Scoop out the leaves and place them in the foot of a clean, used pair of panty hose. Tie a knot in the open end. Press against the bruised area for 15 minutes, occasionally rewetting with the tea. The oregano oil helps heal the bruise.

 * Sesame seeds can help kick constipation as it contains oil that lubricates the intestines and helps dry stool move through more easily. To rev your digestive tract and prevent constipation, put a tablespoon of sesame seeds in a coffee grinder, then sprinkle the powder on other foods like cereal, salads and yoghurt.

CG sees big task ahead as envoy to Lebanon

By Vir B. Lumicao

Congen Catalla

Outgoing Consul-General Bernardita Catalla is excited about her impending posting as the Philippine ambassador to Beirut, but expects Lebanon to be a very busy assignment.

In her speech at the diplomatic reception for the 119th Anniversary of Philippine Independence held at the Conrad on June 8, Congen Bernie said she was nostalgic yet proud of her accomplishments as she welcomed the more than 200 guests to the celebration.

“I’m both happy and sad that tonight will be the last National Day reception I will be hosting,” CG Bernie said without announcing her next destination.

But after the reception, the ambassador-in-waiting said in an interview with The SUN that she was looking forward to August, her expected move to her new post in Beirut.

Her first priority will be to work on a bilateral agreement so Manila could lift a labor export ban to Lebanon.

There is no ambivalence on her part about moving to Beirut,  even if it means leaving behind one of the most vibrant OFW destinations in the world.

She considers the new posting as a priceless trade-off that is paramount to her career.

“That’s the height..the peak of your career to become an ambassador. If I can become an ambassador in Hong Kong, why shouldn’t I stay? I love it in Hong Kong, but it’s a career move,” Catalla said.

She said it had been her wish to become an ambassador before she retired.

That opportunity came just this year, when President Rodrigo Duterte nominated her as ambassador plenipotentiary to Lebanon and the Commission on Appointments confirmed her on May 17.

The next step is for the government of the Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, to inform the government of Lebanon of her appointment as envoy.

But the job that awaits her won't be easy. With 28,000 mostly undocumented Filipino domestic workers in the eastern Mediterranean country, Catalla is looking to a very busy schedule.

She will also be taking over a post that has been vacant for over a year, with Ambassador Leah Basinang Ruiz having left end of June last year, leaving behind only a lean staff led by a charge d’affaires.

“I’ll have a lot of work to do, because there is an existing ban on the deployment of household workers from the Philippines, but still many people go there, so, maraming illegal workers,” Catalla said.

So, it will be like starting anew for the ambassador when she arrives in Beirut.

“Walang labor agreement doon, so that’s something I’d like to deal with,” Catalla said. She added that the Philippines and Lebanon have a memorandum of understanding on a standard employment contract like what workers have in Hong Kong, but it is still waiting to be signed. Once that agreement is signed, the ban will be lifted, she said.

She is confident of being able to handle the work that awaits her, as she says her Hong Kong stint has prepared her for the assignment.

“It allowed me to learn the ropes of being a head of post. But even more than that, because Hong Kong...I think functions more than an ordinary consulate general,” Catalla said.

She said it was not just the size of the Filipino community in Hong Kong that makes the post here comparable to an embassy.

“It’s not just that, because here you deal with the business sector, you deal with the academe, you deal with the government and policy,” CG said. “Kaya napakaganda ng exposure sa Hong Kong.”

Hong Kong may have been a prized destination, but Congen is already looking forward to her new job as a personal representative of her President.

“You represent the government, you represent the President of the Philippines, so, ang tawag sa iyo, ‘Excellency’. Walang diplomat na hindi gustong maging ambassador, kahit sa dulo ng daigdig pa iyan, kahit sa Timbuktu pa iyan.”

She said the usual advice given to diplomats at the DFA is: “Wherever they send you, if you’re ambassador, you should accept it.”

“It’s a privilege,” Amba Bernie said ecstatically.

On food and food allowance

By Cynthia Tellez

There are some provisions in the employment contract that are often not given their due importance. One is on food provision or food allowance. Some take this lightly maybe because there is no immediate effect unlike physical assault, non-payment of wages and the like.

In the 2016 Mission’s Service Report, 26% of the clients we assisted complained about insufficient food. In absolute number, this is 326 of the new clients. This is actually a growing concern.

Food is one of the very basic needs of any living creature. We need to eat and drink aside from putting on clothes to protect our health, and a place to get sufficient rest in order to be able to work.

Food is very important to maintain a healthy body. For many of us who are not rich, the health and strength of our physical body is what we need in order for us to work and earn a living for us and our family. That is why we need to be healthy, and to achieve this, we need nutritious food. Vitamins or food supplements cannot replace the nutrition we get from food.

The effect of lack of food (or insufficient amount of food) cannot be noticed immediately. The effect on our health of eating food lacking in nutrition such as having noodles or only two slices of bread each day, will have ill-effect on our health in the long term.

Presently, the food allowance is pegged at $1,032 per month. This is if the employer is not providing free food.

For those who do provide food, it is unacceptable that two pieces of bread a day  can be considered as complying with the clause on free food. It is better if employers would just provide a food allowance so FDWs can buy their own nutritious food.

As a matter of principle and as a matter of right, FDWs have the legal right to free food, or food allowance.  An employer is obligated to provide this to a domestic worker in accordance with the employment contract. Non-compliance amounts to a breach of the employment contract, and must be penalised.

But whether this is being seriously attended to by the Labour Department is another matter. The Mission knows that the authorities have no means to monitor compliance by the  employer with this clause, but we cannot wait until such mechanism is in place.

In the absence of well defined guidelines that can be used to measure compliance, details and specifics play an important role in determining whether an employer is negligent in not providing enough food to a worker, thus causing health problems

1. For new arrivals, if you still have a record of your medical certificate, better keep it for future use as proof of your health condition upon arrival in Hong Kong.

2. Those who have been working for sometime, do the same and keep all medical records of your consultations with doctors.

3. Do not hesitate to tell your employer that you need to see a doctor if you are not feeling well. Keep all documents and records of the results of your consultation. Tell your doctor the nature of your job, the amount of work it entails, the amount and nature of the food that you eat, sufficient/insufficient rest, or anything that can provide the doctor of your actual condition. This will help in the accuracy of the doctor’s evaluation of your health situation. Notify your employer if you are given sick leave. Keep copies in your file.

4. Talk with your employer about the kind of food given you. Tell them that you cannot eat only noodles all the time. You need some vegetables and also some meat or fish for the nutrition your body needs. The conversation must be written in you diary, especially your employer’s response.

5. Keep a diary of the kind of food you are given for every meal each day. Take a picture of them. The diary should carry the dates, time and description of food.

6. If your employer prohibits you to cook for yourself any food items in their refrigerator (especially when eggs, meat, vegetables, are marked with numbers) take a picture of that.

7. If you are buying your own food, keep the receipts, and write down the details in your diary.

8. If you have a close friend, tell her your difficulties regarding food provision.

After a certain period of time - say two or more months of recording - inform the Labour Department, Immigration Department and the Consulate about your condition on food provision. If there is a series of health-related complaints, attach to your letter a photocopy of the medical prescription/diagnosis of the doctor.

The deterioration in your health is often not immediate, and it could take time before you notice it. Thus, your own monitoring and recording of your work condition will help the doctor in giving  an accurate diagnosis. If your health condition can be attributed to a lack of rest, insufficient food, overwork and other work-related reasons, you can approach the Labour Department upon consultation with service providers like the Mission.

Regular monitoring of what you are fed, and records of your conversation with your employer about your condition, can help a lot in supporting your claim that your employee's negligence was the reason for the deterioration in your health. If the health problem has a permanent effect that lessens your capacity to carry out your duties as before, then you should be compensated (on top of the usual contractual obligations of your employer).

Again, let us not take our health for granted as the effect of insufficient food might be permanent. The precautions can be too taxing, like monitoring, but it is all worth it because ill health could affect our, and our family’s future.

Kumibo, huwag magdusa sa pananahimik

Ni Vir B. Lumicao

Nakababahala ang inilahad ng isang NGO na isa sa bawat pitong babae sa Hong Kong ay naging biktima ng karahasang seksuwal, ayon sa isang survey na isinagawa nito.

At lalong nagdudulot ng pangamba ang natuklasan sa pag-aaral ng Rain Lily noong 2013 na sa 933 na naging biktima ng panggagahasa o panghahalay, 121 lamang ang naglakas-loob na nagsumbong sa mga awtoridad.  

Para sa isang mayaman at makabagong lungsod na kilala sa mundo bilang isang matagumpay na pumuksa sa kabulukan sa gobyerno at sa pribadong sektor, isang malaking batik sa karangalan ng Hong Kong ang natuklasan survey.

Ito ay nagpapakita na sa kabila ng ibayong kaunlarang natamo ng lungsod na ito ay nananatili pa ring hindi ligtas ang malaking bahagi ng populasyon nito na 7.3 milyon – ang kababaihang kabalikat ng kalalakihan sa pagpapasulong sa pag-unlad at higit pang pagyaman ng lugal na ito.

Naalarma sa survey ang Rain Lily, isang grupong tumutulong sa mga migranteng kababaihan na nagiging biktima ng karahasang seksuwal. Lalo pa itong nag-alala dahil 87% ng mga biktima ay hindi kumibo at pinili na lang na manahimik sa kabila ng sinapit nila.

May sapat na batas ang Hong Kong upang protektahan ang mga mamamayan at iba pang mga nakatira sa lungsod na ito laban sa mga magsasamantala sa kahinaan ng maliliit na miyembro ng komunidad.

Mayroon din itong pulisya na nakilala bilang pinakapropesyunal at pinakadisiplinadong puwersa ng kapulisan sa buong daigdig.

Ngunit sa kabila ng pagkakaroon ng Hong Kong ng modelong hudikatura at pulisya ay nangyayari pa rin ang mga krimeng tumitimo sa puso ng lipunan, ang panghahalay sa puri ng kababaihan.

Higit pang nakababahala ang pangyayaring ito dahil ang panggagahasa at iba pang paglulugso sa puri ng mga babae ay nagaganap hindi sa mga kalye, kungdi sa loob ng mahigit 2 milyong mga tahanan sa lungsod na ito.

Ang ibig sabihin, ang karamihan sa mga salarin ay iyong mismong mga taong kasama ng mga biktima sa kanilang tahanan – mga miyembro ng pamilya, ibang kamag-anak o mga kaibigang nakikipisan sa kanila.

Nakababalisa sa ating mga dayuhang manggagawa rito sa Hong Kong ang natuklasan ng survey dahil malaking bilang ng mga kababaihan natin ang naghahanap-buhay sa loob ng mga tahanang iyan, walang kasama at kakamping kamag-anak.

Sila ay mahina at walang kalaban-laban doon.

Ilan na ang naganap na panggagahasa at panglulugso sa puri ng mga dayuhang katulong sa loob ng mga bahay dito ngunit walang nakasaksi dahil kadalasang nagaganap ang krimen kapag ang salarin at ang biktima lamang ang nasa bahay.

Pagdating sa hukuman ay nahihirapan ang tagausig na patunayan ang pagkakasala ng salarin dahil sa kawalan ng saksi at kahinaan ng ebidensiya.

At dahil ang batas ay pantay, kailangang mapatunayan ng walang bahid ng pagdududa ang pagkakasala ng isang tao.

Ang tanging pananggalang ng ating mga kababaihan sa banta ng karahasang seksuwal, maging sa lugal na pinaglilingkuran o sa labas ng tahanan, ang pag-iwas sa mga posibleng manghalay sa kanila, at ang agarang pagsusumbong sa pulisya kapag sila ay ginawan ng masama. Huwag rin silang mahihiyang magsabi sa mga kamag-anak at mga kaibigan dahil hgit nilang kailangan ang suporta ng malalapit sa kanila.

Kapag pipiliin ng mga biktima ang magtiis at manahimik dahil sa takot na mawalan ng trabaho, kahihiyan sa madla, at pangambang mapulaan o kutyain sila, hindi mapupuksa ng mga awtoridad ang halimaw na nakatago, at naghihintay sa susunod nilang biktima.  

Nahuling nag-jaywalking

Bitbit ang mga pinamili sa palengke ay biglang tumawid si Guia sa kalsada sa Sai Ying Pun, kahit nakita na niyang biglang nag green ang ilaw sa harap niya. Hindi niya namalayan na may pulis na naghihintay sa kanya sa kabilang dulo.

Nang hingin ang kanyang HK ID ay nagulat pa siya. “What is the case, sir?” ang tanong niya.

“Jaywalking,” sagot naman ng pulis.

Sinubukan pa niyang mangatwiran, at sinabing isang beep pa lang ang narinig niya, gayong alam niyang 10 beep pa ang dapat lumipas bago umandar ang mga sasakyan sa kabilang parte ng kalsada.

Ayon naman sa pulis, sa unang beep pa lang ay dapat na siyang tumigil dahil baka biglang umandar ang mga sasakyan sa tatawiran niya. Kung hindi naman, baka biglang mag-preno ang drayber, at mabangga ito ng ibang sasakyan sa likod. Naka green na kasi ang ilaw nila, at pula na ang sa mga patawid.

Noong Sabado, Hunyo 10, ay nakatanggap siya ng summons kung saan nakasulat na kailangan niyang mag report sa Julyo 13, 2:30 ng hapon sa Eastern court para sa hearing ng kanyang kaso. Kung gusto daw niyang umamin ng kasalanan ay i-fill-up niya yung form at ipadala muli sa pulis sa pamamagitan ng koreo. Pagkatapos ay papadalhan siya muli ng sulat kung saan nakasaad kung magkano ang multa na dapat niyang bayaran.

Nagdesisyon siyang umamin sa kasalanan, at huwag nang ipaalam sa amo ang nangyari.

Sa tinagal-tagal niya sa Hong Kong ay ngayon  lang daw siya nagka kaso. Payo niya sa mga kapwa niya Pinay, mag-ingat lagi sa pagtawid, at sundin ang traffic light at baka matulad sa kanya na napadalhan ng summons.

Hindi rin biro ang makatanggap ng ganitong sulat, sabi ni Guia na isang Batanguena, 54 taong gulang, at 28 taon na sa Hong Kong. – Merly Bunda

Call center worker gets 12 years for drug trafficking

By Vir B. Lumicao

A call center agent from Manila was sentenced on June 6 by a High Court judge to 12 years and three months in jail for trafficking cocaine into Hong Kong.

Ann Raian Cruz, 38, sat calmly in the dock but bowed her head as Court of First Instance Judge Wong read his sentence.

Cruz was found with 508 grams of pure grade cocaine concealed in her handbag when she arrived in Hong Kong on July 30 last year. The drug is valued at $694,565.

She pleaded guilty on Apr 8 to a charge of drug trafficking.

In mitigation, the defence lawyer said the defendant is a single mother who supports her 20-year-old daughter as well as her parents. At the time of her arrest she was working at a call center in Manila

Judge Wong said he had considered all circumstances of the case and the mitigation offered by the defense before reaching the sentence.

Since her arrest, Cruz has taken part in an anti-drug trafficking information campaign launched by correctional chaplain Fr John Wotherspoon and involved detainees.

The mostly women inmates revealed the modus operandi of mostly Nigerian drug syndicates who lure unsuspecting village girls and desperate women into the international drugs trade and use them as “drug mules” or couriers through deception.

In her case, Cruz revealed how she met African businessman named Chris Williams on dating site twoo.com. They became friends, fell in love and then dated as their relationship grew.

Williams reportedly invited Cruz to join him on a trip to Hong Kong but at the last minute, backed out and told the defendant to go ahead on her own.  On her way to the airport Cruz was told to pick up a handbag which was supposed to be a present  As it turned out, the bag had two slabs of cocaine hidden in its lining.

Filipina wins claim vs. boss, but gets less money

By Vir B. Lumicao

A domestic worker who was fired after allegedly refusing to work illegally, won her case at the Labour Tribunal on June 1 when her former boss agreed to settle – but for substantially less than her claim.

Mila San Andres was claiming $12,000 from the employer, Rajendram Satish, for wage in lieu of notice, arrears in wage, meal allowance, air ticket to Manila, and travel allowance.

In the end, the Filipina agreed to a $9,500 settlement.

The helper took her case to the tribunal shortly after Satish terminated her contract on Mar 27 this year without giving her a one-month notice. She had just completed her second month working for Satish and his family.

When presiding officer David Chum asked why she was claiming compensation from the employer, San Andres said Satish paid her only $2,000, instead of $4,310, for her first month of employment.

San Andres said when she asked Satish about the balance of her monthly salary, he allegedly told her to do extra work for other people so she could earn the full amount. The Filipina said the unpaid salary became a source of argument between her and Satish.

Chum asked Satish why he did not pay San Andres in full, but the employer replied he paid her fully.

When the presiding officer asked for proofs of payment, the defendant said, “I had a record but now it’s gone…I kept the documents in my house but she took them away when she left.”

The judge warned Satish that if the case went to trial, he would be required to present evidence that he paid his maid, and if he failed to do so, he would lose his case.

“More important, if you fail to pay the wages, it is a criminal offense, then Labour Department will prosecute you and if you lose, you will go to prison,” Chum told the employer.

The defendant insisted he kept the proof of payment in his house but that the helper took it along with other documents that he kept in a plastic folder.

“When you gave the wages, you let her sign a document. Where did you keep the document? In the bedroom, under your pillow, in the toilet?” Chum asked, visibly annoyed.  Satish stuck with his story, so the judge asked him why he did not call the police when what the maid did was theft, but the employer said he reported the matter to the Immigration Department.

“Let me put it this way, if she took your Rolex watch, will you report to the Immigration?” Chum asked the defendant.

Chum warned the employer that if he failed to prove in trial that San Andres took the documents, he would be in deep trouble, as the judge would not believe him.

He said if the Filipina left because of Satish’s suggestion that she took up illegal work, she was entitled to go. He added that he did not believe the employer’s claim the maid stole the documents because he had no proof.

Chum asked both parties if they were willing to give some ground and try to reach a settlement. San Andres hesitated, but Chum explained she now appeared to be the winner if the case went to trial, but there was no guarantee she could collect her money if the defendant still refused to pay.

With San Andres and Satish agreeing to settle, Chum sent them down to the Tribunal Officer to work out the settlement. When they returned to the courtroom half an hour later, the employer paid San Andres $9,500 as full and final settlement.

San Andres told The SUN after the hearing that she would look for a new employer, and if successful, would process her documents before going home to her family in Laguna to wait for her new work visa.

She said she had been working in Hong Kong for the past 21 years and survived some bad employers, but that her recent employer was a very different experience.

2 sick Pinays appear in court for overstaying

By Vir B. Lumicao

An ailing former Filipina domestic worker who had overstayed her visa for over six years asked to be allowed to return home as soon as possible after pleading guilty in court on June 7 to a charge of breach of condition of stay

Teresita Sabino, 69 and single, made her plea before Shatin Magistrate Lam Tsz-Kan but was told to return on July 5 for sentencing pending  a medical report from the hospital that treated her.

Sabino surrendered to the Immigration office on May 19 after staying illegally in Hong Kong for six year and three months, the prosecutor said.

She went underground after being terminated by her employer in February 2011.

Sabino could hardly walk when she appeared in court, and her lawyer said she had been in hospital for treatment of abdominal pain. She was wiping her tears as the lawyer read the mitigation.

Another sick former domestic helper, Julie Madriaga, also appeared before Lam to face a charge of breach of condition of stay.

She was arrested on June 7 when she turned herself in to the court’s General Office for failing to attend a hearing on May 24. She said she was in hospital undergoing treatment for a bleeding uterus.

Reviewing her case, Lam noted that a warrant of arrest was issued against Madriaga and her bail money was confiscated after she skipped her hearing.

No plea was taken and prosecution asked for the next hearing to be set on Aug.1, as the Immigration Department has scheduled a July 18 screening of Madriaga’s non-refoulement claim.

Madriaga came to Hong Kong to work as a domestic helper on June 2, 2013, but her contract was terminated prematurely on Jan 13, 2014, so she decided to stay on.

DH to help probe on boss’ role in illegal work

A Filipina domestic helper who is facing three counts of violating Hong Kong immigration rules for working in her employer’s office is willing to help investigators looking into her boss’ complicity in the case.

Cecelia Guevarra was set to execute a statement at the Immigration Department to shed more light on her case, her counsel told the Shatin court on June 7.

The lawyer presented a letter from Father John Wotherspoon, a correctional chaplain, who asked the court to consider the defendant’s statement about her employer, Lui Pui May Lee’s complicity in violating immigration rules.

Guevarra pleaded guilty on June 7 to two counts of breach of condition of stay” and one count of “making a false representation to an immigration officer.

She originally faced two more charges of breach of condition of stay and another of making a false statement but these were withdrawn by the prosecution.

The helper was arrested on May 8 while working illegally in her employer’s office. She was hired by Lui to work as a domestic helper in June 2011. Her contract stated she was to work at her employer's house in Kowloon.

The defense lawyer applied for 3,000 bail for the helper but Magistrate Lam Tsz-kan said he could reduce this to $1,000 if the  defendant could provide the court within 24 hours an address where she would stay.

The magistrate adjourned the hearing to June 28.—VBL

District Court to consult Ylagan’s victims July 7

The District Court will consult next month about 120 job seekers who are seeking to recover tens of thousands of dollars they paid to employment agency owner Ester P. Ylagan  for non-existent jobs in Britain and Canada.

The claimants have been sent letters by the District Court registrar requiring them to attend court on July 7 “for the purpose of considering what directions should be given as to the future conduct of the proceedings”.

The preliminary consultation is scheduled for 9:30am in court 44 on the 12th floor of the Wanchai Law Courts on Gloucester Road.

Another batch of 79 claims are scheduled to be heard by the Small Claims Tribunal in Kowloon on July 3.

Meanwhile, the Mission for Migrant Workers says more victims of the apparent scam are seeking its help in pursuing claims against Ylagan.

The Mission, through its case officer Edwina Antonio Santoyo, has been designated by the Tribunal as the sole representative of claimants in the case.

More than 200 Filipinos, mostly domestic workers based in Hong Kong. have so far filed claims against Ylagan and her solely owned business, Mike’s Secretarial Services.

Some of the claimants are, however, based in the Philippines or Macau, who heard about Ylagan’s job offer from relatives or friends.

They alleged that Ylagan held orientations in Mike’s offices at World-Wide House in Central where she promised them jobs in Britain or Canada.

Those who applied to go to Canada were charged $15,000 each, while those who opted for Britain paid $10,000 each.

Up to 500 Filipinos are believed to have paid for the fake jobs.

Most of the applicants told the court they had to borrow money to pay Ylagan.

The tribunal moved the claims to the District Court at the request of Ylagan, despite her failure to attend court since the hearings started in August last year.

A former staff, who identified herself as Miss Leung, told the Tribunal Ylagan was in the Philippines and was too ill to attend hearings.

Leung also submitted a letter from a Hong Kong solicitors’ office confirming it had been engaged by Ylagan to represent her in the District Court.

Earlier, at least  18 claimants won their cases at the Tribunal through default judgments against Ylagan. However, they cannot apply for an enforcement of the awards because Ylagan’s last known address in Hong Kong is a mere virtual office in Kwun Tong.

Dozens of claimants have sought help from the police on at least three occasions, but their complaint has yet to be investigated.

However, Ylagan’s complaint that she had been fleeced of $2.4 million by an unknown business associate in Britain was duly recorded at the Central police station.

Inaresto dahil sa sideline

Hinahanap ng mga kaibigan ang Ilonggang si Cecile na kamakailan lang ay hinuli diumano ng mga pulis dahil sa illegal work.

Ayon sa mga kaibigan ni Cecile, nakita pa nila itong namalengke tatlong linggo na ang nakakaraan. Mula sa palengke ay dumiretso daw ito sa opisina ng amo dahil pinaglilinis din siya doon. May nakasabay daw siyang apat na lalaki pagsakay sa lift. Tinanong daw siya ng mga ito kung saan siya pupunta, at sinabi niya ang totoo, na maglilinis siya ng opisina ng amo.

Magmula noon ay hindi na nila nakita si Cecile. May balita sila na nakasuhan ito at kasalukuyang nasa Lai Chi Kok detention centre, pero hindi nila matiyak.

Samantala, ang amo ay hindi raw hinuli gayong ito naman ang nag-utos kay Cecile na gumawa ng labag sa kanilang kontrata.

Ayon sa mga kaibigan ng Pilipina, matagal na nilang sinasabihan ito na itigil na ang ilegal na trabaho pero ayaw daw makinig dahil binabayaran siya ng ekstra ng amo. Sa kaunting halaga ay kulong ang inabot nito. – Merly Bunda

Naapakan ng naka high heels

Nagpunta si Alena sa Konsulado noong Mayo 28 dahil may kailangan na kunin na dokumento sa ATN section. Habang naghihintay siya ng lift papanhik sa 14th floor ng United Centre ay may biglang sumingit na Pilipina na naka 3-inch heels.

Nagsiksikan silang lahat nang bumukas ang pintuan ng lift, at naapakan si Alena nung babae na naka high heels. Umaringking at halos maiyak sa sakit si Alena, na bahagya lang pinansin ng nakaapak.

Kinabukasan ay nakita niyang magang-maga ang kanyang hinlalaki, at lalo siyang nainis dahil ni hindi niya nakilala kung sino ang dapat managot sa sakit na nararamdaman niya.

Sana na lang daw, kung nagmamadali at lalo na kung pupunta sa Konsulado na laging maraming tao, ay huwag nang magsusuot ng high heels at madali itong makasakit sa kapwa. Si Alena ay isang Ilongga, may asawa at anak. – Merly Bunda

Filipinos urged to honor heroes by being ‘good citizens’

Consul General Bernardita Catalla bids farewell to the Filipino community during her final Independence Day breakfast in Hong Kong. Photos by Frederick Suarez

Filipinos who value the sacrifices made by the country’s heroes should honor them by being good citizens.

This was the gist of the message sent by President Rodrigo R. Duterte, and was read by Deputy Consul General Roderic Atienza during breakfast held at the Consulate on June 12 to mark the 119th year of the proclamation of Philippine Independence.

Outgoing Consul-General Bernardita Catalla welcomed the 100 or so guests at the gathering by hailing the solid ties between the Philippine and Hong Kong.

She then made a tearful goodbye to members of the community she would soon be leaving behind to take up her new post as the Philippine ambassador to Lebanon.

“Dahil sa inyong walang sawa at walang patid na pagsuporta at pakikiisa sa mga gawain ng Konsulado… naku naman, may tissue pa (laughter) … ay naibigay po naman ang palagay po naming ay yung mga dapat gawin ng isang Konsulado,”she said.

She said she was lucky as it was during her tenure that a Philippine President, Duterte, again visited Hong Kong.

The last presidential visit was by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, before bilateral ties were marred by the hostage-taking incident at Luneta in 2010.

Also read during the annual gathering was a message from Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, who hailed the Filipinos’ adherence to freedom and democracy.

In the speech read by Vice Consul Bob Quintin, Cayetano said Duterte’s administration continues to fight for “a different type of independence – freedom from poverty, freedom from crime, freedom from illegal drugs, and freedom from corruption.”

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, in a message read by Labor Attache Jalilo de la Torre, said June 12 was “a fitting opportunity to pay tribute to the sacrifices of Filipino workers overseas, our modern heroes, as we feted them on Migrant Workers’ Day.”

Bello said his department is “doing every means possible to realize (Duterte’s) vision of of bringing every Filipino worker on foreign soil back to his family by creating an environment that generates decent and adequately remunerated work in the country.”

Catalla cited her accomplishments during her three-year tenure, including the signing of memorandums of understanding with various groups that provided free services to Filipino migrant workers.

She also announced plans for the June 25th cultural show at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wanchai, which the Consulate will hold in partnership with the Hong Kong government. The show, which is being held in lieu of the traditional Philippine Independence Day festivity on Chater Road, is part of the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s Handover to China. - VBL

Phil-HK ties solid — Catalla, Cheung

Consul General Bernardita Catalla and Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung offer a toast for closer ties between the Philippines and Hong Kong. 

By Vir B. Lumicao

The Philippines and Hong Kong reaffirmed their solid friendship at a reception held to commemorate the 119th year of Philippine Independence, and the 60th year of diplomatic relations between the two governments.

Consul General Bernardita Catalla and Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung renewed the vow of friendship at the reception held at the Conrad on June 8, hosted by the Philippine Consulate.

More than 200 guests including foreign diplomats, businessmen, Filipino professionals, and workers were invited to the gathering, which was highlighted by a toast between Catalla and Cheung.

“The friendship and partnership have never been more solid than in the last three years, and I am fortunate to be the steward during this auspicious period in Philippines-Hong Kong relations,” Congen Catalla said in her welcome speech at the reception.

The Conrad Hotel hall was full of invited guests. Photos by Frederick Suarez

But she said she was both happy and sad as this was the last National Day she was hosting. Catalla is due to take up the post as Philippine ambassador to Lebanon, three years after taking over as head of the consulate in Hong Kong.

Cheung, for his part, said he sees greater opportunity for both Hong Kong and the Philippines as China’s Belt and Road initiative gets under way.

He cited Hong Kong’s role, with its being the financial center of China, as a super connector to the Belt and Road strategy of the mainland. The territory has the resources and expertise to finance infrastructure projects in countries along the Belt and Road.

“In short, we have the capital account to help the Philippines’ infrastructure development to build a more connected future,” Cheung said.

Catalla expressed her gratitude to the Hong Kong government, especially to the police, for ensuring that the visit of President Rodrigo Duterte on his way to the Belt and Road forum in Beijing last month was secure, peaceful and comfortable.

She also thanked the Labour Department for protecting the rights of Filipino workers in the territory, citing such moves as the setting up of the joint Technical Working Group to discuss problems concerning the workers and the insertion of guidelines on window cleaning in the standard contract for domestic helpers.

Catalla said the closeness of the relations between her country and Hong Kong is shown by the special participation of the Philippines in a cultural presentation, “Celebrate Colours”, to mark the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to China this coming July 1.

For his part, Cheung, a former labour secretary, spoke about the “solid and healthy” trade relations between Hong Kong and the Philippines.

He said in 2016, the Philippines was Hong Kong’s 13th largest trade partner while Hong Kong was the Philippines’ fifth largest. “We were also the third largest import market and 10th largest source of imports of the Philippines,” he said.

Cheung noted the annual trade growth of 7.6% between Hong Kong and the Philippines between 2008 and 2016.

He also said that last year, $58.6 billion worth of trade between China and the Philippines was routed through Hong Kong, which showed that Hong Kong is the gateway for trade between the Philippines and the mainland.

He noted that between 2015 and 2016 Philippine GDP grew more than 6% a year and the IMF projected that growth to reach about 10% in the next two years on robust demand.

He said he believes there is still room for economic collaboration between the two sides because the Philippine population keeps getting younger, with over 60% of its 100 million people under 30 years old, which augurs well for consumption.

OFWs given tribute in mobile phone photo exhibit

Delilah Villanueva’s entry got the top prize

Ten photographs taken by Filipinos using their mobile phones as camera in Hong Kong are currently on display at the Consulate gallery, chosen by the exhibit’s organizer, Pintura Circle.

The photos are all in line with the theme “Buhay Pinoy sa Hong Kong”, depicting the life of HK OFWs through artistic composition and framing using only smartphones and iPhones, and were finalists from the photography workshop conducted by PC’s Janeth on May 14.

Winning the top prize was Delilah Villanueva’s black and white “selfie”, taken while she was cleaning the floor in her employer’s house.

Villanueva said she noticed how the shiny floor reflected her image, and thought it would be a perfect time to take a shot. She set her mobile phone on timer mode, and placed it exactly where it showed a twin image of herself while at work.

Leslie Chantengco’s first runner-up.

Chosen as first runner-up was Leslie Chantengco’s rendering of common OFW items, while second runner-up was Lovely Lumio-Bioy’s capture of a group of OFWs having a good time.

The other photographs on display are by Rebecca Vito-Cruz, Mylene Cadiz, Lea Bicaldo, Emma Concepcion Amper and Marcelino Murillo

As part of her prize, Villanueva’s winning piece will be auctioned off at the charity ball on June 17 organized by the Philippine Association of Hong Kong, and part of the proceeds will be given to her.

Lovely Lumio-Bioy’s photo is second runner-up.

The PAHK is also conducting an online voting for the finalists in PC’s photo contest. The pictures can be found on the Facebook page, Philippine Association of Hong Kong.

All of the prizes are to be awarded the following day, June 18, at the “Kasiyahan sa Kalayaan, Kabayan”, a Filipino community event organized by the PAHK at Edinburgh Place, Central. – William Elvin 

What's on where

Philippine Independence Day Ball
“Swingaround Charity Dinner and Concert”
June 17, 6pm on, Conrad Hong Kong
Organizers: Philippine Association of Hong Kong and Philippine Airlines
Tickets are priced at $1,500 and $2,000
Featured Artists: Morissette Amon and Jonalyn Viray

Kasiyahan sa Kalayaan, Kabayan
Philippine Independence Day Celebration
June 18, 9am on, Edinburgh Place, Central
Featured Artists: Boyband PH and DJ Chacha
Organizers: PAHK and Global Alliance

Free Financial Literacy Seminar (Batch 41)
June 25, 9am-5pm, Bayanihan Centre, 55 Victoria Road, Kennedy Town
Organizer: CARD HK. To register, please check FB page of CARD Hong Kong Foundation  

Mass guitar-playing by women
July 1, 4-6pm
Tamar Park, Admiralty, Hong Kong
Organized by: Frederick Suarez, guitar instructor
Around 300 women guitarists will play the song “Anak” in an attempt to merit an entry into the Guinness Book of Records. Open to the public. Those who are interested to take part, contact Frederick through Facebook

Celebrate the 20th anniversary of HKSAR
The HKSAR Government is joining hands with different sectors to organize a wide variety of activities and events under the theme “Together · Progress · Opportunity”.
Altogether, more than 600 events and activities will be staged by the Government and different sectors until the end of 2017. For full details and updates on the 20th anniversary celebrations and events, please visit www.hksar20.gov.hk. Among the events:

HKSAR 20th Anniversary Roving Exhibition
June 16-22 at Plaza Hollywood in Diamond Hill on (Friday).
An LED touchscreen panel will be set up at the venue to showcase the developments and achievements of the HKSAR over the past 20 years in areas such as the economy, technology, infrastructure, tourism, culture and sport. The exhibition will also feature winning entries of the 20th anniversary poster and video competitions. Visitors can take home a 20th anniversary souvenir distributed on the day after clicking the "Like" button on the HKSAR 20th anniversary Facebook page (www.facebook.com/HKSAR20).

Gerontech and Innovation Expo cum Summit 
June 16-18 (Friday to Sunday) at Halls 3D and 3E of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The Expo will be open to the public for free. Registration is required and can be made at the venue registration counter or through the event website in advance.  It is designed for all sectors of the community and the general public, especially stakeholders in elderly care and the service sector, elderly persons and their family members and caregivers.

Thematic Light-and-Music Show
June 17 (Saturday) 7.30pm to 9pm,  Sha Tin
This marks the 20th anniversary of the HKSAR and commissioning of the new thematic lighting system at the Lek Yuen Bridge, the Sand Martin Bridge and the Banyan Bridge. This is a free walk-in event for members of the public to join. For enquiries, call 2158 5441 or 2158 5414.

Gulong ng buhay

Si Mae ay bunso sa kanilang pitong magkakapatid.  Taliwas sa karaniwang nangyayari kung saan ang bunso ang pinakamasuwerte dahil puno ng pagmamahal mula sa mga kapatid at magulang, si Mae ay laging pinag-iinitan ng mga kapatid.

Ayon sa kanya tinatrato siyang isang dagdag palamunin. Nagpapatunay dito ang mga kabarangay niya na nandito sa Hong Kong. Lagi daw siyang pinapalo at iniiwan mag-isa sa bahay, lalo na nang mamatay ang kanilang ina.

Nagsumikap si Mae na makarating sa Hong Kong dahil sa pay now pay later noong taong 2015. Nang nagkaroon na sya ng pera lahat ng ipinag-kait sa kanya noong bata siya gaya ng librong pambata ay bumibili siya. Ayon kay Mae, pati yung mga baby food na hindi daw niya natikman noong bata siya ay bumibili siya ngayon.

Sa paglipas ng ilang buwan nakaipon siya ng sapat na pera upang mamasyal sa Dubai habang naka kontrata sa Intsik niyang amo sa North Point. Pagdating sa Dubai, naghanap siya ng trabaho bilang clerk. Doon niya nakilala ang ngayon ay kanyang asawa, isang Amerikano na may-ari ng isang software company.

Ngayon ay higit na mayaman na siya kumpara sa kanyang mga ate at kuya, ngunit mapagkumbaba pa rin. Ayon sa kuwento ng isang kapatid niya na nandito sa Hong Kong, ang gamit ni Mae ay environmental bag pa rin dahil ayaw ipangalandakan na marami siyang pera.

Ang madalas niyang gawin ngayon ay ang mapalipad lipad na  papuntang Amerika, Dubai o di kaya sa Pilipinas para bisitahin ang kanyang gusaling pinapaupahan. Si Mae ay taga Bulacan. —-Cris Cayat

Pinay tests rule on ‘suitable accommodation’

By Daisy CL Mandap

Mariel's sleeping space beside the washer

A Filipina who claims to have been made to sleep in a cramped space in the kitchen is set to appear at a labour court on July 7 to test the “suitable accommodation” clause in the standard employment contract for foreign domestic workers.

Mariel P., who is helped by the Mission for Migrant Workers, is trying to seek payment for unpaid wages and one month’s pay in lieu of notice before the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board or Mecab.

During an earlier attempt at conciliation between the two sides on June 8, Mariel’s employer reportedly denied any liability, saying it was the Filipina who terminated their contract and was thus not entitled to any payment.

Mariel, on the other hand, insisted she was entitled to her claims under the “constructive termination” clause in employment contracts. This applied when she was made to sleep in the kitchen and before this, in the terrace of the employer’s house. She also claims to have been made to sleep for no more than three hours each day, given only leftover food, and was constantly subjected to verbal abuse.

She has presented photos of her sleeping space and the leftovers she was allegedly fed to support her claim.

In a decision issued by the High Court last year, however, a kitchen space was deemed as “suitable accommodation” for a domestic worker. In a more recent ruling, the Eastern magistracy rejected another maid’s claim that a makeshift structure on the terrace, which was airconditioned but was no bigger than a doghouse, was unsuitable as living space.  

But the Mission’s Edwina Antonio who is helping Mariel pursue her claim, said the parameters of the “suitable accommodation” clause should continue to be tested. She said the Mission is appealing the decisions in both cases.

“We cannot accept that a migrant worker could be made to sleep in a place where she is deprived of privacy and dignity,” Antonio said.

In a study released recently by the Mission, it was found that 3 out of 5 foreign domestic workers were not given their own room, or were put in rooms used for other purposes, like as a storeroom, pantry, kitchen or laundry. Around 500 were found to sleep in toilets.

Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre said that he is currently working with his Indonesian counterpart on a plan to make employers and their recruitment agents disclose the exact place where the domestic worker will be made to sleep. The information is then passed on to the worker, who will have the option of backing out or continuing with the employment.

Labatt dela Torre said the idea is to give workers the freedom to choose their working and living conditions.

According to the Mission report, the same requirement is already being implemented by Thailand’s consulate, which probably accounts partly for the relatively small number of Thai domestic workers in the territory.

Often, the reason given for not providing a decent-sized sleeping and living space for a migrant worker is the tiny size of flats in Hong Kong. But that appears to be not the case with Mariel, who had previously worked for four years and nine months in Qatar but decided to try her luck in Hong Kong because of the higher pay.

When she first started working for her employer in their former residence in early March this year, she said there was a room intended for her use, but she was often made to sleep in an open space in the terrace, despite the chilly weather. At other times, she was told to sleep in the living room.

Screen grab of Mariel’s call for help.

On Mar 2, she sent a text message to her employment agency, Royal Corporation, to complain about being made to sleep in the terrace, along with a picture of her pillow and blankets amid a pile of carton boxes. She said she did not get any help then.

Mariel claims to have suffered all sorts of abuse from her employer’s wife, who often called her “stupid” and “lazy”, and had thrown a cup and a plate in her direction on two separate occasions during fits of anger.

But she said she slept no more than three hours each day, and was often deprived of food. One time, she said she was not given any food until 4pm and when she begged her employer for some, received a scolding instead. At times, she was given leftovers which had been in the refrigerator for weeks.

At about 8am on Mar 25, she said she fainted from overwork, lack of sleep and food, and hit her head on the faucet while washing a pail full of winter clothes. Her employer’s wife reportedly ignored her appeals for help, while her employer let three hours pass before taking her to the hospital, where she was left with no money to pay for her fare and other expenses. Mariel took four stitches for her head wound.

She hit her head on the faucet due to exhaustion and lack of sleep

Mariel said she suffered all the abuse because she was told she needed to pay the employer if she decided to break her contract, and she was still heavily in debt because of the fees she had to pay to come to Hong Kong.

But four days later, Mariel decided she could take no more and served notice of  termination. That was when the alleged abuses escalated.

Shortly after midnight on Apr 4, Mariel said she was forced out of her employer’s house in Ma On Shan, despite her appeal to be allowed to stay for the night. Cold and hungry, she said she called the police, who convinced her employer to let her back in at about 3:30am. She said she was then told to work until 5am, when she was allowed to sleep with instructions that she needed to get up at 7am.

She failed to wake up as told, but at about 7:45am, she said she was awakened by her employer’s wife kicking her head with her shoe, and telling her she needed to hang clothes.

She did get up but on seeing the pile of clothes and shoes that her madam had purposely left out for her to wash and fix, Mariel decided to wake up her employer to tell him that she was quitting. Her employer reportedly told her she needed to pay them first, but relented when she insisted on leaving.

Mariel said that because she had been in Hong Kong for just over two months, she did not know that she could have left her employer’s house at any time because of the abuse she was made to suffer.

“Lahat kasi ng tinanong ko, ang sabi kailangang magbayad ako ng isang buwang suweldo kapag ako ang nag-terminate,” she said.

She now wants her story told so others who may suffer the same fate would know what to do, that there is hope.

Covers the period June 16-30

TANDANG Isinilang noong 1921/33/45/57/69/81/93
Sa pag-ibig, huwag nang balikan ang dating away at huwag sayangin ang oras sa pag-iisip sa nakaraan. Magbubunga ang pagsisikap at pagod sa trabaho. Bawasan ang pagkain ng matataba at matatamis na pagkain. May lihim na tulong kang matatanggap. Palayain ang sarili sa mga opinyon at ideya na nagpapabagal sa pag-asenso mo. Malaki ang maitutulong ng mga kaibigan sa iyong negosyo o trabaho. Lucky numbers:7,15,24 at 36.

ASO. Isinilang noong 1922/34/46/58/70/82/94
May tensyon, away at kamalasang darating, pero huwag mawalan ng pag-asa! Hindi ka problemado sa pera sa ngayon, pero matutukso kang gumasta ng malaki dahil lang sa konting kapritso. Kontrolin ang emosyon lalo na sa mga bagay na gustong- gusto mo. Bigyan ng oras ang sarili na makahinga ng maluwag at ipahinga ng isip. Lucky numbers: 20,28,39 at 45.
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BABOY. Isinilang noong 1923/35/47/59/71/83/95
Kung may-asawa, ang isang bagay na pagtutulungan ninyong buuin ang lalong magpapatibay sa pagsasama. Iwasang may kampihan sa mga hidwaan lalo na kung sangkot ang mga kapatid mo. Iwasan ding masali sa usaping legal. Magtiwala ka lang at mababago rin ang iyong kapalaran. Ugaliing kumain ng balanseng pagkain. Lucky numbers: 20,22,31 at 44.

DAGA. Isinilang noong 1924/36/48/60/72/84/96 
Isang maswerteng linggo ang darating na magpapabago sa iyong pananaw at magdudulot ng bagong pag-asa. Ang tagumpay sa propesyon ay nakasalalay sa tapang at tiyaga. Kikita ang puhunan mo ngayon. Hindi makakabuti ang pagiging mahigpit at bayolente sa pamilya. Kalmahin ang sarili upang makontrol ang mga sitwasyong dumarating. Lucky numbers: 11,17,29 at 46.

BAKA. Isinilang noong 1925/37/49/61/73/85/97 
Madali kang makahanap ng mga kakilala. Maganda ang takbo ng trabaho kaya samantalahin ito na makapag-ipon. Tahimik at maayos ang pagsasama. Dahil sa mga bagong kakilala, magkakaroon ng pagbabago sa istilo at pananaw mo sa buhay. Bantayan ang biglang pagbaba ng presyon ng dugo na nagdudulot ng pagkahilo, sakit ng ulo at labis na pagod. Lucky numbers: 3,14,21 at 37.
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TIGRE Isinilang noong 1926/38/50/62/74/86 at 98 
Parang walang kapaguran, patuloy pa rin ang pagsisipag mo sa trabaho at sa ibang gawain. Huwag panghinayangan ang ikli ng buhay, sa halip, i-enjoy mo na lang ng husto ang sarap ng buhay. Posibleng maiwasan ang delikadong sitwasyon sa pamamagitan ng diplomasya. Mag-ingat sa relasyon sa pamilya; anumang maling salita o kilos ay maaaring pagmulan ng malaking gulo. Lucky numbers: 6,16,37 at 40.

 KUNEHO Isinilang noong 1927/39/51/63/75/87 
Masakit ang pagdaraanan dahil sa kakapusan ng pera at hindi ka makakaahon agad dito kung hindi ka gagawa ng paraan. Mag-ingat sa mga taong gusto ka lang gamitin para sa kanilang kapakanan. Hindi mo siniseryoso ang pag-ibig at mas gusto mong paiba-iba ang nakakasama mo. Malakas ang pangangatawan, samantalahin ito na makakuha ng iba pang trabaho upang madagdagan ang kita. Lucky numbers: 11,16,31 at 37.

 DRAGON Isinilang noong 1928/40/52/64/76/88 
Hindi maganda ang nakagawian mong pagpapaliban sa mga bagay na dapat gawin. Kailangang baguhin mo ito kung gusto mong magtagumpay. Sa trabaho, makakapagsimula kang muli sa maayos na paraan. Mag-ingat sa magiging reaksyon ng kapartner; ang selos na nararamdaman nito ay maaaring sumabog, at ikaw ang magbabayad. Lucky numbers: 9,14,28 at 39.

AHAS Isinilang noong 1929/41/53/65/77/89 
Makikita mo na ang pinagpaguran, at matatamasa ang buhay na walang gaanong problema. Hindi maiiwasan ang usapin sa pera at iba pang kumplikasyon, pero hindi ito hadlang para hindi ka maging masaya. Lahat nang gawin mo ngayon ay magiging maganda ang resulta. Huwag tanggihan ang mga dumarating na alok o pakikipag-usap dahil baka makawala ang napakagandang pagkakataon. Lucky numbers: 17,23,35 at 37.

KABAYO. Isinilang noong 1930/42/54/66/78/90
Ito ang tamang oras para sa isang malaking transaksyon o para baguhin ang pamamahala ng iyong ari-arian at pera. Iwasang paniwalaan ang lahat ng bagay na sinasabi sa iyo. Madali kang ma-in love o mabighani ngayon, at mai-enjoy mo ang mga nakaw na sandali, pero huwag mo munang seryosohin ito ngayon! Kung ang anak o asawa ay nakakaranas ng pagod, pagka-iritable o kawalan ng interes, tulungan ito upang hindi lumala ang kondisyon, na maaaring mauwi sa nervous breakdown. Lucky numbers:19,26,37 at 44.

KAMBING. Isinilang noong 1919/31/43/55/67/79 at 91 
Maaaring may basehan ka upang mabahala ng husto sa mga anak, lalo na kung teenagers pa sila. Ang linggong ito ay puno ng mga hindi inaasahang pangyayari, kaya tibayan mo ang iyong dibdib. Hayaan mong aliwin ang sarili upang magkaroon ng tapang at sumaya ang buhay. Kung may asthma, siguraduhing laging dala ang gamot upang maiwasang lumala ang kalagayan. Lucky numbers: 9,30,31 at 40.

UNGGOY. Isinilang noong 1920/32/44/56/68/80/92
May tsansang maibalik ang magandang pagkakaibigan na nasira ng dahil sa away; huwag magdalawang isip na gumawa ng unang hakbang. Sa trabaho, maganda ang resulta ng lahat. Sundin ang intuisyon mo ngayon, at hindi ka magsisisi. Bantayan ang pag-gastos upang hindi mabigla kung sakaling maubos ang pera. Lucky numbers: 18,24,33 at 45.

Natuluyang umayaw sa recontract dahil sa ugali ng amo

Sa loob ng dalawang taon ay nagtiis si Marian sa kanyang among walang tiwala sa kanya. Sa buong dalwang taong paninilbihan niya sa pamilyang intsik sa Bremar Hill, hindi siya binigyan ng susi sa kanilang bahay.

Sabi ni Marian, tuwing uuwi sya mula sa kanyang araw ng pahinga ay kInakailangan pa niyang maghintay sa labas ng bahay ng amo dahil laging nasa labas ang mga amo kahit lampas na sa curfew niyang alas nuwebe ng gabi. Ayaw din naman niyang magbakasakaling magpahuli ng dating dahil baka mapagalitan siya.

Tiniis din niyang tila nakakulong sa bahay ng amo kapag iniwan siyang mag-isa dahil naka padlock ang pintuan sa harap at likod ng bahay, at pati na rin ang kuwarto ng mga amo at alaga niya. Hindi rin siya pweding tumambay sa sala, kaya sa maliit na kusina lang siya umiikot.

Bukod dito ay limitado ang pagkain kaya sobrang payat niya sa mga panahong iyon.

Pero tiniis niya lahat ang hirap dahil may dalawa siyang anak na pinagaaral sa kolehiyo at ayaw niyang matigil ang mga Ito  kapag lumipat siya ng amo. Wala siyang  naging puhunan kundi ang pagdarasal.

Nang malapit na syang matapos sa kontrata, hiningi niya sa Panginoon na bigyan siya ng palatandaan kung dapat ba niyang ituloy ang paninilbihan sa pamilya ng amo. Matapos ang ilang araw pagkatapos niyang maipasok ang bagong  kontrata sa Konsulado, may naganap na  pangyayari na nagbigay sa kanya ng lakas ng loob na iwan ang pamilya.

Pinagbintangan siya ng among lalaki na may mga nawawalang gamit sa bahay nila, bagay na nagpainit sa ulo ni Marian. Sinabihan niya Ito ng, “I'm confused. You want to re-contract me, yet you are accusing me of taking your things.”

Nagdesisyon si Marian noon din na hindi na ituloy ang kontrata kahit pa nanghingi na ng paumanhin ang among lalaki. Agad naman siyang nakakuha ng amo kahit 6 anim na araw na lang ang natitira sa kanyang  visa.

Sa ngayon ay may bago na siyang amo na napakabait. Pinapayagan siyang lumabas ng Sabado bukod pa sa regular niyang labas  tuwing Linggo.  Mas mahalaga, may sarili na siyang susi sa bahay. -Cris Cayat

Filcom leader killed with elderly ward in bus accident

Villaruel speaking at a rally (photo from Eman Villanueva)

By The SUN Team

An outspoken and popular leader of the Filipino community in Hong Kong was killed along with the elderly mother of his employer yesterday, June 16, after being knocked down by a tour bus in To Kwa Wan.

Rodolfo B. Villaruel, 58, was reportedly crossing Ma Tau Kok Road along with the 85-year-old woman at about 10am when they were hit by the bus which was carrying a group of mainland tourists.

Before this, the bus had reportedly collided with a double-decker near the junction of Ma Tau Kok Road and Pak Tai Street.

Police said the pair was trapped under the bus and had to be freed by firefighters. Other reports say the victims were dragged for about 10 meters before the bus stopped.

The woman was pronounced dead on the spot while Villaruel was declared dead at Kwong Wah Hospital.

According to Danny Baldon, officer of the Consulate's assistance to nationals section, Villaruel had worked for his employer for 13 years and had just renewed his contract this year. He was married with a daughter, and hailed from Manapla, Negros Occidental.

His daughter is reportedly set to arrive in Hong Kong on Sunday, June 18, to attend to the repatriation of Villaruel’s remains.

Baldon said Villaruel had just called up his family earlier that morning so his death came as a shock to them. His employer was the one who relayed the grim news to them.
Villaruel had apparently just taken the elderly woman to her usual yum cha appointment when the accident happened.

Filmcass HK's Facebook tribute to Villaruel

His death was immediately greeted with dismay by United Filipinos – Migrante Hong Kong, which said Villaruel – or Kuya Rudy to them- was active in the No FEE Coalition among community leaders.
"Si Kuya Rudy ay lider ng KISS at lider ng iba pang asosasyon at aktibo sa ating NO FEE Coalition para labanan ang mga dagdag na bayarin at singilin na ipinapataw ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas sa ating mga OFW", Unifil-Migrante said in a tribute to Villaruel on Facebook.
According to Unifil secretary-general Eman Villanueva, the deceased was a frequent speaker on such issues as the plan to tax balikbayan boxes, terminal fee and OEC.

“Nakakalungkot talaga, kausap ko pa siya mga 2-3 weeks ago, tapos ganyan na,” Villanueva said.

Villaruel was reportedly the leader of Kiss HK Association, which started out as a dance group. But when they affiliated with Migrante, the group set up a Kiss Migrante Chapter.

But it was as a dancer and performer that Villaruel was rememberd by another group, Filmcass HK, a support group for cancer victims.

In a post on Facebook,  the group remembered “Sir Rudy” as one of its mission supporters and a regular entertainer in its annual “Concert for Cancer Society”.

The post was accompanied by photos of Villaruel dancing and another with his elderly ward, with whom he reportedly got along very well.