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| Indoplas face masks from the Philippines are highly sought-after in HK |
One of the biggest online sellers of surgical masks from the
Philippines
R.F. told The SUN that a container-load of the high-grade
Indoplas face masks she was supposed to distribute to buyers was “quarantined” in
Manila
All the buyers were duly notified of this development and
given regular updates, she said.
She added she is still hoping the shipment would eventually be
released, but knowing that many of the buyers were just fronting for other
people, mostly local Chinese, she has begun giving back their money, even if it
meant advancing some of it out her savings.
But R.F. said she is just one of two sellers contacted by
fellow domestic worker, E.B., who acted as the middleman for the transaction. R.F.
said she did not receive any of the payments directly, and just monitored them
for her long-time supplier in the Philippines
R.F. said it was E.B. who contacted the buyers and had them
send the money to a relative’s account in the Philippines
through a remittance agent in the New
Territories
For example, F.B. said that of the $120,000 worth of masks ordered
by M.G., another domestic worker, and coursed through E.B., less than half was
sourced from her supplier.
The other order for three boxes worth $24,465 which was
cited in a separate complaint filed with the Consulate by another Filipina, was
not coursed through her, R.F. said.
But as soon as she heard that M.B. had filed a complaint
about the undelivered masks with the Consulate, R.F. said she immediately
returned an initial $30,000 directly to the real purchaser, a local Chinese man
named KY.
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She said that although no money was paid to her directly,
she will to go to the Consulate this Sunday, Mar. 8, to return all the payments
made to her shipper for the stuck shipment, just so she can clear her name.
She showed a list of refunds she has made to various
Filipino buyers between Feb 23 and 25, totaling about $122,000, as proof that
she does not intend to run away from any of them.
The returned amounts ranged between $650 to the $30,000 paid
to M.G.’s buyer.
M.G. belatedly sent a message acknowledging the payment that
R.F. had made to her friend and buyer and said “hindi lang po siya ang may
responsibilidad nyan, marami sila. Kawawa naman yung tao, nadiin ng husto
samantalang yung iba eas-easy lang.”
R.F. said some of her buyers would accompany her to the
Consulate this weekend to help clear up the situation.
“Sasamahan daw po nila ako pumunta sa Consulate at willing
sila mag witness na nag refund na ako kasi nadidiin daw ako and magsasalita
sila about sa mga napasok nilang pera,” she said.
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| Hours of queuing for face masks have made many people in HK to source the much-coveted items online |
R.F. said this was the first time her bulk orders had been
put on hold. She said she had sold huge amounts of goods in the past, including
face masks, and had not encountered the same problem. For this delayed
shipment, she said her outstanding order was for a total of P1.3 million.
But she did acknowledge that there are many scammers around,
mainly those who ask for advance payment, then block the buyers as soon as they
receive the money, often by direct bank transfer or through remittance agents.
She also said she has contacts in Manila
R.F. said there had been a steady stream of Hong Kong
customers asking for her help to acquire masks from the Philippines
When her supplier first sent out masks, R.F. said the amount
was as low as $40 a box, but when the demand began to surge, the price rose to
a minimum of $140 per. Still, many locals consider that a steal, considering
that the same quality masks sell for no less than $200 a box in many pharmacies
in town - if you can find them.
Among those who have placed bulk orders with her help are
groups that supply the much-needed protection for construction workers at the
airport, and another who said he wanted to give them away to needy people.
As she chatted, a neighbor reportedly contacted her to ask
if she could help order 5,000 boxes of masks from the Philippines
“Masarap po sana
For now at least, she has been telling all would-be buyers
to go directly to her supplier in the Philippines
Her employer has been extremely kind and supportive of her,
said R.F., and the least she can do to repay that is to stay clear of the mad
scramble over what’s become the most desired shield against the deadly
coronavirus.
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