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| Melinda gets off her sick bed to visit OWWA and thank them for their help |
A sacked sickly Filipina domestic worker who has generated
overwhelming sympathy after The SUN wrote about her $51,000 hospital bill has
rejected an offer by fellow helpers to raise funds for her.
Melinda, not her real name, said on Sunday, Jul 19, that she
was deeply touched by the outpouring of support from the OFWs, but declined
their offer as she had applied for a waiver of her bill at Queen Elizabeth
Hospital
She is now awaiting the approval of her application for fee waiver following her interview by the head of the hospital’s Medical Social
Services Unit last Friday, Jul 17.
“Sir, for my sake please make it clear na nailapit ko po
yung documents ko sa mismong head ng Social Services, kasi hinintay po ako
talaga for interview niyon. Bukas ko po malalaman ang approval ng Social
Services po,” Melinda said in a message.
But she extended her thanks to the dozens of several
individuals and groups, including the Philippine Alliance of Hong Kong, who
offered to raise money for her medical bill.
Many offers of help were posted in the comments section of
the article on her plight that came out in The SUN, and generated more than
2,000 “likes” on Facebook. Several others sent personal messages asking for her
bank account or online account number.
Today, Jul 20, Melinda went to see Welfare Officer Virsie
Tamayao, who helped her apply for the fee waiver, visa extension, and financial
assistance from the Akap program for displaced overseas Filipino workers of the
Department of Labor and Employment.
Tamayao said the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
would also reimburse Melinda’s visa extension cost.
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| Tamayao's generous food donation overwhelmed Melinda |
Earlier, Owwa also sent food packs to Melinda, who is
resting under doctor’s orders in a hostel in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Tamayao earlier expressed misgivings about the fundraising
for Melinda, saying she was confident the fee waiver that they sought would be
granted.
This is in line with what Hong Kong
legislator Fernando Cheung said in an earlier interview with The SUN, that
public hospitals would not refuse to treat terminated migrant workers, and
would not pursue them for an unpaid bill incurred while they were out of job.
Melinda was confined for five nights in the Yau Ma Tei hospital
after she ran a fever, experienced heavy bleeding and suffered fainting spells.
She was diagnosed with low hemoglobin levels and with a pelvic infection
During her stay, she underwent various procedures and
treatment including CT scan, ultrasound, blood transfusion, blood tests and
various other laboratory examinations.
Melinda reached out to The SUN for help, and she was linked up
with Tamayao.
