'Care to Caregivers' held at Victoria Park

Indonesian migrant workers line up for the free services

The Mission for Migrant Workers took its ‘Care to Caregivers’ service program to Victoria Park on Aug. 17, to join in the celebration of Indonesian Independence Day.

Various service providers under the MFMW offered free health services, including blood pressure and blood glucose checks, eye examinations, massages, and Chinese medical consultations the mostly Indonesian migrant workers who gathered at the park.

The event not only promoted good health and the well-being of migrant domestic workers but also highlighted Indonesia’s rich culture through traditional dance performances and fashion showcases.

Volunteers who provided free services under the Care to Caregiver program included those from the Bank of America who provided a photo booth with fun games and from Enrich HK who gave snap lectures and advice on financial education.

Free medical check-ups and health promotion were provided by teams from Medical Outreachers, Chinese Medicine for All, Hong Kong AIDS Foundation, and United Nethersole Community Health Services; while the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) of the Hong Kong government gave tips and information on safe gas use.

Care to Caregivers is a program conducted by the MFMW at different times in the year to honor  migrant workers’ contributions to Hong Kong by providing them with free services that promote their well-being, uplift and empower them, and foster community support to them.

 

No more loan referees, says PCG in proposed amendments to Money Lenders Ordinance

 

Vice Consul Gino Soriano (middle, in blue) with leaders of migrant concern groups 
consulted on the PCG's proposals for amending the law regulating money lending in HK

A host of proposals meant to enhance protection for migrant worker-borrowers, including doing away with referees for loans, has been submitted by the Philippine Consulate to the Hong Kong government  in response to a call for public inputs on proposed amendments to the Money Lenders Ordinance.

The two-month public consultation on the document issued by the Financial Services and Treasury Bureau (FSTB) of the Hong Kong Government aimed at further tightening regulation of licensed money lenders, ended last Aug. 22.

In drafting its proposals, the PCG consulted about a dozen stakeholders, mostly non-government organizations that cater to MDWs. The resulting document reflected the general sentiment that MDWs need to be better protected against unscrupulous money lenders.

On the other hand, pro-employer groups like the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, have pushed for the amendments, saying a number of employers have been blackmailed by debt collectors into repaying money borrowed by their helpers.

In its proposals, the PCG urged that money lenders be prohibited from asking borrowers to provide loan referees when applying for unsecured loans.

The PCG said that based on its own experience and that of various concerned groups, many MDWs in distress over loan problems were not the actual borrowers, but had been tricked or prevailed upon to sign as referees.

“The usual tactic employed by money lenders is to exert pressure on the loan referee to the point that he or she will be compelled to chase after the direct debtor for payment,” said the PCG in its response. 

FSTB’s consultation document merely proposes that referees be made to sign a document agreeing to such a role, and never to be made to pay in lieu of the borrower. Doing away with loan  referees was mentioned only in passing.

DAB officers say employers often bear the brunt of unpaid loans by their helpers

Apart from further strengthening regulation and enhancing public education about responsible borrowing and avoiding unscrupulous money lenders, the PCG’s other main proposals include:

1) Setting up a Victims’ Protection Mechanism to encourage more MDWs targeted by rogue money lenders and collectors to come forward and file complaints with the police, instead of cowering in fear, lest their jobs be put in peril;

2) Requiring all money lenders to join the Credit Data Smart (CDS) platform, with penal sanctions for non-compliance. In the past, some money lenders deliberately avoided joining the CDS so they could extend loans to MDWs far more than they could reasonably repay given their credit history;

3) Limit the amount that a MDW could borrow, but in any case, the maximum loan cap should be no less than $19,900 spread out over a 12-month period. This amount according to the FSTB’s own study, is the average loan amount secured by MDWs at present.

In the FSTB’s draft proposal, the amount that a MDW could borrow should be no more than what he or she earns in a month. Thus, those earning $5000 a month or less could only borrow this much each time. For those earning between $5,001 to $10,000 the maximum loan amount is twice the monthly salary. 

The alternative being proposed by the government is to set a limit of 35% of the borrower’s monthly salary as the repayment amount per month. 

Thus, an MDW earning the minimum monthly wage of $4,990 and has no outstanding loan should be paying a maximum of $1,750 each month. Assuming that the money lender charges an annual interest rate of about 30% and the repayment period is 12 months, the maximum amount of loan that can be extended to the MDW earning the minimum wage is $18,000.

The government proposes to limit the amount of loan to MDWs to no more than their monthly pay

According to the PCG, setting a higher loan cap could prevent MDWs seeking the help of loan sharks if the money they need to borrow is more than what is allowed under the new law.

Beyond tightening control over the operations of money lenders, the PCG also urged the  Hong Kong government to look into migrant workers’ call for a living wage, or one that will provide for their and their family’s basic needs, so they need not borrow money in case of emergencies. 

The PCG said that the various community organizations it consulted said the current minimum allowable wage of $4,990 is insufficient to address the migrant workers’ needs and has not kept up with the rising cost of inflation. 

“PCG HK notes that the Hong Kong government has consistently acknowledged the invaluable contribution of MDWs to its economy. In this regard, a reexamination of the MAW of MDWs is also a necessary component of a holistic approach in tackling unmanageable MDW loans,” said the PCG.

 

Filipino tourist dies after collapsing on HK Disney’s ‘Frozen’ ride

 

The Filipino tourist lost consciousness while aboard the Frozen Ever After ride

A 53-year-old Filipino man said to have pre-existing medical issues has died after losing consciousness aboard the Frozen Ever ride at Hong Kong Disneyland Friday morning.

The man was aboard the ride with his wife at around 10am when he became unconscious. His wife immediately told staff and he was reportedly given CPR as the boat was beginning to dock.

He was then rushed to North Lantau Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 11:37am.

HK Disneyland said initial investigations showed no safety issues with the popular attraction.

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The man reportedly arrived in Hong Kong on Wednesday along with some family members, and had checked into a hotel in Tsuen Wan.

The Philippine Consulate has confirmed the incident with the police and said it has contacted the victim’s next of kin to convey its condolences and to assist them in repatriating the body.

“The Consulate General continues to coordinate with the local authorities and institutions concerned, while respecting the family’s privacy during this difficult time,” the official statement added.

A Consulate official said they have yet to receive an official notification as to the cause of death.

HK Disneyland has also expressed sympathy over the man’s passing, and said it is providing necessary assistance to the family.

Police meanwhile, told local media that they learned from the deceased’s wife that the man had suffered from high blood pressure for 10 years, for which he was on regular medication and is required to undergo regular medical consultation.

The Frozen Ever After ride which opened as part of the World of Frozen Land at the end of 2023, is one of the theme park’s more popular attractions. 

Although it has surprise dips and sharp turns, everyone is allowed on the ride, with only pregnant women being advised to exercise caution.

The ride capitalizes on the popularity of the Disneyland movie, “Frozen”, and its main characters, Anna, Elsa and Olaf.

 

Pinay DH held over $140,000 theft

 

Theft allegedly took place in one of the flats in this complex (Google Maps photo)

A Filipina domestic helper is now in jail after after she appeared at West Kowloon Court, charged with stealing jewelry and cash totalling $140,000 from her employer.

Mary Grace Escorido, 44 years old, told Acting Principal Magistrate Cheng Lim-chin when she appeared in court yesterday, Aug. 29, that she understood the charge after it was read to her.

She was remanded in jail until her next court appearance on October 10. 

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Escorido is charged with stealing one gold nekclace, one gold necklace with pendant, five gold bracelets, one silver necklace with pendant, and two diamond rings, and cash of $40,000 taken from lai see packets kept in a drawer.

The theft allegedly took place in her employer’s flat in Tower 12 in Carribean Coast Carmel Cove in Tung Chung between March 1 and August 17 this year.

Escorido is charged with violating section 9 of the Theft Ordinance, which prescribes a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.

 

 

Theft of laptop computer fetches 22-month jail for Filipino

 

Stolen laptop brings stiff jail term for Filipino  

A jobless Filipino was jailed today for 22 months after he pleaded guilty at the District Court to stealing a laptop computer.

The penalty meted on Salvador Bermejo by Judge W.K. Kwok was heavier than for ordinary theft because he committed it by breaking into a shop in Olympian City in Tai Kok Tsui, Kowloon, to steal the computer valued at $8,400 on July 24, 2024.

As a result, he was charged with burglary.

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A police complaint quotes a section in the Theft Ordinance which defines burglary as entering any building as a trespasser and steals or attempts to steal anything or attempts to inflict on any person any grievous bodily harm. It is punishable by up to 14 years in jail.

Bermejo, 30 has been in detention since his arrest in July 2024 and consequent appearances at West Kowloon Court, after which the case was elevated to the District Court on Jan 16 this year.

Bermejo has been in trouble with the law in recent years.

On July 28, 2022, at Eastern Court, he was ordered arrested after he failed to show up for his sentencing at Eastern Court, after earlier pleading guilty to stealing a pair of shoes from a flat in Wanchai on April 1, 2022.

When he finally showed up in court on Aug. 11, he ended up being sent to the Drug Abuse Treatment Center after blood tests showed he had meth in his blood, and told to pay the owner of the shoes $3,300 over nine months.

Magistrate Jason Wan, who handled the case, also noted that Bermejo had two earlier drug convictions.

Travel tax payments, exemption certificates now available online

 

Most Filipinos who depart the Philippines are required to pay travel tax

Filipinos and permanent resident aliens who are required under the law to pay travel tax each time they fly out of the Philippines may now pay online through the one-stop shop eGovPH app.

The integration of the travel tax payment into the eTravel system was formally launched at a recent ceremony led by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).

To pay their travel tax anytime, anywhere, outbound travels may go directly to the eGov PH app, and select “TIEZA Travel Tax” under the “National Government Agencies (NGAs)” section.

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Users are directed to a simplified payment page that accepts various methods—including credit cards and e-wallets. Once payment is completed, a digital acknowledgment receipt is automatically sent via email, streamlining verification at the airport and immigration counters.

To make the process even more convenient, the travel tax payment form is pre-filled using the traveler’s passenger information previously submitted on eTravel. Users simply input their current flight details, to get to the payment page.

As part of the eTravel declaration, travelers can indicate whether they have paid the travel tax or applied for an exemption. Upon validation, they receive a QR code for immigration clearance, which helps reduce airport queues and wait times.

In a statement, the Department of Tourism said that the centralized, secure and user-friendly digital platform administered by the government simplifies the payment process for Filipinos and foreign nationals departing the country, as they can skip queuing up at airport counters prior to departure.

Meanwhile, travelers who are by law exempted from paying the travel tax, are also encouraged to apply for the exemption certificate online to eliminate a potentially long wait at the airport. (This does not, however, include overseas Filipino workers who simply have to present their overseas employment certificate (OEC) upon check-in).

All that the travel-exempt passengers have to do is to register their personal details at the Tieza website:  https://onlinettax.tieza.gov.ph/tec,  then wait for the Travel Tax Exemption Certificate (TTEC) that will be sent to them via their registered email address.

As with the eTravel pass, passengers are advised to download the TTEX that is sent via email and keep a copy on their mobile phones or gadgets for easy verification upon check-in. They will no longer be asked for the printed TTEX certificate which usually takes time to secure at the airport.

The TTEC is valid for six months, but is only good for one passage or departure.

Sample of a TTEC recently obtained online

The eTravel System is a digital platform that consolidates immigration, health, customs, and now travel tax declarations for passengers arriving in or departing from the Philippines. 

Once a passenger creates an account and provides the required personal details such as name, address, contact telephone number and a copy of their valid Philippine ID as well as passport, these will all be integrated and come out as pre-filled when registering for eTravel or paying for travel tax.

As part of the eTravel declaration, travelers may submit a copy of their paid travel tax receipt or TTEC to skip further verification at the check-in or immigration counters. Upon validation, they receive a QR code for immigration clearance, which helps reduce airport queues and wait times.

The travel tax, which ranges from Php1,620 for economy class travelers to Php2,700 for those traveling first class, is imposed on Filipinos, resident aliens and foreigners who have stayed in the Philippines for more than a year.

Reduced tax is extended to certain travellers, including dependents of overseas Filipino workers, who pay Php300 if traveling on economy tickets, and Php400 for those in first class.

Exempted from paying the tax are OFWs, Filipino who reside abroad, foreign diplomatic representatives, United Nations employees, US military personnel, crews of international carriers, Philippine government employees on official travel, and students on scholarships.

Half of the proceeds from the travel tax goes to TIEZA, 40% to the Commission on Higher Education, and 10% to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

The travel tax is different from the terminal fee, which is used to fund airport improvements and security, and is collected by the Manila Airport Authority from the airlines.

 

NAIA terminal fee to nearly double from Sept 14

 

The new NAIA terminal fees, including exempted passengers (GMA News graphic)

Plane fares from and within the Philippines could rise starting on Sept. 14, when new terminal fees at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport take effect.

For international departures, the terminal fee will rise to Php950 from the current Php550, while domestic flights will cost an extra Php190 to Php390, or nearly double the current fee of Php200.

Exempted from the fees, as before, are overseas Filipino workers, flight crews, pilgrims, Philippine Sports Commission delegates, Medal of Valor awardees, and those authorized by law or the Office of the President.

It will be the first increase in NAIA’s terminal fee since 2000.

According to the Manila International Airport Authority, the fee increase will fund the modernization, expansion and upgrade of the airport, which is now managed by the private operatr, New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC).

Among other things, the fee increase will fund renovations in Terminals 1 and 3 plus the installatation of e-gates by December. It will also be used to upgrade the equipment of security personnel.

MIAA General Manager Eric Ines said in media interviews that the current Php500 terminal fee is the lowest in the region and needs to be adjusted.

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For comparison, the airport in the region that charges the highest terminal fee is Singapore’s Changi Airport which charges the equivalent of Php2,683; while those in Japan, Vietnam and Cambodia collect between Php1,100 to Php1,600 per passenger.

Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok Airport, currently charges only the equivalent of Php895, but this will more than double to Php1,935 by October 1 this year.

The announcement of the increase in passenger service or terminal fee at NAIA drew the ire of many people when it was announced last year. Despite this, the airport management decided the fee increase could not be held off much longer if services were to be improved.

 

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DH accused of neglect of baby testifies in trial

 

Shatin neighborhood where incident happened (Google Maps photo)

A Filipina domestic helper who lost her job on March 3 this yer, after a one-year-old boy under her care was scalded on the hands by water from potatoes she was boiling, today told the Shatin Court that she shielded the boy from injury and thus suffered painful burns on her left arm.

As a result, N. Navarro said in her testimony, only small splashes reached the boy, identified only as X, who caused the accident by pulling on the cord of the rice cooker in which she was boiling the potatoes as his food.

Navarro, 44 years old, was testifying in her trial on a charge of “ill-treatment or neglect by those in charge of child or young person” in violation of the Offenses Against the Person Ordinance.

The trial ended today with Deputy Magistrate Charlotte Kong scheduling a summing up and a possible verdict on Oct. 13. In case a decision cannot be reached by then, the verdict will be handed down on Oct. 31 instead. 

Navarro's bail was extended until then.

The prosecutor presented three video clips from the CCTV showing what happened in the living room; in the third, Navarro’s scream was heard , followed by the baby crying.

He also called the baby’s mother, shown on the video clips as praying in the living room and rushing to the kitchen after hearing the commotion, who testified that she did not see what happened in the kitchen.

She said she saw Navarro in the kitchen holding her son, with the cooker, potato cubes and water on the floor. 

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The prosecutor also presented a video-recorded interview from the police, showing Navarro recounting what happened and apologizing for the accident.

“I want to apologize,” she said in the recording. “I am very sorry for the accident especially for the baby that got hurt.”

During her testimony, the prosecutor asked Navarro why she went to the kitchen while carrying the baby, and “bringing baby boy X in such environment,” when her employer had a standing rule against doing this for safety reasons.

She said she took the baby from the living room to avoid disturbing the mother who was then praying there. But then it occurred to her when she was helping the baby climb the stairs to her quarters on the third floor that she had not turned off the rice cooker.

So she entered the kitchen with the baby in her arms. However, with the baby also trying to reach the cooker, she sat him down on the floor and reached for a piece of plastic to give him as a distraction. However, as the cooker was plugged into a low wall outlet, the baby was able to grasp its cord and pull it.

Navarro said she shielded the baby with her body when the boiling water splashed, and took him to the toilet and poured cold water on his hands which got splashed with hot water.

In her testimony, the mother also said she the baby was burned on a foot and his clothing was all wet.

Neither the prosecution nor the defense raise the discrepancy over the baby's injury as claimed by the helper and the mother. 

2 DHs who allegedly ran unlicensed dental clinic back in court

 

The 6 Filipino DHs after their arrest in unlicensed dental business

Two domestic helpers who allegedly posed as dentists and hired four other DHs as dental assistants in an unlicensed all-Filipino “dental clinic” in Sham Shui Po, were returned to jail today after appearing at Shatin Court for a bail review hearing.

Marissa Necesito, 60 years old, and Marites Bohol, 48, made no bail application when they appeared before Magistrate Jeffrey Sze, so he sent them back to jail to await the next hearing scheduled for Sept. 16.

Necesito faces five charges filed by the Immigration Department last Aug. 19, two days after the group was arrested in a raid on a subdivided unit in Sham Shui Po while allegedly providing unlicensed dental treatments.

Thirteen other Filipinos were found inside the makeshift clinic, apparently customers seeking treatment. They were not arrested. 

Necesito was charged with breach of condition of stay under a visa issued to her on June 30, 2025, which permitted her to work exclusively as a domestic helper  – by establishing a business providing dental service in Sham Shui Po.

She is also charged with four counts of “employing a person not lawfully employable” under section 171 (1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance, by hiring fellow domestic workers to work in the dental clinic she had allegedly set up.

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Bohol, for her part, is facing a charge of establishing a business while remaining in Hong Kong in breach of her condition of stay, by setting up the dental business with Necesito.

The four other domestic workers allegedly hired by the two to work as dental assistants were named as Carles Lie Ramos, 34; Cherry Mel Patiga, 37; Rowena Cerdia, 48; and Jocen Naong, 42. They each face a charge of violating their condition of stay by working in the makeshift clinic while under foreign domestic helpers' contracts. 

The domestic helpers were arrested last Aug. 17 for allegedly providing illegal dental services from a subdivided unit in Sham Shui Po, which immigration officers described as dirty and unhygienic.

Chief Immigration Office Tai Koon-ho said at a press conference that none of those arrested possesses professional dental qualifications or training.

Some of them claimed to have learned dentistry through online videos, while one said she had worked as a dental assistant in the Philippines.

Yet, they provided dental services such as teeth cleaning, orthodontic treatment and even denture making to fellow FDWs, charging between $150 and $500 per procedure.

Seized in the raid were various instruments for teeth cleaning, braces and denture making.

"The so-called surgery room merely contained a sofa, distilled water, tissues, towels, air fresheners, a wash basin and rudimentary surgical instruments,´Tai said. "When we arrested the so-called dentists, they were wearing ordinary clothes. There was no evidence that their clothing, medical supplies or tools had undergone any sterilisation.

"Medical waste was also discarded haphazardly, posing a significant risk of cross-infection,” he added.

The widely-reported case prompted a warning from Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac for Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong to comply strictly with the city's laws to avoid arrest, and risk  losing their jobs in the process.

3 HK-bound Filipinas with fake OECs arrested for fraud

 

 

Three Filipinas who were supposed to leave Manila for Hong Kong as tourists were, however, stopped from leaving Ninoy Aquino International Airport T3 on Aug 20 after they presented fake overseas employment certificates (OEC).

A press statement issued by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) identified the three as Rhea Angelia M Borda, Nora P. Tafalla and Baby Rhea U. Margarico.

The Immigration officer who cleared them for departure, identified as Mohammad Rashid Madale Alonto is now at large, after the three arrested passengers acknowledged his role in the attempt to let them fly out despite their fake documents and his official stamp was found on their boarding passes.

Borda and Tafalla were already at the boarding gates at T3 when they were intercepted by border control officers while Margarico was apprehended during routine checks at the terminal.

During investigation, the three admitted that they had been recruited through social media to work in Cambodia as Customer Service Representatives (CSRs).

Following an inquest, they were charged with violation of Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code, which pertains to the use of falsified public document

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Alonto, on the other hand, was charged in absentia with violations of Section 4(b)(1)(i) of Republic Act No. 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012) and Section 5(e) of Republic Act No. 9208 (The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003).

NBI Director Jaime Santiago commended the agents and other officers for their quick action which led to the arrest and filing of charges against the four suspects.

 

Pinoy gets 12-week jail for 2 counts of theft

 

MTR's Chai Wan station (Google Maps photo)

An unemployed Filipino resident was jailed for a total of 12 weeks today on two counts of theft after he pleaded guilty to one and not guilty to the other at Eastern Court.

Zenneth Tuzon, 24 years old, pleaded guilty last July 31 to theft for stealing eight packs of cigarettes from a newsstand on Chai Wan Road, outside the MTR Chai Wan Station, between an unknown date in April this year and last May 2.

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He was convicted by Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung of violating section 9 of the Theft Ordinance and handed an eight-week prison term.

Tuzon pleaded not guilty also last July 31 to a second charge of theft, in which he was accused by police of stealing a Xiaomi surveillance camera of the newsstand.

But in today’s trial, Magistrate Cheung found him guilty and penalized him with 10 weeks’ imprisonment.

Cheung ruled that six of these 10 weeks be served at the same time as the first prison term, leaving only four to be added to the eight-month sentence.

In a separate case also at Eastern Court, Cheung sentenced a Filipina domestic helper to two months’ imprisonment for assault on a one-year old boy who was in her care.

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Rona Mae Torreco, 42 years old, earlier pleaded guilty to assaulting X last Aug. 4 inside her employer's home on Oi Wan Road in Wanchai, “in a manner likely to cause said X unnecessary suffering or injury to his health” according to the charge filed by police last Aug. 6.  

P1.5 M from Aksyon Fund disbursed to 24 needy HK OFWs

 

12 seriously ill OFWs each got P75k from Aksyon Fund on Aug 24

Nearly Php1.5 million in financial assistance was disbursed to 24 overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong- 12 seriously ill, and 12 victims of illegal recruitment - through the Department of Migrant Workers’ Aksyon (Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFWs) Fund.

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The 12 beneficiaries who each received Php75 from the Fund on Aug 24 have all been diagnosed with serious ailments like cancer, or suffered a severe heart attack.

Migrant Workers Office Officer-in-Charge Antonio R. Villafuerte led the release of funds to the beneficiaries.

MWO's Rem Marcelino disburses P50k each to 12 illegal recruitment victims

Earlier, on Aug. 3, 12 other OFWs who fell into debt after paying off alleged illegal recruiters also received Aksyon Fund of Php50,000 each from MWO officers led by Social Welfare Attache Rem Marcelino.

The beneficiaries were among 20 complainants who filed complaints with HK Police and the Philippine Consulate against a group that collected the equivalent of at least Php132,000 from each of them for  Canada student visas that never materialized.

Named respondents in their complaints were Pinoy Care Visa Center - Opportunities Abroad officers Prisca Nina Mabatid and Russ Mark Gamallo, along with former OFW blogger Bryan Calagui.

The Aksyon Fund provides various forms of support to OFWs, including legal, medical,  repatriation assistance and , in line with DMW’s mandate to protect the rights and promote the welfare of Filipino migrant workers.

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OFWs in need of assistance may visit the MWO Hong Kong office located at the 29th Floor of the United Centre in Admiralty so they can be guided on the application process.

 

Case continues against 2 accused of overstaying

 

Two Filipinos seeking asylum in Hong Kong were freed on bail today,  Monday, after appearing at Shatin Court, each charged with breach of condition of stay by overstaying by five and three years, respectively, after their visas expired.

The cases against Arlen Santos and Jeffrey Alindeg date back to 2024 when the Immigration Department filed the cases against them for violation of section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance.

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That section states: “Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine at level 5 ($50,000) and to imprisonment for 2 years.”

Santos, 51 years old, allegedly remained in Hong Kong after her domestic helper contract expired on June 7, 2017 and was arrested on May 24, 2021.

Prior to her being charged on May 8, 2024, however, she filed a claim for non-refoulement seeking to prevent the Hong Kong government from forcibly sending her back to the Philippines.

As a result, she used a recognizance form as her identity document.

Her case was adjourned to Dec. 18 and she allowed bail of $500.

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Also carrying a recognizance form for identification is Alindeg, 39 years old, who is accused of overstaying from Feb. 3, 2019 to Jan. 5, 2022.

He arrived in Hong Kong in January 2019 and stayed on even after his visa expired.

He was freed on a cash bail of $1,000 and told to come back to court on Dec. 18.

‘Unbothered’ Korina Sanchez spends weekend in HK amid P10M scandal

 

'My P10M palace,' Korina jokingly says, pointing to Disney's Castle of Magical Dreams

TV host and producer Korina Sanchez spent the weekend in Hong Kong amid the controversy over the alleged Php10 million paid to her for interviewing a couple linked to failed flood control projects across the Philippines.

The pre-arranged trip was mainly to interview overseas Filipino workers for her Face to Face program on TV5, but Sanchez also spent time visiting Hong Kong Disneyland.

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In an Instagram post, Sanchez posed beside Disney’s Castle of Magical Dreams and captioned it with “My P10 Million Palace. Joke.”

Korina gamely takes photo of a visiting Filipino family (News5)

Earlier, she also cast aside a pointed remark about how much the outfit she wore in flying to HK had cost, by saying “P10M, of course.”

The controversy erupted after Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto alleged on social media that some veteran journalists were accepting money in exchange for interviewing controversial personalities.

He did not name names, but accompanied his remarks with screenshots of Sanchez and fellow TV journalist Julius Babao interviewing Curlee Discaya and his wife Sarah, who lost to Sotto in last May’s mayoral elections.

The Discayas’ two construction companies were named by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr as among the top 15 firms that bagged Php100 billion worth of flood control projects from the Department of Works and Highways, hinting of possible anomalies.

Sanchez’ production team responded with a stinging rebuttal, accusing Sotto of committing cyberlibel.

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“There is no such thing as a P10 million placement for an interview. It is irresponsible to even say such, to say the least. As your malice is posted on Facebook and publicly besmirches the reputation of Ms. Sanchez, this clearly constitutes cyber libel,” said the published statement.

However, the producers admitted that payments for advertisements of certain businesses like that of the Discayas’ are made to them, but these go to the network and are properly receipted.

Korina poses for photo with OFW Marites Toralba (Facebook photo)

Amid the din, Sanchez set about doing her work and visiting Disneyland HK.

 “The happiest place on earth they say is Disneyland. Actually, the happiest place is peace of mind. In the midst of ignorant hate comes blessed calm knowing that GOOD is in control if you allow it,” she said.

Various posts by OFWs also showed Sanchez in a flaming orange outfit doing her hosting stint with a pre-selected group of migrant leaders as audience, and roaming known Filipino haunts in Central.