HK gears up for Halloween Fest

 

Perspective drawing of the Halloween installation on Statue Square

Halloween is about to get big in Hong Kong.

Starting on October 17, five tourist spots in the city will be lit up and street parties held, as part of Hong Kong’s bid to become Asia’s premier Halloween destination.

In Central, a giant Halloween-themed installation will be set up on Statue Square starting on October 17, while a music and arts festival will liven up Chater Road from 3pm on October 18. The celebration will culminate with a colourful Halloween party on October 31.

Lan Kwai Fong will always be the go-to place for Halloween

At nearby Lan Kwai Fong, organizers are planning not just one, but three, themed street celebrations with performers, music and photo spots for costumed revellers.

At  Kai Tak Sports Park, there will be three weekends of cosplay activities with Cantopop DJs playing music, and a pet photo area.

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In Mong Kok, there will be a haunted red minibus installation while Tsim Sha Tsui East will have DJ parties and a Halloween market.

Disneyland and Ocean Park started offering Halloween treats and tricks at the start of the month, and will carry this on until Halloween Day.

Perspective of an open-top bus for Halloween Month

There will also be free night rides to passengers in Halloween costumes on open-top buses and party trams.

The open-top bus rides will start operating at 6pm on October 16-17, October 24-25 and October 30-31 - covering two Saturdays, two Sundays, and Halloween Eve and Halloween Day.

Pick-ups will be every 45 minutes at four boarding points: Statue Square in Central, Langham Place in Mong Kok, Kai Tak Sports Park and Tsim Sha Tsui Centre.

The party trams will also operate on the same dates and time along a designated route between Causeway Bay and Western Market in Sheung Wan.

Free ride tickets will be given to passengers who dress in Halloween costumes and spend the minimum amount set by participating merchants.

The tickets can be redeemed on a first-come, first-served basis at designated malls and venues operated by HKTB partners, including Hongkong Land, Kai Tak Sports Park, Langham Place and Sino Group.

Also part of the festival is HKTB’s social media campaign, which will call on the public to post Halloween photos in Hong Kong on Instagram, Weibo, using designated tags and hashtags. Prizes will be given for photos that will be selected.

The Halloween blitz is part of a new tourism strategy announced in February’s budget that will focus on festivals that are less prominent in mainland China, to attract more visitors in the city.

The Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival at Victoria Park which has been extended until today, October 7, is also part of the new tourism thrust.

Special traffic arrangements announced for Mid-Autumn Festival

 

Colorful lanterns at Victoria Park are expected to draw in crowds (Brand Hong Kong)

The MTR will step up its services from 3pm on Friday, the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, until the early hours of the next day – a statutory holiday -  to accommodate the thousands of people expected to travel around to join various festive activities across the city.

The only exception to this are the Airport Express, Disneyland Resort Line and the East Rail Line to and from Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau, which will be operated normally.

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At the same time, 11 Light Rail routes, three MTR bus routes and nine green minibus routes will operate on extended hours until early on September 26.

Four special bus routes (route Nos. 71P, N64P, N272 and 173R) will also be operated while public bus companies will extend the service hours of six bus routes and adjust the frequency/departure time of some routes.

Services provided by HK Tramways,  Star Ferry, Sun Ferry and Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry will be adjusted based on passenger demand.

The Tai Hang Dragon Dance will be staged at night from Friday to Sunday 

Meanwhile, road closure and traffic diversion will be implement in the vicinity of Tai Hang from Wednesday to Saturday to facilitate the holding of the traditional Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance.

Similar traffic arrangements will affect various parts of Hong Kong island (including Causeway Bay, The Peak, Aberdeen, Pok Fu Lam, Repulse Gay and Shek O), and parts of the New Territories (including Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan and Ma On Shan) on September 25 and 26. Some parking spaces, taxi and light bus stations in the named areas will also be suspended.

Traffic is expected to be heavy in the vicinity of Tai Hang and Victoria Park in Causeway Bay where the Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival is being held until Sunday, September 27.

Lee Tung Avenue in Wan Chai is another crowd-drawer (Photo by Annabelle Maregmen)

On Saturday, thousands of people, including migrant domestic workers, are expected to pour out onto the streets as it is a statutory holiday.

Everyone is enjoined to use public transport as far as possible to avoid traffic congestion and travel delays. The Police may adjust the traffic situation and implement appropriate measures as may be necessary.

For details of the special traffic and transport arrangements, members of the public may visit the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk) or its mobile application "HKeMobility". Passengers may also refer to the passenger notices displayed by the relevant public transport operators.

 

Filipinos overseas urged to register for 2028 presidential election

 

There is just over a year before the registration to vote for the 2028 presidential election in the Philippines ends.

This was the reminder posted by the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong yesterday, to remind all Filipinos living abroad, no matter their visa status, that the registration for what could be a watershed election in the country will end on Sept 30, 2027.

DETAILS HERE

Registered overseas voters will be able to cast their ballot for President, Vice President, Senators and a Party-List in the month-long exercise until May 8, 2028.

Those qualified to register are Filipinos who are at least 18 years old on or before the date of the election, and are not otherwise disqualified by law.

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Newly arrived Filipinos, those who have never registered to vote before in Philippine national elections, or failed to vote in two consecutive elections, must register to vote in the 2028 election.

Those who wish to register should bring along their valid Philippine passports and visit the Overseas Voter Registration counters located on the 18^th floor and 29^th floor of United Centre building in Admiralty.

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Right now, newly arrived Filipino migrant workers are urged to register as voters when they attend the mandatory post-arrival orientation seminar at the OFW Global Centre in United Centre.

Pinay jailed 10 months for $1.8 money laundering

 Kwun Tong Court

Another Filipina has been jailed for 10 months after pleading guilty at Kwun Tong Court to allowing $1.8 million of proceeds from crime to pass though her bank account, and then withdrawn by unknown persons.

Rowena Costinar, 44 years old, had been charged with dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offense, contrary to sections 25 (1) and 25 (3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Acting Principal Magistrate Li Chi-ho handed the sentence to Costinar after deducting the usual one-third as credit for her guilty plea.

Costinar, a domestic helper, admitted to having dealt with $1,770,298.13 in her account with the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, during the 12 days between April 9 and 20, 2023.

She did the offense, together with another unknown person, “knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that property, … represented any person's proceeds of an indictable offence,” the police complaint said.

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Meanwhile, in the same court, Roel Capuli, 54 years old. pleaded not guilty to the charge of cruelty to animals, contrary to section 3(1)(a) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance.

Magistrate Li scheduled his trial for December 2. He is out on bail of $500.

Capuli is charged with cruelly ill-treating two dogs and causing unnecessary suffering to the said dogs on  September 26, 2025 on Ho Chung Road, Sai Kung Division, Ho Chung, Sai Kung, New Territories.

Study shows how DHs get mental health support

 

Where do you go to seek help when you encounter mental health problems?

If you are like many Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong, you would keep to yourself until you find alternative solutions.

“Pagtitiis” is the first solution, according to a study by Jan Erron Celebrado, a Filipino doctorate student, in his dissertation at Lingnan University in Hong Kong.

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The domestic workers’ choices “are shaped by forces such as their responsibilities to family back home, expectations tied to their gender roles, and the insecurity of their temporary labor migration,” he said in his doctorate dissertation.

Only when the problem enters “critical moments” do the workers seek personal and organized support networks such as friends and fellow DHs, religious groups and non-government organizations (NGOs) which provide them with informal mental health support.

In the end, the professional support networks which provide the physical health intervention and formal mental health support that they need, is their last choice.

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“Policies on mental health must recognize and sustain the informal support networks,” Celebrado said.

“Filipino migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong have built and maintained their own support networks (e.g., transnational families, employers, fellow MDWs, online groups, civil society orga

nizations). These networks should be seen as a core mental health infrastructure and not just informal supplements that fill in around the formal healthcare system,” he said.

“Civil society organizations in the Philippines and Hong Kong (e.g., churches, migrant organizations, non-government organizations, and charities) should (also) be formally recognized as partners in supporting migrant workers’ mental health,” he added.

Celebrado gives a preview of his study at the anniversary party
of the Social Justice for Migrant Workers

Celebrado is a PhD candidate in Sociology and Social Policy at Lingnan University, funded by the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme and the Belt and Road Scholarship.

He holds a master’s degree in Women and Development from the University of the Philippines Diliman and a bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Manila.

Pinay in alleged $1.6M jewelry theft again fails in bail bid

 

Illustrative photo created with deevid.ai

A Filipina accused of stealing $1.6 million worth of jewelry from her employer’s sister, went back to jail after her offer of $13,000 in bail money was rejected by the Kwun Tong Court.

Acting Principal Magistrate May Chung rejected the bail application of Rogela M. Caalem, 33 years old and a domestic helper, because of the risk she will not return to court when it resumes her case, the fact that she has no place to stay in Hong Kong and the gravity of the offense.

She adjourned the case to August 27 for mention.

In her first court appearance last week, Caalem also tried to apply for bail but was unsuccessful.

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Magistrate Chung’s decision came after the prosecution cited the evidence they collected, such as pawnshop receipts, jewelry items still in Caalem’s possession and photos in her mobile phone showing her wearing some of the stolen jewelry.

Caalem is accused of stealing 19 pieces of jewelry, with a total value of HK$1,608,300, the property of female Mao Sara Guo Jing.

The alleged theft took place between the January 1 and June 26, 2026 at Mao’s house on Fei Ngo Shan Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories,

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In this case, the charge against Caalem of violating section 9 of the Theft Ordinance involved a breach of trust, said the prosecutor.

Separately, another Filipina, Rosa Combo, 41 years old and also a domestic helper,  was also remanded in jail after a hearing at Tuen Mun Court of two counts of theft against her, involving cash and jewelry worth a total of HK$422,000.

Acting Principal Magistrate Daniel Tang. Adjourned the case to September 4 for mention.

Combo is accused of stealing two gold rings, two bracelets, one baby gold necklace, one baby necklace with gold pendant, three gold necklaces, one gold bracelet, with a total value of $400,000, the property of Cheng Tsz-wing Vincent.

The theft allegedly took place between October 8, 2024 and January 29, 2026, at a flat at Riva, on 1 Ying Ho Road, Pat Heung. Yuen Long, New Territories.

At the same time and place, she allegedly stole cash of $11,000 in Hong Kong dollars and $10,000 Chinese yuan, with a total value of HK$22,928,29, also the property of Cheng.

Over at Shatin Court, domestic helper Sharon Rose Brito, 44 years old, was accused of stealing cash of $4,000 Chinese yuan and HK$2,950, the property of female Suen Wai Kam, Ruby between May 1, 2026 and June 10, 2026 at a room in Hilton Plaza, at 3-9 Sha Tin Centre Street, Shatin.

Magistrate Raymond Wong set a bail $ 2,000 and told her to return on August 11.

 

Some 1,000 HK restaurants open doors to dogs

 

Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Tse Chin-wan (second left), LegcoPanel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene chair Chan Hoi-yan (second right) and vice-chair Yang Wing-kit (first right), visit a permitted restaurant to observe and confer with customers with dogs

Starting Thursday, July 9, more than 940 registered restaurants allowed their customers to bring in their dogs when they dine.

The first batch of permitted food premises can be found in the dedicated webpage of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department through this link: (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/dog_restaurants/index.html)

All the permitted outlets must display the "Food Premises Permitted for Dog Entry" signage designated by the FEHD at a conspicuous place at the main entrance at all times for identification.

Press for details

      
Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Tse Chin-wan, visited one of the permitted premises at the West Kowloon Cultural District this afternoon to observe how the new measures are being implemented, and was pleased with what he saw.

"The restaurant has made thorough preparations in terms of hygiene facilities and seating arrangements, and we can see customers bringing dogs were co-operative. Everyone was beaming, feeling that this is a remarkable breakthrough,” Tse said.

He also spent the day conferring with restaurant operators and customers.

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He said he expects the premises to strictly abide by the laws and licensing conditions, while customers who bring dogs are expected to properly control their pets while enjoying meals and to respect other customers.

Joining the visit was the Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Food), Irene Young; the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Albert Yuen; and the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene of the Legislative Council, Chan Hoi-yan and Yang Wing-kit.

A uniform signage must be displayed by the door of all permitted restaurants at all times

A statement from the FEHD said the vetting and approval process for the initial quota of 1,000  restaurants in the first phase had been smooth. But some successful balloting applicants did not complete the procedures to amend their licenses, so their quotas will be allocated to waistlisted applicants.

An updated list of approved food premises will be progressively uploaded to the dedicated webpage after completion of the procedures.

To help restaurant operators and staff adapt to the new measure, the FEHD has deployed 90 staff to visit each premises. They provided the persons-in-charge with detailed explanations on the statutory requirements, licensing conditions and other compliance arrangements.

Over the next month the FEHD team will step up visits to the permitted premises to observe how the new measure is being implemented, and to lend a hand to operators if needed.

The FEHD has released earlier the Guidelines and Code of Practice for the new measure, which cover points to note for restaurant operators, customers bringing dogs, and those without dogs, for the reference and guidance of all parties.

Deadline for Likha Global business plan contest for OFWs extended to Jul 15

 

Last year's OFW qualifiers from HK Shenny, Marilou and Darren, pose for a photo
with Labor Attache Cesar Chavez, Jr

“𝐾𝑢𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑎 𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎…

𝐾𝑢𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑝 𝑘𝑎𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑢𝑢𝑤𝑖 𝑠𝑎 𝑃𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑠…

𝐻𝑢𝑤𝑎𝑔 𝑛𝑎 𝑝𝑜 𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑝𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑏𝑎𝑛.”

(If you have a long-cherished business idea, if you have a dream that you want to bring back with you the Philippines, take action now).

Press for details

This was the last-minute call issued by the Migrant Workers Office in Hong Kong for all overseas Filipino workers who have worked abroad for at least five years to join the 2026 Likha Global Business Plan Competition organized by the Department of Migrant Workers.

The deadline of submission of entries to the contest where cash awards of between Php100,000 to Php500,000 are at stake, has been extended by another month, or until July 15 this year.

Likha or the Linangin ang Kakayahan sa Kabuhayan Award or Likha Global Business Plan Competition is organized annually by the Department of Migrant Workers as part of its reintegration program for OFWs.

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Business plans submitted as entries to the contest will be judged according to the following criteria: Presentation, 40%; Quality of business plan, 30%; and Feasibility of enterprise, 30%.

To register, click this link: https://sites.google.com/dmw.gov.ph/likha-ofw/hom

Last year, three OFWs from Hong Kong, Shenny, Marilou and Darren, each won Php100,000 in seed capital for the business they plan to start in the Philippines on their return home, after hurdling the preliminary round of the competition.

An OFW from Qatar, Marisol Amihan, won the top prize of Php700,000 for her sustainable farm development proposal. First runner-up Catherine Espiriti, a domestic worker in Kuwait, received Php500,000 for her business plan for goat raising while second runner-up Jimmy Chavez, Jr. won Php400,000 for his nipa palm wine project.

Thirty-eight finalists, including the three domestic workers from Hong Kong, each took home Php100,000 for their respective business plans.

All OFWs who made it to the final round were provided free travel to Manila so they could attend the Likha Global bootcamp where they received mentoring, and asked to present their business plans to experts.

To qualify, one has to be currently working abroad, has at least five years’ experience as an OFW, is documented in the latest deployment, an active member of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and is not yet operating a business in the Philippines.

All applicants who make it to the preliminary round are required to attend the boot camp in the Philippines, and if they fail to participate, will not be allowed to claim their cash prize immediately. They will still have to attend business mentoring sessions in the Philippines within a year, and pay their own travel expenses.

Likha Global for land-based OFWs is part of the DMW’s reintegration boosters, which also include Likhang Marino for seafarers, and Likhang Kababaihan which is exclusively for women would-be entrepreneurs. Each worldwide competition offers the same Php500,000 cash reward for the top winner.

All information on these contests can be found in the DMW’s Reintegration One-Stop Shop, a website that features the programs that OFWs can take advantage of, as well as OFWs who have since turned into entrepreneurs (click here to go to the page: https://dmw.gov.ph/reintegration

Pinay jailed 27 months for theft, use of stolen credit cards

 

General area where theft was committed (Google Maps photo) 

An unemployed Filipina was sentenced to 27 months in jail today, after pleading guilty at District Court to theft of a mobile phone, a Rolex watch and a wallet, and six counts of fraud for using the credit cards she found in the wallet to go on a shopping spree, spending a total of $6,279.50 in one day.

Judge Ada Yim handed the sentence to Mylene Navarro, 48 years old, after the prosecution presented evidence against her, including a water bottle found inside the hotel room which bore her fingerprints, CCTV footages which showed her using the stolen credit cards to make purchases and her admission to police that she used the cards.

Navarro’s case began when she took a drunk Chinese man named Lau to Rainbow City Inn on Pitt St. in Yau Ma Tei in the early hours of  Nov. 23 last year and took his mobile phone, watch and wallet containing personal documents and cash of $2,000. Yau Ma Tei Police said the stolen items amounted to $96,095.50.

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The wallet contained, among other things, five credit cards that would enable her to commit the six fraud offenses.

The police complaint said Navarro first went to a Seven-11 store on Bowring Street and ran up a bill for $2,292.50 which she paid by using a credit card issued by the Standard Chartered bank to Lau.

She then used Lau’s credit card issued by Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. in buying $204 worth of products at a Seven-11 store on Jordan Road.

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Navarro then went to a Circle K store on Jordan Road and charged $1,204 worth of products to Lau’s Standard Chartered Bank Mastercard.

She again used the credit card in paying $138 for a meal at a McDonald’s restaurant on Yen Chow St. in Sham Shui Po.

Navarro used Lau’s HSBC Mastercard a fifth time when she bought $227 worth of items at another Seven-11 shop at the MTR Prince Edward station.

Finally she bought groceries at a Wellcome Store on Lai Chi Kok Road in Mong Kok, running up a bill for $2,214 which she charged to Lau’s American Express card.

Mission for Migrant Workers honors founder Cynthia Tellez on 45th year

 

Cynthia has been at the helm of MFMW since it was set up 45 years ago

(Story is from Migrant Focus, an online publication by the Mission for Migrant Workers)

This year, as we mark the 45th anniversary of our migrant workers serving institution, we also celebrate the enduring leadership that has shaped this mission.

For almost half a century, the work has stood on a simple premise: every migrant worker deserves respect, dignity, and access to resources that empower them to thrive.

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Since its inception, the mission has grown from a humble walk-in centre and temporary shelter into a lifeline for tens of thousands of migrant workers in Hong Kong.

The organization now reaches more than 380,000 people, with women comprising the vast majority of those served. It offers information, case support, shelter, rescue, and emergency assistance, all anchored by a core belief: you are not turned away.

The journey has not been easy, but the purpose remains clear: to stand in solidarity with those who arrive seeking opportunity and safety.

Cynthia Tellez: Four Decades of Leadership

A young Cynthia spent a year helping set up MFMW in 1981

This milestone also honors our General Manager, Cynthia Tellez, whose 45 years of service as a founder and leader inspire us all. She began in 1981, a year before the Mission was officially established, with a small team and a “grand dream.” What started as a walk-in centre and a temporary shelter evolved into a beacon of support for migrant workers.

“I didn’t realise that 45 years had passed,” she reflects, almost astonished by the longevity of a calling she thought would last just a few years.

She has witnessed thousands of faces from many backgrounds—Filipino, Indonesian, Thai, Sri Lankan, Nepali—who arrive in Hong Kong seeking work and find themselves navigating exploitation, underpayment, or confinement.

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In her mind, she often asks, “Am I going to reveal myself to these people I’ve never met? But where else do I go?” That question—where else do I go?—is the Mission’s reason for being.

Lessons from a Long Journey

 

A Know Your Rights seminar early in 2026 is a core project of the MFMW

After 45 years, the work remains demanding, even exhausting. Yet there are moments that illuminate the path: a newcomer who is offered a meal before she asks for help, or the office filled with laughter as colleagues lighten the mood with a shared joke about the pantry.

“Already that,” she says, “makes our heart feel happy.” The resilience of the community and the team’s willingness to improve together keep the spirit alive.

Cynthia’s perspective on misconceptions about migrant workers is powerful. “Migrant workers are undeniably part of Hong Kong society,” she says, noting that while cultures and faiths differ, they “breathe the same air, and walk the same ground.” Her message is a call to see beyond differences and recognize shared humanity in every person who seeks a better life.

Chinese New Year fellowship among MFMW clients, staff and volunteers

(Looking Ahead: A Series of Celebrations:As we honor this 45-year milestone, we are excited to announce a series of anniversary events. The first act of celebration was singing a song at the Sunday service, a simple homage to the church and its supporters who have sustained us. For future events, we invite everyone to join and support our mission. Your involvement—whether through volunteering, donations, or participation in programs—will help ensure that this work endures for generations to come. We welcome all to stand with us as we continue to serve, uplift, and empower migrant workers across our community.)