Pair of scissors lands Pinoy in mental hospital

 

Siu Lam Hospital (Google Maps photo)

A 19-year-old Filipino arrested at Kornhill Plaza in Quarry Bay holding a pair of scissors, has ended up confined at the Siu Lam psychiatric hospital after he pleaded guilty at the Eastern Court.

Principal Magistrate David Cheung ordered that J.A.B. be confined at Siu Lam, known as Hong Kong’s top hospital for mental ailments, until Dec. 9 when he will be sentenced for possession of offensive weapon in a public place, contrary to section 33(1) and (2) of the Public Order Ordinance.

DETAILS HERE

In a hearing last Tuesday (Nov 25), Magistrate Cheung called for Detention Centre, Rehabilitation Centre and Psychiatric reports be done to guide his decision.

In an amended charge, Police accused Bunoan of having an offensive weapon, a pair of scissors, “without lawful authority or reasonable excuse” last Aug. 15 “in a public place near bus stop, outside Kornhill Plaza (South), No. 2 Komhill Road, Quarry Bay.”

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Under the ordinance, people of his age may be sentenced to stays in jail of up to three years or confinement in a Detention Centre or Rehabilitation Centre.

Ex-HK OFW is mom to a ‘Bagong Bayani’

 

Nanay Evangeline is congratulated by President Bongbong Marcos after being introduced
by DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac at the Bagong Bayani awards

Former Hong Kong domestic worker Evangeline Isla was given special mention by Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac in a Facebook post on Saturday, Nov. 22, after she represented her engineer-daughter at the Bagong Bayani awards in Malacanang two days earlier.

Nanay Evangeline proudly stood on the podium at Malacanang's ceremonial hall in place of her daughter, Qatar-based engineer Romaline Isla, who was named “outstanding employee.”

DETAILS HERE

Secretary Cacdac said in his post, “Maari pong sabihin na dalawang OFWs po ang pinarangalan natin sa isang tropeo at medalya.” (It could be said that we honored two OFWs with a trophy and a medal).

“Malugod po silang kinilala ng ating mahal na Pangulo sa “Palace of the People”. (Both were warmly received by our beloved President in the ‘Palace of the People.’)

Roma's poster shot during the awards rites

Nanay Evangeline told The SUN that she began her OFW journey in Saudi Arabia together with her husband Rolando where they both worked for five years, before she moved on, alone, to Hong Kong, where she continued working as a domestic helper for another 15 years.

In Hong Kong, Nanay Evangeline had some of his worst experiences as an OFW, including being shouted at and poked in the face by her female employer from the mainland.

“Mabuti na lang at mabait ang asawa niya na Australyano kaya ako nakatagal,” she told The SUN. (Luckily, her husband who is Australian, was nice, so I managed to hold on).

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She was also lucky in that her husband agreed to settle down in their Pangasinan hometown so he could do odd carpentry jobs while looking after their four children.

It was her children, the eldest of whom was Romaline or Roma, who kept her going, said Nanay Evangeline.

“Gusto ko silang makatapos lahat. Ayaw ko silang matulad sa akin na domestic helper,” she said, the memory still fresh in her mind. (I wanted all of them to complete their studies. I did not want any of them to become a domestic helper like me).

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Her effort paid off when Roma went abroad, not as a domestic helper, but as an accomplished engineer, and quickly rose through the ranks.

Recently, Roma moved on to a renowned construction firm in Doha where she was made an environmental manager, and because she could not yet go on vacation leave, asked the person who played a key part in her success - her mother - to represent her at the awards rites.

Seeing Roma so honored made Nanay Evangeline doubly proud and happy, for she not only fulfilled her wishes for her children, her daughter also showed how an OFW could shine and help uplift the country abroad.

 

Unaccompanied minors can only travel abroad with ma’s personal consent

 

Mothers must appear in person to give consent before their minor child can travel abroad

A mother must personally give her consent before her minor child can travel abroad unaccompanied by either parent, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

To make the consent valid, the mother must be physically present at an interview before the Travel Clearance Certificate (TCC) can be issued for the child.

The reminder was issued Saturday through the Minors Traveling Abroad (MTA) online system.

DETAILS HERE

MTA welfare officer Katherine dela Cruz explained, “We require the presence of the mother, even if she has consented and signed. We need them to attend the interview for confirmation.”

Dela Cruz noted that in the past, mothers had signed the consent papers but were absent during interviews.

The requirement for the mother’s explicit and personal consent is in line with the DSWD’s strict process in issuing TCCs to protect Filipino children from trafficking and exploitation.

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The rule applies to all kinds of travel by minors, whether alone or with people other than their parents, including for competitions abroad, taking up study grants or attending out-of-country training.

The TCC requires the written consent of both parents or the solo parent or legal guardian, notarized and with details of the travel companion, destination, purpose and duration. If the parent/s is abroad, the Affidavit of Consent and Support must be obtained from the nearest embassy or consulate.

Dela Cruz said the MTA follows provisions of the Family Code, which designates the mother as having sole parental authority over a child.

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In line with the law, if the mother is missing, the father or guardian must obtain a social case study report from the local social welfare and development office of the local government unit, as well as a police blotter report.

The DSWD said its regional field offices will assist people who cannot access the MTA online system or have no internet connection.

For more information, please check the MTA webpage: https://car.dswd.gov.ph/programs-services/protective-services-program/minors-travelling-abroad/

 

 

‘Bagong Bayani’ awardees honored in Malacanang

President Marcos and First Lady pose with Bagong Bayani awardees and DMW officials

For the first time since 2011, the biennial Bagong Bayani awards held to honor outstanding overseas Filipino workers, was held at the Malacanang Palace on Thursday, Nov 20, with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and his wife, First Lady Liza A. Marcos, leading the tribute.

In his speech, President Marcos thanked the OFW awardees, saying  “kayo ang pinakamagandang larawan ng kakayahan at kasipagan ng mga Pilipino.” (You project the best image of the competency and industriousness of the Filipino).

DETAILS HERE

Marcos promised that in turn, the government through the Department of Migrant Workers, would continue to elevate protection for OFWs, streamline its operations, “and ensure that every OFW is treated as the hero that they are.”

HK's Eva Mapa shows her trophy in photo with son Kean

The new Bagong Bayani awardees include Eva Rasgo Mapa, a domestic worker in Hong Kong, who has been using her considerable talent in massage therapy to provide relief to mobility-impaired Filipinos and her own funds to conduct free blood pressure and blood glucose test to OFWs on her days off.

Mapa, who heads the OFW group World Medical Support (Womed) Hong Kong won the community and social service award.

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Also among the awardees was Camille Jesalva-Junio, a former caregiver in Israel whose courage and presence of mind during a Hamas invasion in October 2023, made her the first-ever recipient of the Susan “Toots” V. Ople award.

Camille also won recognition from the Israeli government for saving the life of her 95-year-old female ward and herself, by offering her US$370 savings and mobile phone to militants who entered their house in Kibbutz Nirim in October last year.

The Marcos couple paid special attention to Camille during a brief chat with the awardees after they were each handed a trophy and a medal. A misty-eyed First Lady told Camille, “You made me cry,” referring to the bravery the OFW had shown during the Hamas raid.

Camille proudly shows off her trophy

During their short encounter, Mrs Marcos took note of the heavily pregnant Camille and jokingly said, “What are you going to call you baby, Martyr? To which the OFW quickly replied, “Hero.”

The only awardee who was unable to attend the ceremonies was “best employee” Romaline Dizon Isla, an engineer based in Qatar. Her mother Evangeline who received the award in her behalf, said Romaline or Roma, had just started working for a new company and could not yet take time off.

Evangeline, who revealed having been an OFW herself, said she decided  to work as a domestic helper in Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong so she could send her four children to college. “I did not want them to become domestic helper and experience the same hardships that I had to go through,” she said.

The other awardees were Michael Palic Conjusta for culture and the arts,  Capt. Rolly Tenorio Lapinig and the 18 Filipino crew of MV MSC Aube F for heroic art(Heroic Act), and successful reintegration awardees Elaine Vianca G. Figueroa, Ruellyn S. Ribon, and Alexander Inday Sebastian. Capt. Gaudencio C. Morales who received the Capt.Gregorio S. Oca Achievement Award, gave the response on behalf of all the awardees.

The 24-hour tribute to the new Bagong Bayani group started with a dinner with DMW officials at the Mall of Asia on Thursday, followed by the breakfast reception at Malacanang, lunch in Intramuros, and the unveiling of the marker with their names at the Wall of Honor (Bantayog ng mga Bagong Bayani) on the DMW grounds.

Awardees pose by the Wall of Honor where their names are permanently etched

On top of their trophies, medals and names on a plaque in the Wall of Honour, each awardee was also handed a token financial reward from the DMW.  Most importantly, they were attentively served by DMW staff, from getting to and from the events venues to ensuring they had enough to eat throughout the day.

The Bagong Bayani Awards which was created in line with a presidential decree issued in 1983 by the late former president Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr., has honored more than 1,700 OFWs since 1989.

 

INC rally for ‘transparency’ draws up to 650k people

 

Estimates put the number of people at the peak of the INC rally at 650,000

The three-day rally for transparency and accountability called by the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) remained strong on its second day today, Monday, with an estimated 600,000 people remaining at the Luneta Park venue.

The Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office estimated the crowd at the Quirino Grandstand to have swelled to 650,000 at its peak on Sunday.

But contrary to speculations, the INC rally did not call for the resignation of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., but merely reiterated a demand for transparency in government and accountability for all those implicated in the multi-billion peso corruption scandal in public works.

DETAILS HERE

INC general evangelist Bienvenido Santiago, Jr. who spoke first at the Sunday rally, clarified that they are against any extra-legal means to address the corruption scandal. He openly rejected speculations that the church had organized the rally to call for the overthrow of the Marcos administration.

“Basta ‘yung hakbang magbubunga ng karahasan at kaguluhan, hindi tayo sang-ayon diyan. Ang gusto natin, lahat ng solusyon, lahat ng hakbang, dapat sumunod sa paraang legal at payapa,” Santiago said.

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(Any steps that would lead to violence or chaos we do not condone. What we are after are solutions and steps that will conform to law and order).

It was clear, though, that the church was not siding with Marcos, either, with leaders emphasizing that they are after the preservation of the government as an institution, and not the person who currently leads it.

Imee vans distributed water and buns to rally participants

It was also clear to observers that the rally was closely aligned with anti-Marcos groups. Senator Imee Marcos, who has been at odds with President Marcos, distributed bottled water and nutribuns during the rally, and during her speech on Monday, shocked many by saying her brother as well as his wife, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and their sons are drug addicts.

Former Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson, who has repeatedly expressed his disaffection with President Marcos in public, distributed free porridge to participants.

Non-INC observers also noticed that the anti-Marcos sentiment was evident among those who were at the rally, similar to an earlier mobilization they had on January 13 this year when they condemned moves to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte.

What could not be denied was that ahead of the mass rally, former Ako Bicol representative and former chair of the House appropriations committee Zaldy Co released a series of videos claiming House Speaker Martin Romualdez and President Marcos to the flood control corruption mess.

Groups calling for Marcos to resign led by retired generals also held a simultaneous rally at the People Power Monument in Quezon City. However, instead of around 300,000 people that were expected to show up on Sunday, only 4,000 actually came, and by Monday, the crowd was even sparser.

But the unease appeared to have had an effect on the President. On the second day of the INC rally, the Palace announced the resignation of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, who were both linked to the growing scandal. Finance Secretary Ralph Recto was immediately named to take over Bersamin’s post, while his own post was given to Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go.

 

Tulfo proposes special claims court for OFWs

 

Senator Raffy Tulfo says OFWs will be served better by a separate court for their labor cases (File)

Senator Raffy Tulfo who heads the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers has proposed the establishment of a Migrant Workers Relations Commission (MWRC) that will handle all labour disputes involving overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Tulfo recently filed Senate Bill No 1489 or the proposed Migrant Workers Relations Commission Act, which seeks to address the protracted process of resolving labor disputes by the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), including those involving OFWs.

Under the resolution, the MWRC will be a separate quasi-judicial body under the Department of Migrant Workers that will assume all labor claims and other disputes involving OFWs from the NLRC, including illegal termination, unpaid wages and various contract disputes.

DETAILS HERE

Tulfo said the NLRC processes more than 30,000 cases each year, which makes OFW cases especially susceptible to delays and backlogs.

“Although the NLRC is a well-established and vital organization, its responsibility extends to both local and overseas workers, resulting in a substantial increase in caseloads. Reports indicate that this large volume of cases has caused considerable delays, adversely affecting OFWs in their pursuit of justice,” he added.

Under the proposed bill, the MWRC will have jurisdiction over all cases involving Filipino migrant workers—both land-based and sea-based—to the exclusion of all other courts, tribunals, or quasi-judicial bodies.

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It will function under the DMW to promote a more coherent and consistent government policy on overseas employment.

Tulfo said the creation of the MWRC strengthens the government’s commitment to protect and promote the welfare of Filipino migrant workers.

“Panahon na para magkaroon ng sariling korte ang ating mga OFW para sa mabilis, abot-kaya, at makataong hustisya!,” he said

(“It is time a separate court is set up for our OFWs to ensure a fast, reliable and humane justice system).

Super Typhoon Uwan slams into Aurora

 

A massive storm surge in flood-stricken Catanduanes ahead of Uwan's landfall

Super Typhoon Fung-wong (Uwan in the Philippines) slammed into the town of Dinalungan in the northeastern Philippine province of Aurora Sunday night, after unleashing torrential rain in many parts of the country.

At least two people have died in the initial onslaught of Uwan, which picked up sustained winds of up to 185 kilometers per hour (115 mph) after it entered the country Saturday night. More than a million people had to evacuated form flood- and landslide-prone areas.

DETAILS HERE

Officials said a villager drowned in flash floods in the eastern province of Catanduanes while another was killed by debris in the neighboring Samar province.

Over in Hong Kong, a group of Philippine government officials including Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac and House Representatives Bryan Revilla and Johanne Bautista, have been left stranded because of cancelled flights into Manila.

Reps Revilla and Bautista flank Secretary Cacdac at a Filcom meeting in HK on Sunday

All said they have rebooked their flights to early Tuesday, when Uwan’s fierce onslaught is expected to have subsided.

The biggest typhoon to threaten the Philippines in years is estimated to cover two-thirds of the country as it came with a 1,118-mile-wide rain and wind band. Early reports showed provinces in the north like Bulacan and in far south like Lanao del Sur have been hit by flooding from heavy rains brought by Uwan.

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The super typhoon entered the country just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi (Tino in the Philippines) left at least 224 people dead in central provinces, particularly in Cebu, before heading out to Vietnam where at least five were  killed.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has declared a state of emergency throughout the country due to the devastation wrought by Tino and the expected calamity from Uwan.

Uwan brings heavy rain again to flood-prone Bulacan (MDRRMO photo)

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has warned the public to be on alert for possible floods, landslides and storm surges.

But despite repeated warnings, local officials say residents in flood-prone areas refused to evacuate on Saturday. Reports came in of 14 people being trapped on the roof of a submerged house in Catanduanes, and a family of five being rescued from a house whose roof had been ripped off by strong winds.

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The Office of Civil Defense has warned that more than 30 million people across the country could be exposed to dangers posed by the super typhoon.

Typhoon signals have been raised across many parts of the country including the National Capital Region, which resulted in many schools and most government offices being shut on Monday and Tuesday, when Uwan is expected to linger.

Floods also hit Tanaka in Lanao del Sur

Authorities warned that storm surges of more than 3 meters or about 10 feet, could occur along the coasts of more than 20 provinces and regions, including Metro Manila.

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At least 325 domestic and 61 international flights, both inbound and outbound, have been cancelled over the weekend and Monday.

OFWs urged to plan a business for when they go home for good

 

Participants in the consultation pose with Secretary Cacdac 

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac today urged OFWs to plan on putting up a business while still working abroad to take advantage of various programs offered by the government to improve their chances of success.

Encouraging OFWs to go into business is among various efforts of the Department of Migrant Workers’  Reintegration program to provide OFWs a smooth transition when they return to the Philippines. 

“We will all go back to our country,” he said during a consultation with Filipino community leaders in Hong Kong at the Island Shangri-la Hotel.

DETAILS HERE

Entrepreneurship is one of the reintegration strategies adopted by DMW to enable OFWs to easily transition to life in the Philippines when they go home for good.

The Department of Trade and Industry, for example, has been connecting small businesses to SM malls where they are offered small booths to sell their products through product fairs.

The Department of Agriculture, on the other hand, welcomes small businesses under its Kadiwa Store program, which buys farmers’ produce directly to bring down the cost of food to consumers, either as suppliers or as operators of Kadiwa stores in their communities.

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The Department of Tourism also has a program that can help owners of properties in potential tourist areas by helping them turn these into tourist-grade accommodations, to be sold worldwide through the AirB&B platform, he said.

In addition, he said, the Pag-IBIG Fund has a special housing program, the Expanded 4PH Program, offering lower-cost houses and a more affordable repayment scheme for housing loans it extends to OFWs.

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To inspire OFWs to seriously think of going into business, DMW has launched the 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).

A highlight of this campaign is the LIKHA series of business plan competitions to women (LIKHAng Kababaihan), seafarers (LIKHAng Marino) and land-based OFWs around the world ((LIKHAng Global) which all offer a prize of P500,000 to the winner as seed capital.

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These competitions encourage OFWs to generate business ideas, examine their feasibility and study ways to make them profitable. This way, even if they do not win in the competitions, they get insights that inspire them to aspire for business.

“What is important is they have plans,” Cacdac said.

No more OEC and in-person contract verification, says DMW Sec Cacdac

 

Red carpet, not red tape for OFWs, vows DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac

In line with the Philippine government’s thrust of providing “red-carpet” treatment to overseas Filipino workers, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac announced on Saturday a series of measures meant to ease their burden in dealing with government agencies.

“Hindi red tape kundi red carpet ang dapat ibigay sa mga OFWs,” Cacdac said at the formal launching of the Alagang OWWA Serbisyo Caravan” in Hong Kong.

DETAILS HERE

In line with his thrust, he said the overseas employment certificate (OEC), the exit pass needed by all OFWs departing the Philippines, has already been integrated into the eTravel pass, which is required of all Filipinos leaving the country.

All that an OFW needs to do to secure the OFW Travel Pass is to log on to the eGovPH app and look for the Department of Migrant Workers page (under NGAs) and provide full personal and employment details.

“Kailangan pa rin ninyong magpalista sa DMW kasi kailangan pa rin naming malaman kung nasaan na kayo, kung ano ang kasalukuyang trabaho ninyo, sweldo, posisyon, etc. Pati location ninyo, kailangan din naming malaman,” he said.

(You still need to enlist with DMW because we need to know where you are, what your present job is, salary, position, etc. We also need to know your present location).

After enrolment with DMW and providing flight details, the OFW will be able to secure the OFW Pass.

A good number of OFWs attended the Saturday event

Cacdac also said that starting January next year, all contract verifications with the Migrant Workers Office in Hong Kong will be conducted online, eliminating the current practice of presenting the contract personally, and sometimes lining up for hours to get it verified.

He said online verification was pilot-tested recently in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and the result was some Php22 million saved by OFWs there so far. This was based on an estimate of about Php2,000 spent on travel, food and other expenses by each OFW who submits a contract in person at the MWO.

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“Starting in January next year, ia-appl na ito sa Hong Kong and we expect foot traffic to be cut by 60%,” Cacdac said.

That will mean that the MWO could be used more for providing entertainment, training and other services for OFWs, he added.

Cacdac also said that the government is also bent on improving the welfare and protection of OFWs by providing them with legal, medical and financial assistance, whatever their visa status is.

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“Documented or undocumented, basta OFW tutulungan namin (as long as they are OFWs we will help them),” he promised.

Such medical help is extended even to their immediate family members who can avail of free treatment at the OFW Hospital in Pampanga and medical services at the OWWA clinic in Pasay City.

“Basta sabihin ninyo kung kailangan ninyo ng medical help.” (Just tell us if you need medical help).

Cacdac also spoke of upskilling programs for OFWs, like the plan by Tesda (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) to continue providing them with free online technical and vocational training, and by Ched (Commission on Higher Education) to give credit to their work experience towards earning a college degree.

Cacdac is in Hong Kong for two days, during which he is scheduled to meet with Labor Secretary Chris Sun and leaders of the Filipino community.

Rep Bryan Revilla is introduced by OWWA Admin PY Caunan

Also present at the launch to give support to DMW and OWWA were Consul General Romulo Israel, Jr., Administrator PY Caunan, and Agimat Rep. Bryan Revilla (eldest son of former Senator Bong Revilla and head of the House Committee on Migrant Workers) and Rep. Johanne Bautista.