HK OFWs get 92% pass rate in TESDA massage therapy assessment

 

TESDA assessors in action at the OWWA training center (PCG photo)

A total of 73 out of 79 overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong who took the recent massage therapy assessment administered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) passed the test.

The candidates were trained by the United Migrant Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Association (Umela)  and the Filipino Massage Therapy Organization.

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The assessments were done over two days, on Aug 15 to 16, at the Filipino Workers Development and Social Centre (FWDSC) at United Centre Building in Admiralty, in line with a recent agreement between TESDA and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to continue the upskilling of OFWs.

An initial assessment of massage therapy candidates conducted by TESDA on June 6 to 7 this year yielded a 86% passing rate.

Baquirin (in white) along with her successful trainees

Overjoyed by the outcome of the latest TESDA assessment was UMELA founder and lead trainor Ofelia Baquirin who revealed that of the 56 of examinees from her group, only one did not make the grade.

“Sa draping part kasi nagkaroon ng miscommunication. Naunang bumangon ang kanyang client bago pa niya maalalayan,” Baquirin shared. (There was miscommunication in the draping part. Her client already rose before she could be assisted).

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She said she’s sure that in the next assessment this minor slip-up will not happen again.

Baquirin also explained that the assessment was a dream come true for many of her students, as they had been petitioning for TESDA to return to Hong Kong to give the qualifying exam.

“First passers sila since 2019, when Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre was still in Hong Kong, and he helped us convince TESDA to come,” she said.

UMELA provides rigorous training to OFWs who aspire to receive the TESDA certificate

The assessment forms part of OWWA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the skills development of OFWs and provide them nationally recognized qualifications that enhance their professional competencies and expand employment opportunities.

In line with this commitment, OWWA signed a memorandum of agreement last June with TESDA, which includes the provision of National Certificates and regular conduct of assessment programs for various upskilling courses for OFWs

2 women on flight from Manila arrested for cannabis trafficking

 

One of the arrested women involved in the case is escorted by Customs officers

Two mainland women have been arrested after disembarking from a plane that flew in from Manila after Hong Kong Customs found 27 kilos of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $6.3 million in their check-in luggage.

The two women, aged 49 and 51, arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, via Manila on Wednesday  (August 19),.

They have been jointly charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts.

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“Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis,” it said in a press statement.

The department also reminded members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return.

“They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people,” it said.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offense. The maximum 

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penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

26 people arrested in latest anti-illegal work operations

 

Immigration conducts weekly anti-illegal work sweep (File)

As part of its continuing campaign to crack down on illegal work, the Immigration Department mounted a series of operations across the city over the past week, and arrested a total of 26 people.

Those detained comprised 18 suspected illegal workers, two overstayers and six employers.

The workers comprised 12 men and six women, aged 24 to 63. Six men were found to hold recognizance papers which allow them to remain in Hong Kong to pursue asylum applications, but prohibit them from taking any form of employment.

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The arrested overstayers were both women, aged 45.

Five men and one woman aged 32 to 49, were detained on suspicion of employing the illegal workers. An investigation into their activities is continuing, and the possibility of further arrests has not been ruled out.

The operations were carried out from August 14 to 20, with officers from other government departments taking part.

One was codenamed “Twilight” and was jointly carried out with officers from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. Another called “Flabbergast” was a joint operation with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

The Hong Kong Police Force and the Labour Department were involved in  "Powerplayer", while a separate one held jointly with the HK Police was codenamed "Champion.”

Targeted were multiple locations including restaurants, industrial buildings and flats under renovation.

At the same time, Immigration officers used a promotional vehicle to distribute leaflets to the public in a newly inhabited housing estate in Fanling, urging the public not to employ illegal workers.

Illegal work in Hong Kong carries the maximum penalty of up to two years in prison and fine of no more than HK$50,000.

If the illegal worker is an overstayer or an illegal immigrant, the maximum jail term is three years in prison and a maximum fine of HK$50,000.

Employers of illegal workers can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined a maximum of HK$500,000. Customers who knowingly engage the services of such workers may also be subject to criminal liability.

Those who wish to report illegal work activities may call the dedicated hotline 185 185, fax at 2824 1166, email anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit the "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.

 

Filipina jailed 2 weeks for stealing $3,500

 

Tuen Mun law courts building

A Filipina domestic helper who pleaded guilty yesterday, Wednesday, to stealing $3,500 cash from a residential flat in Yuen Long, has been sentenced to two weeks in jail.

Lovely Fe Caldeo, 41 years old, stole the money from Chan Ka Yan last June 22 at Nam Hang Tsuen, Nam Hang Tsuen Road, Yuen Long.

She was charged with theft, contrary to section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.

The offence is punishable with a maximum sentence of three years’ imprisonment for summary convictions in a Magistrate’s Court. In a higher court, the maximum sentence is 10 years in jail.

Tuen Mun Acting Principal Magistrate Daniel Tang meted the sentence.

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In the same court, two warring Filipinas were told that the charges filed against them would be dropped if they agreed to settle their dispute amicably.

C. Gatdula, 47, and a housewife, was originally charged with common assault, while domestic helper L Juntado, 41, faced a case of criminal damage.

Magistrate Tang ordered the cases dropped but Juntado must pay Gatdula $3,000 as compensation for the mobile phone that she damaged, as this was what prompted the latter to attack her.

Their dispute that led to them being both arrested broke out last July 21 at a flat in Pearly House on Yuen Long On Lok Road, Yuen Long.

Gatdula was initially charged with common assault under section 40 of the Offences against the Person Ordinance after she assaulted Juntado.

Juntado on the other hand, was charged with damaging Gatdula’s phone, “intending to damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged.”

OFW dies in sleep, stroke suspected

 

58-year-old Emily did not tell anyone about her apparent hypertension

If you feel something is not right with your body, go have yourself checked.

This is the message that the family and friends of Emily Taroma, who died on August 9, just a month after turning 58, want her fellow migrant domestic worker to take to heart.

One of her friends said Emily was found unconscious in her room at about 9am that day by her longtime employer who lives in Tai Kok Tsui. She was rushed to hospital but was declared dead within minutes of arrival.

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Emily’s daughter Edelyn who is a registered nurse, said her mother had no known ailment, but when her room was checked, herbal medicines meant to lower blood pressure was found.

Both she and Emily’s employer for the past 21 years, have agreed to waive an autopsy on the remains, as they are convinced the death was due to a stroke or any other natural cause.

Because of this and her family’s decision not to hold a wake in Hong Kong, the repatriation of Emily’s remains to her hometown of Villasis, Pangasinan has been speeded up.

Emily’s body will be flown home to Manila on Sunday, August 22, and from there, will be accompanied on a land trip to Pangasinan by staff of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

Edelyn, who has flown to Hong Kong and has been staying with her mother’s kindly employer while they worked on the documents needed for the repatriation, will return home a day earlier so she could join her family in receiving the remains.

She shared that Emily’s employer and companion for the past 21 years has been very generous and caring, settling all the payments due to her family, and more. The employer has also felt especially sad that she was not able to help Emily seek treatment for any medical concerns she might have had.

Emily shared this photo on Facebook of Edelyn graduating valedictorian in elementary

Emily’s last flight home is doubly heartbreaking to her family as she had already told them of her plan to go home for good, after spending about three decades working abroad, first in the Middle East, and then Hong Kong.

But they take comfort in the knowledge that Emily passed after fulfilling what most OFWs like her dream of when they leave the country for work, that is, to provide a better life for their children. Her youngest son just graduated from college, while Edelyn, the only girl in a brood of four, became a full-fledged nurse less than two years ago.

Emily is survived by her four children and husband Eduardo.

 

 

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303 OFWs in HK avail of PhP31 million in Aksyon Fund assistance

 

DMW and Consulate officials pose with Kumustahan participants (MWO photo)

A total of HK$3.9 million or PhP31 million in assistance has been distributed to 303 Overseas Filipino Workers under the Aksyon Fund from January to June 2026, the Migrant Workers Office has reported,

Aksyon (Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na Nangangailangan) Fund is a special Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) allocation providing free legal, medical, financial, and humanitarian aid—including rescue, evacuation, and repatriation—to distressed OFWs and their families.

“In most cases kapag may lumapit sa amin we will be providing referrals pero kapag available naman dito (n Hogn Kong), we will provide the assistance right away,” Labor Attaché Cesar L. Chavez Jr. said during the Kumustahan Session with Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Undersecretary Felicitas Q. Bay last Aug. 16 at the DMW-OWWA OFW Global Centre in Hong Kong. 

He added that this assistance is a one-time aid for OFWs in need.

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The assistance takes many forms, such as:

Legal Aid: Attorney fees, court litigation expenses, and representation for labor, immigration, or criminal cases.

Medical and Burial: Hospitalization, medicines, medical evacuation, and shipment of human remains.

Repatriation and Shelter: Emergency transport, exit visas, temporary accommodations, and food allowances.

Financial Grants: One-time cash assistance for economic displacement or bereavement (up to ₱100,000 for next of kin).

For her part, Undersecretary Bay said: “24/7 po ang ating operations sa Department of Migrant Workers at sa lahat ng Migrant Workers Offices.”

She added that the DMW also has a One Repatriation Command Center through hotline 1348 ready to cater to OFWs and their families other than the MWO Hotlines available at post.

The Kumustahan Session provided Filipinos in Hong Kong with an opportunity to be briefed on the wide range of programs and services offered by DMW, remind them of their legal rights while working abroad and inform them of upskilling programs that they can avail from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).  

“The event reinforces DMW’s commitment to ensuring that Overseas Filipino Workers remain informed, empowered, and safeguarded in their overseas journey” the MWO said in a statement.

Undersecretary Bay was joined by Consul General Romulo Victor M. Israel Jr., Vice Consul George Mariano Soriano, TESDA Executive Director Janet M. Abasolo, DMW Adjudication Bureau Director Maria Bernadine Madamba and Labor Attaché Chavez..

“Together, they addressed concerns raised by the community and reaffirmed the Philippine government’s commitment to safeguarding the rights and welfare of overseas Filipino workers,”MWO said. 

Manila urges Beijing to provide details on arrests of 100 Filipinos in China

 

DFA calls for detailed information on arrests of 100 Filipinos in China

The Department of Foreign Affairs in the Philippines has confirmed reports that more than 100 Filipinos have been arrested in China for alleged migration law violations.

The DFA said in a statement late on Thursday that it “noted” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ statement on the arrests.

At the same time, the DFA reminded China of a 2013 agreement that requires consular posts to be notified within days of the arrest of its nationals.

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“The Department is in close coordination with our Embassy in Beijing and our consulates-general to verify the circumstances of the arrests, ascertain the exact number and status of those apprehended, ensure that due process is observed, and extend consular assistance as needed,” said the statement.

Chinese authorities earlier said more than 100 Filipino nationals were “taken in accordance with the law” over alleged migration law violations. No other details were announced.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced the arrests

The DFA the Philippines respects China’s authority to implement its immigration laws. However, it called on Beijing to ensure the rights of the detained Filipinos are respected and to immediately inform Philippine foreign service posts about the details of their arrest, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the 2013 Philippines-China Consular Agreement.

The heads of posts in various cities across China, including Hong Kong, were immediately summoned to a meeting in Guangzhou the day after the arrests were announced, in a bid to try to gather as much information as possible about the individual cases.

Meanwhile, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the detention of the Filipinos could be in retaliation for the arrests of 69 Chinese nationals in Misamis Oriental last May.

In that case, Teodoro said the Chinese nationals were clearly involved in illegal activities in the Philippines, churning out substandard products from a steel plant while keeping radioactive materials and polluting the environment with toxic fumes and untreated waste water.

In the case of the Filipinos arrested in China, he said Beijing has not been forthright in providing details about their individual cases.

 

Mosquito-borne diseases not so common in HK but public advised to be wary

 

The incidence of mosquito-borne diseases dengue fever (DF) and chikungunya fever (CF) has remained low despite the hot summer temperature and occasional rains that foster mosquito breeding, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) has reported.

But CHP reminded members of the public to remain vigilant by taking appropriate measures to prevent mosquito bites and mosquito breeding, both in Hong Kong and when travelling to areas affected by mosquito-borne diseases.

“Mosquito-borne diseases such as DF and CF are endemic in various countries worldwide. The risk of importation persists,” it added.

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During the week from August 7 to August 13, the CHP recorded one imported DF case. The patient had travelled to Malaysia during the incubation period.      

Hong Kong has recorded 28 DF cases so far this year, comprising 26 imported cases and two local cases. A total of 59 DF cases were recorded last year (2025), all of which were imported cases. In 2024, 161 DF cases were recorded, comprising 156 imported cases and five local cases, the CHP reported.

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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global incidence of DF has markedly increased over the past two decades, posing a substantial public health challenge. In 2024, the WHO recorded over 14 million DF cases, which was a record number.

In 2025, over five million cases and over 4,000 DF-related deaths were reported in over 90 countries/territories. From January to June 2026, around 1.6 million cases and over 700 DF-related deaths have been reported in 89 countries/territories.

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 In the case of chikungunya fever, no new cases had been recorded from August 7 to 13.

CHP said Hong Kong has recorded two confirmed CF cases so far this year, both of which were imported cases. Hong Kong recorded a total of 82 confirmed CF cases last year. Among them, 11 were local cases and the rest were imported cases.

According to the WHO, a total of 502 264 CF cases and 186 CF-related deaths were reported in 41 countries/territories last year. Cases were reported in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe. According to the Guangdong Provincial Disease Control and Prevention Administration, in 2026, as of June 30, Guangdong Province has recorded 76 local cases.

Some of the preventive measures to be taken by the public include:

• Maintain good environmental hygiene to prevent mosquito bites and mosquito breeding
• Check the situation at their destinations before travelling abroad, especially when travelling to Southeast Asian countries. Additionally, whether travelling or not, they should use DEET-containing insect repellents or other effective active ingredients properly to prevent mosquito bites/
• Inspect their homes and surroundings to remove potential breeding grounds, changing water in vases and scrubbing their inner surfaces, removing water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week, and properly disposing of containers such as empty cans and lunch boxes. Also, keep drains free of blockage and level all defective ground surfaces to prevent the accumulation of water.
• Call 1823 in case of mosquito problems, and visit the following pages for more information: the CF page of the CHP and the Travel Health Service, the latest Travel Health News, tips for using insect repellents, and the CHP Facebook Page, Instagram Account and YouTube Channel, and also the Mosquito Prevention and Control dedicated page of the FEHD.

HK$3.5 billion lost to scams in six months

 

Anti-fraud information bulletin from Privacy Commission

Hong Kong Police have said in a news conference Friday that a total of HK$3.5 billion was lost to scams in the first half of the year, involving 20,613 cases.

Only around a tenth of the cases involved investment scams, but the total losses from these amounted to nearly half of the total, or HK$1.66 billion.

Possibly the biggest loser was a 67-year-old foreign businessman who was tricked into buying HK$84.79 million worth of cryptocurrency, then transferring all these into the digital wallet of a fraudster who posed as an investment expert on Facebook.

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After befriending the businessman in June 2025, the scammer started a romantic relationship and over the next seven months, succeeded in syphoning off all the cryptocurrency that the victim was enticed to buy.

In classic fashion, the businessman realized he had been scammed only after failing to withdraw his supposed investment returns.

The same thing happened to a 64-year-old local businesswoman who was conned into purchasing cryptocurrency amounting to HK$10 million by a scammer who she met online in May, after posting a property rental advertisement.

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The scammer who posed as an interested buyer of the property befriended the victim, and eventually convinced her to invest in cryptocurrency, and offered to help set up her account.

It was during the set-up process that the scammer managed to steal the victim’s wallet credentials and password, and siphon all the money from the account.

Fun Coffee investment a Ponzi scheme, say police

Another investment scam that unravelled in the past several months was the Fun Coffee case, in which more than 270 people had reported losing a total of more than HK$113 million.

The victims aged 32 to 83, each lost between HK$3,000 and HK$9.63 million in the alleged Ponzi scheme which was run through an app that disappeared online in mid-July.

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Hong Kong Police said eight people have been arrested in connection with the case, including two who live in Macau.

Officers said they have been working with international law enforcement agencies to tackle companies suspected of engaging in fraudulent activities, in particular those claiming to be based overseas.

Pinay jailed 11 months after pleading guilty to 2 Immigration charges

 

Shatin court

A Filipina has begun serving her combined sentence of 11 months handed down today, Friday, at Shatin Court after admitting guilt for two Immigration offenses, but needs to wait until September for the resumption of her third case.

The sentence on E.M., aged 49, consisted of eight months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to defraud and 11 months for taking employment while remaining in Hong Kong in breach of the limit of stay.

Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong ordered that the two sentences run concurrently.

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The defendant pleaded guilty to the first charge, conspiracy to defraud contrary to Common Law and punishable under section 159C(6) of the Crimes Ordinance.

The Immigration Department charged her with conspiring with a certain Mr. James to “dishonestly and falsely represent” that she was applying between December 2025 and January 22, 2026 for employment with Tse Kam Wai Graeme as a domestic helper.

The conspiracy resulted in an employment visa being issued by Immigration officers to the accused, “contrary to their public duty, … under circumstances in which they would not otherwise have granted such permission,” the charge sheet issued by the Immigration .Department stated.

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The defendant also pleaded guilty to taking employment while remaining in Hong Kong in breach of the limit of her stay, contrary to sections 38AA(1) (c) and 38AA (2) of the Immigration Ordinance.

She admitted that between March 2026 and May 27, 2026 in Hong Kong, she took employment as an odd job worker while being a person who had remained in Hong Kong in breach of the limit of stay. The Immigration Ordinance prohibits such employment, whether paid or unpaid.

The third charge, which Magistrate Cheang adjourned to September 11 for mention the third case, is breach of condition of stay for overstaying for six months contrary to section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance, 

She is accused of overstaying from December 2025 or two weeks after termination of contract, to her arrest on May 27, 2026.

DH gets bitter lesson from stealing 100 yuan

 

 Kwun Tong Court

A domestic helper today found out that stealing 100 yuan from her employer would cost her far more in terms of money, time, anxiety and a criminal record that would make it hard for her to find a new employer after being terminatedd.

D. Duban, 45. years old, pleaded guilty today at Kwun Tong Court  to stealing 100 yuan from her employer at their residence at a flat in Malibu, 1 Lohas Park Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories last June 16.

Acting Principal Magistrate Li Chi-ho sentenced her to a fine of $1,500 plus seven days’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.

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Tseung Kwan O Police charged her with theft, contrary to section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.

As a result, she lost her job, and was listed as having “no fixed place in Hong Kong” for address.

Meanwhile, at the West Kowloon Court, a Filipino student was fined $500 after he pleaded guilty to possession of Part I poison, contrary to sections 23(1),33(1) and 34 of the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance.

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J. Esteban was arrested last February 3 inside the Buddhist Fat Ho Memorial College, Tai O Road, Lantau Island, New Territories for possession of a device containing a poison included in Part I of the Poisons List, namely, 5.77 grams of a liquid containing nicotine.

Principal Magistrate Don So set the fine to be equivalent to Esteban's cash bail.

Filipino nurses who want to work in Canada, take note

 

MWO Vancouver will conduct the information session

Filipino nurses who are interested to know the rules, requirements and procedures for getting admitted as a registered nurse in British Columbia, Canada may attend an online information session this Friday, August 14, 4:00-6:30pm.

The briefing will be conducted by the Migrant Workers Office in Vancouver, Canada, and is open to all Filipino nurses, wherever they may be.

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MWO Hong Kong shared a poster on the session on its Facebook page, saying it could help Filipinos in Hong Kong gain additional knowledge.

The briefing is also aimed at helping Filipino migrant workers avoid taking irregular migration pathways and protect them from illegal recruiters.

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There are only a limited slots available, so everyone is encouraged to register promptly through this link: (𝑏𝑖𝑡.𝑙𝑦/3𝑇𝐻49𝑁𝑀) 𝑜 scan the 𝑄𝑅 𝑐𝑜𝑑𝑒 in the accompanying poster.

MWO HK also reiterated a warning for all Filipino jobseekers to ensure they go through the legal and authorized process approved by the Department of Migrant Workers if they want to work abroad.