DWEP videos make it to Montreal

By Ellen Almacin

Four videos made by graduates of Hong Kong University’s Domestic Workers Empowerment Project (DWEP) will be screened at the 5th International CellPhilm Festival to be held at McGill University in Montreal, Canada on Dec. 7.

Graduates of DWEP's Videography course conducted by Voices of Women Media Hongkong. From them came four videos chosen to be screened in Cellphilm Festival 2017 in Montreal Canada.The videos were made by Daisy Abenir Valenzuela,fourth from left,Loria Sue fifth from left,Germa Montero third from right and Analyn Soriano, sixth from from right.

The chosen videos are:
1) “My Fluffy Friend” by Analyn Soriano, about her daily walk with a dog, which has helped her overcome homesickness;
2) “Peace of Mind” by Gegerma Montero, about going to church every Sunday no matter how many activities she has, because it is the only place where she finds peace;
3) “Precious Time to Rest” by Daisy Valenzuela, about getting a nap on the bus while traveling from one destination to other so she can rest in between errands;
4) “Mind So Busy” by Loria Sue about a fellow DWEP student who missed her tram stop because she got into a long conversation over the phone with a friend.

All the videos were shot using a cellphone, and are meant to show how Filipino migrant workers face their day-to-day challenges while working away from their family. Each managed to compress a meaningful message into a video lasting between 60 - 90 seconds.

Everyone who participated in the search for outstanding videos to show at the festival completed a workshop on videography conducted in February by the Voices of Women in Media of HKU’s Department of Sociology.

BSK nagdiwang ng ika-23 taon

Ni George Manalansan

Muli ay ipinagdiwang ng Balikatan sa Kaunlaran (BSK) Hong Kong Council ang anibersaryo ng kanilang pagkakatatag 23 taon na ang nakalilipas sa MV Star Pisces na nakadaong sa Ocean Terminal sa Tsim Sha Tsui noong Nob. 12.

Isinabay na rin nila ang pamamahagi ng katibayan sa mga nagtapos ng kanilang mga pagsasanay para pangkabuhayan.

Naging panauhing pandangal si Vice Consul Bob Quintin na nagbigay pugay sa 23 taong pagsisilbi ng BSK sa mga OFW sa Hong Kong, lalo na sa patuloy nilang pagbibigay ng pagsasanay para sa mga gustong magkaroon ng dagdag-kaalaman.

Pinasaya ni VC Bob ang pagtitipon sa pamamagitan ng pagkanta ng “I Will be There”.


Ang mga tumanggap ng katibayan ng pagtatapos ay nagsanay sa paggawa ng macrame bag, ribbon folding, balloon twisting, at mga pagkain katulad ng tocino, longganiza, maalat na itlog,  tinapa at embutido.

Sumayaw ng lambada ang Card and Friends, na pinabalik ng marami dahil nagustuhan ang kanilang pagtatanghal. May ilan pang grupo na nagsayaw din, kabilang ang Maddelanians Enrile HK workers Association na nagpakita ng galing sa cha-cha. 

Masayang nagsalo-salo sa masaganang handa ang grupo at kanilang mga panauhin na mula sa iba-ibang kumpanya sa Hong Kong katulad ng Metrobank, PNB, Peya Travel, at iba pa.

Hakot basura, isinagawa

Ilan sa mga sumali sa kilusang pinangunahan ng BSK.

Kapansin-pansin ang mga nagkalat na basura sa mga kalsada, tulay, lagusan, hardin at iba pang pampublikong lugar sa Central at Admiralty tuwing araw ng Linggo, na siyang karaniwang araw ng pahinga ng mga manggagawang Pilipino.

Dahil dito, ang mga miyembro ng Balikatan sa Kaunlaran (BSK) Hong Kong Council ay nagkasundong mamulot ng basura noong Nob. 5 sa paligid ng tulay sa Admiralty kung saan sila regular na tumatambay tuwing Linggo. Hangad nila na maipakita sa mga kababayan ang kahalagahan ng pag-aalaga sa kalinisan at kagandahan ng siyudad na kanilang pinaglilingkuran.

Ayon kay Edyl Ganado, isang aktibong miyembro ng BSK at isa  sa mga nagboluntaryong mamulot ng basura, labis ang kanyang pagkadismaya sa nakikitang kalat sa paligid, at pati na sa suka sa may tulay, na marahil ay gawa ng isang nalasing na OFW.

Sana daw, kung paano nila linisin ang bahay ng mga amo nila ay ganoon din ang gawin nila sa tambayan nila. Dahil sa nagkalat na basura ay nasisira diumano ang imahe ng lahat ng mga Pilipinong migrante sa Hong Kong.

Ayon naman kay Emerita Yochengco, iba talaga kung walang disiplina ang iba dahil damay ang marami. Nakakalungkot at nakakahiya daw.

May nagsabi din na sana ay matutong maglinis at magtapon ng basura ang lahat ng mga migrante dahil baka dumating ang araw na pagbawalan na silang tumambay sa mga lugar na pwede pang tambayan sa araw ng pahinga.

 Ayon sa lider ng BSK na si Ching Baltazar, madalas daw ginagawa ng kanyang grupo ang pamumulot ng basura sa tulay. Ginagawa daw nila ito para mawala ang paniniwala ng ilang Intsik na makalat at hindi marunong maglinis ang mga Pilipino sa Hong Kong.

“Hindi rin natin sila masisisi kung ganoon ang tingin nila sa atin, kasi damay ang lahat sa  mga hindi magandang ginagawa ng iba,” sabi ni Baltazar. “Sinusubukan kong ipaalala sa ibang grupo na itapon yung basura nila, at may nakakaunawa naman, pero iyong iba ay nagagalit”.

Pinapaalala din ng grupo may ordinansa na nagbabawal ng pagkakalat, pagdura, at pagpaskil ng mga poster ng walang pahintulot. May karampatang multa na $1,5000 ang sinumang mahuli na lumalabag sa batas na ito. – Cecil Eduarte

Kakaiba ang mga OFW na dumadalo sa pagsasanay

Ni George Manalansan

Ang kakaibang katangian ng mahigit 200 na nagtapos ng pagsasanay na isinagawa ng CARD Hong Kong Foundation ang naging sentro ng talumpati ni Vice Consul Robert Quintin sa pagtitipon na isinagawa noong Nob. 26 sa Duke of Windsor Social Service Building sa Wanchai.

“Graduates, ang inyong commitment sa pagaaral ng financial literary at entrepre-neurship  ay napakahalaga. Malaking bagay ang  tinapos ninyo; naiiba kayo kumpara sa mga nakaupo at nakasalampak lang maghapon sa Central at iba pang pasyalan,” ang sabi ni Vice Consul Quintin.

Sabay-sabay ang mga naroon sa pag-awit ng “If We Hold on Together”.

“Kami sa Konsulado ay naniniwala at sumusuporta sa ginagawa ng Card,” dagdag pa niya.

Umaasa daw siya na dadami pa ang makikilahok sa programa ng Card dahil lubos na mahalaga na alam ng mga migranteng manggagawa ang kahalagahan ng paggastos sa perang pinaghirapan nila.

“Gusto kong makita na makakapuno tayo ng stadium sa hinaharap,” sabi pa niya.

Gaya ng nakagawian, hiniling ng marami na bigyan sila ng awit ni VC Bob, na isang dating propesyunal na mang-aawit, at hindi naman sila nabigo. Kinanta nito ang “I’ll Be Here” ni Steven Curtis Chapman.

Samantala, ang mga bisita mula sa Card Philippines ay nag-ulat ng mga pagbabago sa teknolohiya na pinakikina-bangan na ngayon ng mga miyembro at kanilang mga  kapamilya sa Pilipinas. Kabilang dito ang konek2card remittance by phone, na lubos na nagpaalwan sa mga miyembro. Ibinalita din nila na dumami na ang mga center, at ang bilang ng gumagamit ng serbisyo ng Card mula sa sa mga nagsipagtapos ng fin-lit training.

Hindi naman pagsidlan sa kasiyahan ang mga nagtapos, na ang bawat batch ay nagkaroon ng isang kinatawan para magbigay ng testimonya sa kanilang natutunan, kung paano nila ito dapat gamitin, at gaano kalagi ang epekto ng kanilang pinag aralan.

Halos nagkakaisa ang lahat sa pagsasabi na ngayon ay mas maalam na sila sa paghawak ng kanilang kita, at tahasang sinabi ng marami na gusto nilang maging “boss” ng kanilang sariling negosyo sa balang araw.

Nasiguradong maayos ang pagtatapos sa pagtutulungan ng mga trainor, na sinubaybayan naman ng Card HK chair na si Clara Baybay at ng board of directors.

Natapos ang pagtitipon sa sabay-sabay na pag-awit ng lahat ng “If We Hold on Together” at ng walang kamatayang kuhanan ng mga litrato.

Magkakaroon na naman ng libreng financial literacy training ng Card HK sa Jan. 2, 2018. Para makasali o sa mga tanong, tumawag lang sa numero bilang  9529 6392/ 5423 8196.

LD nixes bid to excuse employers from paying DHs’ medical bills

Labour and Welfare
Secretary Law Chi-kwong

The Hong Kong government says there is no reason to change labour laws making employers liable to pay for the medical expenses of their foreign domestic helpers, either through sickness or injury, during the period of employment.

This was emphasized by Labour and Welfare Secretary Law Chi-kwong in response to a question by LegCo Member Michael Tien in the Legislative Council on Nov 15.

“In sum, we consider it reasonable to hold employers responsible for the medical expenses of FDHs under their employment and do not see any strong justifications to abolish or revise such arrangement,” Law said.

Tien suggested employers have no authority to stop helpers from going out during bad weather or interfere with their engagement in high-risk activities. 

“If FDHs fall sick or sustain injuries due to accidents… their employers bear their medical expenses as per the contracts. However, insurance policies on employees’ compensation taken out by employers for FDHs normally do not cover medical expenses incurred due to illnesses or injuries or accidents not attributable to their employment,” Tien said.

His question came in the wake of employers expressing concern on social media over their maids doing high-risk activities like cliff-jumping and insisting on going out during typhoons, saying they will have to bear the consequences in case of accidents.

Tien asked whether the Government will consider enacting law that require FDHs to take out medical insurance policies on their own, or employers must take out such insurance policies for their FDHs, to offer protection for both parties.

In his response, Law reiterated that Clause 9(a) of the employment contract for FDHs requires that when a helper is ill or suffers from personal injury, work-related or not, during her employment, the employer must provide free medical treatment including medical consultation, maintenance in hospital and emergency dental treatment. 

However, the FDH shall accept medical treatment by any registered medical practitioner as provided by the employer. 

In addition, all employers are required under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance to take out employees’ compensation insurance for their workers to cover their liabilities under the law if their workers are injured at work.

“As explained above, it is a legal requirement for all FDH employers to take out EC insurance for their FDHs,” Law said. 

He said the Labour Department does not maintain information about the detailed coverage of the insurance taken out by individual employers for their FDHs, including whether insurance products cover non-work-related injuries and illnesses.

“The requirement of Clause 9(a) of the SEC seeks to ensure that when employers hire FDHs to Hong Kong to provide household services at their residences, FDHs would not be deprived of or delayed in treatment for illnesses or personal injuries for want of means.  Even if FDHs need to use public medical services, the expenses incurred should be borne by employers rather than the public purse,” the labour secretary said. 

He said the SEC has clearly defined the responsibilities of employers, such as stipulating that employers are not responsible for medical expenses when helpers leave Hong Kong of their own volition and for their own personal purposes.

Law said there is additional coverage for workers, including expenses for hospitalization and surgery, outpatient clinic and dental care. Several comprehensive FDH insurance products offer coverage on personal accident, expenses for helpers to return to their place of origin owing to serious illness or injury, and expenses for hiring a replacement helper. 

In taking out FDH comprehensive insurance products, employers should carefully compare the products offered by different insurance companies and examine the policy terms to have a clear understanding of the coverage.

For example, Law said, employers should find out whether the policy terms have made it clear that accidents during inclement weather would not be covered. 

He said the existing arrangement has struck an appropriate balance between the requirement for employers to provide reasonable protection for their FDHs, and the affordability of such an expense.

Deployment ban on new OFWs lifted

By Daisy CL Mandap 

About 1,200 first-time OFWs bound for HK were stranded in the Philippines

The 15-day suspension of the issuance of overseas employment certificates to first-time overseas Filipino workers which effectively resulted in a deployment ban from the Philippines, ended as scheduled on Dec. 1.

But it was only yesterday, Dec. 4, that Philippine Labour Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced the end of the OEC suspension, adding “no extensions have been imposed”.

About 1,200 OFWs bound for Hong Kong were among an estimated 75,000 workers affected by the OEC suspension.

Every OFW departing from the Philippines for the first time is required to obtain the OEC, so the suspension also meant a halt in deployment.

Media reps flocked to POLO on Dec. 6
amid false reports the ban would be extended

The delay in releasing the advisory sparked off rumors of an extension, prompting reporters from various media organizations to flock to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Hong Kong early yesterday.

In an apparent bid to quell the rumors, Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre released the advisory within the day.

But when asked if he had to deal with irate employers in the wake of the deployment ban, he said: “I think they voiced their rage to the Labor Department and their respective agencies.”

He also said the number of OFWs arriving in Hong Kong on a daily basis from the time the suspension order was lifted “will depend on how fast POEA is crunching away at the backlog.”

Earlier he predicted there would be no extension to the ban because of the protests that came from various affected sectors.

“Ang daming nagreklamo, so malamang hindi na ma-extend,” Labatt dela Torre said.

In imposing the suspension order on Nov. 17, Bello said it was meant to crack down on a human trafficking syndicate operating out of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

His subsequent advisory said a fact-finding team “will carry on its work at the POEA to uncover the culpable parties who are responsible for the illegal recruitment activities which have victimized several of our applicants for  overseas employment.”

In response to Bello’s order, the Hong Kong government decided to grant up to two weeks’ extension to the work contracts of foreign domestic workers which are expiring on or before Dec 31.

This so-called flexibility arrangement was meant to ease the impact on local families if the new domestic workers they were hiring from the Philippines could not arrive before the expiration of their contracts with their existing helpers.

A government spokesman also said Hong Kong would ask the Philippine Government for an exemption to the suspension order so Filipino domestic workers bound for the city could arrive without delay.

Decision reserved on Erwiana’ $800k civil claim vs abusive employer

By Vir B. Lumicao

Erwiana outside court with case worker Cynthia Tellez

Indonesian former domestic worker Erwiana Sulistyaningsih was back in court on Dec 4 as she pressed for more than $800,000 civil claim for damages against her abusive erstwhile employer.

The hearing, originally set for three days, lasted only half a day after District Court Judge Winnie Tsui refused a bid by defendant Law Wan Tung, who appeared without a lawyer, for a court review of a ream of documents she presented from her trial in 2015.

Law, who was jailed for six years for the assault on Sulistyaningsih, claimed the documents would show the helper’s injuries were not as serious as she had claimed.

Sulistyaningsih is seeking damages totaling more than $809,430 for loss of income, physical and psychological injuries, as well as other losses she had suffered for about seven months of almost daily physical assaults from Law.

Law during her trial in 2015

Law said the court documents showed inconsistencies in the medical reports that could help reduce the amount of damages she would have to pay.

Tsui asked Law why she did not bring the bundle despite a letter sent to her by the court on Nov 17, informing her about the hearing and advising her to bring the court bundle.

Law said she did not speak English well and was not given a lawyer to defend herself in the civil case.

She accused the Hong Kong government of being unfair to her while favoring foreigners, implying that while her Legal Aid application was denied,  Sulistiyaningsih was given a lawyer to pursue her case.

“The Hong Kong government has been unfair to me. Why does the foreigner get a legal aid while I cannot?” she asked.

Law asked the court to consider the documents that she had brought as evidence to prove she should pay less in damages, but Judge Tsui rejected her application.

Sulistiyaningsih’s lawyer Tony Ko said Law was just trying to derail the trial.

The employer, a former beauty salon worker who married an investment banker, was convicted in February 2015 at the District Court of committing multiple assaults against Sulistyaningsih, and not paying her wages or giving her rest days.

On Ko’s application for costs for the half-day hearing, the judge ordered Law to $10,000 on or before Dec 18.

The trial began at 11:30am with Sulistyaningsih taking the witness stand to talk about the  effects of the physical abuse that she suffered from Law.

The helper said that she still consults a psychiatrist until now, and would tremble and feel nervous each time she remembered the violence committed against her.

Ko said that in calculating the damages, he looked at two streams of cases: contact injuries and psychological injuries. In the first case, damage claims ranged from $150,000 to $200,000 while in the second, it was around $250,000.

Asked if she had something to say, Law told the court Sulistiyaningsih arrived at her home with a disease in her legs which she would always scratch. Because of that, she had difficulty walking and would always fall or faint, said Law.

The jailed housewife added that Sulistiyaningsih’s posts on Facebook in 2014 even showed her looking happy while attending a wedding party of a family member.

Judge Tsui reserved her decision on the case.                                                                        

Labatt orders agency to repay $30k staff-induced loan

By Vir B. Lumicao

Emelyn Coronado

A Filipina domestic worker has succeeded in getting a local employment agency owner to pay $30,000 in unpaid loan and charges that the maid had incurred on behalf of a staff member of the agency.

The maid, 36-year-old Emelyn Coronado, managed to smile for the first time in two months after the agency, Luckyflex International Ltd, settled the unpaid loan at the main office of Public Finance in Central on Nov 15.

Coronado sought the help of a workers’ group, OFWs in Hong Kong, after debt collectors began calling her employers in September this year, badgering them about the maid’s unpaid loan.

But in an affidavit filed at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Admiralty, Coronado claimed she had taken out the $25,000 loan at the behest of Luckyflex staff Nema Tolones who allegedly said she needed money but could not borrow from the lender personally.

Coronado did as requested, but said she did not realize that she had been tricked by Tolones until she received a letter in December last year from the financing company, demanding that she repay the loan.

The diminutive single mother from Iloilo City, who has been working for her Hong Kong employer for one year and seven months, adamantly refused to pay up. Instead, she told Tolones about the demand note and asked her to pay up.

However, Tolones reportedly ignored her and even threatened to have her fired by her employer. The staff’s Filipino boyfriend then allegedly started calling Coronado or sending angry messages, especially when he learned she was seeking help from POLO.

Last September, a debt collector engaged by Public Finance began calling up Coronado’s employer frequently about the debt, causing the maid to worry and lose sleep.

“Mahigit dalawang buwan akong hindi nakakakain at nakakatulog dahil sa utang na hindi binabayaran ni Nema,” said the haggard worker, who was crying while relating her torment.

Regina de Andres, leader of OFWs in Hong Kong, helped the maid bring her case to the attention of Labor Attaché Jalilo dela Torre in early November, prompting the official to suspend the processing of workers’ contracts submitted by Luckyflex until it had sorted out the mess. 

Feeling the impact of the suspension, agency owner Sandie Ng reportedly agreed to settle the dispute between Tolones and Coronado by paying the loan balance.

On Nov. 13, Ng learned from Public Finance on Nov. 13 that the unpaid loan had run up to $31,600, including collector’s fees. She balked initially, but reconsidered two days later after she asked for a discount and was told to just pay $30,000.

Labatt Dela Torre let Ng and Coronado sign a settlement agreement whereby the agency owner agreed to settle the loan that Coronado had taken out for Tolones. In return, the helper acknowledged receiving the payment and agreed to waive any and all causes of action against the agency.

Only then did Labatt dela Torre lifted the suspension order on the agency.

Plan, save, learn skills for reintegration, OFWs told

Overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong should plan, save and acquire investment and livelihood skills for their eventual return home right on their first year here, according to Deputy Consul General Deric Atienza.

The officer-in-charge of the Consulate gave the advice on Nov 19 as he welcomed resource speakers and guests from Manila and the Filipino community to a day-long seminar, the “International Forum on Migration in Hong Kong,” at the Admiralty Convention Centre.

The forum is an annual activity for the Month of Overseas Filipinos in December, which is being celebrated this year in Hong Kong and Doha, Qatar, with the theme “Enhancing Reintegration, Leaving no Migrants and Their families Behind.”  The event was organized by the Consulate in cooperation with the Philippine Migrants Rights Watch and Commission on Filipinos Overseas.

Participants assemble for a souvenir photo at the end of the forum.

Atienza thanked the Hong Kong-based OFWs for the impact of their monthly cash remittances to their families on the Philippine economy.

He said the Filipino community in Hong Kong is one of the biggest globally and the largest in East Asia at 220,000. It comprises about 200,000 migrant workers, 90% of whom are women domestic helpers.

“Dahil sa padala ninyo sa inyong mga pamilya ay patuloy ang pag-ikot ng ating ekonomiya,” Atienza said. “Hindi maliit ang halaga ng ipinapadala natin sa Pilipinas.”

He said no less than 10% of the country’s population of 110 million is made up of overseas workers, with all 11 million of them deployed across the globe. But he cited a dark side to the labor exportation: the so-called social costs, such as broken homes and wayward children.

“Hindi maganda na natatapos lamang siya sa merely na pagpapadala,” Atienza said, suggesting that workers do so in a smart way, not just to spend on commercial goods but rather to reinvest in their country.

He said government wants to shorten the migration of OFWs. “The government is already exerting efforts in such a way na kapag lumabas kayo ng Pilpinas, maipo-program ninyo mula sa paglabas, unang taon pa lamang matatantiya nyo kung hanggang kailan, at mai-effect yung plans ninyo.”

He said a parent’s absence from her family for 3 years, 10 years and even 20 years has a priceless social cost to her family, even if she can fix the economic cost with remittances.

“Yung absence nyo sa families ninyo affects how your children grow up, your children are not with you, your spouses are not with you, lahat po iyan ay may adverse effect. Because of this, the ideal situation is that we stay at home. And if you can shorten the time that you are overseas, then that’s even better,” Atienza said.

Carmelita Nuqui, president of Philippine Migrants Rights Watch and chair of Interagency Committee on the Month of Overseas Filipinos, said the celebration was institutionalized during the time of President Cory Aquino 10 years ago.

The line-up of activities for November and December leading up to the final celebration on Dec 18 is coordinated with provincial governments and actively involves OFWs.

Nuqui noted the reality that workers had to work abroad because there were not enough opportunities at home. Even in congressional hearings on emergency repatriation, OFWs trapped in war zones refuse to be flown home because of fear their families would starve.

Other speakers were Mark Espina of the National Reintegration Center for OFWs, who discussed the Department of Labor and Employment’s reintegration program for returning migrants; Frencel Tinga of the CFO, who talked about human trafficking and government’s programs and services to combat the menace. 

Leo Selomenio spoke about her dream to be a president seemingly fulfilled by her becoming a community leader and a film star in Hong Kong, thanks to the award-winning movie, “Sunday Beauty Queen”.

Raymond Francis Ramos updated members on the Pag-IBIG Fund’s services for overseas Filipinos, while Lucille Blesilda Simbol discussed the Social Security System’s services for OFWs.
Mid-morning snacks and lunch were provided for participants, who each went home with a certificate of attendance.  – Vir B. Lumicao

OEC suspension not likely to be extended, Labatt says

The SUN
Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre says the suspension of the issuance of the overseas employment certificates to first-time overseas Filipino workers, which effectively resulted in a deployment ban, is not likely to be extended beyond the Dec. 1 deadline.

“Ang daming nagreklamo, so malamang hindi na ma-extend,” said Labatt dela Torre.

An estimated 75,000 new OFWs were affected by the 15-day OEC suspension, with about 750 of them bound for Hong Kong.

Applicants for OEC exemption queuing up on the Admiralty Centre footbridge are starting to grow in number as OFWs look to going home during the the Christmas and New Year holidays

Philippine Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III imposed the OEC suspension on Nov. 17, saying it was meant to crack down on a human trafficking syndicate operating out of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

Every OFW departing from the Philippines for the first time is required to obtain the OEC, so the suspension also meant a halt in deployment.

In response to Bello’s order, the Hong Kong government has decided to grant up to two weeks’ extension to the work contracts of foreign domestic workers which are expiring on or before Dec 31.

This so-called flexibility arrangement aims to ease the potential impact on local families if the new domestic helpers they are hiring from the Philippines are not able to come before, or shortly after, the expiration of their contracts with their existing helpers

“We hope (the) flexibility arrangement can help the families affected by the situation, especially those who need help in taking care of the elderly and children, so that they can retain their current FDHs temporarily while waiting for the new FDHs … to report for duty upon the resumption of (OEC) issuance …by the Philippine government,” a government spokesman said.

Under the Standard Employment Contract, an employer may apply to extend the period of employment of their FDWs by not more than one month by mutual agreement (with) the FDH, and with approval from the Director of Immigration.

The spokesman said families likely to be affected must apply for the longer extension period for their maids directly with the Director of Immigration on or before Dec. 31 this year.

“Prior consent from the Commissioner for Labour is required for extending the period of an FDH contract beyond a month,” the spokesman said.

The application for extension of stay of FDHs may be submitted directly during office hours or by post to the Foreign Domestic Helpers Section at Immigration Tower in Wan Chai. The required documents for submitting the application are as follows:
1. Visa/Extension of Stay Application Form for Domestic Helper from Abroad (ID 988A) completed and signed by the FDH;
2. Original copies (copies only for applications made by post) of the current SEC (ID407) kept by the employer and the FDH with an amendment clause on extending the employment period duly signed by both parties;
3. A supporting letter signed by the employer stating the reason(s) for extending the employment period;
4. The FDH’s travel document (copy only for applications made by post); and
5. A visa fee of $190.

The spokesman also said Hong Kong will continue to liaise with the Philippine Consulate General and request the Philippine Government for an exemption to the suspension order, and resume the issuance of OECs to helpers coming to Hong Kong as soon as possible.