Knights of Rizal out of HK flower show from this year

By Vir B. Lumicao

After representing the Philippines for the past 15 years in the annual Hong Kong Flower Show, the Knights of Rizal will no longer have a booth in the spring spectacle starting March this year.

Pieter Nootenboom, Knight Grand Officer of Rizal, made the announcement on Jan 23 in a post on the HKOFW webpage that he administers. The post was, however, taken down the next day. 

He said the decision to retain only one Philippine booth in the flower festival was made by the Hong Kong government’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The Philippine Consulate has had its  own booth for the past several years.

Knights of Rizal display in a previous Hong Kong Flower Show.

The flower show is a major event organized by the LCSD every year to promote horticulture and public awareness on greening.  Last year its 200-plus stalls attracted more than 650,000 Hongkongers and horticulture lovers all over the world to appreciate the beauty of flowers. 

This year the annual event will have ‘Joy in Bloom” as theme and dahlia as the centerpiece. It will be held on March 16 to 25 at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay.

“Notice to the Philippine Community, The Knights of Rizal will not be in the Hong Kong Government Flower Show as of this coming March 2018 as the LCSD decided (that since) the Philippine Consulate will participate they do not wish to have two booths in that area to represent the Philippines,” Nootenboom said in his post.

For the past several years, the KOR had been taking part in the flower show, with its spacious booth strategically located beside the western entrance of the exhibition ground on Victoria Park.

Friends and supporters who commented on Nootenboom’s announcement were saddened by the KOR’s absence from the event starting this spring, but the top leader of the Rizalists in Hong Kong reacted positively to the development.

“Well, the positive side is, hopefully the Philippine Consulate will at last continue to join every year from now on,” Nootenboom said.

The Consulate first joined the flower show last year, and won the “Special Award for Design Excellence” for the everlasting-studded jeepney in its booth, but KOR also won for a “Special Award for Unique Feature” (a landscape display).

Nootenboom had been the prime mover of Philippine participation in the flower show year after year since 2003. He has won around 20 awards, since in some years he helped set up booths for other Filipino groups, winning three awards for them.

“I represented various Philippine organizations since 2003,” he told The SUN. He said he was doing it to promote the country to large crowd that visited the fair each year.

The Dutchman, who is married to a Filipina, said he was sad but relieved that the Consulate would be continuing what he had started.

Over the years, he helped set up booths for the Philippine Orchid Society in Manila three times. In some years, he said he did three booths at his own cost.

“I never received one cent in all the years I did this,” Nootenboom said

In the past 15 years, he represented Rizal Technological University, UP Los Baños, Philippine Indoor & Balcony Gardening Society, Kababaihang Rizalista HK Chapter, and Knights of Rizal. He was behind the KOR’s participation in the exhibition for seven years.

The KOR has consistently received the Special Award for Unique Feature (landscape display) for its imposing booth designed by Nootenboom himself. Its motif is a Philippine garden with rare orchids from the country’s forests hanging from the eaves of three tarpaulin tents.

At certain times of the festival days, Filipino domestic workers groups performed cultural dances, notably the “tinikling”, which features pairs of dancers skillfully hopping between four crisscrossed bamboo poles rhythmically tapping, sliding and knocking against each other.

Do you need ‘Psychosocial preparation’?

By Ellen Asis

Dealing with psychosocial issues is as important to a migrant worker as saving for the future.

This was the gist of the workshop on “psychosocial preparation” that Enrich Hong Kong held on Jan. 21 at no. 3 Lockhart Road, Wanchai with 67 migrant workers taking part.

According to speaker Christy Themar of Enrich, issues like their family’s overdependence on remittances, brain drain, feelings of failures and limited economic opportunities are psychosocial issues faced by every migrant domestic worker.

Christy Themar of Enrich stresses a point during the seminar.

Themar said she had to deal with these issues herself when she was a migrant worker in the Middle East. Learning how to cope with them, she said, is as important as financial planning.

To address these concerns, she said migrant workers need to plan ahead about what they want to do on their return home while they are still in Hong Kong. This means, taking control of one’s situation and doing things that will reward or make them happy in the future.

These include developing skills that they need to reintegrate back home, empowering themselves and building a network they could rely on when they need support.

Also part of the psychosocial preparation is to track one’s talents and abilities to grow, to open one’s mind to changes, and to the take courage to learn and try new things.

Themar also reminded the participants that things might change back home while they are away, so it is important that they are able to adapt to such changes.

Another way of preparing for the inevitable return home is to talk with family members so they can set goals and priorities together, and prevent those left behind from becoming over dependent on the worker’s income abroad.

The worker, on the other hand, should continue saving and stay within a set budget to attain her financial goal.

Apart from the money issue, overseas workers must maintain and build a strong family and community relationship while they are away. They should keep themselves updated on what is happening to their community while they are away, and learn to give space and time to family members to adjust when they return home.

Themar reminded the participants to be kind to themselves and to use every opportunity to grow in their journey to success.

The workshop is part of Enrich’s return and reintegration lecture series to help domestic workers manage and plan for their successful reintegration. To know more about their other programs, like their Facebook page, Enrich HK.

CG says Russian counterpart to back illegal recruitment drive

By Daisy CL Mandap

Consul General Antonio A. Morales says his Russian counterpart, Alexander Kozlov, has promised to work with him on finding a solution to the illegal recruitment to Russia of Filipina domestic workers in Hong Kong.

The pledge was reportedly made during a courtesy visit by Congen Morales to the Russian Consulate on Jan. 24.

The Philippine Embassy in Moscow says about 5,000 Filipinas are working illegally in Russia, with many of them having arrived there from Hong Kong. The Filipina domestic workers there hold either a work visa issued only to professionals or skilled workers, or short-term commercial visas. There is no visa category for domestic workers in Russia.

ConGen Kozlov reportedly asked for documents on specific cases of illegal recruitment of Filipinas to Russia, and promised to look into them.

ConGen Morales told The SUN on Jan. 30 that he also managed to briefly bring up the same issue with his Turkish counterpart Korhan Kemik when they met also on Jan. 24.

The two sides also discussed ways of improving relations.

Turkey is another favorite destination of Filipina domestic workers in Hong Kong seeking to move to another country. But as with Russia, there is no job category for foreign domestic workers in Turkey.

Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre has been waging an all-out war against recruiters bringing overseas Filipina workers to Russia and Turkey in recent months, amid reports that many end up being exploited in both destinations.

Labatt dela Torre also maintains that third-country deployment of Filipinos is illegal under Philippine laws.

Mga OFW, tumulong para maitala ang bagong record sa tuloy-tuloy na CPR

Mahigit 600 na OFW ang tumulong para maitala ang bagong rekord sa marathon CPR

Ni George Manalansan

Kabilang ang humigit-kumulang 600 Pilipinong manggagawa sa mga tumulong para makapagtala ng pinakamaraming bilang ng nagsanay ng cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) sa tuloy-tuloy na sesyon noong Peb. 3-4 sa Fire and Ambulance Services Academy sa Tseung Kwan-O.

Ang kabuuang bilang na 3,027 ay pumasok sa Guinness World Records para sa kategorya ng paramihan sa pagsasagawa ng tuloy-tuloy na CPR. Ang dating record na 2,619 ay naitala ng India noong 2016.

Bilang paghahanda, ang mga migranteng Pilipino ay binigyan ng pagsasanay sa compression only cardio pulmonary resuscitation (COCPR, isang mas simpleng paraan ng CPR) noong Enero 7, 14 at 28 sa HK University sa Pokfulam.

Sinamahan nila sa CPR Marathon 2018 ang mahigit 2,500 katao, na binubuo ng mga guro at estudyante sa ilang paaralan sa Hong Kong. 

Kabilang sa mga nag-organisa si Dr. Mike Manio ng HKU

Bukod sa pagsali para makapagtala ng bagong record, layunin din ng mga nagbigay ng pagsasanay na maparami ang bilang ng mga tao sa Hong Kong na maaring makapagbigay ng first aid at mapataas ang tsansang mabuhay ng mga biglang kinakapos ng hininga o nawawalan ng malay.

Sa araw ng marathon, may libreng sakay sa mga kasali mula sa Tiu Keng Leng MTR. Pagdating sa lugar na pagdarauan ay isa-isang nirehistro ang mga kasali at binigyan ng numero at pulseras na may barcode. Nagkaroon muli ng pagsasanay bago sumabak sa marathon. Sa dami ng mga kalahok ay kinailangang umupo muna at maghintay.

Sa tulong ng mga ambulance men at CPR marathon helper ay naging maayos ang daloy ng pila para sa panghuling hakbang na isinagawa sa loob ng auditorium.

Isa si Jim Cheung sa mga CPR helper na nagpalakas ng loob sa mga kasali, at nagsabing gamitin lang nila ang natutunan sa mga pagsasanay at sa praktis para makaraos.

“Have your power to push, compress continuously without a gap,” ang bilin niya. “Remove your watch, necklace, jackets or anything that may obstruct you, If you stop for 5 seconds you failed….the next trainee will come in and prepare to change after the count,  5, 4, 3, 2, 1. If you pass, you will become a certified CPR first aider.”

Isa sa mga kalahok si Jennete Ladiero, na halatang malungkot. Naalala kasi niya nang minsang magbakasyon siya ay biglang tumumba sa harap niya mismo ang ama, at namatay. Wala daw siyang nagawa dahil wala pa siyang alam sa paglalapat ng first aid. “Siguro kung may alam na ako noon, baka buhay pa siya ngayon,” ang sabi niyang may panghihinayang.

Bago lumabas ng auditorium ang mga kasali ay binigya sila isa-isa ng tiket para sa museo ng mga bumbero na nasa parehong gusali. Dito ay makikita ang mga lumang gamit sa pag-apula ng apoy, isang talaan ng mga sunog sa loob ng nakaraang tatlong dekada, mga first aid kid, at ang nilalaman ng isang ambulansiya.

OFW photographer scoops another award

Joan Pabona's award-winning photo, "Sacrifice"

A Filipina domestic helper has bagged the first-runner up slot in a photo contest sponsored by National Geographic in Hong Kong, the latest in a string of accolades she has won since taking up photography seriously about four years ago.

Joan Pabona, 35, from La Union, received the second highest award in the National Geographic  Wheelock Youth Photo Competition Hong Kong, held at the Wheelock Gallery in Queensway on Jan. 31. Her winning piece was titled “Sacrifice”, and showed a construction worker seemingly buried amid a pile of nets while at work.

Pabona, who won in the category, “People and Happenings in Hong Kong, received a cash prize of $6,500 and a 12-month subscription to the National Geographic Magazine Traditional Chinese Edition. Her winning photo was also included in an exhibit launched to coincide with the awarding ceremony at Wheelock Gallery.

It was the second major win for Pabona, who has been dabbling in photography since she was in

Joan and her beloved Nikon D3100

college in the Philippines, but began taking the hobby seriously since acquiring her dream camera, a Nikon D3100, months after arriving in Hong Kong to work as a domestic helper in 2013.

In March last year, she was adjudged as Grand Winner in the “Women at Work” photo contest organized by Christian Action. For 2016 and 2017, she won silver and bronze awards in various categories in the International Photography Awards - Philippines.

As a veteran of the photo contest circuit, Pabona says she did not exactly “jump for joy” on learning about her NatGeo win, but admits it is the most prestigious she has received so far.

She took her winning shot from inside her employer’s high-rise flat in Happy Valley. She says that to get the best shot, one should have a good camera, an eye for detail and the passion for taking pictures.

In her case, that passion was reignited after she joined Lensational, a local group that aims to empower women through photography. Pabona joined the Basic Photography Workshop jointly organized by Lensational and Parasite in 2016, then the Pinhole Camera Workshop in 2016 and 2017 by Hulu Culture, and most recently, the Video Editing Workshop by the Voices of Women group at the University of Hong Kong.

She continues to hone her talent by contributing photos to the Manila Bulletin newspaper in the Philippines, and by reading and watching youtube videos on photography. She has become quite good in her hobby that she has been commissioned to do works for charity, for which she does not get paid.

Pabona is part of an eight-member group, Fun and Bold (FaB) photographers, who organize photo shoots in various parts of Hong Kong on their days off. They have also done charity work for the Bahay Aruga center for cancer patients in Manila. 

Also with this group is Roselle Azucena, who because of her recent win in the Gawad Amerika contest, will soon be headed to the United States to take up a photography scholarship.

That could come soon, too, for Pabona, who doesn’t let a day pass without her tinkering with her camera. For her, joining contests – and winning – are all just tools toward improving a talent she was lucky to have been blessed with. – with a report from George Manalansan

Uhaw sa pag-ibig

Si Raquel na biyuda at tubong Mindanao ay 53 taong gulang na at may apat na anak na lalaki na malalaki na, nguni’t patuloy pa ring naghahanap ng pag-ibig. Sa kasamaang palad ay natapat siya sa isang Negrong manggagantso.

Lagi siyang binabalaan ng mga kaibigan na iwasan na ito dahil pineperahan lang siya, ngunit hindi siya nakikinig. Tuwing day-off niya ay lagi ding gabi na kung bumalik siya sa bahay ng amo niya sa Pokfulam, kahit ilang beses na siyang pinagsabihan dahil nag-aalala din ang mga ito sa kanya.

Nang mapuno ang amo niya ay biglang tinerminate si Raquel, kahit na anim na taon na siyang naninilbihan sa kanila. Bale pa ay kauutang lang niya noon ng $40,000 sa isang financing company para may ipantustos sa nobyong bolero.

Mabuti na lang at nakahanap pa rin siya ng bagong amo, kaya nakabalik nitong nakaraang buwan. Agad din naman niyang sinabihan ang inutangan na itutuloy niya ang pagbabayad ngayong nakabalik na siya.

Ang kaibigan naman niyang si Jasmin ay lagi siyang pinapayuhan na matuto na siyang makinig at huwag nang magpaabot ng gabi sa labas kasama ang kanyang dyowa. At lalong huwag na rin niya ipapangutang ang lalaki. Kasi kung mapauwi siyang muli ay ano na lang daw ang gagawin niya sa kanilang probinsiya kung wala siyang pera?

Sabi ni Jasmin, sana ay matuto na si Raquel na mas pahalagahan ang trabaho kaysa sa lalaking pera lang ang habol sa kanya. – Merly Bunda

Pinauwi’t pinabalik

Kakaiba ang karanasan ni Lorie, 28 taong gulang, sa among taga Hang Hau. Na-terminate siya ng amo kamakailan dahil sinagot niya ito nang mapuno na siya sa kasungitan nito. Agad-agad siyang pina-empake at pinauwi, na hindi naman niya tinutulan dahil gusto na rin naman niyang umuwi. Basta sinigurado niya na binayaran siya ng tama, kabilang ang kanyang natitirang sahod, isang buwang suweldo kapalit ng pasabi, at bayad sa air ticket.

Ngunit dalawang araw pa lang siya sa kanilang bahay sa Cebu nang tawagan siya ng masungit na amo at hilingan na bumalik siya matapos ang dalawang linggo dahil hinahanap siya ng alaga. Hindi naman siya nag-atubiling bumalik dahil napalapit na rin siya sa alaga, at gusto rin niyang makita muli ang mga kaibigan dito.

Pagbalik niya ay kinausap niya ng masinsinan ang amo. Sinabi niya na kung may nagawa siyang mali ay puwede naman siyang pagsabihan, huwag lang pagalitan at sigawan.

Naaalala niya kasi ang naging karanasan niya sa Singapore, kung saan una siyang nagtrabaho bilang kasambahay. Sa unang dalawang taon niya sa amo ay wala siyang naging problema, pero sa sumunod na taon ay bilang nag-iba ang ugali nito. Inoorasan na siya sa pamamalengke at laging pinapagalitan. Hindi na rin siya pinag day off.

Nang hindi na nakatiis si Lorie ay nakikipagtalo na siya sa amo, na umabot sa puntong nasampal siya nito. Lumayas si Lorie at pumunta ng shelter para humingi ng tulong. Nakatagal siya doon ng tatlong buwan habang hinihintay na matapos ang kanyang kaso laban sa amo.

Noong ika-15 ng Hunyo noong isang taon ay dumating si Lorie sa Hong Kong para muling makipagsapalaran. Akala niya ay magiging maganda ang kalagayan niya dito ngunit sa unang anim na buwan niya sa amo ay sobrang hirap ang naranasan niya. Maselan ang among lalaki at lagi na lang may nakikitang mali sa ginagawa ni Lorie. Mabuti na lang at nagkagaanan sila ng loob ng kanyang alaga kaya napilitan siyang magtiis muli.

Walang permanenteng araw ng labas si Lorie kaya madalas siyang walang kasama tuwing nag de day off. Pero minsan ay nagkikita din sila ng mga dating kasamahan sa Singapore, at sila ang nagpapayo sa kanya na magtiis na muna, at subuking hulihin ang loob ng amo.

Sinunod naman ni Lorie ang mga payo nila, nguni’t sadyang mainitin ang ulo ng kanyang amo kaya nang mapuno na siya ay sumagot na rin.  Mabuti na lang at hindi nasabihan ng amo ang immigration na pinutol na nito ang kontrata kay Loraine kaya nang magbago ang isip nito ay may visa pa rin ang Pilipina.

Agad namang kumuha ng OEC si Lorie para makabalik.

Ngayon ay mahigit isang buwan na siyang nakakabalik sa amo at masaya na siya dahil maganda na ang kanilang samahan. Palaging Linggo na rin ang kanyang labas, kaya lagi na silang magkakasama ng mga kaibigan. Kapag mayroon siyang gustong sabihin sa amo ay pinapadalhan lang niya ng message sa whatsapp para mas magkaintindihan sila, at ganito rin ito sa kanya.

Tanging dasal niya ay magtuloy-tuloy na ang kanilang magandang samahan. — Rodelia Villar

Manindigan sa karapatan

Naka 10 buwan pa lang sa paninilbihan sa Taipo si Elaine, 32 taong gulang, nang bigla siyang pababain ng amo. Pilit siyang pinapapirma na siya ang pumutol sa kanilang kontrata ngunit hindi siya pumayag.

Kahit pa pulis ang kanyang amo ay nanindigan si Elaine na hindi siya pipirma kung hindi nito palitan ang kasulatan para ipakita na ang amo at hindi siya ang nag-terminate. Hinamon pa niya ito na tumawag ng pulis kung ipipilit ang gusto.

Sa tinuran niya ang nagkatinginan ang kanyang amo at ang asawa nito, at napilitang itama ang sulat. Bago pumirma ay hiningi ni Elaine ang lahat ng dapat na bayaran sa kanya, kasama ang annual leave niya para sa 10 buwang paninilbihan. Kahit madaling araw na siyang nakababa ay hindi siya pumayag na hindi itama ang kanyang pinirmahan.

Ang nasa isip ni Elaine noong mga panahong iyon ay ang laki ng nagastos niya para lang makapunta sa Hong Kong. Tatlong beses siyang pina medical examination ng ahensya, sa halagang Php2,500 at dalawang tig Php3,000. Iyung una ang sabi ay expired na yung permit ng nag medical exam sa kanya, yung pangalawa ang sabi naman ay positive daw yung pregnancy test niya kahit alam niyang imposible ito dahil nasa probinsiya ang asawa niya at isang buwan na siya sa Maynila. Sa kagustuhang makaalis ay nagpa-eksamin siyang muli sa pangatlong pagkakataon, kasama ang dagdag na Php800 para sa pregnancy test.

Bukod dito ay pinagbayad siya ng Php16,000 para daw sa training.

Sa laki ng nagastos niya ay isinumpa ni Elaine na hindi na siya magpapaloko ulit. Kahit madaling araw na siya nakababa ay naroon pa rin ang galit, takot at inis ni Elaine.  Nakadagdag pa kasi dito ang galit at paninisi ng kanyang agency dahil hindi siya pumayag sa gusto ng amo.

Matapang na sinagot ito ni Elaine na hindi siya kailanman pipirma sa maling kasulatan. Dahil sa madaling araw na, sa isang McDonald’s outlet nagpalipas ng oras si Elaine bago nagbiyahe papunta sa kanilang simbahan kung saan may shelter para sa mga naterminate.

Nang sumunod na Linggo ay pumunta siya agad sa Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) para ireklamo ang agency. Bukod kasi sa siningil sa kanya ay pinagbayad pa ang kanyang tiya na nandito sa Hong Kong.

Ang payo ni Elaine sa mga kababayan: huwag matakot ipaglaban ang karapatan lalo at marami namang mga tao na maaring tumulong sa iyo sa oras ng kagipitan. - Rodelia Villar

3 OWWA receipts missing

Three official receipts of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration have gone missing in Hong Kong, and the government agency says those invoices have now been voided and will not be honored.

A notice issued by OWWA Hong Kong gave the receipt serial numbers as 15576948, 15576949 and 15576950.

Welfare Officer Judith Santos said the use of those missing receipts would be considered null and void.

She requested anyone who had found it or inadvertently taken it to return it to the OWWA office at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office on the 16^th floor of Mass Mutual Bldg. at 33 Lockhart Road, Wanchai.

First 10-year Philippine passport released in HK

Passport officer Rene B. Fajardo issues the passport to Bonna Bedia

The first 10-year Philippine passport was released at the Philippine Consulate on Feb. 5, 2018, to Bonna Bee Bedia. This was less than a month since the new extended validity-passport was launched in Manila

The expected launch of the new passport has caused the number of applicants at the Consulate to more than double since the start of the year, prompting Consul General Antonio A. Morales to shuffle staff on Sundays, the busiest day for applicants.

The number of applications on Sundays jumped to about 700 last month, compared with a 350 average for the previous months.

The regular passport is still being issued at the old price of $480 in Hong Kong, and has the same number of pages, but with improved security features. The requirements for renewal and application remain the same.

Under the new passport law signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in October, regular passports will be valid for 10 years for Filipino travelers 18 years old and above. Those under 18 will still be issued passports that are valid for five years.