Pinoy bowlers in HK feed children of Subic Aetas

More than 200 Aeta children flocked on Apr 30 to an ecological park in Subic, Zambales, to partake of a feeding program organized by members of the Filipino Bowling Club Hong Kong.

Members of FBCGK led by founder/chairman Jenny Gafate undertook the mission as part of the group’s annual charity works, funded by money raised from its bowling tournaments.

Gafate said the team travelled to Subic right after the awarding of trophies and medals on the last night of the Australasian-Filipino Bowling Friendship Games on Apr 29 at the Makati Superbowl  Bowling Center 42 Tenpin Lanes.

“We travelled to Subic even though it was already late and without any sleep because our feeding mission was scheduled for Apr 30,” Gafate said.

The feeding mission was held at the Pamulaklakin Tribus Aetas Trail on the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

The FBCHK members helped each other prepare the food for the day’s event.
Gafate said the group also handed out clothes and cash to the recipients.   

Children line up to be served food distributed by members of Filipino Bowling Club Hong Kong at an ecological park in Subic, Zambales.

Employers’ support help Fate win KO championship

By Daisy CL Mandap and Emz Frial

The all-Filipino softball team, Fate, has won the championship of the knock-out tournament, Festival of Sports, despite being made to play on a Saturday when most, if not all, of its players were supposed to be at work.

The game held at Shek Kip Mei field on May 12 ended with Fate emerging with another unblemished record, beating local team Astro, 8-0, in five innings.

Team members and their supporters celebrate after winning the championship.

First to score were Myra Japitana and Eunice Locop, who each contributed a point in the first inning.
In the second inning, Editha Hidalgo made the score 3-0, in Fate’s favor. Outfielders Bambee
Abadilla and Maribel Sitchon both caught a flyball by an Astro hitter, preventing their rivals from scoring.

Astro tightened its defense on the third and fourth inning, preventing Fate from adding to its score. But the all-Filipina team bounced back with five scores on the fifth inning, to seal the game. Those who scored were: Sherlyn Gamata,  Japitana,  Locop,  Don Gaborno and Bambee Abadilla.

Tension simmered when Gaborno was hit on the side of her knee by an Astro hitter when she tried to slide onto homebase in the fifth inning. Fate’s captain could not get up at first, but managed to do so eventually with help from her teammates.

The big win left Fate manager Law Wai Ho teary eyed as the team thanked him for his consistent and valuable support.

Gaborno said it was almost a miracle that all of the team’s 17 players, all working as domestic helpers in Hong Kong, managed to obtain permission to swap their usual Sunday off with a Saturday, so they could play in the championship.

Their mostly Chinese employers reportedly came around to support them when they learned that the organizers had insisted on holding the finals on a Saturday.  “Pati yung mga among mga Intsik nagalit dahil pakiramdam nila ay dinadaya kami,” she said.

But up until Friday evening, Gaborno said she was not sure if the team would have enough players on the day.

It was the first time since they started playing in either the FOS or the regular league, that they were called to play on a Saturday.

Gaborno had earlier pleaded with organizers through Law to reschedule the final game but Astro reportedly refused to give way.

“Sabi ni Mr Law, manalo matalo, pilitin naming magpakita sa laro kasi kung hindi ay talo agad kami”, she said.

Up until Friday night, Gaborno said she wasn’t sure how many of the players would show up, but luckily, all came through the next day, along with some of their regular supporters.

It was the fourth straight victory by Fate in the league, and as in the past games, they managed to prevent their rival from scoring a single point.

Fate did even better in the regular league, when it outclassed rival Celsius in spectacular fashion,  scoring 20-nil in a game on Apr 29 that lasted four innings.

The same pattern was recorded in Fate’s six previous matches in the B league of the HK Softball Championships, which it all won handily.

The tournament is expected to last until August this year, before resuming for the new season in October

Gaborno said the team has been performing better than before because of the players’ wonderful teamwork.

Fate is now said to be made up of seven former players, and 10 new recruits, who somehow have managed to work well together.

“Maganda ang teamwork ngayon kasi kapag training, puspusan talaga. Lahat sila ay nakikiisa kaya magaan lagi ang panalo,” Gaborno said.

Fate is next scheduled to play against the local team, SCAA-WSC, on May 20, 3pm,  in the regular league.

Pinay in Fortress MTR incident now in hospital

The patient was photographed near the
turnstiles of the MTR station in Fortress Hill.

A Filipina domestic worker who had a mental breakdown on May 1 at Fortress Hill MTR Station is now recovering in hospital, and her condition is said to be “improving”.

Lorna Obedoza of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administation said the worker’s employer who regularly visits her at the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan, had reported that the patient looks much better now, and could recover soon.

Footages of the worker showing her acting abnormally went viral on Facebook, and were seen by a relative and townmate in Hinundayan, Southern Leyte, who immediately informed the patient’s parents and siblings.

But the patient, said to be 44 years old, was taken to Ruttonjee Hospital by the police who responded to calls for assistance, and later transferred to the psychiatric ward of Eastern Hospital.

The relative told The SUN the patient was single and an introvert, so her relatives and friends who are also working in Hong Kong did not know what could have led to her breakdown. 

The incident was reported to the police at about 9:00 am on May 1, as case of someone obstructing pedestrians at the MTR station. Police later classified it as ‘suspected mentally disordered person found.”

The Filipina was shown on the videos standing in front of the turnstiles with upraised hands, before prostrating herself on the floor, unmindful of people around her. One of those who took shots said the worker had said at one point, “Ako ang tagapagligtas ninyong lahat!”.

HK police drop case vs employers of Pinay who fell to her death in Shenzhen

By Vir B. Lumicao

Lorain Asuncion’s death: “... there was 

insufficient evidence to charge any person. “

Hong Kong police have released the former employers of Lorain Asuncion, the Filipina domestic worker who fell to her death on July 24 last year while in Shenzhen for a supposed holiday with the couple and their children.

A spokesman of the Police Public Relations Branch said in a message to The SUN that there was a lack of evidence to charge the couple, Gu Huaiyu and Ms Liu.

“After enquiry and investigation, police had sought legal advice and it was concluded that there was insufficient evidence to charge any person. The arrested 47-year-old man and the 32-year-old woman were released,” the PPRB spokesman said.
But the spokesman said that “police are still investigating the case.”

When contacted online on May 11, Asuncion’s sister Jenevieve Javier expressed surprise at how soon the police managed to close their investigation of the employers.

“Bakit ganun naman yata kabilis nilang tinapos. Lilinawin ko ulit sa kanila,” she said.

The police statement confirmed information from Javier, who came to Hong Kong for a four-day visit on May 7. She said an investigator called her up on the same day telling her the case against Gu and Liu was being dropped.

Javier said the officer told her Hong Kong police would now turn their attention to the circumstances of her sister’s death in Shenzhen.

She also said the police asked Asuncion’s family to submit documents pertaining to her beneficiaries. Javier said the documents required were copies of the very same documents that she had attached to the application for employee compensation that she had submitted to the Labour Department.

Danilo Baldon of the Philippine Consulate’s assistance to nationals section, who had been liaising with the police about the Asuncion case, also confirmed the dropping of the case against the employers.

Asuncion was 28 years old when she reportedly plunged to her death from the 22nd floor flat of Liu’s father in Longgang District, Shenzhen on July 23 or 24 last year.

Three autopsies were conducted on her remains but the findings were all the same – that there was nothing suspicious in her death.

Forensic experts from the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau and from a local university who examined Asuncion’s remains separately shortly after the tragedy had both ruled out foul play. A third autopsy by Hong Kong police on Nov 14 made the same findings.

The remains were brought to Hong Kong on Nov 14 for the standard autopsy before the deceased OFW made her final voyage home in a coffin the next day.

Maling date

Nataranta nang husto si Flora, 40, isang Ilokana, nang dumating ang kanyang mga amo mula sa paglalaro ng golf na pagod at gutom na gutom. Pagsabi ng kanyang among babae na maghanda na siya ng hapunan ay ganoon na lang ang gulat ni Flora dahil wala siyang niluto.

Tinandaan niya kasi na iyon ang petsa sa kalendaryo kung saan sinulat ng amo niyang lalaki na hindi sila kakain sa bahay ng gabing iyon. Nang sabihin niya ito sa mga amo ay sinabihan siya ng lalaki na basahing maigi ang petsa kung saan iyon nakasulat, at noon lang napansin na sa buwan ng Mayo pala siya tumitingin, e Abril pa lang noon.

Nang malaman ng amo ang dahilan ng kanyang pagkakamali ay sinabihan siya sa banayad na salita na ipagluto na lang sila ng simpleng noodles, kahit udon o mifan na may sahog na balls o dumplings at gulay.

Pinagpawisan ng husto si Flora kahit medyo nawala na ang kanyang kaba. Hindi kasi iyon ang unang pagkakataon na pumalpak siya sa pagbabasa ng memo sa kalendaryo na sinulat ng kanyang mga amo. Mula noon ay itinaon niya sa isip na ilang beses na niyang sisiguraduhin ang mga petsang hindi siya kailangang magluto ng hapunan. – George Manalansan

Nanibago sa bagong amo

Nahirapan mag-adjust si Joe, 38, taga Bataan, nang lumipat sa bagong among Intsik amo. Dati kasi siyang stay-out at tagapag-alaga ng isang matanda kaya hindi niya kinailangang makisalamuha sa maraming tao.

Lumipat siya sa bagong amo matapos mag-aral mag-drive, at na-offeran ng mas malaking suweldo. Mababait naman ang kanyang mga bagong amo.

Sa unang gabi niya sa kanila ay sinabihan siyang umupo sa hapag-kainan kasama ang isang kababayang babae. Dahil asiwang-asiwa siya sa pagkilos ay nakiusap siya na sa kusina na lang kumain sa susunod, at pumayag naman sila. Agad namang sumama sa kanya ang kasamang Pinay na hindi rin pala komportable na kasama ang mga amo sa hapag-kainan.

Hindi rin madamot ang mga amo sa pagkain. Isang araw ay may nakita siyang mangga sa kusina, at tinanong niya ang kasambahay kung puwedeng kumain nito. Ang sagot naman ng Pinay, “Ang sabi ni boss ay ganito, you can eat but do not finish it.” Tawanan silang pareho sa sinabi nito.

Sa pagdaan ng mga araw ay nagpatuloy ang pagkailang ni Joe sa mga ginagawa sa loob ng bahay ng amo. Minsan kasi ay sinita siya ni paupau dahil nakita siyang nagkakamay sa pagkain. “Oh ow wu cho, um kon cheng,”sabi ni paupau, na ang ibig sabihin ay madumi.

Napahiya si Joe kaya mula noon ay nagkakamay na lang siya ulit kapag sa labas nag-dinner ang mga amo. Ang isa pang pinuna ng mabait na matanda ay iyong paggamit niya ng malaking bowl sa pagkain. Medyo bitin daw kasi siya sa bowl na maliit, na siyang ginagamit ng mga Intsik sa pagkain.

Pagkakita sa kanya ng matanda ay sinabi ang “Whoa, sik kam to” na ang ibig sabihin ay ang takaw naman niya. Dahil medyo sanay na sa kantyaw ng matanda ay tinawanan na lang niya ito, at pagtalikod ay bumalik sa kanyang malaking kainan.

Bagamat naninibago pa rin ay natuto na ring sakyan ni Joe ang mga kaugalian ng mga amo, katulad halimbawa ng kapag may inabot sa iyo ay dapat dalawang kamay ang iyong gagamitin sa pagtanggap. Sinusunod din niya ang pamahiin nila na maligo ng may dahong pinakulo, sa kaisipang nakakatulong ito para mapaalis ang mga masasamang espiritu.

Sabi ni Joe, madami siyang natutunan sa kulturang Intsik ng dahil sa pagtira sa bahay ng amo. Hindi naman daw masama ang makibagay kung hindi naman makakasama sa iyo. Ang pinakaimportante, mababait ang kanyang mga pinagsisilbihan at hindi marunong magtanim ng galit. Maaaring sitahin ka ngayon sa ginawa mo, pero kinabukasan ay ok na ulit sila. – George Manalansan

Filipina set to plead guilty to $180k burglary

Filipina set to plead guilty to $180k theft
at District Court on Sept3

Vir B. Lumicao

A Filipina former domestic worker accused of stealing $180,000 from a commercial building in Central early this year is ready to plead guilty to a charge of burglary, according to her lawyer.

District Court Judge Anthony Kwok told Rachel B Rosimo on May 17 to return to the court on Sept 5 for the plea-taking.

Rosimo first appeared in Eastern Court, charged with one count of burglary and another count of breach of condition of stay. The case was moved to the District Court because of the severity of the charges.

The charge for the immigration offence was added after investigators discovered that Rosimo had worked as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, then remained illegally after he contract was prematurely terminated.

The 35-year-old woman, said to be a clerk, was originally accused of  theft, but the charge was subsequently amended to burglary.

A police report said Rachel Rosimo, 35, trespassed into the Sante Barley Ltd office in Room 1003, Lansing House on Queen’s Road Central, on an unspecified date and made off with $180,000 in cash.

The amended charge said she carried out the burglary with the involvement of other unknown persons. Police are still investigating.

Rosimo did not apply for bail, so she was kept in police custody.

German model fined $5k for taking stuff a Pinay had left behind

Court rules theft includes taking things
that are left behind

A female German model was fined $5,000 by an Eastern Court magistrate after she pleaded guilty to a charge of theft for taking a paper bag with two electrical appliances that a Filipina had left behind in a bakeshop in Causeway Bay.

A remorseful Melina Budde, 20, apologized for the offense after she was convicted on May 18 by Magistrate Peter Law. She went to court without a lawyer to represent her.

The prosecution said police arrested Budde on Apr 20 after CCTV footage of the Fusion Bakeshop in Park N Shop at Leighton Centre showed her making off with the bag, which contained a Panasonic cooker and Tefal hair straightener.

The investigators reviewed other CCTV footages in the area until they traced where  Budde was staying. They went to the place and found the defendant as well as the missing appliances there.

The owner of the appliances, Cristina  M. Escalona, told the police that she forgot about the bag after buying some stuff at the bakeshop at around 7am on Apr 18.

When the Filipina returned to the shop shortly afterwards to retrieve the bag, it was already gone, prompting her to report to the police.

Law imposed a fine of $5,000 as a sentence and ordered Budde to pay up within a week. She said she did not have that amount but would ask her parents to send her money.

Budde said she was due to fly out of Hong Kong on June 30, so, Law warned her she would be in deep trouble if she left without settling her fine. – Vir B. Lumicao

Education still top priority of OFWs—survey

By Daisy CL Mandap


Most Filipinos still go abroad to provide for their children’s education.

This fact is shown by a recently released survey on the impact of Card OFW Foundation’s Financial Literacy Program on overseas Filipino workers. The 91 respondents were randomly selected from among graduates of the program, which has been conducted in Hong Kong since 2011.

OFWs still have their priorities in mind.

The study showed that 51% of the respondents, regardless of the time since they completed the program, allocated their budgets mainly for their children’s education. This was far higher than the 34% allocation for their family’s daily needs.

Savings, which is one of the targeted goals of the program, only took up 21% of their budgets, slightly less than the 22% eaten up by medical expenses.

Surprisingly, allocating money for housing, which used to be identified as one of the biggest reasons why Filipinos go abroad to work, has fallen way below in the list of priorities, now accounting for only 19% of the respondents’ budget. But this could also be because the cost of houses is now beyond the reach of an ordinary OFW.

Card OFW Foundation noted, however, that while education ate up the biggest share of a migrant worker’s budget, it was also cited by respondents as the main reason why they borrow money.

“Although the survey is limited in finding out the reason behind this, on a more positive note, it is evident that education of the children is one of the most important priorities of OFWs,” said the report.

An interesting finding was the big number of respondents (77%) who said they had taken out an insurance in some form, apparently in response also to growing concerns about medical and health issues.

“Some of them, depending on their budget and number of dependents, afford to pay for more than one type of insurance but in all combination of insurances they avail, there is always a medical or health insurance. This shows they value health insurance, whether it is for their personal use or for their dependents,” said the report.

As for the program’s popularity among the OFWs, a whopping 97% of the respondents said that they liked the topics discussed, particularly budgeting (79%), goal settings (77%), needs and wants (70%) savings and unforeseen events (70%), investment (64%), and debt management (56%).

A big number (78%) of the respondents also said they liked the additional knowledge gained in managing their finances, for others the opportunity to save (66%) and the motivation to invest their money (54%).

Nearly all (92%) said they did not find anything to dislike in the program, but they wished for additional topics to be discussed, like investment and networking. A negligible number found fault in the lack of time to sufficiently cover all the topics, or the late start in the discussions.

Overall, the respondents gave a 4.4 rating on a scale of 5 to the program, indicating a high level of satisfaction from among those who took it.

But the program’s actual impact, based on the participants’ self-assessment, was not as dramatic.

The biggest change indicated by the respondents was the increase in their knowledge of budgeting, at 80%. This was followed by an increased awareness in listing down earnings and expenses (78%), the need to save (76%) and making sure that their expenses were in line with their income (62%).

“Most of the respondents revealed that after completing the Financial Literacy Program, most of them gained more than enough knowledge to help them improve their skills on budgeting and relatively giving importance to the value of savings as well,” said the report.

It also pointed out that the OFWs were not the only ones who received financial education through the program, but also their relatives who play an important role in managing the money that they send home.

Pinay DH held for drug trafficking

By The SUN

A Filipina domestic helper will appear at the Eastern magistracy on Jun 25 to answer a charge of drug trafficking.

Sharon V. Berces first appeared at Kowloon City court on May 21, but prosecutors told Magistrate Woo Huey-fang that her case would be transferred to the Eastern court.

The prosecution also opposed granting bail to Berces, citing the seriousness of the case and her being a  flight risk because she has no local ties.

Berces has been in custody since her arrest on Feb 28.

No other details of her case, such as the amount of drugs involved, were available.