Nagsawa sa kakasagot sa walang alam

Naiinis ang mga kasambahay na nakakausap ni Nona sa playground tuwing nakikipaglaro ang kanyang alaga sa mga ibang bata doon dahil tanong siya ng tanong. Noong una ay sinasagot pa siya ng maayos tuwing nagtatanong siya dahil baguhan pa lang siya sa Hong Kong, pero noong bandang huli ay hindi na siya masyadong pinapansin. Pare-pareho naman kasi ang tinatanong niya sa mga kausap kaya madali silang nagsawa sa kakasagot. Sobrang katangahan naman daw nito dahil parang hindi naiintindihan ang mga paliwanag sa kanya, o kaya ay ayaw niyang paniwalaan. Nung minsan ay nainis lalo sa kanya ang isang kausap dahil nagtanong siya kung sino si Leni Robredo, ang kandidato ng administrasyon sa pagka bise presidente ng Pilipinas. Medyo napahiya siya sa sinabi ng kausap na bakit hindi niya ito kilala eh ilang buwan pa lamang siya dito sa Hong Kong. Naawa naman ang iba sa kanya dahil parang walang naiiwan sa utak niya sa mga sinasabi nila sa kanya. Pumapasok sa kaliwang tenga at lumalabas din sa kabila. Nagtataka din sila kung paano siya natatagalan ng kanyang amo dahil parang wala siyang kaalam-alam. Si Nona ay tubong Visayas, may mga anak at asawang naiwan sa Pilipinas. – Marites Palma

Nakakita ng kasimpatiya

Magdamag na hindi nakatulog si Ann dahil sa pagbabantay ng resulta sa naganap na pambansang halalan sa Pilipinas. Sobrang lungkot ang kanyang nadama nang makitang malaki ang pagkatalo ng kanyang kandidato sa pagka-presidente kaya nakatulog siyang umiiyak. Kinabukasan ay agad tinanong ng kanyang among Briton kung sino ang nanalong presidente, at hindi niya napigilan ang hindi umiyak. Bukod kasi sa pagkatalo ng kanyang manok ay masama din ang loob niya dahil sa dami nang nang-away, nagpahiya at nag-block pa sa kanya sa Facebook dahil sa pagtatanggol niya sa kanyang kandidato. Lantaran kasi siyang nagpapahayag ng kanyang damdamin tungkol sa mga iba’t ibang post ng paninira laban sa sinusuportahan niyang partido. Tinapik siya sa balikat ng kanyang amo at sabay sabing, “Just hope and pray that the incoming president will make the Philippines the best country in Asia.” Nahimasmasan siya sa tinuran ng amo, at agad niyang inihanda ang agahan nito. Nakatulong din na napasama siya sa grupong The Silent Majority kaya kahit paano ay may kasama siyang nalungkot sa pagkatalo ni Mar Roxas bilang presidente. Lubha siyang natuwa sa grupo dahil buong pagpapakumbaba nilang tinanggap ang kanilang pagkatalo, at nanatiling disente sa kabila ng maanghang na salitang binabato sa kanila. Dahil sa kanila ay magaan na ang kanyang pakiramdam ngayon, at umaasa pa rin na ang kanyang kandidatong si Leni Robredo ang siyang mananaig sa mahigpit na labanan para sa pagka bise presidnte. Si Ann ay tubong Cebu, nagsosolong magulang at may dalawang anak. – Marites Palma

No choice kahit masama ang loob

Sa pagpirmahan pa lang ng kontrata ni Leni sa kanyang among Briton ay napagkasunduan na nilang ang kanyang day off ay araw ng Linggo. Makailang beses niya itong nilinaw para hindi sila magkaroon ng di pagkakaunawaan pagdating ng araw. May kasamang Pinay sa bahay na pinagtatrabuhan si Leni at pareho silang Linggo ang day off. Maayos naman ang ganitong kalakaran sa kanilang mga amo, kaya noong Mayo 1 at 2 na araw ng Linggo at statutory holiday ay pareho silang lumabas nang magkasunod na araw.  Makaraan ang ilang araw ay tila sumama ang timpla ng kanilang mga amo at halatang may tila ipahiwatig ito. Bandang huli ay nag-text ang among babae kay Leni para sabihing hindi ito sang-ayon na ang dalawa nilang katulong ay lumalabas nang sabay dahil wala silang makasama sa bahay sa araw ng Linggo o holiday. May iniinda umano itong sakit at ang kanya namang asawa ay laging pagod sa trabaho at gabi na kung umuwi lagi. Hindi nagustuhan ni Leni ang ganitong pananalita ng kanyang amo dahil sa halip na kausapin sila ng personal at dinaan pa nito sa pagte text. Kalaunan ay nakipag usap din ang amo sa kanilang dalawa at nilinaw nila pareho na ito ang dati na nilang napagkasunduan sa simula pa. Sinabi naman ng amo na mag-uusap silang muli, at sa susunod ay kasama na sa usapan ang asaw nito. Sa tonong nanunumbat ay binanggit pa ng among babae na mataas kaysa minimum ang kanilang sahod, at nagbibigay pa umano sila ng bonus sa kanilang mga katulong. Inulit muli nito ang nasabi na ng kanyang asawa tungkol sa kanilang day off at statutory holiday. Ayon sa kanilang amo, gusto nilang maging masaya ang kanilang mga kasambahay nguni’t dahil dito ay sila naman ang nahihirapan sa pag-aalaga ng kanilang mga anak at pag-aasikaso sa bahay kapag sabay na lumalabas ang kanilang mga kasambahay. Sa pahiwatig ng mga salita ng amo ay dapat na maging alternate ang day off nila at ganoon din kapag statutory holiday. Hindi sang ayon si Leni dito dahil ang pinanghahawakan niya ay ang kanilang usapan bago sila pumirma ng kontrata, ngunit binigyan lang sila ng isang linggo para magpasya kung papayag sa gusto ng kanilang mga amo. Walang nagawa ang dalawa kahit masama ang kanilang loob dahil alam nilang papalitan sila kapag hidi sila pumayag, lalo na si Leni na ilang buwan pa lang sa mga amo. –Jo Campos

HK businesses join fight vs trafficking

ConGen Bernie Catalla (fourth from left) is one of the special guests for the ceremonial ribbon-cutting.

By Vir B. Lumicao

Somewhere among Hong Kong’s 2.48 million households there are domestic helpers who are virtual human slaves because of their long working hours and the huge debts they had to incur to secure their jobs.
Because they work between 17-18 hours a day and are in debt bondage, they are deemed to be in slave-like conditions, which is the main reason why the U. S. State Department has given Hong Kong a Tier 2 rating in its annual human trafficking report since 2009 .
The Tier 2 ranking means Hong Kong lags in complying with minimum international standards for the elimination of human trafficking and slavery. It is a charge the government rejects because the TIP report allegedly fails to reflect the authorities’ “unfailing and continuous efforts” in fighting the scourge.
Amidst this scenario, a private organization called The Mekong Club is enlisting Corporate Hong Kong in the fight against human trafficking, and the effort is led by an expert in the global campaign to stamp out the menace.
Matthew Friedman, chief executive of The Mekong Club, says he has been working to eliminate human trafficking for the past 26 years -- as regional project manager of the UN Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking based in Bangkok from 2006 to 2012, and as deputy director of the USAID Office of Public Health at the Regional Development Mission-Asia Region from 1991 to 2006.
Those jobs saw him living in Nepal, Bangladesh and Thailand for several years and in Hong Kong for the past two years as he helps reduce the estimated 36 million slaves around the world, 66% or 23.4 million of whom are in Asia, according to the 2015 Global Slavery Index.
“I work for an organization called The Mekong Club. I work with banks, I work with corporations,” Friedman said in an interview with The SUN on the sidelines of the “1 People 1 City” multi-cultural Festival at Southorn Playground on May 8.
“We train them on what they need to know in order to protect their business because the profit generated from slavery is US$1.1 trillion annually, (and) the banks fear that if that money goes into the banks, it’s money laundering,” he said.
Friedman said manufacturers are concerned about the possibility that slavery is involved in their supply chain. “So we work to get corporations to train in this so they could look into their business and ensure there could be no problem with them,” he said.
The two-day festival on May 7-8, hosted by the International Christian Assembly, aimed to raise over $1 million to help The Mekong Club set up support programs including raising businesses and NGOs’ awareness of modern-day slavery.
The people of Hong Kong are very receptive to the campaign against human trafficking, Friedman said. But he admits there are documented cases of human slavery here. “You see it in people in forced prostitution, you see it among domestic helpers,” he said.
“We would like to put a more positive spin on the fact that corporations are stepping up, they are becoming interested, they want to take on a leadership role, they understand that they live as part of this world,” Friedman said.
“The banks are beginning to proactively address this, manufacturers are doing that, and a lot of people look at the corporate sector here, saying that ‘they don’t care, they use profits from slavery, that’s the case’. I have very good relationships with the corporates, they are very interested in this idea” of the private sector leading the fight

Labatt to help nurses, midwives look for better jobs

By Daisy CL Mandap

Labor Attache Jalilo de la Torre is set to meet with registered nurses and midwives in Hong Kong this Sunday, May 15, to help them identify “alternative employment and reintegration options” back in the Philippines.
Labatt de la Torre said the move is in line with the government’s effort to get as many Filipino professionals working overseas to fill up positions that are available back home, or to go somewhere else where they can practice their profession, and get better pay.
Currently, Germany is recruiting Filipino nurses and other health professionals under a special no-placement fee arrangement with the Philippine government.
More recently, Saudi Arabia’s health ministry issued a notice through the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), of its urgent need for 400 female nurses for the King Saud Medical City in Riyadh.
Nurses’ leader Lorna Pagaduan and Brenda Atrero, president of the Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines – Hong Kong, both welcomed the initiative.
“That is the reason we are conducting a signature campaign for the midwifery board examination to be held here again,” said Atrero. “Many of our members have managed to move on to other countries for better paying jobs, or back to the Philippines, after passing the exam.”
She said their counterpart group in the Philippines has told them that at least 50 examinees are needed for the licensure exam to be held in Hong Kong. As there are only about 15 IMAP-HK members who are still under board, she has enlisted the help of the Consulate and other groups like The SUN to get more midwifery graduates to sign up for the campaign.
Pagaduan is also hopeful of having another nursing licensure examination to be held in Hong Kong, despite her group’s dismal performance in the first such qualifying test held here in 2009.
That year, licensure exams were held separately for nursing and midwifery graduates working as domestic helpers in Hong Kong. While half of the 28 midwifery examinees passed, only 2 of the 90 nursing examinees made the mark.
Pagaduan has attributed the OFW examinees’ low passing rate to time constraints and the lack of exposure to current nursing trends.
Both groups hope to do better in the next round, with help from the government in preparing their members for the examination.
The Department of Labor and Employment, through its National Reintegration Center where Labatt de la Torre used to be connected, is currently working on getting as many 300 teachers abroad, to go home and teach. The main attraction is the Php18,000 monthly salary offered to first-time teachers in the Philippines, which is higher than what most OFWs make, although slightly less than what is paid to those working in Hong Kong.
So far, only 10 have taken up the offer under the “Sa Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am/Sir”, and all were from Hong Kong.
Those who want to join the meeting with Labatt de la Torre may go to the POLO office at Admiralty Tower 1, 11th Floor this Sunday, May 15. The meeting with the midwives will take place at 3pm, and 4pm for the nurses.

Duterte wins presidency

After more than three months of campaign that saw dirty words and tactics being flung freely on social media, Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte emerged as winner by landslide in the May 9 presidential elections.
But Duterte, 71, offered his hand for healing and peace even before the balloting was over. He asked opponents to “forget about the travails” of the elections and help him “begin the healing now.”
This, despite his campaign that featured rash talking, including a rape joke, and use of bullying by his trolls on social media—behaviors that he himself tried to curb by calling on his supporters to stop.
After casting his vote at the Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School in Matina district, Davao City, Duterte said the “virulent” campaign season should not stop him and his political rivals from mending fences and helping one another in nation building.
When the vote count indicated Duterte was way ahead, candidate Grace Poe conceded. Mar Roxas followed the next day.
The election was as much a victory for the Commission on Elections (Comelec), which reported a voter turnout of 81 percent of the country’s 54.3 million registered voters. The poll body had expected  a 75 percent turnout.
In comparison, Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said, the 2010 presidential elections had a voter turnout of 74.8 percent while the 2013 local elections, had 77 percent.
The speed of transmission of election results was also the fastest of the three polls in which vote counting machines were used, with 60 percent sent in by 9:30 p.m. on May 9 from more than 92,509 precincts across the country.
Bautista attributed this to the preparation that included lessons from experiences in the 2010 and 2013 elections and pinpointing where and what equipment to deploy to guarantee transmission.
He said they also met with telecom companies to guarantee privacy, priority and security of data. He added that the manual upload of data from SD cards also helped.
Among the country’s 19 regions, the National Capital Region (Metro Manila), Region 3 (Central Luzon) and Region 4-A (Calabarzon) had transmitted more than 70 percent of the votes to the Comelec by 9:30 p.m.
The first to accept the trends these these reports had indicated was Senator Poe.
In a press conference at midnight, Poe said she recognized the wide lead that Duterte enjoyed and assured him of her cooperation for the good of the country.
At past noon the next day, Roxas gathered his staff at the campaign headquarters and wished Duterte success.
The emotional but calm Roxas said:  “Digong, I wish you success. Ang inyong tagumpay ay tagumpay ng ating sambayanan at ng ating bansa.”
The former Interior secretary thanked his supporters and called for reconciliation after a bitter quest for the highest post in government.
But Roxas said the fight remains for his running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, for the vice presidency.
“Sa ngayon, hindi pa tapos ang laban ni Leni. Angat siya, lumalaban siya. Patuloy tayong magbantay, manalig at sumuporta. Siguraduhin natin na mabibilang nang tama ang kanyang boto,” he said.
Comelec’s Bautista said the gesture of some candidates to acknowledge the victory of their opponents was a good way to ease political tension. “I hope this will become a tradition that will be practiced in the future elections,” he said.

May 9 polls went smoothly–Comelec

The May 9 elections were generally smooth despite some problems involving bogged down vote counting machines.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista said about 150 vote counting machines were deployed to replace those that bogged down. Around 2,500 machines encountered problems in various areas although the rest were addressed without need of replacement.
Voting time did not start as scheduled at 6 a.m. in some areas and was extended by an hour to 6 p.m. in other areas.
Bautista said the Comelec still did better this year compared to previous elections.
In 2010, about 205 of 76,347 machines or about 0.26 percent needed to be replaced. In 2013, some 171 out 77,829 had to be replaced. This year, 150 out of 92,509 or 0.016 percent needed replacement.
The number of calls to the national support center was not as bad as in 2013. In 2010, there were 1,966 calls out of 76,347 machines that translate to a percentage of 2.57 percent. In 2013 there were 4,760 out of 77,829 machines or 6.11 percent. In 2016, as of 4 p.m., 2,363 calls were made out of 92,509 or a percentage of 2.55 percent.
There is also no information yet on areas where failure of elections was declared. Bautista said in Cordoba, Cebu, there were reports of misdelivery of ballots.
The Comelec chief said the National Board of Canvassers will try to reach the target of proclaiming the winning senators within a week.
He said among the common complaints they have received are machines not accepting ballots and the failure of the machines to print.

Prim and proper Digong?

From a trash-talking candidate, former Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to be “prim and proper” once he assumes the presidency.
“I need to control my mouth. I cannot be bastos because I am representing our country,” he told newsmen in Davao City.
“If you are the president of the country, you need to be prim and proper, almost, maging holy na ako (I would become holy),” Duterte also said during a late-night program with religious sect leader Apollo Quiboloy
Duterte’s common-law wife Cielito Avanceña said he is ready to be a statesman. ”The character that he projected during the campaign was the character that is very appropriate for the campaign period kasi awayan ‘yan eh (because it’s full of arguments). Presidency, are you still going to don such character when you should act like a statesman?” Avanceña said on the sidelines.
She said the 90-day official campaign period was a battle between lions and tigers.
“He respects the position. Presidente na siya ng Republika ng Pilipinas. Lawyer siya eh. Alam niya iyong pinasok niya. Alam niya iyong panghahawakan niyang position,” she said.
Avanceña said the real work was not during the campaign period but once Duterte assumed the presidency.
As to his agenda once he takes over from President Benigno S. Aquino III, the first priority would be taking over the government.
The Duterte group has named transition committee members: campaign manager Leoncio Jun Evasco; assistant campaign manager and executive assistant Christopher Bong Go; Carlos G. Dominguez, former cabinet member and head of campaign’s Finance Committee; lawyers Salvador Medialdea and Loreto Ata, and spokesman Tony Lavina. They will soon meet with the Aquino government’s transition team to be headed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr.
Lavina said revising the Constitution would be a priority with the view of shifting the form of government from presidential-unitary to parliamentary and federal system. He said Duterte would submit the issue—which devolves power from national government—to a national consensus.
Duterte would also resume negotiations for peace with rebel groups.
Duterte reiterated his vow to go after drug syndicates and other criminals and warned corrupt law enforcers to either retire or die.
He said he would seek multilateral talks to resolve territorial disputes with China over islands in the West Philippine Sea.
Earlier, Duterte showed his displeasure over the outgoing government’s move to raise the territorial dispute with China to international arbitration.

Aquino: End bickering

As the May 9 election results showed the apparent winners, President Benigno Aquino III called on Filipinos to immediately end political bickering and urged the public to accept and respect the outcome of the elections.
“Ipakita po natin sa buong mundo na gaano man kalalim ang ating mga damdamin at paninindigan para sa ating kandidato, ay kaya nating magsagawa ng isang eleksyong mapayapa, maayos at tunay na sumasalamin sa diwa ng demokrasya [Let us show to the world that no matter how deep our conviction and dedication to our candidates, we can have peaceful and orderly elections that mirrors our democratic processes],” Aquino said.
“Sa demokrasya, lahat ay nakakapagdesisyon. Sa huli, pagkatapos ng halalan, nawa’y matigil na ang bangayan. Igalang at unawain natin ang anumang pasyang bunga ng pagsasama ng tinig ng mas nakararami para sa ating lahat [Under a democracy, everyone can make a decision. In the end, and after the elections, I hope that the bickering will end. Let us respect and understand whatever will be the fruit of our respective decisions]” he added.
“Bawat isa sa atin, anuman ang kalagayan sa buhay, ay may tag-iisang boto, upang direktang maghalal ng mga susunod nating pinuno. Ito ang bubuo ng ating kolektibong desisyon ukol sa kinabukasan ng ating bansa [Each one of us, whatever our station in life, has one vote so that we can directly choose our next leader],” the President said.
He cautioned the people to verify the source of reports on election results and to be wary of speculations and false news.
“Karangalan ko pong maging bahagi ng mapayapang pagsasalin ng kapangyarihan sa ilalim ng ating mga demokratikong proseso [It is an honor to be part of the turnover of leadership under our democratic processes],” the President said.

Attention: All Nurses and Midwives
There will be a dialogue with Labor Attache Jalilo de la Torre this Sunday, May 15, at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office, 11th floor, Admiralty Centre Tower1.
The focus will be on alternative employment and reintegration options for health professionals back in the Philippines.
The meeting with nurses will be held at 3pm, and with midwives at 4pm. For details, call Brenda of IMAP at 6776 2604 or Lorna at 6162 5584.

Kapangyawan Friendship Festival 2016 ‘Sayaw Pinoy’ Auditions
Auditions will be held on the following dates at the Philippine Consulate General for cultural groups that have signed up for the “Sayaw Pinoy” performance in the Kapangyawan Friendship Festival 2016 as part of the Philippine Independence Day celebrations on June 12.
May 8 (Sunday), 5pm to 7pm – Cordillera and Maria Clara Suites
May 15 (Sunday), 5pm to 6:30pm – Muslim and Rural Suites
Venue: PCG Conference Room
Groups are required to bring USB drive with their musical piece in MP3 format
For more information, please contact the PCG Cultural Section via email: cultural_hk@yahoo.com with the subject line: SayawPinoy  

Wellness Program for Helpers at Discovery Bay
May 7- 16. Spend some evenings in May to help you learn to manage stress, enhance your physical and mental health and take better control of your life. Workshops take place every Tuesday in May, 7pm at DBIS, room 2-39. Yoga is every Friday at 7pm at Movement Improvement (Unit 10, 1st Floor, Block 2, North Plaza). Please register with us Migrants in Action, and tell us your name, phone number and which workshops you want to attend. You can also email migrantsinaction@gmail.com.

The SUN Calendar

Counter Trafficking Training Workshop 
May 15, 2-5pm, PCG Conference Room
Organizer: International Organization for Migration
Topics: What is human trafficking and how OFWs can help combat it. To register, call Ms Lorna (ATN) at 2823 8512 or email hongkong.pcg@dfa.gov.ph (subject line "IOM Anti-Trafficking Seminar")

Cordillera Day (Part2)
May 15, 1-5pm. City Hall grounds. (Events to highlight the annual Cordillera Day Celebration in HK)

Magtanong kay Doc Part 2
May 22, PCG Conference Room
1:30-4:30pm Free one-on-one consultation
4:30-6:00pm Health Talk
Topic: Breast & Ovarian Cancer Facts
Speaker: Dr. Romeo V. Orteza, neuro-trauma surgeon, complementary & alternative medicine practitioner, St. Lukes Global Medical Center. To register, call: Evelyn: 6625 5924, Reign 9840 9473 or Glenn 9226.6341

Ms Bella Vita HK and Housing Fair
May 22, 11am-6pm. Delifrance, 1F, Worldwide Plaza, Central
For details, contact Ayala Land HK, Shop 331, WorldWide Plaza

Bloodletting Day
June 5, Red Cross Centre, Causeway Bay
Organizer: PGBI AGUILA, Contact: Gener @55908253

ICM Annual Banquet
Oct 24, 6pm onwards. Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wanchai.
This is an annual fundraising for the “poorest of the poor” in the Philippines. Table prices with 12 persons each range from $30,000 to $100,000. For more information or any questions, please email banquet@caremin.com or call +852 2548 9038.

Seared salmon fillets in mango-orange sauce

By JC The Foodie

I love to try or experiment with various sauces and marinades, making a simple dish into something special and a touch of some love into it.
This recipe is the latest entry in a compilation that I have whipped up over the years.
I have chosen to start with it as salmon is quite cheap in Hong Kong, and is a favorite with many, eaten raw or smoked, or cooked in various ways.
Salmon is also very nutritious and is a good substitute to meat.
I commonly see recipes using lemon and butter to make a sauce that compliments fish very well. Adventurous as I am with my ingredients, I made a fusion of citrus fruit and a tropical fruit to create this unique dish.
Mango is in season and oranges are readily available throughout the year, although dalandan can be used to define an Asian flavor into it.
This sauce was created out of boredom from my usual pan fried salmon which I am very fond of. One day, I opened the fridge and just picked up whatever I could use and voila! This tangy-fruity-herb infused sauce is just fab, you simply have to try it!
– Jo Campos

Seared salmon fillets in mango-orange sauce

Ingredients:
• Salmon fillets
• Freshly squeezed orange juice
• Fresh dill
• Ripe Philippine mango
• Small knob of ginger
• Butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dash of chili powder
• Orange rind

Procedure:

Preparing the salmon fillets:
1. Wash and pat dry salmon fillets. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a griddle or frying pan, sear salmon fillets on high heat for a few minutes to brown all sides quickly and the skin should be crunchy. Be sure not to overcook as the salmon will be dry inside.

For the sauce:
1. Squeeze the juice of an orange. Set aside.
2. Using a peeler, peel the skin of an orange, making sure that only the outer of the orange skin is peeled away as the white part is bitter. Slice into very thin julienne strips.
3. Peel ginger and slice thinly into julienne strips.
4. Slice mango. Cut a criss-cross pattern on the mango halves and scoop out the flesh.
5. In a small pan, melt butter till bubbly in low heat, making sure not to burn the butter.
6. Add ginger and saute till fragrant, add orange juice followed by orange rind and diced mangoes.
7. Let the sauce simmer in low heat till reduced. Season with salt and pepper and a dash of chili powder for a kick!
8. Turn off heat and add dill.
9. Arrange on a serving plate and drizzle generously  with sauce. Serve warm with green veggies..

NOTE: You can adjust the quantities of ingredients according to your taste.

Police cases: theft, assault and abuse

In the Mission’s year-end report of 2015, it is stated that 12% of those we assisted were involved in police-related cases ranging from physical assault, sexual abuse and alleged theft.
Within just a few months of this year, there has been a marked increase in the number of police-related cases, and most of them involve accusations of theft. Since, based on our case intake, many of our clients are new arrivals - meaning that they have just been working in Hong Kong for a year or less - we decided to focus on police-related problems  encountered by migrant workers in this column.
Here are some of the cases the Mission handles and some important points for migrant workers to remember:

Theft
As is commonly known, theft is the taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent, with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. So if you were discovered to have taken, then kept, your employer’s property or any item that belongs to your employer without their permission, then you can be accused of theft.
If you found something on the street, public toilet, or any public place and kept the said item for yourself, you can be charged with theft. Usually, owners report the loss of their personal belongings to the police. If that reported item is found in your possession by the police, you may be charged with theft, even if you found it only on the street.
We have had a lot of theft cases that resulted from trumped-up charges against the worker. A trumped-up charge happens when someone accuses you of stealing money or anything and these are found in your belongings. Remember that the police will not be after whether the allegation is true or not. Their main duty is to report if there is sufficient evidence to merit the filing of a case in court, which means the item in question is found in the possession of the accused, and it has been established that the accused had put that item in her belongings.

Physical and sexual assault
At the Mission, we usually handle cases of migrant workers who were assaulted by their employer or a member of the extended family of the employer. In most of these cases, the assault had already happened before our help was sought. What we try to do is to make the incident as clear as possible for the victim so that during the statement making at the police station, she or he can clearly state the facts and produce all possible evidence to strengthen the case.

Now, what should one do in the above situations?
If you find an item or money or anything on the streets, ignore it for it is best to be safe. But because we feel concern for the person who lost a valuable item such as a passport, HKID, and the like, we can immediately report the matter to any police officer we see in the street. Let the police officer decide on what to do.
However, if you decide to pick it up, bring it immediately to a police officer or proceed to any nearby police station. If you picked up such items and kept them, you could be charged with stealing, if the item had been reported to the police as missing.
If you are accused of stealing an item belonging to your employer - assuming that the item was found in your luggage but you did not take it and put it in your luggage - do not say anything during investigation by the police. This is because anything that you say and put into writing either by you or the investigator may be used as evidence against you should the case go to court.
In such a case, it is better to ask assistance from service providers like the Mission for legal assistance. Start to recall every detail of the incident. Sometimes, a factual statement that can help raise doubts in the statement of the accuser can come out from the details. It is best to write down your recollection of the events that led to the case so you can review them later on, and would be easier for you to make an accurate narration of the incident.
On physical abuse and/or sexual abuse
You should remember that in these cases wherein you are the accuser, the burden of proof lies on you. This means that you, as the accuser, should be the one to produce the proof or evidence that could allow the police to pursue investigation or prosecution.
In cases of physical and/or sexual abuse, there are important points to remember, that is why you should seek assistance or legal advice from service providers like the Mission. But if you are already in the investigation room at the Police Station, here are some important points:
Try to calm down and remember that you are not the one being accused. Put in mind that you are the accuser and what you are saying is the truth.
If there is no sufficient evidence, the police is duty-bound to just dismiss the case. They will have to inform you officially that they will not pursue the case, and why. If you are still under stress which affects your thinking, you can ask the police if they can reset the investigation to some other day and let you rest first. If it is not granted, then you will just have to relax yourself so that your answers to questions are clear and the facts are well established.
In giving a statement, remember all the details. Details help boost the credibility of your statement. Usually, the police will ask clarificatory questions because they want to establish whether there is sufficient evidence that will be acceptable to the court.
After the police investigation you may ask for assistance, especially with counseling, to help you overcome the trauma brought about by the incident. You may seek assistance from service providers to guide you on what steps to take in connection with your case. This will help you clear your mind and prepare you, whether the case progresses or not.

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This is the monthly column from the Mission for Migrant Workers, an institution that has been serving the needs of migrant workers in Hong Kong for over 31 years. The Mission, headed by its general manager, Cynthia Tellez, assists migrant workers who are in distress, and  focuses its efforts on crisis intervention and prevention through migrant empowerment. Mission has its offices at St John’s Cathedral on Garden Road, Central, and may be reached through tel. no. 2522 8264.

Tapos na ang halalan, ibalik na rin sa dati ang buhay

Natapos na ang halalan na maitatala sa kasaysayan bilang sanhi ng hidwaan sa mismong mga tahanan, sa magkakamag-anak, sa mga opisina o samahan, at sa pagitan ng mga magkakaibigan.
Kapag napawi na ang usok at ingay ng labanang pulitika at na humupa ang tensiyon, kapag malinaw na kung sino ang nanalo sa eleksiyon, sana ay bumalik na rin sa normal ang buhay ng mga mamamayang Pilipino.
Nakilala ang Pilipinas bilang isang bansang may pinakamahabang panahon ng pangangampanya sa eleksiyon dahil nakaugalian na ng mga pulitiko natin ang maagang paghahanda para sa susunod na halalan.
Sa unang araw pa lamang ng pag-upo ng isang nahalal na opisyal ay nagkakaroon na siya ng pakikipag-iringan sa nakalabang pulitiko. Nasaksaksihan na natin ang mga pangyayaring kapag umupo na sa puwesto ang nahalal ay uumpisahan na niyang singilin ang mga nagkaatraso sa kaniya.
Nakita na rin natin ang mga pangyayaring ang mga natalong opisyal ay ayaw bumaba sa puwesto at pilit na kumakapit doon, at nakahandang gumamit ng dahas upang huwag lang mapaalis.
Ibinunga ng ganitong kaugalian ang pagkakabaon ng ating kabuhayan sa lubak ng pulitika hanggang sa ang mga proyekto para sa pagpapaunlad ng ating kabuhayan ay nabibinbin at inaabutan ng susunod na halalan.
Mabuti sana kung kakaunting halaga ng pera ang nagugugol ng bansa tuwing may halalan. Sa katatapos lang na halalan, tinatayang umabot sa P10 bilyon ang nagastos ng Commission on Elections sa pagdaos ng halalan 2016, samantalang ang mga pulitikong tumakbo para sa iba’t ibang mga puwesto ay tinatayang gumugol ng humigit-kumulang sa P25 bilyon.
Hindi lamang malaking halaga ng pera ang nagugugol sa halalan. Batay sa ating karanasan, ang mga araw na ito ang pinakamainit na bahagi ng halalan dahil binibilang pa ang mga boto sa iba’t ibang dako ng Pilipinas. Ang ibig sabihin ay mainit pa ang ulo ng mga tao, pulitiko man o tagasuporta.
Madalas nagaganap ang patayang kaugnay ng eleksiyon sa mga panahong ito. Kadalasang nagaganap ang karahasang may kinalaman sa halalan, hindi lamang sa pagitan ng mga tauhan ng mga pulitiko kundi maging sa mga pangkaraniwang mamamayan na nagkataon lang na magkaiba ang ibinoto.
Sa ating mga nasa Hong Kong, kailangan sigurong gayahin natin ang mga tagarito. Kapag tapos na ang eleksiyon, linisin ang kalat, ayusin ang gusot, at ituon ang pansin sa pagpapaunlad sa ating mga sarili.
Kailangang mag-isip-isip at magpakahinahon tayo, nanalo man o natalo ang ating kandidato. Kalimutan natin ang malalim na hidwaan sa ating lipunan na nangyari bago dumating ang mismong halalan, at balikan natin ang dati nating buhay.
Pagkatapos ng salungatan ng mga pananaw ukol sa mga kumandidatong pulitiko, balikan natin ang nagkalamat na pagkakaibigan at sikaping ibalik ito sa ayos.
Sa bandang huli, magkakatulad lang naman tayo na mga Pilipinong naghahanap-buhay sa ibang bansa. At higit sa lahat, huwag nating kaligtaang kalampagin ang mga pulitiko tungkol sa mga dapat nilang gawin para sa kapakanan nating mga OFW. -- Vir B. Lumicao

Sluggers beat rival Pinays for Group B crown of HK Baseball tournament

Philippine Sluggers whoop it up with Coach David Wong after their victory.

Philippine Sluggers crowned itself as Women Grade B champion in the Hong Kong Baseball League 2015/2016 season after beating rival Filipino team Buffalo, 24-6, on May 8 on the Lion Rock pitch.
The victory was a vindication for Sluggers, which slipped last season from Grade A amid a futile struggle to stay in the top division without a coach and amid a loss of its mainstays to migration to greener pastures.
Winning the group championship was also a huge morale-booster for the squad, whose president Cecil Calsas also patiently acted as its coach and trainer in the previous season as its Australian coach John Rostagno went to the Middle East on a job assignment.
Playing without sponsorships, the team of entirely domestic workers spent on their own gear and toughed it out with Calsas as they kept their side intact.
With their brilliant performance on the pitch catching the attention of baseball lovers, helping hands finally reached out to Sluggers.
“Hats off to all the people who helped the team financially and morally to overcome the many months of training and games,” Calsas declared on her Facebook post after the victory on May 8.
“David Wong, you rock! Thank you so much Mr. and Mrs. Ping and Tin Tin Cuisia Remollo for believing in the team's capability. You did it, ladies. Hello A league!” she exclaimed.
Sluggers set up the championship duel with Buffalo, the older all-Filipino team in the league, by pulverizing local side Fortissimo 18-1 in the Group B semifinals on Feb 28 at Hin Keng Field in Tai Wai.
Buffaloes, meanwhile, beat local squad Hare in Group A in March.
After hammering Fortissimo in February, coach David Wong, who came to Sluggers’ aid this season, read the writing on the wall.
“Our fixture has been great, the fielding, there were no errors and everybody peaking in the battings, and in terms of defense they were good, too,” said Wong.
He forecast that Sluggers would return to the A league next season.
This was the first time Wong coached Sluggers and has been with it for the past year, while coaching in the men’s A league.
Rostagno, who returned to the team this season after a four-year absence, also had faith in Sluggers saying it was a very good team. Unfortunately, he was not in Hong Kong to savor the victory with the team as he flew to Dubai shortly after the Tai Wai battle.

Live-out maid chooses jail over squealing on boss

By Vir B. Lumicao

No amount of persuasion moved a Filipina domestic worker on May 6 to cooperate in prosecuting her employer and his cousin for letting her work part-time in a pet shop.
Catherine P. Senica, 40, was convicted of one count each of conspiring to defraud and breach of condition of stay on Mar 18 after she pleaded guilty to the charges.
She was sentenced to four months in jail for the first offence, and two months for the second, with the sentences to run concurrently. The jail terms were cut because of Senica’s guilty pleas.
Principal Magistrate Andrew Ma delayed the sentencing after she agreed to help investigators. However, the Filipina changed her mind when she appeared again in Shatin court on May 6.
The prosecutor was applying for an adjournment of the hearing until Jun 3, telling Ma that two persons – the Filipina’s contractual employer Pang Chi-wai and his sister Elaine – had been arrested and pleaded guilty in connection with Senica’s case.
The prosecutor said the domestic helper had cooperated in the investigation that led to the arrests, and that he would not object to any bail application by the maid.
When Ma asked Senica if she had any comment, the Filipina said she did not want to cooperate with the investigators anymore.
“I want to be sentenced right away,” she said, breaking into tears.
“Why? You have given substantive assistance to the prosecution. There’ll be three months deduction to your sentence if you continue to help,” Ma said, to no avail.
“You have nothing to lose if you help. You came here without a duty lawyer. Would you like to have one so he can advise you?” Ma asked, but Senica begged to be sentenced.
Ma reviewed the records of the case and asked the Filipina whose idea it was for her to work in Elaine’s pet shop. The maid said it was Pang, and that she could not refuse because he was her boss and could terminate her contract.
At one point, Ma asked the maid, “Aside from yourself, who do you think should also be punished?” and she replied his boss’ sister Elaine.
Ma told Senica her employer had already been arrested and asked if she wanted to give evidence against him, but she again refused.

Transgender jailed 6 weeks on illicit sex charges

A Filipino transgender changed his mind and pleaded guilty before his scheduled trial on May 11 for a charge of soliciting for an immoral purpose and breach of condition of stay. As a result, he was sentenced to six weeks in jail for each charge, with the sentences to be served concurrently.
Junisan Catarungan, 21, who came here as a tourist, sobbed as he was sentenced by Eastern Court Magistrate June Cheung.
The soliciting case happened in April, when Catarungan offered to have sex in exchange for $1,500 with an undercover officer who had posed as tourist in a pub in Wanchai.
After the officer agreed to the offer, Catarungan took him to a room in Holiday Inn Express in Causeway Bay. There the officer arrested Catarungan.
The report said a search of the defendant’s belongings yielded unused condoms and a Philippine passport with a Hong Kong Immigration stamp showing he was a tourist permitted to stay in the city from April 15 to 25.
In mitigation, the duty lawyer said Carunungan was single, had a clear record and was a political science and law graduate in the Philippines.
He came to Hong Kong to engage in the illicit trade because of a financial burden.
His job back home paid only Php10,000 a month, which was not enough to support his parents and a brother who had had a mild stroke.
Magistrate Cheung warned the defendant against engaging in illegal work in Hong Kong. “I want to remind you, don’t come back to Hong Kong to find work again or engage in any activity,” Cheung said. – Vir B. Lumicao

2 Pinays jailed for overstaying

By Vir B. Lumicao

Two Filipina former domestic workers who pleaded guilty to charges of overstaying their visas in Hong Kong were each sentenced separately on May 6 to prison terms of four months and eight months, respectively.
Chat A. Amores, 34 years old and single, pleaded guilty to a charge of breaching her condition of stay by overstaying in the city after her visa expired on Jan 12, 2011.
She was arrested by immigration officers on April 5 this year after staying and working illegally in Hong Kong for five years and 11 months.
The prosecution said Amores came to Hong Kong to work as a domestic worker in 2010 but her contract was terminated after seven months. She was forced to overstay and her latest address in Hong Kong was at the Australian Mansion on Luard Road, Wanchai.
In mitigation, the duty lawyer assigned to Amores told Magistrate Andrew Ma that his client pleaded guilty because she was remorseful.
The lawyer said she begged for leniency because he said Amores wanted to return to her family soon to be with her sick mother.
Ma sentenced the Filipina to four months, reduced because of her guilty plea.
Another former domestic worker, 58-year-old Cresencia B Castaño, pleaded guilty to a charge of overstaying for 11 years and five months.
Castaño, who is married, chose to stay on in Hong Kong when her contract was terminated and her visa expired on Oct 10, 2004, because she was supporting her four daughters and three sons, her lawyer said.
But over the years, she had developed a knee condition that hampered her physically and forced her to surrender herself on Mar 24 to Immigration authorities.
Ma sentenced her to eight months in jail, taking into account her guilty plea and the fact that she surrendered to Immigration.

Restaurant fined for hiring DH

A court in Shatin ordered a restaurant operator on May 6 to pay a fine of $35,000 for hiring a Filipino domestic worker.
The registered owner of the restaurant, Eureka F&B Ltd., was convicted of employing a person not lawfully employable, in breach of Hong Kong immigration rules.
According to records read in court, the domestic helper was caught by immigration officers washing a metal sink in a restaurant on Queen’s Road Central.
The prosecution did not identify the domestic worker involved.
However, an Immigration Department spokeswoman said the case was being dealt with separately by investigators, and that the offender would be prosecuted. – Vir B. Lumicao

Pinay’s abortion case to District Court

The case of a former domestic helper who has been accused of inducing the abortion of her baby and throwing it in a rubbish bin in North Point will be moved to the District Court later this month.
Maribel David, 37, appeared in Eastern Court on May 3 to hear the prosecution lawyer apply for the transfer of her case to the District Court in preparation for a trial.
The prosecutor applied for an adjournment of the hearing until May 17 for the transfer of records of the case. She also reiterated the prosecution’s objection to granting David bail.
In a hearing on Jan 18, David had applied for bail but the prosecution opposed it, citing the gravity of the offense.
Magistrate Bina Chainrai David adjourned the hearing until May 17 and ordered David remanded in custody.
A charge has yet to be filed against David for allegedly overstaying in Hong Kong when her domestic worker visa expired in June 2014.
Police arrested David on Jan 6 after she sought treatment in a hospital after feeling unwell inside her boarding house on the second floor of the State Theatre building on King’s Road. A neighbor called police and she was rushed to Pamela Youde Nethersole Hospital in Chai Wan where it was discovered that she had just given birth.
On questioning she said she had induced her baby’s birth, then dumped the newborn into a trash bin near City Garden on Electric Road.
The baby’s body was never found despite a diligent search. – Vir B. Lumicao