Anger at ‘system abuse’ as pregnant torture claimant bids to stay in HK

By Vir B. Lumicao

A pregnant Filipina torture claimant petitioned the High Court on May 17 for a judicial review of her application for non-refoulement, which had been twice denied by the Hong Kong Immigration Department.
The petition, filed by Jocelyn Urbiztondo, was heard by the Court of First Instance a day after a magistrate in another court chafed at what she called “abuse of the system by people who are not genuine refugees”.
Principal Magistrate Bina Chainrai of the Eastern Court blasted the prosecution after noticing that a 2011 charge of breach of condition of stay against a former domestic helper was still unresolved because she had filed a torture claim. Chainrai noted that Rosalie Limalima was convicted of soliciting for an immoral purpose in 2014 and had already served her two-month prison sentence but was still in Hong Kong because of her torture claim.
In the High Court, Urbiztondo reiterated her grounds for her non-refoulement petition before Judge Douglas Yau, claiming she feared for her life if she returned to the Philippines because she would be tortured by people from whom she owed money.
Urbiztondo, a former domestic helper who said she had been in Hong Kong for the past eight years, had her non-refoulement claim turned down by the Immigration Department. She lodged an appeal with the Torture Claim Appeals Board, but it was rejected.
Torture claimants like Urbiztondo and LimaLima are allowed to remain in Hong Kong by virtue of recognizance of their pending claims by the Immigration Department. But they have to apply for non-refoulement, which protects them against deportation.
Yau asked Urbiztondo why she was applying for non-refoulement, and the petitioner told the judge through an interpreter her concern. “I am applying because my life will be endangered if I go back to the Philippines. I fear for my life that’s why I asked the Immigration Department to extend my stay in Hong Kong,” Urbiztondo said.
“Apart from that, do you have anything else to say?” Yau asked.
The woman stalled for a few seconds, then said she was seven months pregnant by her boyfriend, a Pakistani resident of Hong Kong.
“Why don’t you get married if you want to be a resident of Hong Kong?” Yau asked.
Urbiztondo replied she and her boyfriend had no plans yet, as the man was in Pakistan to spend Ramadan with his family. She said he would be back in Hong Kong June 6.
The judge said he needed some time to study the petition and advised Urbiztondo that the court would mail the judgment to her.
Over at Eastern Court, Chainrai blew her top when she saw Limalima’s case on her desk. “This case is dated 2011, what are you doing with it?” she asked when the prosecutor applied for a three-month adjournment, as the defendant had filed a torture claim.
Chainrai said the woman was convicted of soliciting last year while she had a pending case of breach of condition of stay.
“Don’t you think this is abuse of the system by those who are not genuine refugees? I think there should come a time when the Justice Department takes a stand on this abuse of the system,” she said.
She adjourned the hearing until Aug 16 and instructed Limalima to expedite matters.

Transwoman ‘traumatized’ by police probe after CR row

By Vir B. Lumicao

A Filipina transgender who was interrogated by police recently for using the ladies' toilet in a mall says she, backed by some supporters, is contemplating a legal challenge to the gender-sensitive laws of Hong Kong.
“The incident has traumatized me that I’ll never go to that mall again,” said B, a university lecturer, in an interview. She now fears that if she goes to other malls and uses the women’s toilet, she will go through the same experience again.
The incident happened in early May when B decided to use the female toilet on the fourth floor of the mall to relieve herself, and a similar washroom on the third floor shortly after to adjust her bra and panties
It was when she emerged from the third-floor washroom that two men in civilian clothes saying they were police officers asked her to step aside to answer some questions
“They were showing me their IDs and were asking for my ID, but I was so scared I just walked on,” B said
“My immediate feeling and reaction was fear and doubt that they may not be real police but poseurs,” she said. “Honestly, if they were in uniform, I would have stopped and submitted to interrogation. It would not have dragged on for about an hour, but fear dominated me,” B said.
Unconvinced that the men were real police, B said she even told them to stop following her.
Then two other plainclothes men arrived and were later joined by a long-haired woman in civilian clothes who was introduced as a policewoman. The female officer asked for her Hong Kong ID and she showed it.
B recalled being asked about her gender, to which she answered she was a transgender woman. Asked why she used the women’s toilet, she pointed to her breasts, hair and body and said with her overall looks “I should not be using the men’s but the women’s only”.
As the episode unfolded, several passersby, some of them Filipinas, watched and stared, making B feel embarrassed.
Sensing this, the officers invited her to an exit where the policewoman checked her backpack’s contents, including her purse, her credit card and university ID. One asked if she was a student and she replied she was a lecturer teaching Sexuality and Gender.  
The police only relented when the female officer checked her mobile phone and saw pictures of B after undergoing surgery, as well as photos of different men she had met on dating sites.
Asked by The SUN to comment on the incident, a duty officer of the Police Public Relations Branch issued the following statement: “Police provide services to all members of the public in an impartial and respectful manner irrespective of their gender, family status, race and whether or not they are disabled. Police acknowledge that some persons may have special needs and therefore will adopt an empathetic, practical and sensible approach while conducting any search.
“Police will arrange an officer of the same sex as the person to be searched to conduct a search on that person. In accordance with the existing legal provisions, Police will determine the gender of a person based on the information stated in his/her Hong Kong Identity Card.”
The incident has so traumatized B that she is now considering whether to stay in Hong Kong for long.

Talk of new shelter premature, says ConGen

By Vir B Lumicao

One of possible sites for shelter, located on Victoria Road.

Reports about a new shelter being offered by the Hong Kong government to house troubled Filipino domestic workers are premature, according to the Consulate.
At this stage nothing has been finalized and there’s no certainty about it, said Consul General Bernardita Catalla, as she requested a media embargo on the issue.
“Let’s not publish anything about the shelter because there’s nothing final about it,” Consul General Bernardita Catalla said.
“Kasi nakakahiya sa Hong Kong, alam mo nakatira ka lang dito. Pangkortesiya yan eh. Before telling the world about something, pinatatawag kami at ini-inform kami especially if the documents are pinai-embargo lang,” Catalla said.p
“Let’s not talk about it, nasa negotiations eh. Baka mainis ang gobyerno e pinangungunahan natin, sinasabi natin yung terms and conditions, wala pa eh, nothing,” she said.
However, another source said the HK government has firmed up the offer for a site in Tsuen Wan and is now just waiting for the Philippine government to submit a "letter of intent" to take it up and shoulder the refurbishment of the building.
The two-storey building in Tsuen Wan is reportedly made up of 12 separate flats which used to house staff of the Water Supplies Department.
Prior to this, Labor Attache Jalilo de la Torre inspected six sites being offered by the Hong Kong government as possible shelters for distressed migrant workers, to be run by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office.
In a Facebook post, de la Torre showed pictures of two sites he inspected and cited the Tsuen Wan facility as the best possible alternative to the 10-bed facility being rented by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration at the moment.
POLO runs the 652 sq ft., three-bedroom shelter on Belcher’s Street in Kennedy Town, which is being leased for more than $20,000 a month.
Before this, the HK government allowed POLO to take over, rent-free, a disused post office facility in Cheung Sha Wan and use it as the Filipino Workers Resource Center for about 10 years. The place was more than four times the size of the rented flat in Kennedy Town.
According to de la Torre, ConGen Catalla brought up the search for a possible shelter during a recent meeting with Labour and Welfare Secretary Matthew Cheung. The HK official quickly offered several sites which the Consulate could choose fro
“We didn’t expect that they would act so quickly,” Catalla said.
For its part, the Philippines might take some time to match the offer with a letter of intent, given the looming change in administration with the recent election victory of incoming President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Recruiter in Canada and UK jobs mess vows to pay up

By Daisy CL Mandap

Weeks after she was linked to a massive recruitment for dubious jobs in Canada and Britain, a veteran employment agency operator has said she is willing to return the money of applicants who want to back out, or address the concerns of others.
But Ester Ylagan, who runs the 30-year-old Emry's Service Staff Employment Agency and the more recently set up Mike's Secretarial Services, insisted during an interview with The SUN on May 20 that she never intended to dupe anyone.
"Gusto ko lang tumulong," she said.
Ylagan, whose Emry's company is known to be the biggest supplier of Filipino domestic workers in the city, said she would not risk her company's good name for instant profit.
"Wala akong balak takbuhan ang mga nagrereklamo," she said. "Ang tagal-tagal na nang kumpanya ko, at hindi ko ito sisirain dahil lamang dito."
But she said she may not be able to pay back everyone all at once, as she had already sent their money to a London-based partner with whom she has communicated only via email.
The man, according to her, goes by the jaw-dropping names "William Clinton James" and "William Clinton Erich". Despite the highly suspicious nature of their dealings, and the fact that she has never met the man personally, Ylagan said she had remitted around $2million to him.
"Yung buong retirement pay ko, ibabayad ko na sa kanila," she said.
Ylagan admitted to having recruited around 500 people for jobs in Canada and the United Kingdom using her other company, Mike's Secretarial Services. They were charged $15,000 each for those bound for Canada, and $10,000 for those applying to go to the UK, although she said some asked to be allowed to pay by installment.
The jobs she offered ranged from domestic helpers, drivers, nurses to sales and marketing staff.
No job offers, contracts or in the case of the Canada positions, no labour market opinions were given to any of the applicants. All they got was an assurance that they would be deployed by June, or this month.
Later, the deployment date was reportedly moved to October this year, and Ylagan said her applicants should consider waiting until this time before running after her for their money.
However, because of all the complaints she has been getting lately, Ylagan said she has stopped sending money to "Clinton James". She has also reportedly complained to him about getting all the flak for his unfulfilled promise to start deployment as promised.
One Filipina who was enticed to drop by Emry's shop in Worldwide Plaza and join Ylagan's orientation seminar, said they were told that the lowest salary they could expect was equivalent to HK$22,000 for the helper's job. It was supposed to be much higher for the office jobs.
She said that despite not having a college degree, she was told she could qualify for the marketing position as she had some background in sales in her previous job in the Philippines.
Despite paying $10,000 in cash - money she just borrowed from a financing company at about 26% interest per year, she was not issued a receipt.
In the interview, Ylagan readily admitted to this, but said she had a ledger where all the payments received from each applicant was entered. She said this will be the basis for paying the refund due each applicant who wants to back out.
As of the time of the interview, Ylagan said she had already refunded a total of $26,000 to four applicants who had asked for their money, citing urgent needs.
Quite a number are reportedly holding on, still hoping to fly out to their chosen destination by October.
Ylagan said she had offered to meet with the complainants at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office, but was told that she had to wait for Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre's return from an emergency leave so he could personally intervene in the case.
A number of complainants have also sought help from the Mission for Migrant Workers.  According to the Mission's Edwina Antonio the applicants reported attending a closed-door meeting between them and Ylagan at Labatt de la Torre's office on May 29. The group was reportedly upset after being told that their money could not be refunded in full, and are now threatening to go public with their complaint.

Lau tells DHs: Support cases vs employment agencies with facts

By Vir B. Lumicao

Legislator Miriam Lau says over the
past years she has received several complaints
about abuses but these have gone nowhere because
the complainants have not presented evidence.
To her right are Legislator Fernando Cheung and
 Cosmin Costinas, Para Site executive director.

Migrant workers should come forward and report employment agency abuses to the Hong Kong government, but must include evidence to support of their allegations, according to a local legislator and advocate of migrant workers’ rights.
Legislative Council member Emily Lau also urged Hong Kong’s 350,000 mostly Filipino and Indonesian domestic helpers to submit their views on the draft “Code of Practice for Employment Agencies” so their opinion can be considered by the Labour Department.
Lau and fellow Legislator Fernando Cheung met briefly with the press and 15 domestic helpers accompanying them on a visit on May 22 to the Para Site art gallery in Quarry Bay. They were taken on a guided tour by Para Site executive director and curator Cosmin Costinas.
The maids, from non-government organizations Enrich and Helpers for Domestic Helpers, also voiced their complaints.
The department released the draft code in late April and is now consulting various sectors on the way forward. The Philippine Consulate has also circulated an online link to the code to members of the Filipino community, and encouraged them to submit their views. The consultation ends on June 17.
The SUN asked Lau how prepared the government was to give more teeth to the Employment Agency Administration to punish agencies that overcharge the helpers, force them to take out loans to pay for illegal fees, and confiscate their passports in the guise of holding them for safekeeping.
Lau, who chairs the Democratic Party, said workers who are subjected to these illicit acts should go to her or Cheung at the LegCo and present their complaints along with documentary proof.
The legislator said Labour and Manpower Secretary Matthew Cheung, who drafted the code, was bent on reforming the employment agency industry.
“He wants complete change,” Lau said, adding that if workers said they were made to take out loans, they must give evidence. “Hong Kong is a rule of law, so, we don’t want to make allegations or charges. They have to be backed up by facts.”
She said that over the years she had been approached by many domestic workers with complaints against their agencies, but until now she could not move on with their cases because they had not come up with proofs.
Lau also cited the need to foster a safer work environment for domestic helpers whose service is invaluable to the day-to-day operations of Hong Kong households.
“The government needs to set up a mechanism to handle complaints. They need to improve the existing system to handle disputes between the employees, employers and agencies. Employers also need better education on Labour Code compliance,” she said.
“We must also continue to push the Philippines and Indonesian governments to do more for their people, and to defend the rights of domestic helpers here in Hong Kong.”
Fernando Cheung, vice-chairman of the Labour Party, admitted that much of Hong Kong’s discrimination against foreign domestic workers stems from the traditional attitude of older generations towards these people.
He recounted how his Labour Party lost in an election after it supported a proposal to grant permanent residency to foreign domestic workers for their contribution to Hong Kong society.
But Cheung said he was hopeful the younger Hong Kong generation brought up by foreign helpers would bring about a change in attitude towards the maids.

Two Indonesian maids tell court they were fired for being pregnant

By Vir B. Lumicao

The District Court is weighing its decision on two separate cases filed Indonesian maids who claimed they were fired after being found pregnant.
Waiyah, the plaintiff in the first case, said her boss had forced her to take a pregnancy test, while the second, Riyanti, said she was insulted and fired after her employer found out she was infanticipating.
Waliyah initially sued Terence Yip Hoi-sun and his former wife, Chan Man-hong, separately but the two cases were consolidated for the trial even though Yip never showed up in court. His whereabouts are unknown.
The trial scheduled for three days should have begun March 7 but stalled as Chan came looking sick, forcing Judge Alex Lee to adjourn the case after Waliyah testified.
The judge also instructed prosecutor Earl Deng to delve deeper into the Labour Code’s stand on terminating an employee who is more than six months pregnant.
Waliyah, giving evidence, said she was seven months pregnant when Yip fired her. On the witness stand, she said Chan ordered her to pee in a potty when she woke up on Oct 31, 2013, then dipped a pregnancy test strip into the vessel. She was fired Nov 2.
Waliyah said she had a difficult time finding a job after giving birth, but found one that lasted just six months. Then on Dec 14, 2015 she found a new employer who hired her for $5,000 a month on a two-year contract
In the trial on May 20, Chan represented herself and cross-examined Waliyah. She asked the Indonesian if she heard her tell Yip to fire her, and the helper said “no”.
At one point in the trial, Judge Lee asked Waliyah whether she knew the difference between the verb “force” and “ask”, as she had stated in the case that Chan forced her to urinate for the test. The maid admitted her mistake and said she was asked to do so.
Lee adjourned the case to a future date for the judgment.
Meanwhile, Riyanti is suing her former employer Wong Po-chu under the Employment Ordinance and Sex Discrimination Ordinance for allegedly bombarding her with insults after she found out she was pregnant, a District Court writ said.
Riyanti is seeking a $121,233 claim for breach of contract and other damages the District Court may grant.
The Indonesian accused Wong Po-chu, a nurse at Yan Chai Hospital, as saying: “You are a Muslim. Why are you with this man and got pregnant? This man is dirty,” told Riyanti.
Wong found out the maid was pregnant after she grabbed from Riyanti a medical report from Princess Margaret Hospital on April 8 stating she had been treated for an abscess.
Riyanti said she was taken to a clinic for check-ups on HIV and sexually transmitted diseases on succeeding days, according to the writ.
She had renewed her work contract with Wong thrice since 2010, despite a setback early in her job when the boss did not let her go home for the burial of her husband.
Riyanti said Wong made her copy and sign a prepared resignation letter on April 8, and verbally abused her again at the employment agency the next day. She was sent home on April 10.
PathFinders, a Hong Kong charity seeking to ensure that migrant workers and their Hong Kong-born children are respected and protected, said it is unlawful to fire any female employee due to her pregnancy. The law applies to all workers, including foreign domestic helpers.
However, the law also requires the helper to inform the employer about her pregnancy within a period.

Pinay jailed nearly 7 yrs for drug trafficking

A Filipino mother who overstayed her visa and sold dangerous drugs to allegedly support her use of “shabu” or ice was sentenced on May 19 to six years and 11 months in jail after pleading guilty to a charge of drug trafficking.
Meliza Ortega, 34, wiped away tears as Justice Remedios D’Almada handed down the substantially reduced sentence after she discussed the appropriate jail term with the prosecution and defense lawyers.
Her guilty plea spared the Filipina of a likely sentence of about 11 years.
Ortega had already served a one-day prison sentence for breach of condition of stay by overstaying her visa as a domestic worker back in 2010. At the time, she had run way from her third employer in Hong Kong due to allegedly unbearable treatment.
The former maid, who came to Hong Kong in 2006, was arrested on Jan 5, 2015, in a police anti-drug operation in Mongkok.
A prosecution report said two police officers went to the second floor of a residential building on Mong Kok Road at around 11:25 am to conduct a search when the lift opened and the defendant emerged.
The officers saw her enter Flat A, which had a wooden door, and left the door unlocked, so they followed and saw her enter a room in the subdivided flat. The police forced the door open and saw the defendant and a local woman inside.The officers seized packets of drugs meant for delivery to customers consisting of 95.14 grams of ice, 9.81 grams of cocaine and 29.6 grams of heroin. The officers also confiscated $750 and two mobile phones from the Filipina.
During interrogation, Ortega admitted that she was also using shabu, a vice she acquired when she stayed with friends after she ran away from her employer in 2010.
She became an easy recruit to deliver drug orders because she was jobless and needed to send money to her family. She admitted she herself used a small quantity of shabu to banish her loneliness as she missed her daughter, now 18.-- Vir B. Lumicao

Ma rebuked for daughter’s shoplifting

An Eastern Court magistrate fined a young Filipina $1,000 on May 13 for shoplifting, but not before asking her mother to join her on the dock for a lecture on parental responsibility.
Deputy Magistrate Winston Leung dismissed a similar case against a co-defendant, another Filipina youth, after the prosecution withdrew the charge against her.
The defendant, 19-year-old Alleray Arriesgado, pleaded guilty on May 13 to a charge of theft and admitted the prosecutor’s report that, on Mar 15, she entered a Manning’s shop on Des Voeux Road West in Sheung Wan and took six bottles of GNC vitamins and a tube of hair removal cream when the sales clerk was not looking.
The stolen goods were valued at more than $1,700.
At the end of the day, when the sales clerk checked the shelves, she found out the goods were gone. She reviewed the CCTV recording in the shop and saw the defendant being caught on camera taking the items but not paying for them.
The employee called the police, who checked footage from the CCTV camera outside the shop.
It showed Arriesgado leaving the store and entering building No 408 on Des Voeux Road West.
Inquiries with residents on the block led the officers to the room rented by the defendant and her mother.
There they arrested the defendant and recovered all the stolen items.
“I convict the defendant of the charge of theft,” Leung said upon Arriesgado’s admission of the prosecution report.
In mitigation, the defense lawyer said Arriesgado was a dependent of her 56-year-old mother who was a restaurant worker.
The lawyer asked for leniency, citing his client’s guilty plea, remorse, and clear record. He requested the magistrate to impose a fine instead of a jail term because all the stolen items had been recovered.
Before sentencing, Leung asked the mother to stand beside her daughter.
“I understand that you are a Hong Kong resident and your daughter is not yet a resident. A young girl like her needs your guidance and supervision, and I’m giving her a chance,” Leung said.
He said the daughter stole merchandise worth $1,700, “not a small amount”, and was bound to be caught if she did it again in future.
Leung advised the mother to supervise her daughter, and the daughter to be good for the sake of her mother.
He ordered that the $1,000 fine be offset partly from the defendant’s $500 cash bail. - Vir B. Lumicao

DWEP mixes clean-up drive with hike

Members of the Domestic Workers Empowerment Project of the Hong Kong University took a hike to the Peak on May 15 for their first recreational trip, which was combined with a nature appreciation and clean-up drive.
The group led by DWEP proponent, Dr. Michael Manio took off from HKU at 9am and reached the Peak Tower at 12:15pm, after taking 10,948 steps to their destination.
Six groups of students participated in the hike. All of them were told to observe and engage with nature, and each one was required to identify five different medicinal plants and take photos that tell a story about nature.
Each group was also encouraged to collect trash on their way up to the Peak, while others were tasked with fixing a broken fence.
The activity ended with the participants saying how happy they were about taking part in the experience that helped raised awareness about nature's beauty and why there is a need to preserve it. -- contributed by Ellen Almacin

New Metrobank Remittance branch

Metro Remittance (Hong Kong) Limited, a subsidiary of Metrobank Philippines, inaugurated its new branch in Tsuen Wan last April 6 at Shop 109-110 Lik Sang Plaza, 269 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan, New Territories. Special guest is Labour Attache Atty. Jalilo De la Torre; officiating priest was Rev. Fr. Midas Tambot.

Countdown for new gov’t begins

With the proclamation of Rodrigo Duterte as president-elect and Leni Robredo as vice president-elect by June 1, the final countdown for the new government has begun.
The Congress, sitting as National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), has confirmed the election of the two top officials who will take over at noon on June 30.
The Senate and the House convened in joint session on May 24 and laid the ground rules for the canvassing of the votes for president and vice president, which started the next day. The two chambers also designated the members of the joint committee, eight from each chamber with five alternates.
By May 27, the NBOC had finished tallying the votes from 167 Certificates of Canvass (CoCs) from the provinces across the Philippines and from local and overseas absentee voting areas.
The official results for President are: Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte with 16,601,997 votes; LP’s Mar Roxas II with 9,978,175; independent candidate Grace Poe 9, 100, 991; outgoing Vice President Jejomar Binay 5,416,140; Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago 1,455,532; and, the late congressman Roy Seneres 25,779 votes.
For vice president, the official vote tally had Robredo winning by 263, 473 over Senator Ferdinand “Bong-bong” Marcos Jr.  Robredo had 14, 418, 817 votes while Marcos got 14, 155, 334. Other results: Alan Peter Cayetano 5,903,379; Francis Escudero 4,931,962; Antonio Trillanes IV 868,501; Gragorio Honasan 788,881.
While Senators Poe, Cayetano, Escudero, Trillanes and Honasan lost in the May 9 elections, they will still be going back to the Senate to serve the remaining three of their six-year term until 2019.
During the three-day canvassing of votes, lawyers for Marcos questioned more than three million “undervotes” that, they claimed, were unaccounted for. But lawyers for Robredo said having “undervotes” is normal in any election.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, chairman of the Senate panel at the canvassing board, added: “Undervoting is a right of the voter. It’s like an abstention."
Other objections  were glossed over by the NBOC, saying it was beyond its powers to resolve these. Marcos’ lawyers said they were considering whether or not to file a protest before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, although they cited the additional cost.
The vice presidential race was a difficult one for Robredo, who started with a single-digit awareness in the survey ratings compared with the other contenders, particularly Marcos and Escudero who topped pre-election surveys.
Interviewed on television, Robredo said her victory was an “impossible feat.” She said she would not have entered politics had her husband not died in a plane crash in 2012. After Jesse’s death, she was convinced to run for a seat at the House of Representatives in 2013 mid-term elections representing the third district of Camarines Sur. Jesse Robredo was a long-time mayor of Naga City in Camarines Sur.
The NBOC’s final count was poignant for Robredo because on the same day, her late husband would have turned 58 years old.

Duterte vows overhaul of law enforcement bodies

Incoming President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to remove appointees of President Benigno Aquino III from positions at the anti-crime agencies like the National Bureau of Investigation, Philipine National Police, Bureau of Corrections and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
“They have to go,” Duterte said in a press conference.
Policemen and other law enforcers will undergo drug test starting July 1 in line with the incoming administration’s campaign against illegal drugs. This is to make sure that they are not into prohibited drugs, Duterte said.
The initial batch of Duterte’s unofficial Cabinet appointees met in Manila for the first time on May 25. Among those at the meeting were Salvador Medialdea who will be the executive secretary; Carlos Dominguez, finanace; Hermogenes Esperon Jr., national security adviser; Perfecto Yasay Jr., foreign affairs; Vitaliano Aguirre II, justice; Arthur Tugade, transportation; Mark Villar for public works and Emmanuel Piñol, agriculture.
“There are those we want to get, but the low pay in government discourages them from being part of my administration,” Duterte said.
Earlier, Duterte said he is willing to give four Cabinet posts to people identified with the Left: labor, agrarian reform, environment and social welfare.
“The Left gave me a very impressive list of people who have the talent,” Duterte said in another press conference. “I’m inclined to give in if we can talk smoothly and Jose Maria Sison (Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman) comes home in July.”

Aquino inspects major projects

While counting the days to his return to private life, President Benigno has taken time to inspect some of the big infrastructure projects implemented during his administration.

On May 26, the President went to Ipo Dam in Bulacan to oversee the progress of a project that would improve Metro Manila’s potable water supply. He also visited another project at the Balog-Balog Dam in his home province of Tarlac that would boost farm irrigation, then proceeded to a solar farm in Cabanatuan City.

At the Ipo Dam, the President unveiled the P3.3-billion water transmission project that would improve the delivery of water from Bulacan to Metro Manila through the upgrading of a decades-old tunnel from Ipo to Angat dams.

The Angat Water Transmission Improvement Project (AWTIP) in Ipo Dam, located in Norzagaray, is a project of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS). The project involves the design and construction of a new tunnel, called Tunnel No. 4, which is necessary to mitigate the risk of disruption of water supply to Metro Manila.

Expected to be finished by 2020, AWTIP aims to ensure sustained and secured water supply for Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan and portions of Cavite, that would benefit an estimated 14 million people, MWSS said.

In San Jose, Tarlac, the President launched the Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project Phase II.  The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said the project involves the construction of an earth-fill dam at the upper Bulsa River as well as irrigation canals and structures.

An estimated 23,000 farmers from the towns of Paniqui, Pura, Ramos, Victoria, Gerona, San Jose, La Paz, Capas and Concepcion and Tarlac City would benefit from the project. BBMP II will also be used for flood control, inland fish production and power generation of 43.5 megawatts.

In Cabanatuan City, the President inaugurated the 10-megawatt solar farm project of the First Cabanatuan Renewable Venture Inc.

Briefs

Lawmakers switch parties
Politicians who ran and had been proclaimed winners in the May 9 elections under the Liberal Party (LP) have started switching to the incoming ruling party Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) of incoming president Rodrigo Duterte. As of May 25, more than 60 out of 115 LP members in the House of Representatives have formally signified their intention to join the majority bloc. But President Benigno Aquino III, LP’s chairman, said on March 26 that it was understandable. He said it was consolation enough that he has been getting “thank you’s” from officials, regardless of political color. Founded by former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. in 1984, PDP-Laban was the biggest political party during and after the 1986 people power revolution. The party catapulted the late Corazon Aquino to the presidency after the revolution.

Duterte vows to behave 
Incoming President Rodrigo Duterte has promised to follow protocols and behave after taking his oath of office on June 30. He also advised media persons to not take seriously everything that he says, particularly when his statements are preposterous. “I am trying to enjoy the last days of my rudeness,” Duterte said in a press conference at midnight on May 25 in Davao City where he temporary holds office. Manila-based media men, he said, should learn how to decipher which among his statements are serious and which are mere wisecracks.

Rizal sculpture on auction
A PLASTER sculpture by Jose Rizal, the only Rizaliana of its kind to be offered for public auction, is the main highlight of León Gallery’s “Spectacular Mid-year Auction 2016” on June 11, the Inquirer reports. “Jabali” (Wild Boar) is one of only some 40 extant sculptures of the National Hero. Many of them were destroyed during World War II.  León Gallery director Jaime Ponce de León  said  the midyear auction would feature artworks, antiques and objets d’art from “distinguished provenances.” Other major works on auction include Botong Francisco’s   “Pista ng Angono,” Nena Saguil’s 1953 oil-on-wood “Barrio Mother and Child,” Pablo Amorsolo’s 1942  oil-on-canvas “Dalagang Bukid,”  Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo’s oil-on-canvas “Chateau d’If,” National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera’s 1998 acrylic-on-canvas “Isadora in Motion,” Ang Kiukok’s 1997 oil-on-canvas  “Cockfight”

Awat na, katribo!

Unti-unti nang bumabalik sa normal ang buhay natin, matapos ang mahabang panahong pinainit ang ulo natin ng away-politika. Siyempre, mayroon  pa ring nagkikimkim ng sama ng loob dahil natalo o napagsabihan ng hindi maganda tungkol sa napiling kandidato.
Para sa mga hindi pa nag-move on, ito ang payo namin: awat na. Hindi na mag-iiba ang resulta kahit maglupasay ka pa. At kahit magmukmok ka sa lungga mo, iinog ang mundo nang wala ka. Darating ang day-off mo at magkikita-kita ang mga kaibigan mo; e ano kung hindi ka sumipot? Tuloy pa rin ang ligaya nila. At siguro, ikaw pa ang pinagtsi-tsimisan nila.
Sa halalan pinipili ng mga mamamayan ang gusto nilang maging pinuno. Ang Saligang Batas ng 1987 ay pumapayag sa paglalaban-laban ng maraming kandidato sa isang posisyon, at ang makakuha ng pinakamaraming boto ay siyang panalo at iluluklok sa posisyon kahit kapos sa kalahati ng mga boto ang kanyang nakuha.
Gaya ng nanalong pangulo na si Rodrigo Duterte. Kahit higit lang sa 39% ang nakuha niyang boto — na ang ibig sabihin ay higit 60% ang hindi siya ibinoto—may karapatan siyang pumalit sa papaalis nang pangulo na si Benigno S. Aquino III dahil ito ang itinakda ng batas.
At tayong mga mamamayan ay dapat irespeto ito at magkaisa sa likod ng bagong pangulo. Panahon nang magbuklod ulit, dahil ang patuloy na awayan ay sisira lang sa ating bayan. Bilang OFW, lalo nating kailangang magkaisa dahil walang ibang tutulong sa atin kundi kapwa natin Pilipino.
Ang dapat na hindi mawala sa atin ay ang pagiging mapanuri sa nangyayari sa ating bansa. Halimbawa, nangako ang magiging presidente na tatapusin niya ang problema sa droga at krimen sa loob ng anim na buwan. Sa darating na Disyembre, o anim na buwan matapos siyang manumpa, ungkatin kung nagawa ba ito.
At base sa tamang pagtingin sa katotohanan, malalaman natin kung dapat bang ang mga kasamahan niya sa partido ay manatili sa puwesto kapag hihingin ulit nila ang ating boto.
Ang pundasyon ng matatag at progresibong bayan ay mga mamamayang pumipili ng lider batay sa pagtanaw ng kanilang tunay na halaga.

New hopes

Since he arrived - or should we say, returned - to Hong Kong a scant two months ago, Labor Attache Jolly de la Torre has been busy engaging our migrant workers in his own unique way, mostly with very positive results.
One of the best moves he has made so far was to meet with OFWs who by all rights should be back home practicing their profession for the simple reason that they are badly needed there. Or at the very least, should be working in other places abroad where their education and skills are recognized and put to good use.
One of such meetings happened two weeks ago, when Labatt Jolly met with our nurses and midwives and encouraged them to either spread their wings further afield or fly back home, where thousands of jobs are being opened up for them.
Unknown to many of us, there is this program by the Department of Health where nurses are sent to barangays where their services are badly needed, and for which they are offered a year-long contract at "competitive" salaries.
Not only will this hone the nurses' skills, it will also give them the confidence and self-worth which they rarely get to feel when forced to take up domestic work abroad.
Labatt Jolly told them about this program, and more. He advised those who are inclined to look at other opportunities abroad to consider the nursing jobs that they could apply for in countries like Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the Middle East.
But he didn't stop there. He also encouraged them to unite, form a group and look at ways to enhance their skills so they could boost their chances of getting the coveted jobs. This includes lobbying for another licensure examination to be held here next year.
Next on his agenda is to help the midwives, who because of their short, two-year college education, are deemed unqualified for most jobs abroad in their chosen field.
But not all is lost for them, as they could now go home and supervise their own birthing clinics, which given the country's ever-booming population, would always be well-patronized.
As this requires the midwife-proprietor to be a licensed practitioner, Labatt Jolly is also helping the midwives to press for another licensure examination to be held here, seven years after a joint qualifying test with nurses was brought to HK.
Need help raising the estimated capital of around Php300,000 for the lying-in clinics? Have no qualms, as Labatt Jolly is helping look for possible government help, either in the form of a loan or subsidy.
Next in line are the teachers, who by the sheer necessity brought about the expanded Kto12 curriculum, were the first to be enticed to go back home and return to their calling.
Under the "Sa Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma'am/Sir" program joint jointly run by the Departments of Labor and Education, teachers who working as OFWs abroad are promised a salary that is equal, or even higher, than what they are currently earning.
This is the program Labatt Jolly is most familiar with, as he was with DoLE's reintegration  center just before he was sent back here to run the labor office.
As with the nurses and midwives, teachers are expected to be of a certain degree of proficiency or skill to qualify for this program.
But trust Jolly to be a step ahead in this direction. Already, he has set a meeting with the teachers next month so they can discuss how to meet the requirements, including availing of a free online tutorial meant to update and upgrade their skills and knowhow.
More than mere words, such acts by our new labor attache show that sincerity and hard work could go a long way toward helping our migrant workers create a better future for themselves.
We just need to make them dream again.

Need for financial knowhow

What are the top principles you want Filipinos to remember regarding SAVINGS? INVESTING?
I always emphasize that it is the obligation of every Filipino to build wealth in a market driven economy.  I say it is “easy.”  Some say, how can it be easy when there are so many poor Filipinos?
They are not able to grow their wealth because they do not know how.  Of course, the first step is to have a source of income.  For those who really cannot work and will not have any income for whatever reason, I agree that it is very hard and in fact, it is impossible to grow wealth.
I will just talk about those who can afford not to grow hungry if they set aside Php33 a day or Php1,000 a month on a consistent basis, invest the money in a fund that will earn 10% per annum and not touch that money for 30-40 years.  That money, barring any unforeseen incidents, will grow from Php2.1M to Php5.6M in 30-40 years.  This is possible and you can easily get the historical data on www.pifa.com.ph.  But of course, you will say that I will not be around by that time so it is easy for me to say it because I will not be responsible if I am wrong.  Why should you believe me?
What if I am right?  You missed out on the opportunity to put aside Php33 a day that you practically throw away through junk food and fun games to get Php 2.1M-5.6M  in 30-40 years.  Even if your Php33 a day does not earn anything, you will still have Php360,000 in 30 years or Php480,000 in 40 years.
You might say that the peso will not be worth the same then as it is now.  Yes, at an average inflation rate of 3%, your Php360k 30 years from now is only worth Php148.3k today and your Php480k 40 years from now, only Php 147.1k today. This is precisely why you have to invest your savings properly.
But even if you don’t believe me and but still set aside Php30 a day without investing, it is still better to have PhP360,000 in 30 years or PhP480,000 in 40 years than nothing.
If you can just follow the rule:  Income minus Savings equals Expenses, you will be able to save your Php33 daily and learn to spend only that is left over.

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Francisco J. Colayco is an entrepreneur, a venture developer and financial advisor.  He is the founder of Colayco Financial Education and the Kapatiran sa Kasaganaan Service and Multipurpose Cooperative which have developed businesses in Banking and Finance, Real Estate, Food, Agriculture and others.  He is the Author of Seven Bestsellers in the Pera Palaguin Series, the latest of which is now available in bookstores:  “Wealth Reached. Money Worked. Pera Mo, Pinalago Mo!” Find his works and catch him on TV and radio.  Check out: www.colaycofinancialeducation.com, www.franciscocolayco.com, www.kskcoop.com, FaceBook and Instagram.

Hinaing ng nars sa ibang bansa

Ni Lorna Pagaduan

Kamakailan ay nagkaroon ng pagpupulong ang mga Pilipinong nars sa Hong Kong, kasama ang ilang natitirang miyembro ng Filipino Nurses Association-Hong Kong (FNA-HK), sa tanggapan ni Labor Attache Jalilo Dela Torre. Karamihan sa mga dumalo ay mga rehistradong nars sa Pilipinas ngunit piniling mamasukan dito bilang kasambahay dahil sa kawalan ng trabahong angkop sa kanilang tinapos na kurso.
Bagamat sila talaga ang pakay ng pagpupulong dahil naaayon ito sa programang “reintegration” ng pamahalaan ng Pilipinas, may ilan ding dumalo na nakatapos ng kursong BS Nursing, nguni’t hindi pa pasado sa eksamin para maging RN o rehistradong nars.
Tinalakay ni Labatt de la Torre and nurse development program o NDP na itinatag sa ilalim ng National Center for Reintegration ng Department of Labor and Employment para himukin ang mga nars na nasa ibang bansa na umuwi na para manilbihan doon.
Binanggit din niya ang mga oportunidad para sa mga nars sa iba’t-ibang bansa katulad ng Australia, New Zealand at Germany.
Marami sa mga rehistradong nars na dumalo ang natuwa sa pagkakataon na makabalik at magamit ang kanilang propesyon, nguni’t may mga agam-agam din dahil sa posibilidad na maaaring hindi sila kuwalipikado base sa ilang panuntunan at kinakailangan sa ospital. Kabilang dito ang karampatang karanasan sa paglilingkod sa isang ospital, at pati na rin ang panuntunan tungkol sa bilang ng pasyente |sa pagamutan kung saan sila namasukan. Nabanggit din ang madalas na hinihinging patunay na nakatapos sila ng kinakailangang seminar para sa pagsasanay bilang nars, bukod pa sa mas mabigat na panuntunan na dapat ay naipasa nila ang ilang pagsusulit bago makapag-aplay.
Sa kabuuan, napagmuni-muni ng mga dumalo na dahil sa higpit ng kumpetisyon sa larangang kanilang pinasok, kinakailangan talaga nilang mamuhunan para sa ikaaangat ng kanilang kaalaman tungkol sa propesyon.
Dahil dito ay napagkasunduan nila na magsagawa ng mga seminar o pagsasanay sa basic life support o BLS, o cardio-pulmonary resuscitation o CPR, at iba pa.
Kanya-kanyang suhestiyon ang mga dumalo base sa kanilang mga karanasan, tungkol sa kung anong tanggapan ang maaring lapitan at kausapin para sa mga pantas-aral at pagsasanay na gaganapin dito sa Hong Kong.
Hiling din nila na sana ay mabigyan ng prayoridad ang mga balik-manggagawang nars na gustong magtrabaho sa mga ospital sa Pilipinas. Nananawagan din sila na alisin ang puwersahan at may bayad na pagboboluntaryo bago makapag-aplay sa mga ospital.
Ang iba naman ay nag-iisip isip na iwan na lang ang pagiging nars at magturo dahil sa binanggit ni Labatt de la Torre na maaari nang magturo sa elementarya at high school ang sinumang nakatapos ng ilang kursong science sa unibersidad, kabilang na ang mga nars.
Ang mangilan-ngilang nakatapos ng BSN bagamat sila’y di pa lisensiyado ay ang pagkakaroon muli ng nurses licensure examination o NLE dito sa Hong Kong. Ito rin ang pangunahing layunin ng FNA-HK, na ilang taon nang tumutulong sa mga nagtapos ng BSN na makapasa sa pagsusulit upang maging ganap nang nars.
Sa pagtatapos ay bumuo ang mga dumalo ng isang “core group” na siyang pansamantalang mangangasiwa sa mga napagkasunduang solusyon sa mga suhestiyon at hinaing na isiniwalat sa pulong.
Nangako naman si Labatt dela Torre na pagtutuunan muna ng panahon ang hinaing at solusyon bago muling magpapatawag ng pagpupulong. Ang mga miyembro naman ng FNA-HK ay nagkasundo na muling paiigtingin ang pangangalap ng lagda para sa hiling na NLE, at magsimula nang maghanda para dito.

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Ang ating panauhing manunulat sa isyung ito ay isang registered nurse sa Pilipinas ngunit mahigit 18 taon nang naninilbihan sa Hong Kong bilang domestic helper. Nagtapos siya ng BS Nursing sa Pines City Colleges sa Baguio City noong 1995 at naging lisensyadong nars sa parehong taon. Nagtrabaho siya sa Specialist Group Hospital and Trauma Center, bago nagpasyang mangibang bayan. Sa ilalim ng kanyang termino bilang pangulo ng Filipino Nurses Association (FNA)- Hong Kong noong 2009 ay ginanap dito ang kauna-unahang Nurses Licensure Examination o NLE. Sa kanyang ulat, tinalakay niya ang agam-agam ng mga nars sa alok ng pamahalaan na umuwi na sila sa Pilipinas para doon magtrabaho, o samantalahin ang alok ng ilang bansa na punan ang mga trabahong angkop sa kanilang pinag-aralan.- Ed

Meeting the justice secretary up-close

By Mario de los Reyes
(Second of two parts)

Just a lame excuse by our government to justify its blatant application of selective justice.
Looking back, the then Vice Consul Val Roque who was very sympathetic to our plight had exerted his utmost effort for the transfer to be implemented. However, his efforts were apparently ignored, spurned, and met with indifference by the powers that be.
His parting words before he left his post here were, “Hypothetically, the transfer should take place very soon.” He was basing his hypothesis on the presumption that the authorities in charge were committed to the task at hand. It is no wonder that the secretary was perplexed why no transfer had taken place, given the length of time the agreement had been in force.
We briefed the honorable secretary that we were well aware of the prevailing conditions in the jails back home, but that this did not deter us from asking to be transferred and be near our loved ones in a familiar environment, devoid of cultural and language barriers. We want to avail of the remission scheme provided in the agreement for a possible early release, which has many precedence.
We got the secretary nodding in acquiescence after hearing our position.
Now that a prominent member of the central authority has heard our grievances and concerns we hope for a speedy resolution of this issue.
But in order for this goal to be achieved we wish the honorable Emmanuel Caparas to be retained in the cabinet of the incoming administration, otherwise there will be no end to this long-running saga.

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One of our most erudite contributors has sent us this article, which was again painstakingly handwritten in his beautiful cursive style. Mario de los Reyes, who has been in Stanley Prison for more than 20 years, writes here of his impressions from the recent visit to inmates by the Philippines’ acting justice secretary, Emmanuel Caparas. Though wary of the visit, Mario is still hoping it could finally pave the way for the much-delayed implementation of the Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners Agreement between the Philippines and Hong Kong, something he has been fighting for in the last couple of years. Elsewhere in the issue, readers will find a picture of Mario, together with Consul General Bernardita Catalla and a prison chaplain, during an awarding ceremony in Stanley on Jan. 6. –Ed

Fate B shut out of softball league

By Emz Frial


The Festival of Sports is still on, but Fate B is out. The all- Filipina softball team in Hong Kong lost its bid to advance in the tournament after losing a knockout game on May 8 at Shek Kip Mei field against local rival Deborah. Fate B managed to stay strong despite initial setbacks in the game, and allowed Deborah to win by the narrowest of margins, 9-8.
The Filipinas had the first crack at racking up points, but their rival's defense was so tight Fate was left scoreless in the first two innings.
When the locals got to bat at the plate, they showed their brilliant playing form. First batter Kwong Hoi Ki struck the ball to the center outfield then ran on to second base.
Leung Wai Kun then smashed another outfield ball, allowing Kwong to move on safely to second base. Hui Ka Wai then batted and was safe to first base, while base runner Leung was at third.
Leung made her way to home when Nga Sze Hang blasted an outfield ball. Two points were eventually racked up by the locals via Hui
In the third inning, Fate became desperate to score. Zenny Badajos promptly delivered with a long outfield ball that brought the former varsity player to second base.
Katherine Gerpacio then hit the ball and was safe to first base while  Badajos moved to third. When it was her turn to bat, former international team member Eva Mendez blasted an outfield ball that allowed her to move up to second base. Badajos and Gerpacio took this chance to immediately run up to home base.
Another long ball to the center outfield was struck by the versatile Don Gaborno, which allowed her to move safely to second base, while Mendez dashed to home base. Later, Gaborno also made it safely to home base.
In the third inning Deborah lost some steam  and managed to score only one point, courtesy of Cheung Nga Lai. The inning ended with a score of 5-4.
The locals tightened their defense going into the fourth, leaving the Filipinas unable to score. Deborah used this chance to show what it takes to be a winner.  Four of its players managed to add four home runs in a row: Chow Lok Yai, Chun Mei Ki, Leung Wai Kun and Hui Ka Wai. The inning ended with a score of 9-4 for Deborah.
Lyka Algonez, a Fate A player who helps coach Team B members tried to reshuffle players to tighten their defense, to no avail. However, Fate B still made it difficult for the other team to beat them.
In the fourth inning Fate got the chance to bat. Don Gaborno responded by blasting the ball to the outfield, allowing her to get to second base. Rose Espano then batted and was safe to first,  and Gaborno,  to third base. Maureen Edroso who was next jn line, also struck the ball to the outfield, ensuring her safe run to second base, while  base while Gaborno and Espano sailed to home base one after another. Later Edroso successfully reached home base, The fourth inning ended on a score of 9-7 for Deborah.
In the fifth inning, both teams did a good job of stopping the other from scoring, although Fate managed to score some heroic feats. A fast ball by Gaborno led to batter Chan Lok Hang being called standing out, while Edroso caught a flying ball from Chow though she had to roll on the ground. Batter Chan Mei Ki was also caught in first base.
Fate made a final bid to catch up in the sixth and final inning, but could only manage an extra point, leaving the final score at 9-8.
After the heartbreaking loss, Algonez gathered her team to express her disappointment".
"You deserve to lose, they deserve to win," she said. "Their agility in playing made them win. You've seen their performance, they deserve that game."
Still, she said they should all learn from the experience,