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,

Monet’s masterpieces at HK’s Heritage Museum

By Vir B. Lumicao

If Claude Monet were around today, he would most likely be displaying in an exhibition of his works  an image of Lek Yuen Bridge arching slightly in a shroud of warm, light and dark colors across Shatin’s Shing Mun River.
The French painter called his style, introduced in 1860, as Impressionism, or the use of dabs and strokes of primary unmixed colors to simulate on canvas actual reflected light on natural objects.
The style soon became a movement that other masters such as Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir embraced as they broke away from the Realists of the era.
Now, art lovers in Hong Kong need not spend a fortune to travel to France and elsewhere in Europe to see one of the biggest collections of Monet’s paintings ever brought to the territory. The priceless art collection, all 17 masterpieces, can be viewed up close at the Heritage Museum in Shatin
Compared with at least $20,000 a Hong Kong individual spends on a trip to Paris to view the masterpieces at the Louvre, ticket prices at the Shatin museum starts at $5 for students, persons with disabilities and seniors on Wednesdays and $10 for adults.
On regular days the prices double. The museum is closed on Tuesdays
The exhibition, dubbed “The Spirit of Place –A Walk-through into the Art of Claude Monet,” opened on May 4 and ends on July 11
On display are the artist’s most emblematic and predominantly oil on canvas obras including Nymphéas, Break-Up of the Ice at Vétheuil, facing Lavacourt, Water Lilies, Effect of Spring, Giverny; Water Lily Pond in Giverny, and The Houses of Parliament, and Wisteria.
The works were his mental snapshots of the places around France and across Europe where he painted. Only one of them was done in pastel, a rarity in Monet’s time.
“His works explore all possible viewpoints, seasons and variations of the beautiful nature. Capturing the momentary effects of light, atmosphere and imperceptible details illuminating a landscape’s spirit, we can understand his appreciation of nature and his transformation from simple illustration of places to series of paintings and modern art in this exhibition,” said the Heritage Museum in its introduction to the exhibition.
Monet was inspired by the colors of nature, and he found these sources of great inspiration in his garden in Giverny, from which he had made scores of drawings and paintings. As he tended his garden, he came to discover its wealth.
“I must have flowers, always, and always,” he wrote in one essay about his works, saying his garden was his greatest masterpiece and “color is my daylong obsession, joy, and torment” in another.
While doing his series on “The Houses of Parliament” in London, he used variations of bright and dark color combinations to capture different moments and moods on a single object. He said he “jotted down the colors I thought I could see in the water”.
The blending of mountains, greenery and modern civilization in Shatin, where the Shing Mun River cuts a watery path to Tolo Harbour, would have inspired the artist further were he alive today and lived next to nature. For his appetite for beauty was boundless.
“Every day I discover more and more beautiful things. It’s enough to drive one mad. I have such a desire to do everything, my head is bursting with it,” Monet had said.
For art lovers in the Filipino community in Hong Kong, here is a once in a lifetime opportunity to savor some of the genius’ paintings and be a part of his beautiful world.
And for a price just half of a Café de Coral lunchbox, the gallery also offers guests free entry to the Bruce Lee museum and an exhibit of ancient Chinese ceramics, many of which date back to the Han dynasty in the second century.

BM Online Brigade

Ni Marites Palma

Pagtulong sa kapwa ang nag-udyok sa isang grupo ng 12 OFW na nagtapos ng dalawang taong kurso na associate in information technology sa isang paaralan sa Hong Kong na tumalima sa kahilingan na mamahagi ng kaalaman tungkol sa pagkuha ng overseas employment certificate o OEC, gamit ang internet.
Laging laman kasi ng mga balita ang walang katapusang problema na dulot ng patakaran na kailangang kumuha ng OEC ang mga OFW na magbabakasyon sa Pilipinas para sila makabalik sa trabaho. Ang resulta, kapag dagsa ang gustong umuwi sa mga panahong katulad ng Mahal na Araw, pagtatapos sa eskwela o Pasko, inaabot ng maghapon ang pagpila para sa kapiranggot na papel na nagkakahalaga ng $20.
Isang paraan para maiwasan ang pilahan ay ang pagrehistro sa Balik Manggagawa Online (o BM Online), kung saan ipapasok ang mga personal na detalye ng isang manggagawa para makakuha siya ng OEC. Kapag tagumpay ang pag-re-rehistro ay maari na siyang magbayad sa ilang itinalagang bangko para makuha ang dokumento na gagamitin niya para makaalis ng bansa at malibre sa pagbabayad ng buwis at iba pang bayarin sa paliparan.
Ngunit dahil sa ilang mga problemang lumitaw sa pagrehistro sa BM Online, bukod pa sa hindi lahat ng OFW ay maalam sa paggamit ng computer, marami ang patuloy na nagtitiyaga na pumila para dito.
Si assistant labor attache Henry Tianero na itinalaga bilang tagapamahala ng BM Online ang gumawa ng paraan para mahikayat ang grupong ito na tumulong sa pagpapaliwanag ng mga benepisyo ng paggamit ng internet para umiwas sa pila.
Unang sumabak sa boluntaryong pag-aayuda ang grupo noong Marso 27. Ang bilin sa kanila ay tulugan ang kanilang mga kapwa OFW na maintindihan ang kahalaga-han ng pagre-rehistro sa BM Online, at pati ang paggamit ng computer kung hindi pa nila ito alam. Tumutulong din ang grupo na makagawa ng email account ang aplikante para makarehistro.
Katulad din ng ginawa nilang pagsisikap upang makapagtapos ng kurso habang naninilbihan bilang kasambahay sa Hong Kong, naninilbihan ang grupo sa mga kapwa OFW tuwing Linggo.
Ayon sa kanila, madalas silang napapaharap sa mga taong mainipin, masusungit, lubhang seryoso o maproblema at mahirap umintindi sa paliwanag, bagamat mayroon din na malawak ang pag-iisip at hindi lubos ang pasasalamat sa kanilang pagtulong.
Pilit na lang daw silang nagtitimpi kapag napapasabak sa mga problemadong OFW. Todo ngiti pa rin sila at mahinahong nakikipag-usap at nagpapaliwanag sa kung ano ang dapat gawin ng mga aplikante para sa susunod na pagkuha nila ng OEC.
May mga pagkakataong napapahiya daw sila dahil tinitingnan sila mula ulo hanggang paa ng isang aplikante, pero ngiti lamang ang pwede nilang isukli sa mga matatalim na tingin sa kanila. Kung kakayanin ay dinadaan na lamang nila sa biruan ang usapan para nila makuha ang loob ng kanilang tinutulungan. Hindi daw sila pwedeng magtaray dahil pangalan ng gobyerno ang masisira kapag nagkataon.
Sa kabila ng hindi magandang karanasan na inaabot nila ay pasalamat pa rin ang grupo dahil marami daw silang natututunan sa tamang pakikisalamuha sa ibang tao, katulad ng paano kontrolin ang sarili. Natutuwa din sila dahil kahit sa isang maliit na paraan ay nakatulong silang maibsan ang dagdag problema sa mga kapwa nila OFW.
Ayon kay Jeistela Coñaliza na isa sa mga volunteer, ang ganitong pananaw ang nakakatulong ng malaki upang tumatag ang kanilang adhikain na patuloy na magsilbi. Gaano man kahirap ang kanilang nararanasan tuwing Linggo ay masaya pa rin daw sila at inspirado dahil alam nilang sa maliit na paraan ay nakakatulong silang mapagaan ang dinadala ng kanilang kapwa OFW.
Katuwang din nila sa pagtulong ang iba pang grupo ng Pilipino na pinakiusapan naman ng bagong labor attache Jalilo de la Torre na tumulong din para maibsan ang problema tungkol sa pilahan para sa OEC.
Kabilang sa kanila ang Global Alliance na pinangungunahan ni Leo Selomenio, na nakatokang mamigay ng mga application form sa mga aplikante na pumupunta sa shop ng Smart sa Worldwide Plaza tuwing araw ng Sabado, kung kailan sarado ang POLO.
May iba pang grupo na umaayuda naman sa mga nagpupunta sa Metrobank sa Admiralty at iba pang lugar sa labas ng POLO na napakiusapan din ni Labatt de la Torre na tumulong.
Bagamat nabawasan ng malaki ang bilang ng mga pumupunta sa POLO para kumuha ng OEC dahil sa mga pamamaraang ito, ang tunay na hamon ay makikita sa darating na buwan, kapag dumagsa muli ang gustong umuwi sa Pilipinas. Muling masasabak ang BM Online volunteers at iba pang grupo na tumutulong para tugunan ang matagal nang problemang dulot ng OEC.
Ngunit para sa mga nakararaming OFW, ang tunay na solusyon ay wala sa pag-aayos ng pila o pagkumbinsi sa marami na mag-online sa pagkuha ng OEC. Ang kalutasan ay nasa pagtanggal na nang tuluyan sa kapirasong papel na ito, na hindi lang kalabisan na patunay, kundi nagdudulot pa ng dagdag na sakit ng ulo at bayarin sa mga OFW.

Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 3 shallots, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 lemongrass stalk, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, sliced
• spice mix (3 whole star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, ¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice, ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• good quality fresh chicken stock 1.25 - 1.5 liters (5-6 cups)
• 500 g. free range boneless skinless chicken breasts (or use roasted chicken)
• 250-300 g. dried thin rice stick noodles
To serve:
• 1 carrot, shredded or peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• mung bean sprouts, 2 large handfuls
• fresh coriander, chopped
• mint leaves chopped
• red chili 1, thinly sliced (optional)
• crispy fried shallots* 2 tablespoons (optional)
• 1 kaffir lime leaf , tough central stalk removed, very finely sliced (optional)
• 1 lime , cut into wedges
• fish sauce and chili sauce to taste
• crispy Asian shallots

Procedure:
1. Heat oil in a small fry pan on medium heat and gently cook shallots and garlic until caramelized and golden brown (about 4-5 minutes).
2. In a large-size pot combine caramelized shallots and garlic, lemongrass, ginger, Chinese five-spice, sugar, fish sauce, chicken stock and chicken breasts. Cover with a lid and bring to a very gentle simmer. Simmer very gently for about 15 minutes to allow all the flavors to infuse and the chicken breasts are just cooked.
3. Meanwhile, prep the vegetables and cook the noodles according to packet instructions until just cooked through (do not over-cook). Rinse under cold water to prevent them sticking together. Drain and divide between serving bowls.
4. Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the soup and shred the meat using two forks. Divide shredded meat between bowls of noodles.
5. Strain the soup through a sieve. Return soup to the pot and bring to a boil. Season to taste with more fish sauce if needed.
6. To serve, ladle piping hot soup into bowls of noodles and chicken, and top with carrot, spring onion, bean sprouts, herbs, crispy shallots and kaffir lime leaf. Serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over, and more fish sauce and chili to add according to taste.

Daisy of all trades

By Jo Campos

One of the main requirements when being hired as a domestic worker here in Hong Kong usually is one’s cooking skills, probably next to childcare and household work.  OFWs take pride of their efficiency in their jobs. Although for some, learning to cook is just part of the job while some takes passion and continue to expand their knowledge.  Their cooking skills can be used for their future plans like setting up a food business when they go back to the Philippines for good. One particular ex OFW we featured in this column is now a flourishing entrepreneur in food business back home in the Philippines.
    Like most OFWs, our featured Celebrity Chef takes pride of her baking skills. Daisy Eugenio, married with 2 children from Baguio City came to Hong Kong 11 years ago to work as a domestic helper. The first few years were hard for Daisy, she went through undesirable working conditions which forced her to break contract a few times. Luckily, she found an employer who is kind and who supports her eagerness to learn skills.  Daisy is currently employed by a British family for more than 2 years in Discovery Bay. “Marami akong pinagdaanang hirap bago ako napunta dito sa present employer ko.” “Nagpapasalamat ako dahil suportado niya ako at handang turuan ako.” Daisy said. As for baking cakes, she said that it has been her dream to learn the art of cake decorating.  To learn more of her passion, she enrolled in a livelihood program in Baking and Cake Decorating at the Methodist Church in 2012. She continued to learn more techniques in making fondant icing through instructional videos in the internet.  At present, with the full support of her employer, she makes custom made cakes for all occasions in the comfort of her employer’s kitchen. Daisy is gaining popularity and clientele around DB area. Although she doesn’t make a lot of profit from the cakes she makes, Daisy said, “ hindi naman malaki ang tinutubo o kumikita ako sa mga cakes, yung mabawi lang ang gastos sa mga ingredients na binibili, okay na iyon. At least, nasasanay ako sa paggawa at lalo ko napapaganda ang mga cakes na order sa akin.”
    Daisy’s culinary skills include cooking savory dishes too. She likes cooking Indian and
Southeast Asian cuisine. One of her favorite dish to make is a Vietnamese soup noodle. Pho Ga, the savory, light broth made of chicken simmered to make that clear, aromatic soup base that brings out the flavor of the ingredients combined.
    Her thirst for learning doesn’t stop with cooking, she is currently taking up LSE (Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship) course this year. Daisy also finished a course last January this year in Beauty Treatment and Massage Therapy in YMCA. Also a fitness enthusiast, she attends Yoga classes in Discovery Bay on Tuesday nights and attends free health and wellness workshops and activities offered for free in DB community.
    Daisy believes that these courses will help her prepare for reintegration in the Philippines. She said that working in Hong Kong is not a permanent job and it is important to use her day off in a productive way.
Pho’ Ga

Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 3 shallots, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 lemongrass stalk, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, sliced
• spice mix (3 whole star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, ¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice, ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• good quality fresh chicken stock 1.25 - 1.5 liters (5-6 cups)
• 500 g. free range boneless skinless chicken breasts (or use roasted chicken)
• 250-300 g. dried thin rice stick noodles
To serve:
• 1 carrot, shredded or peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• mung bean sprouts, 2 large handfuls
• fresh coriander, chopped
• mint leaves chopped
• red chili 1, thinly sliced (optional)
• crispy fried shallots* 2 tablespoons (optional)
• 1 kaffir lime leaf , tough central stalk removed, very finely sliced (optional)
• 1 lime , cut into wedges
• fish sauce and chili sauce to taste
• crispy Asian shallots

Procedure:
1. Heat oil in a small fry pan on medium heat and gently cook shallots and garlic until caramelized and golden brown (about 4-5 minutes).
2. In a large-size pot combine caramelized shallots and garlic, lemongrass, ginger, Chinese five-spice, sugar, fish sauce, chicken stock and chicken breasts. Cover with a lid and bring to a very gentle simmer. Simmer very gently for about 15 minutes to allow all the flavors to infuse and the chicken breasts are just cooked.
3. Meanwhile, prep the vegetables and cook the noodles according to packet instructions until just cooked through (do not over-cook). Rinse under cold water to prevent them sticking together. Drain and divide between serving bowls.
4. Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the soup and shred the meat using two forks. Divide shredded meat between bowls of noodles.
5. Strain the soup through a sieve. Return soup to the pot and bring to a boil. Season to taste with more fish sauce if needed.
6. To serve, ladle piping hot soup into bowls of noodles and chicken, and top with carrot, spring onion, bean sprouts, herbs, crispy shallots and kaffir lime leaf. Serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over, and more fish sauce and chili to add according to taste.

Demanding

Nakatanggap si Kathy ng tawag minsan sa isang Pilipinang DH na inilapit ng dating kakilala sa Hong Kong na nasa ibang bansa na. Ayon sa tumawag, gusto na daw nitong umalis sa amo na pinagsilbihan niya ng isang buwan pa lang. Nang tanungin ni Kathy kung bakit ay isang mahabang litanya ang pinakawalan ng kausap, sa tonong nanghihihingi ng awa. Unang una sa mga reklamo nito ay ang pag-uwi daw ng amo ng hatinggabi mula sa trabaho. Napupuyat daw lagi ang Pilipina dahil siya ang nagbabantay sa bagong silang na sanggol ng amo. Nang tanungin ni Kathy kung anong oras siya gumigising kinabukasan ay sumagot ito ng alas sais, sabay litanya ulit ng mga pinagdadaanan nitong hirap. Ayon pa sa Pilipina, nagkabukol siya sa likod dahil sa pagkarga-karga sa alagang sanggol. Nang sabihin ni Kathy na malabong ang pagkarga sa bata ang dahilan ng kanyang bukol sa likod, lalo na at isang buwan pa lang siya sa mga amo ay agad itong sumagot na "fit to work" naman daw ang sinabi sa kanyang medical certificate bago siya umalis para magtrabaho sa ibang bansa. Marami pang reklamo ang Pilipina na hindi umani ng simpatiya kay Kathy, dahil pawang mababaw ang dahilan, katulad ng maiingay diumano ang dalawa pang anak ng amo na 12 at 16 taong gulang. Aminado naman ang kausap na napakabait ng mga amo, at tinapat siya na malaking halaga ang ibinayad sa agency para lang makuha siya. Walang tigil din ang mag-asawa sa pagtatrabaho para masuportahan ang pangangailangan ng tatlong anak. Sa kabila nito ay handa pa rin daw ang mga amo na pakawalan si Kathy basta magbigay siya ng pasabi. Payag din ang mag-asawa na patingnan siya sa doktor dahil sa inirereklamo niyang bukol sa likod. Hindi na nakatiis si Kathy sa pagsasabi na parang hindi handa ang kausap na manilbihan sa Hong Kong. Agad naman itong umamin na parang ganoon na nga, kaya pati ang ina nito ay nagsabi na umuwi na lang siya sa Pilipinas. Ang problema ng Pilipina ay dinala daw siya ng kanyang agency sa isang pautangan, at pinapirma para sa $10,000 na utang. Ang $ $8,500 ay kinaltas para daw sa kanyang placement fee, at ang $1,500 ay ibinigay sa kanya para panggastos. Sinabihan na lang ni Kathy ang kausap na pumunta sa Philippine Overseas Labor Office para magpatulong na mabura ang kanyang utang at baka kahit nakauwi na siya sa Pilipinas ay ipahabol pa rin siya sa kolektor doon. -- DCLM