THE SUN CALENDAR

8TH Anniversary/ Recognition Rites
June 19, 1-5pm
Bayanihan Centre
Organizer: United Migrants Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Association HK
Contact: Ofelia Baquirin

Induction of Officers and Graduation
June 19, 11am- 2pm
M/V Star Pisces
Organized by: Balikatan sa Kaunlaran HK Chapter
Contact: Ching, 5168 9670


Free Financial Literacy Seminar
June 26, July 24, Aug 21 and Nov 27.
Interested parties are advised to choose one of the dates mentioned above. The venue and details about the seminars will be announced later.
Organizer: CARD MRI OFW Foundation
For reservation and inquiries, contact 54238196 as well as 95296392 and 96066810. Registration will be on a first-come first-served basis, as only 50 slots are available.

Filcom Farewell for Consul Chuck Macaspac
June 26, 10am – 1pm
Venue TBA
Details to be announced through FB

RoRo Barbecue Get-Together
June 26, 11am- 7pm
Deep Water Bay Beach
Contact: Colleen Navarro
11 AM - 7 PM

Ugoy ng Duyan: A Free Play
July 3, 3-5pm
Y Theatre, Chaiwan
Co-organized by: Philippine Consular General and Teatro Filipino
Free admission.
For tickets and information, call the PCG Cultural Section, 2823 8537/ 8539

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

Nanay Tarcila returns home

Nanay Tarcila (third from left) is reunited with relatives in Metro Manila, her stopover before eventually going home to Cadiz, Negros Occidental.

By Vir B. Lumicao

“Nanay Tarcila,” the 68-year-old woman who last December gave herself up to Immigration authorities after overstaying in Hong Kong for over a decade, is now back in the Philippines.
Tarcila Alabastro flew home on May 30 aboard a Philippine Airlines flight to Manila.
According to Hermogenes Cayabyab Jr, officer of the Consulate’s assistance to nationals section, the OFW’s plane ticket was paid for by the Hong Kong government, and she was escorted to the airport by immigration officers.
However, her friends in Hong Kong say Alabastro is now “stranded” at a relative’s home in Metro Manila because her air ticket was only up to Manila.
Alabastro was convicted of breach of condition of stay after overstaying for more than 12 years in Hong Kong. She was sentenced to six months in jail on Jan 8 by a Shatin court, which gave discounts for her surrender and her fragile physical condition.
She could hardly walk because of osteoarthritis when she surrendered on Dec 9 with help from the Consulate. She was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital two weeks later by Esther Bangcawayan of Bethune House after a surge in her blood pressure.
That discomfort turned out to be a mild stroke, and her surrender must have come as a blessing, according to Cayabyab. The domestic worker ended up spending practically all of her four-and-a-half months’ jail term in hospital, where all her medical needs were provided.
“Magaling na siya paglabas niya,” said Cayabyab, who often visited the old woman during the regular prison visit by Consulate officials.
For the domestic helpers who helped Alabastro surrender and find shelter, her early release was welcome news, but her return home left them with mixed feelings.
“Naku, ayaw ko nang maisip yung sa kulungan. Naiyak ako nang magkita kami. Nang makita niya ako, ang iyak niya, grabe! Di makapaniwala na babalikan ko siya,” said Alexise Tiu, administrator of the OFWs in Hong Kong who visited Alabastro at the Lowu women’s correctional a week before her departure.
It was Tiu who helped the limping Alabastro walk to the Consulate and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Admiralty on Dec 6, 2015 to seek a shelter before she surrendered. Tiu said she misses Nanay Tarcila. “I still want to see her but I’ll just pray that she’ll be fine.”

Juday at Ryan, nag-enjoy sa HK

Nanatiling matamis na pagmamahalan ng mag-asawang Judy Ann Santos at Ryan Agoncillo kahit tatlo na ang kanilang anak. Kamakailan ay binigyan ng sorpresa ni Ryan si Judy Ann nang sabihin niya ditong i-libre niya ng June 8 (Miyerkules) dahil may lakad silang dalawa.
Ang sorpresa pala ay pupunta sila ng Hong Kong dahil nakapagpa-reserve si Ryan sa restaurant ng pamosong French chef na si Joel Robuchon, sa L’ Atelier de Joel Robuchon na matatagpuan sa Landmark sa Central. Pahirapan daw ang pagkuha ng booking sa naturang restaurant, na may 3 Michelin stars dahil marami ang dumarayo dito, at matagal na ring gustong masubukang kumain dito ni Juday. Ang iba pang restaurants nito bukod sa HK ay matatagpuan sa ibang bansa gaya ng Bangkok, Bordeaux, Las Vegas, London, Macau, Monaco, Paris, Singapore, Taipei, at Tokyo.
Umalis ang mag-asawa sa Pilipinas ng 7:15 ng umaga upang mananghalian sa Hong Kong,  pero bago raw humabol sa reservation nilang 12:30 ng tanghali, sinabi ni Ryan na kailangan nilang sumaglit sa IFC ( International Finance Centre), dahil ito raw ang talagang sadya nila, at on the side lang ang pagbisita nila sa pamosong reataurant. Pinuntahan nila ang sikat na chocolate store na Godiva kung saan kinausap ni Ryan ang isang babae na nagpakilala kay Juday bilang kaibigan ng kanyang personal secretary na si Tippy. May iniabot na paper bag ang babae, na nang silipin ni Juday ay nabigla siya dahil ang laman nito ay black truffles, isang uri ng edible mushroom na ubod ng mahal at hindi basta mabibili o mahahanap.
Nagpatulong pala si Ryan kay Tippy na makahanap ng truffles, at eksakto namang may kaibigan ito na alam kung paano makakakuha nito sa Hong Kong. Kaya daw pala nagmamadaling pumunta sila ng Hong Kong ay upang malanghap ni Juday ang amoy nito habang sariwa pa. Matagal nang gustong masubukan ni Juday na magamit ito sa pagluluto, kaya napaiyak siya sa tuwa sa ginawa ni Ryan.
Sa maikling sandali nila sa Hong Kong na parang magkasintahan, at ang ginawa lang ay maglakad na bitbit ang isang trolley bag, kumain at sumakay ng train, bago bumalik ulit ng airport para makabalik sa Pilipinas kinagabihan, hindi malilimutan ni Juday ang masayang date nilang mag-asawa at ang magandang sorpresa ni Ryan sa kanya.
Parehong mahilig magluto ang mag-asawa, at nag-aral pa sila sa culinary school. Si Juday ay nakapaglabas na ng sariling cookbook, ang “Judy Ann’s Kitchen”. Kasalukuyang tinatapos ng aktres ang indie film na  “Kusina” na kalahok sa Cinemalaya Film Festival sa taong ito.

VINA, KINASUHAN SI CEDRIC
Sinampahan ng kaso ni Vina Morales ang dati niyang karelasyon na Cedric Lee noong June 3 a San Juan Prosecutor’s Office dahil diumano sa sapilitan nitong pagtangay sa kanilang anak na si Ceana mula sa kanilang tinitirhan nilang mag-ina. Nasa ibang bansa noon si Vina at nagbabakasyon kasama ng kanyang bagong boyfriend na si Marc Lambert..
Ayon kay Vina, nilabag ni Cedric ang visitation rights na itinakda ng korte na tuwing Sabado lang niya ito pwedeng madalaw. Noong una raw ay ayaw na sana niyang magsalita, pero marami raw ang nagtatanong kaya napilitan siyang ihayag ang katotohanan.
Siyam na araw daw na kasama ni Cedric si Ceana bago ito ibinalik sa kanyang pamilya, pamamagitan ng korte, noong May 23. Sa edad na pitong taon, nalilito raw ang kanyang anak at na-traumatize sa nangyari. Kaya ngayon ay matapang na raw siyang lalaban para sa kanyang anak at sa matagal nang pambu-bully sa kanya ni Cedric at sa kanyang pamilya.
Dahil sa mga naging pahayag ni Vina, sinampahan naman siya ng anim na kasong libel ni Cedric.
Si Cedric ay isang mayamang negosyante na naging pangunahing suspect sa pambubugbog sa comedian/actor/TV host na si Vhong Navarro noong 2014.
Samantala, humingi ng tulong si Vina sa kanyang dating boyfriend na si Robin Padilla. Sa kanyang Instagram page, nag-post siya ng larawan ni Robin na may caption na “Binoe, away ako. Sabi mo pag away ako, sumbong ako sa ‘yo, “Utol Kong Hoodlum”.

KRISTINE, KAPUSO NA
Muling masisilayan sa TV ang isa sa may pinakamagagandang mukha sa showbiz, si Kristine Hermosa. Mapapanood siya sa bagong comedy series na “Hay, Bahay” sa GMA Network. Makakasama niya sa show ang kanyang biyenang si Vic Sotto, AiAi dela Alas, at ang kanyang mister na si Oyo Sotto.
Alam ni Kristine na marami sa kanyang mga fans ang naghihintay na muli siyang mapanood sa ABS CBN, kung saan siya nagsimula at sumikat ng husto, pero nilinaw niya na matagal na siyang walang kontrata bilang Kapamilya, kahit na noong may project pa siyang ginagawa doon. Nagpaalam din daw siya ng maayos at sinabing makakasama niya sina Vic at Oyo at sinabi naman daw ng network na ok lang, kung saan siya masaya.
Ang isa pang dahilan kaya napapayag siyang muling umarte ay dahil comedy ang “ Hay Bahay”. Ayaw na daw muna niyang gumawa ng drama dahil umiiwas siya sa mga iyakan. Siguro ay napagod na rin daw siya sa dami ng mga nagawa na niyang drama. Kaya nga nang makasama raw siya sa Enteng Kabisote movie noon ay nag-enjoy siya nang husto dahil parang naging pahinga na niya ito dahil may teleserye rin siyang ginagawa noon na kasabay ito.
Kasalukuyang dinadala ni Kristine ang pang-apat na anak nila ni Oyo, na ayon sa balita ay isa na namang baby boy. Ang mga anak nila ni Oyo ay sina Kristian Daniel, Ondrea Bliss at Kaleb Hanns.
Ilan sa mga teleseryeng ginawa ni Kristine na tumatak sa mga manonood ay ang Pangako Sa ‘Yo, Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas, Gulong ng Palad, Prinsesa ng Banyera, Till Death Do Us Part at Sandaling Kailangan Mo Ako.

MISS PHILIPPINES EARTH 2016
Nanalo ang Filipina German na si Imelda Schweighart, 21, bilang Miss Philippines Earth 2016 sa ginanap na coronation night sa UP Theatre noong June11. Siya ang magiging pambato ng Pilipinas sa Miss Earth 2016 sa October, na gaganapin sa Pilipinas.
Gaya ni Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, ilang beses na ring sumali sa mga beauty contests si Sweighart. Nasa top 15 finalists siya sa Bb. Pilipinas 2013, at nagtamo ng special award. Sinubukan din niyang mag-artista, gamit ang pangalang Imee Hart, at napanood sa tv show na Bagets ng TV5, at naging co-host ni Willie Revillame sa Willing Willie noong 2010 – 2011.
Maganda ang naging sagot niya sa question and answer portion, bagama’t tila memoryado ang sagot:   “My climate change advocacy is banning genetically modified organisms (GMO) and genetically modified seeds, because I believe in natural food in order to feed our mind, body, and soul. So if we really want to feed our minds and become smarter, let’s support banning GMO, President Duterte”.
Samantala, pinag-usapan naman ang naging sagot ng isa sa top 12 candidates na si Bellatrix Tan ng Zamboanga, nang pinakuha sila ng hashtag mula sa isang bowl at magsalita tungkol sa nabunot na issue. Ang napili niya ay #El Nino, La Nina: “El Nino, is what we are facing right now. If we do simple things like planting trees, then we will not experience drought, right? So, if we start now, we will achieve La Nina. Thank you”.

Shorties

Pilipino can be more meaningful than English. Just one example:
English: Don’t be shy. Feel at home.
Pilipino: Kapalan ‘nyo mukha ‘nyo. Feel at home kayo diyan!
-o-
Manager: Why haven’t you written your mobile number in your application form?
Girl: Because I already have a boyfriend.
-o-
Spotted on Twitter: I tried committing suicide today. Never going to do it again. I almost killed myself.
-o-
Snaccident (n):
Eating an entire box of chocolates by mistake.
-o-
Women with straight hair want curls. Women with curls want straight hair.
Men are simpler: They just want the hair on  their head to stay.
-o-
Maybe if we tell people that the brain is an app, they will start using it.

Sagutan
Mga aktwal na sagot sa programang Wowowee...
1. Q: "Ano sa Tagalog ang teeth?" A: "Utong!"
2. Q: "Kung ang light ay ilaw, ano naman ang lightning?" A: "Umiilaw!"
3. Q: "Kung vegetarian ang tawag sa kumakain ng gulay, ano ang tawag sa kumakain ng tao? A: "Humanitarian?"
4. Q: "Sina Michael at Raphael ay mga." A: "Ninja?"
5. Q: "Ano ang karaniwang kasunod ng kidlat?" A: "Sunog!"
6. Q: "Magbigay ng sikat na Willie." A: "Willie da pooh!"
7. Q: "Ang mga Hindu ay galing sa aling bansa?" A: "Hindunesia?"
8. Q: "Anong hayop si King Kong?" A: "Pagong!"
9. Q: "Magbigay ng mabahong pagkain." A: "Tae!"
10. Q: "Saang bansa matatagpuan ang mga Canadians?" A: "Canadia!"
11. Q: "Kumpletuhin - Little Red." A: "Ribbon!"
12 Q: "Ano ang tinatanggal sa itlog bago ito kainin?" A: "Buhok?"
13. Q: "Magbigay ng pagkain na dumidikit sa ngipin." A: "Tinga!"
14. Q: "Anong oras kadalasang pinapatay ang TV?" A: "Pag balita?"
15. Q: "Ano ang tawag mo sa anak ng taong grasa?" A: "Baby oil?"
16. Q: "Saan karaniwang ginagawa ang mga sweets na ginagamit sa halu-halo?" A: "Sweetserland?"
17. Q: "Sinong higanteng G ang tinalo ni David?" A: "Godzilla?"
18. Q: "Ano ang mas malaki, itlog ng ibon o sanggol ng tao?" A: "Itlog ng tao!"
19. Q: "Anong S ang tawag sa duktor nag nago-opera?" A: "Sadista?"
20. Q: "Blank is the best policy." A: "Ice tea?"
22. Q: "Saan binaril si Jose Rizal?" A: "Sa likod!"
23. Q: "Fill in the blanks - Beauty is in the eye of the ____." A: "Tiger?"
24. Q: "Ano ang kinakain ng monkey-eating eagle?" A: "Saging!"
25. Q: "Kung ang suka ay vinegar, ano naman ang Inggles ng toyo?" A: "Baliw!"
26. Q: "Anong tawag mo sa kapatid ng nanay mo?" A: "Kamag-anak!"
27. Q: "Saan nakukuha ang sakit na AIDS?" A: "Sa motel?"
28. Q: "Kung ang H2O ay water, ano naman ang CO2?" A: "Cold water!"
29. Q: "Sinong cartoon character ang sumisigaw ng yabba dabba doo?" A: "Si scooby dooby doo?"
30. Q: "Heto na si kaka, bubuka-bukaka." A: "Operadang bakla?"
31. Q: "Ilan ang bituin sa American flag?" A: "Madami!"
32. Q: "Ano ang tawag mo sa taong isa lang ang mata?" A: "Abnormal!"

Covers the period June 16-30

UNGGOY. Isinilang noong 1920/32/44/56/68/80/92
May tsansang ma-love at first sight ka ngayon at wala mang kahihinatnan ito, malilibang at aagaw din ng atensyon mo ito. Kung dati ay tahimik lang, ngayon ay magpapakita ka ng tapang na magbibigay ng magandang resulta sa maraming bagay. Lumalaki ang hindi pagkakaunawaan sa pamilya. Kulang sa init ang pakikipagkaibigan dahil hindi mo maiwasang maging prangka kahit nakakasakit ka na. Konting ingat sa salita at matutong gumamit ng diplomasya. Lucky numbers: 15, 19, 22 at 41.

TANDANG Isinilang noong 1921/33/45/57/69/81/93
Pagkakataon mo nang maiangat ang sarili dahil magiging maganda ang bunga ng pinaghirapan. Magagamit mo rin ang karisma upang mas maging maganda ang samahan sa mga malalapit sa iyo. Makakatulong din sa iyo ang ilang taong iniiwasan mo. Wala kang dapat ipag-alala sa kalusugan pero mababawasan ang sigla mo ngayon. Iwasan muna ang alcoholic drinks na nakakasama sa bato, at dagdagan ang pahinga. Lucky numbers: 2, 20, 34 at 38.

ASO. Isinilang noong 1922/34/46/58/70/82/94
Dadami ang makikilala mo na maaaring interesado sa iyong ideya o proyekto. Mas maayos ang relasyon sa taong mahal mo o sa bagong makikilala mo. Mapapasarap ka sa pagkain ngayon kaya pananakit ng tiyan ang maaring maranasan. Dapat nang higpitan ang gastusin at magkaroon ng istriktong plano para sa pagtitipid upang hindi masayang ang kinikita sa bagay na hindi importante, at hindi maharap sa malaking problema sa oras ng pangangailangan. Lucky numbers: 17, 21, 33 at 45.
.
BABOY. Isinilang noong 1923/35/47/59/71/83/95
Posibleng sumablay na naman ang iyong desisyon dahil sa mga bagay na hindi pinag-iisipan. Iwasan ang pabigla-biglang kilos at paglabas ng pera, lalong lalo na kung dahil sa laging pagtulong sa kaibigan. May mga pagtatalo sa karelasyon dahil sa nakasanayan mong pagpi-flirt sa iba. Magiging tampulan ka ng tsismis, pero kung mananatiling kalmado ay maayos itong madaraanan. Talikuran ang taong hindi nararapat na kaibigan. Lucky numbers: 3, 18, 27 at 36.

DAGA. Isinilang noong 1924/36/48/60/72/84/96
Iwasang magka-insomnia sa pamamagitan ng pagkalma sa sarili at pagkakaroon ng regular na pamumuhay. Iwasan ang nakakanerbiyos na inumin at gawi. Mag-ingat sa mga alok na natatanggap dahil wala rin itong kahihinatnan. Mas mabuting isagawa ang iyong plano dahil Malaki ang maitutulong nito sa iyo. Kung nahihirapan sa paghanap ng tirahan, magpatulong sa kuwalipikadong ahente upang mahanap ang nababagay sa iyong budget at gusto. Lucky numbers: 15, 23, 37 at 40.
 39.
BAKA. Isinilang noong 1925/37/49/61/73/85/97
Kailangan mong gumawa ng mahalagang desisyon hinggil sa iyong trabaho at ambisyon sa buhay. Makabubuti sa iyo ang mamuhay ng malayo sa pamilya upang mapalawak ang kaalaman at personalidad at magkaroon ng positibong pananaw. Tigilan na ang mga bagay na wala namang naibibigay na pakinabang. Mas mabuting harapin ang problema kesa itago o iwasan, at umasa na lang na bubuti rin ang lahat. Lucky numbers: 7, 11, 28 at 33.
.
TIGRE Isinilang noong 1926/38/50/62/74/86 at 98
Maswerte ang linggong ito dahilan magtatatagumpay ka sa anumang susubukan mo. Simulan na ang pagdidiyeta na matagal mo nang binabalak. Hindi maiiwasan ang pagtatalo sa pagsasama kung laging ang trabaho ang pinapahalagahan mo. Iwasang masira ang budget mo sa mga maling desisyon. Dobleng ingat sa pananalapi. Lucky numbers: 15, 16, 21 at 39.

 KUNEHO Isinilang noong 1927/39/51/63/75/87
Alam mo kung ano ang gusto mong mangyari at gagawin mo ang lahat para matupad ito. Pairalin kung ano ang nasa puso dahil ito ang pinakamabisang paraan upang paniwalaan ka. Sa trabaho, ang pagiging praktikal ang makakatulong upang mahanapan ng solusyon ang maraming problema. Sa kabila mg maraming pinagkakaabalahan, bigyan ng sapat na oras ang pamilya at hindi ka magsisisi. Lucky numbers: 5, 16, 21 at 47.

 DRAGON Isinilang noong 1928/40/52/64/76/88
Maganda ang iyong hangarin at ang puso ay puno ng pagmamahal kaya walang puwang ang problema ngayon. Mag-ingat na magtiwala agad dahil hirap kang kumilatis sa tunay na ugali ng mga tao. Huwag palalain ang problema sa pamilya nang dahil sa pananalita na nakakasakit ng damdamin. Mataas ang enerhiya mo at ganado ka sa maraming bagay, gamitin ito upang magkaroon ng dagdag na pagkakakitaan. Lucky numbers: 9, 15, 34 at 37.

AHAS Isinilang noong 1929/41/53/65/77/89
Malalampasan mo rin ang mga bagay na nakakasagabal sa takbo ng iyong trabaho pero huwag hayaang malamangan ka. Mababawasan ang lakas at resistensya mo ngayon kaya madali kang mapagod. Iwasang talunin ng kalungkutan ang iyong paligid. May maitim mang ulap ang nakalambong ngayon, kakayanin mo namang mapabilis na masilayan ang kasiyahang dulot ng sikat ng araw. Lucky numbers: 14, 19, 24 at 43.

KABAYO. Isinilang noong 1930/42/54/66/78/90
Magiging kasiya-siya ang linggong ito dahil sa palitan ng mga ideya at opinyon. Matutupad din ang ilan sa iyong hinahangad dahil sa iyong pagpupursige. Mapupukaw ang interes mo sa mga bagay na mahirap ipaliwanag. Dadaan sa pagsubok ang pagmamahalan, na maaaring magdulot ng pagkakalayo o pansamantalang paghihiwalay dahil sa pangingibang-bansa. Lucky numbers: 6, 19, 21 at 43.

KAMBING. Isinilang noong 1919/31/43/55/67/79 at 91
Magandang panahon upang makakilala ng mga bagong tao para maging karelasyon o maging asawa. Nakakabahala ang magiging problema mo sa pera. Kung may usaping dapat iresolba, kumunsulta sa mga eksperto kaysa ayusin itong mag-isa. Ipagpaliban muna ang mahahalagang desisyon. Kailangan mo ng sapat na pahing at libangan upang mapakalma ang sarili at mabawasan ang nerbiyos at iritasyong nadarama. Lucky numbers: 4, 12, 18 at 36.

2 Pinays rescued; employer accused of indecent acts

Photo of two Filipinas that triggered the rescue.

By Vir B. Lumicao

Two Filipina domestic helpers who arrived in Hong Kong less than two months ago accused their male employer of indecent assault and theft shortly after they were rescued in Shatin by Consulate officials on June 8.
The Filipinas told Consulate officials that they were not fed, not paid their salaries until the day they were rescued, and were made to do dangerous jobs.
Their male employer, a Singaporean surnamed Ong, was arrested by police and charged with indecent assault. Officers laid an additional charge of theft against him for confiscating the passports of the two Filipinas. He was released on police bail.
The two Filipinas were rescued at about 11am at their employers’ home at Villa Jardine in Fotan, after Labor Attaché Jalilo de la Torre and Hermogenes Cayabyab Jr, officer of the assistance to nationals section, sought police help.
De la Torre and Cayabyab, rushed to the Shatin Police station and coordinated the rescue with the officers after receiving a tip-off from a migrant workers’ group.
The support group had posted a picture on Facebook of the two maids perched precariously on a ledge while cleaning window panes.
The alleged victims said the Singaporean boss and his wife, an Indonesian Chinese, were surprised when police came to their house as the female employer was about to leave for work.  
An Indonesian co-worker of the Filipinas refused to be rescued, the labor attaché said.
Rescued were a 32-year-old mother of two, and a 23-year-old single woman. They said the employers held their passports upon arriving in Hong Kong on Apr 28.
On the next night, Ong reportedly ordered the older helper to massage him and asked him to hold his genitals, offering her $80. But she said she refused vehemently and left the room.
The next day, after his wife had left, Ong allegedly asked the younger helper to massage him in his bedroom. He told her to bring him a cup of lemon tea, and when she came into the room, he allegedly grabbed the maid’s hands and put them on his genitals.
She reportedly ran out of the room in tears when the employer started to masturbate.
Apart from the sexual assault, the employers were also accused of ill-treating the Filipinas.
 “They arrived from Manila on April 28. They complained that they were not given food and were treated like slaves,” De la Torre said. “They were also not paid their salaries.”
The two helpers said they were warned not to touch any of the refrigerator’s contents, and managed to survive with the help of the Indonesian maid and other helpers in the neighborhood who gave them food after hearing about their plight.
The male employer’s name appears on the contract, but the signature belonged to his wife, De la Torre said.
“The rescued Filipinas said the couple was in the middle of divorce proceedings, so they always vented their anger on the maids,” De la Torre said.
The group that helped rescue them, called OFWs in Hong Kong, thanked the labor attache for the quick response.
“Alas 9:00 ng umaga nang kinalampag tayo ni Admin Sky na mayroon tayong kababayan na nangangailangan ng tulong. Bukod sa sila ay baguhan pa lamang, ni hindi pinakakain ng mga amo nila, ang mga pasaporte ay nasa amo at ang sahod nila ay delayed na ng 11 araw,” the post read.
“At ang paglilinis sa bintana ay isa sa mga nakakatakot na gawain ng mga ito. Agad na ipinagbigay-alam kay Labatt ang pangyayari na ito. At salamat sa Diyos hanggang sa pagkuha ng mga police at sa kasalukuyan ang dalawang kababayan natin ay nasa kamay na ng ating labor attache. They’re free and safe,” the post said.

VIDEO NEWS: Diplomatic Reception Focuses on Hong Kong and Philippines Trade

WATCH NOW:

Trade was the focus of attention in the diplomatic reception hosted by the Philippine Consulate General on June 14, 2016. The guest of honor was Hong Kong's Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam.

For news and updates, visit www.sunwebhk.com

CG cooks for PCG breakfast fest

She is a seasoned diplomat who knows her seasonings.
Consul General Bernardita Catalla again showed her wizardry in the kitchen when she served food she herself cooked, during the Independence Day breakfast gathering held at the Consulate on June 12.
The buffet-style breakfast she dubbed “Pika-Pika Almusal” included such unique canapes as mini pizzas topped with daing and beef tapa, as well as her signature miniature puto with cheese, and kutsinta topped with coconut shavings.
ConGen also served Japanese maki sushi stuffed with such Filipino dishes as embotido, chicken tocino and tinapa.
Another unusual treat was her “sari-saring sandwiches” which had different fillings, from the usual ham and egg, to chicken inasal with egg, and the melt-in-the-mouth delicious  “kinilaw na samaral.”
Also on offer was an array of colorful hotdog cocktails with pickled carrots, singkamas, mango and pineapple complements.
Most interesting was a tray filled with hors de’ouevre or appetizer made of tiny slivers of toast topped with homemade chicken and pork liver pate, and trimmed with a tiny slice of bell pepper and black olives. The very light-textured pate melts as soon as the morsel of toast reaches the palate.
According to ConGen Bernie, the crunchy toast came from a Filipino snack brand, but the pate topping was her own concoction. – Jo Campos

Overstaying Pinay, lover hid kids 19 yrs

By Vir B. Lumicao

A Filipina was jailed for 12 months on June 13 for overstaying in Hong Kong for 20 years while her Filipino partner got a similar but suspended sentence for aiding and abetting the breach, and for failing to register their two daughters.
Ma Lorena Escanillas, 43, a former domestic helper, has been in jail since her arrest along with 58-year-old Reynaldo Pangan, also a helper, on Apr 27 in Aberdeen.
Eastern Court Magistrate Clement Lee suspended Pangan’s sentence for two years so he could look after the girls, aged 18 and 19.
Lee cut the sentences by one-third because Escanillas and Pangan had  pleaded guilty to the charges. He also imposed a two-month jail term on Pangan for each of the two charges of failing to register a child.
The couple and their daughters were arrested when police armed with a search warrant raided a flat on Ap Lei Main Street for a suspected crime.
Finding no suspicious items, they checked the identities of the four and found that only Pangan had a valid Hong Kong ID card. Escanillas had an ID issued on Oct 26, 1994, but her visa had expired on Oct. 22, 1996.
The daughters could not show any identity cards, just a patient card and a delivery record issued by the Prince of Wales Hospital indicating a baby girl was born on Mar 4, 1997. The parents and daughters were arrested.
During investigation, the girls identified Escanillas and Pangan as their parents, with the elder daughter saying that she was told by the couple that she was born in a Hong Kong hospital on Mar 3, 1997. The younger said she heard she was born in a house in Taipo on Feb 25, 1998.
The undocumented children said they never went to school because they did not have birth certificates and were taught at home by their parents. They also never traveled because they had no passports.
The sisters were referred to the Social Welfare Department and issued temporary identity documents by the Immigration Department on Apr 30.
Escanillas told investigators she came to Hong Kong on Oct 3, 1993 to work as a domestic helper but was terminated in 1995. Finding no new employer, she decided to remain in the city because she was the eldest daughter and was supporting her family.
She said fear about her illegal status and of going home to face her relatives’ ire kept her from surrendering.
Pangan told investigators he met Escanillas while she was working in Stanley in 1995-1996, and she became his girlfriend. When the woman lost her job, he found places for her to stay until he got her pregnant. He supported her and his daughters “so they won’t be a burden to the government,” he told investigators.
Pangan and his de facto family were renting the flat for $11,000 a month.
The prosecutor likened the case to that of former helper Herminia Garcia, who overstayed for over 20 years and co-habited with insurance executive Nick Cousins. They also had two daughters whom they did not register.
The case came to light only when police investigated after the elder  daughter jumped off the 22-floor bathroom window of the Cousins’ flat in Repulse Bay.
Garcia was jailed for 12 months and Cousins got an eight-month sentence suspended for two years.
In the present case, Magistrate Lee said he ruled out a 6-10-month sentence on Escanillas because she did not surrender. He said in the precedent case, the High Court meted the 6-10 month sentence because the overstayer surrendered.
Pangan asked The SUN to hide his identity, saying it was for the protection of his daughters. He said he would enroll them in computer courses where they were good. He said he would not send them to the Philippines because he said they still have much to learn about Hong Kong and they speak only English.
But the question  is, will they be allowed to remain in Hong Kong, given that neither parent had right of abode when they were born?

VIDEO FEATURE: 118th Philippine Independence Day in Hong Kong (Kapangyawan Friendship Festival 2016)

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Celebrate 118 years of Philippine Independence with the Hong Kong Filipino community, These are the sights and sounds of Kapangyawan Friendship Festival 2016. This feature is produced and brought to you by The SUN Hong Kong.

Support Duterte, but continue to be wary and critical - ConGen Catalla

Play the video to get the full report.

Kapangyawan Festival 2016

Mga eksena sa Independence Day celebration sa Chater Road ngayon, June 12, 2016, sa Chater Road, Central, Hong Kong. Antayin ang buong report sa susunod na mga oras.

Consulate offers help to scam victims

Vice Consul Fatima Quintin

By Vir B. Lumicao

Duped job applicants who fail to collect refunds from employment agencies that ignore tribunal orders to pay up can seek help from the Consulate, according to an official of the assistance to nationals section.
Vice Consul Fatima Quintin, head of the ATN section, said the Consulate could directly bring up such cases with relevant Hong Kong government agencies.
“Kapag ganun, papuntahin lang sila sa amin dito sa Konsulado. We can assist them. We have been coordinating with the relevant agencies of the government to impose the penalties at yung mga payments sa kanila. Meron naman tayong magandang coordination sa kanila, with the departments or tribunals, with the relevant agencies,” Quintin said
“Kahit mia-refer lang ho namin sila with those agencies and then mai-endorse sila for the payment of the penalties,” Quintin said
The affected workers must provide a copy of the court or tribunal decision to bolster their complaints, she added
Quintin made the assurance when The SUN asked her about what the Consulate can do to help OFW victims of job scams who cannot collect claims against the recruiters that duped them despite winning their cases in court.
The SUN cited in particular the victims of Vicks Maid Employment Agency, which collected no less than $10,000 each from several domestic workers in 2014-2015 for purported jobs for their relatives at a luxury resort and golf course in Shenzhen.
The women laid claims against Vicks Maid owner Lennis Ebrahim at the Small Claims Tribunal in September last year. Ebrahim did not show up at the tribunal, so, the adjudicating officer granted the claims to the victims.
But more than eight months after the order was issued, Ebrahim still has to pay up.  The victims say the recruiter could no longer be contacted by phone.
One victim said that when she tried to follow up on her case, she was told that she needed to pay a $2000 fee to the bailiff  to enforce the order. The victim said she could not afford to pay this amount
Vicks Maid was stripped of its license and shut down by the Employment Agency Administration in April after a magistrate court convicted Ebrahim, its licensee, for overcharging a job applicant and changing its address without informing the EAA
Quintin said the Technical Working Group made up of the Labour Department, EAA, Immigration Department, Hong Kong Police and the Consulate, would meet again in June and the Vicks Maid case would be among the issues to be raised by the Consulate.
ATN can also seek advice or guidance from lawyer Melville Boase, the Consulate’s legal consultant, on how the victims can get the tribunal order enforced, Quintin said.
“Meron din namang Legal Aid, so, aside from that, marami namang channels to obtain further legal assistance in order to proceed with the claims kasi kahit tapos na ang kaso, may desisyon na. Siyempre sa kanila hindi pa tapos yung kaso for them (victims), kasi hindi pa sila nababayaran, di ba?Hindi pa nai-impose yung penalties,” Quintin said.
“Pumunta lang sila dito. At least kung hindi man ano, we can help them push for the implementation of the penalty,” she said.

Nurses, midwives welcome Labatt’s reintegration, skills upgrade offer

De la Torre with nurses.

By Daisy CL Mandap

Filipino nurses and midwives working as domestic helpers in Hong Kong have welcomed recent moves by Labor Attache Jalilo de la Torre to get them to fill up jobs in their chosen field in the Philippines or in other countries abroad.
At an initial meeting called by Labatt de la Torre on May 15, a total of 62 nurses and 26 midwives showed up for a briefing on what jobs are on offer, should they decide to reintegrate back home, or practice their profession in other countries.
Since then, they have been looking at various means to upgrade their skills so they could meet the required qualifications for the jobs that are available.
Labatt de la Torre said those who showed up at the meeting, especially the registered nurses, were "very enthusiastic" about the job prospects.
The midwives, on the other hand, pressed for another licensure examination to be held in Hong Kong, and for help in setting up birthing clinics in the Philippines which they are allowed to run as an alternative occupation.
For the nurses, high on the list of options is the chance to be placed for a nursing job in the Philippines under the Nurses Deployment Program, which is said to offer a "competitive" monthly salary.
Under this scheme, 35,000 nurses will de employed in regional health units and barangay health centers nationwide. The only drawback is that the contract will only be for a year.
However, those looking forward to working as a nurse in other countries could use the time to check our various options, then complete the application process from back home.
De la Torre told the nurses that among the countries that are recruiting foreigners for nursing jobs are Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Canada
"Germany is the best new market for temporary work. But if you're looking at the pathway of migration, it's either Australia, New Zealand or Canada," he said.
The positive feedback from the nurses prompted de la Torre to suggest that a Facebook page be created so they could communicate with each other more quickly and widely. He even added  his own daughter, who is a nursing practitioner in Australia, to the group so she can give advice to the Hong Kong-based nurses.
De la Torre said the recruitment for foreign nurses in Australia is through the "temporary work program or the permanent visa or independent skills migration". But he said there has always been a high demand for nurses in the country
In either case, however, a qualified nurse still needs to go through a "bridging course" which could run from between three months to a year.  The cost is quite steep, at upwards of AUD12,000 ($66,720) for the three-month course.
"Kung nag bridging course ka na, you will be allowed to work," said de la Torre.
However, the amount of money involved in getting qualified for a nursing job in another destination apart from the long waiting time is just one part of the problem. More troubling for those contemplating on going home is the prospect of giving up their job in Hong Kong so they could apply from the Philippines, given the policy against third country deployment.
"Many nurses are hesitant to do this because they will have to give up a job that pays well just so they could comply with the government requirement that they need to apply for the job from the Philippines," said Lorna Pagaduan, president of the dormant organization, Filipino Nurses Association Hong Kong.
She said it would be better if the government would allow them to apply from Hong Kong at least. Then when they they get confirmation of a job availability they could go home and process their papers from there.
For most, especially those who are not RN (registered nurses) yet, the bigger concern is to have another nursing licensure examination in Hong Kong.
After the dismal result of the first ever NLE in HK in 2009, when only 2 of the 90 examinees passed, the board exam has not been held here since, unlike the one for teachers which takes place almost every year.
The nurses' core group is now asking those interested in taking the NLE to sign a petition letter to the Professional Regulation Commission so the test can be held as proposed by June next year. Copies of the petition are available at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office or at the Metrobank office, both in Admiralty.

De la Torre with midwives.

The same petition has been pursued by the midwives for the past few months. Those who have yet to pass the midwifery licensure examination are anxious to get the required qualification, especially with the prospect that they could operate their own lying-in clinics in the country once they become licensed practitioners.
Brenda Atrero, president of the Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines Hong Kong chapter, said they are also asking the government to provide jobs for them in barangay health centers or other local government units.
They also want help in putting up the Php300,000 needed to set up their own birthing clinics.
A second meeting between Labatt de la Torre and the midwives has been set for June 5, as they were not able to discuss all their concerns during the initial round of talks due to a lack of time.

National Flag Day relives HK role as patriots’ refuge

By Vir B. Lumicao

Officials and staff of the Consulate laid a wreath on May 26 at the Morrison Hill Road Playground site where three Filipina women sewed the first Philippine flag 118 years ago.
The National Flag Day ceremony was led by Deputy Consul General Christian de Jesus, who was accompanied by Consul Charles Macaspac, Labor Attache Jalilo de la Torre, Vice Consul Alex Vallespin, Assistant Labatt Ma Nena German and a handful of Consulate staff.
Also at the remembrance were a contingent from Lakbay Dangal led by Marites Mapa, as well as members of the organization Damayan.
The wreath was laid at the foot of the historical marker the Hong Kong government installed several years ago indicating the spot at 535 Morrison Hill where once stood a house rented by exiled lawyer Felipe Agoncillo and his family.
Agoncillo, together with Galicano Apacible, set up the Hong Kong Junta, a de facto government-in-exile of the revolutionaries, and held meetings in the house with other rebels as they continued to support the revolution from exile.
It was in a junta meeting on May 7, 1898,  at the Agoncillo home that Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo requested Marcela to sew a flag that would be unfurled at the declaration of Philippine independence from Spain.
Marcela went looking for the finest silk at a textile market nearby and began sewing the flag manually with needle and thread, as well as with a sewing machine.
She was assisted by her daughter Lorenza, who some historians said was just 5 years old at the time;   and Delfina Herbosa Natividad, a niece of Jose Rizal and wife of one of Aguinaldo’s generals.
Sometimes the two women and the girl missed meals as they worked overtime on the flag, and finished the job after five days. On May 17, 1898, the flag was packed along with other things that Aguinaldo carried when he returned to Manila.
The flag was first unfurled on May 28, 1898, after the Battle of Alapan in Cavite Nuevo, where the revolutionaries were victorious. Fifteen days later, it was formally unfurled in Kawit when Aguinaldo proclaimed Philippine independence.
Hong Kong became a haven for Filipino exiles like Agoncillo when the revolution broke out in 1896. His family followed him into exile 22 months later.
According to historical accounts, the Morrison Hill house became a sanctuary for other revolutionaries, including Generals Antonio Luna and Aguinaldo, because Agoncillo welcomed anyone who arrived at the house.
 Josephine Bracken, the fiancée of Rizal, also sought refuge in that house when she fled to Hong Kong amid a Spanish threat to torture her after the execution of the national hero.

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.