Duped job applicants to UK, Canada, turn to Consulate officials for help

Labor Attache listens to the applicants' woes

More than 50 overseas Filipino workers flocked to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) on Sunday, July 3, to seek help after losing contact with veteran jobs recruiter Ester Ylagan who lured them to apparently non-existent jobs in Britain and Canada.

The applicants said they paid $10,000 for the promised jobs in Britain, and $15,000 for those offered in Canada. No receipt was issued to any of them.

Labor Attache Jalilo de la Torre received the complainants, then drafted affidavits which were then forwarded to the assistance to nationals section for authentication.

Vice Consul Fatima Quintin who notarized the initial batch of affidavits, said the complaint would be forwarded to the Employment Agencies Administration of the Hong Kong Labour Department for possible prosecution.

The case could also be referred to the police if fraud could be established based on the affidavits.

Meanwhile, Labatt de la Torre has recommended to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration in Manila the revocation of the accreditation extended to Ylagan's Emry's Employment Agency, the biggest supplier of OFWs in Hong Kong

This was after Ylagan failed to show up at a meeting called by Polo on July 6, in a last-ditch bid to get her to explain the third-country deployment, which is prohibited under POEA rules.

The recruitment agency, which has been in operation for 30 years, is licensed with the Hong Kong government's EAA.

Polo suspended the processing of the agency's contracts on June 20, and Ylagan was given five days to show cause for its violation of the POEA prohibition.  She reportedly asked for 14 days to respond to the order, and to get a copy of the relevant law used as a basis for her agency's suspension, but this was ignored.

On June 30, Emry's flagship office in World Wide Plaza in Central was shut down, and a notice was put up saying the agency was "relocating" to its other office in Wanchai. Panicked applicants, however, reported going to the Wachai office and saw it closed. Ylagan had also stopped responding to most text and chat messages.

Those who did get a response from her said in their affidavits that they were told they would be sued if they filed a complaint against Ylagan or her agency.

Using her other company, Mike's, Ylagan reportedly started recruiting OFWs for the overseas jobs starting in January this year, with the promise that they could leave for their chosen destination by June. Later, she said the departure date had been moved to October because their "job orders" could not be released yet

At least 500 OFWs are believed to have been enticed to pay for the promised jobs, for which no educational attainment or related experience, was required. The jobs ranged from nursing posts in London to sales staff and factory workers. 

The applicants were not issued receipts, or any document to show that they had applied and paid for the jobs.

The applicants with Vice Consul Fatima Quintin

                                                 

Overstaying parents urged to register their babies

The block in Ap Lei Chau where Pangan, Escanillas and their two daughters lived for the past three years

By Vir B. Lumicao

The Filipino parents of two teenage girls whose births were not registered with authorities for 19 years are reportedly not in a hurry to register their children with the Consulate.
This was according to Vice Consul Fatima Quintin, head of the assistance to nationals section, who said the reluctance was regrettable.
She urged Filipino parents to register their children, no matter their circumstances, so they would get consular help and protection.
But she admitted that some parents were reluctant to register their children for some personal reasons, and that the Consulate could not force them to do so. “As much as we would like to encourage them to register, hindi natin makuha, pero iyon nga, kawawa yung mga bata kasi wala silang identity rito. Kung wala silang identity, hindi  sila makaka-avail ng available services,” Quintin said.
“Ini-encourage namin na i-register yung mga bata. Ang importante ay yung kapakanan ng mga bata, hindi yung circumstances ng mga parents.”
Ma Lorena Escanillas, 43, a former domestic helper, told officers of the Consulate’s assistance to nationals section that she would attend to the documents of her daughters, aged 18 and 19, only after her release from prison.
Her partner, 58-year-old Reynaldo Pangan, earlier ruled out registering the children with the Consulate soon as he was concerned that this could interfere with the Hong Kong Welfare Department’s processing of benefits for his daughters.

Eastern Court

Escanillas is serving a 12-month jail sentence at Lowu Correctional Institution after her conviction on Jun 13 in Eastern Court on a charge of overstaying her visa for almost 20 years.
Pangan received a similar jail sentence for aiding and abetting Escanilla’s breach of condition of stay by sheltering Escanillas during this period. He was also sentenced to two months in jail for failing to register the two children.
But Magistrate Clement Lee suspended both sentences for two years to allow Pangan to look after their children.
Escanillas is reluctant to talk about the circumstances of her case, said ATN officer Hermogenes Cayabyab Jr., who, along with Quintin, visited her in Lowu on June 20.  “She was tightlipped, she doesn’t want to her story to be played up by media,” Cayabyab said of Escanillas after the prison visit.
Filipinas who live near the building on Aberdeen Main road where the family has stayed for the past three years did not know the family.
“Hindi sila siguro lumalabas dahil kung hindi ay nakilala namin,” said one of the workers who, along with a handful of other Filipinas, gathered every weekday outside a primary school nearby.
The court was told that the second-floor flat was rented by Pangan starting on Jan 5, 2013 for $11,000, while he was reportedly earning the same amount as a domestic helper.
Pangan reportedly met Escanillas after she lost her job and she became his girlfriend.
The maid was pregnant when her visa expired on Oct 22, 1996 and Pangan found a place for her to live.
Escanillas gave birth to their elder daughter on Mar 4, 1996 at Prince of Wales Hospital in Shatin. Then exactly a year later, the second daughter was born in a flat in Taipo that Pangan had rented for his family.
Police said the Marriage, Birth and Death Registration Section of the Immigration Department had no records of marriage for Pangan and Escanillas, as well as the birth of their children. They also found no record of the children with the Education Department.
Pangan told investigators that he was unable to register the children because the mother was overstaying and he did not know anyone who could help him. He was also unable to send them to school because they did not have birth certificates.
But he said that during the whole episode that spanned almost two decades, he provided for Escanillas and the children. The couple also gave the children basic education at home, including reading and writing.
Pangan boasted that his children could read and speak in English and were good at computers.

Workshop to focus on rights of pregnant maids

The rights of a pregnant domestic worker in Hong Kong will be the focus of a workshop on maternity protection at the Consulate on July 24, organized by the non-government organi-zation, PathFinders.
“Throughout this workshop, we are hoping to increase health awareness and maternity rights for the foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong,” said Carmen Lam, senior community development officer of PathFinders.
One issue the workshop will address is whether a pregnant helper is entitled to maternity leave.
There have been several cases in Hong Kong where employers dismissed their maids after discovering they were pregnant simply because they did not want to grant the helpers maternity leave.
Since 2008, PathFinders has extended help to around 3,000 pregnant maids, ranging from protection for the mother and child, to access to justice and healthcare.
Interested parties may call Lam at (852) 5621 8329 of fax her at (852) 2393 2422 for enquiries.

Family can save

By Francisco J. Colayco

Let’s say I’m an average rank and file employee who is a father of 3 earning a monthly net salary of P12,000.  How would you advise me to grow my savings or make an investment when my earnings are barely enough to sustain my family?

It will take a lot of sacrifice, for sure, but it can be done if they are determined.  How many employees do we see smoking, drinking, texting and eating junk food and wasting real food?  Some may even say they do this and even resort to drinking alcohol and taking expensive drugs to forget their pain and sorrows.  Unfortunately, when they wake up from their stupor, their pain and sorrows will still be there and may even be worse when they realize that they lost an opportunity to improve their future.
For this family, I strongly suggest that they save Php33 a day or Php1,000 a month.  As we discussed in the last article, the Php1,000 a month if it earns 10% per year can grow to Php2.1M in 30 years or to Php5.6M in 40 years.
Many who write me think that they will get the extra income now if they invest in mutual funds. This is very wrong.  Your income will come only when you sell your shares that you bought in the mutual fund with your Php1,000 monthly at a profit.
If you sell it at the wrong time, you may even suffer a loss. Investing in Mutual Funds is not the suitable for those who want regular cash income.  It is for those who want capital appreciation, or increase in value of their assets over a long period of time.
Do not put in money that you will need in a short period of time.  You really need to “forget” that you have that money.  It should be looked at as money for say, schooling of your children 5 -10 years from now.  It is also an excellent investment for your retirement in 30-40 years time.
If you want to use this investment option for the schooling of your children, you will have to have a separate accounting for it.  It can be done but you probably will still need at least five years before you can see some really good capital growth from it.  You will need to plan this carefully.
What is very important with your kind of income is not to be tempted to use credit cards.  Credit cards can become the beginning of the end for you.  Maybe you could get them free for a year just to convince you to get a card but you will have to pay a steep annual fee after the first year.  If you are not able to pay on time, you will end up with penalties and interest that will really kill your capability to save.  As much as possible, live simply using only cash.
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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.

What the new gov’t should do to help OFWs

By Josefina Pingkihan 

I did not hesitate to say yes when asked to write about this topic because this is a subject close to my heart.
Having been around a little longer than what I intended to, I have been a witness to the  five previous administrations’ policies and attitude towards the saviors of the country’s economy- us OFWs. Each one had a distinct way of addressing our plight that certain policies come to mind when their names are mentioned. Marcos – labor export program; Cory – new economic heroes ; Arroyo-  supermaids, hello Garci; Ramos – internationally shared human resources, Philippines 2000; Erap – increase in government fees , PNoy – tuwid na daan, and the list goes on. Top administrative seats may have changed but unfortunately, there has been no significant improvement in our lives.
In the just concluded elections we were again bombarded with different platforms from the presidential candidates. But the promises of change, better economy, better public services, did little to appease many disgruntled voters who had lost confidence in the electoral process. With a new administration coming in, I could only hope the president-elect would vigorously deliver what he promised during his campaign.  I have a multitude of suggestions but given the limited space, I will write what I think are the priorities.
Top on my list is the review of the Omnibus Policies that virtually allows agencies to overcharge job applicants under the guise of training fees.  In line with this, recruitment agencies should be strictly monitored not only for job orders but also for their collection of fees and their unholy alliances with clinics that handle medical examinations. There should be an improvement of the contents of the pre departure orientation seminars or PDOS where applicants are not only informed about remittance channels but more on the policies and the culture and traditions  of the host country. Ex–OFWs should be exempted from taking the PDOS which is the practice until now.
We have in the past been minimally represented in the OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) Board of Trustees which gives us a lesser voice when it comes to decision-making. We should be given more slots and the representatives should come from organizations that truly promote our rights and welfare.
The provision of medical services is another area that must be looked into. OFWs feel more comfortable about opening up about their ailments when talking to their countrymen so Filipino doctors should be again be deployed overseas. Our families should also benefit from free or cheap medical and health services. While it is true we have Philhealth, its services are selective in terms of who can avail and which hospitals are accredited.
We all know that a majority of OFWs are university graduates who, in the absence of  employment opportunities or the low salaries back home, have taken up domestic work for a living. The consulates should arrange for board exams appropriate for each profession so that they can be ready to be employed back home should they wish to do so. In relation to this and as the budget for the education needs of our children takes up a big chunk of our salaries, I hope the new administration could regulate the university  tuition fees that increase annually. Another burden for us is the implementation of the K-12 scheme which added more years to the secondary school while diminishing the job opportunities and monetary benefits for university professors.
We are exempt from paying the airport terminal fee, therefore, its collection should be stopped. An hour of waiting for our turn to refund the P500 fee is better spent being with our families. The latest series of offensive behavior targeting overseas Filipinos: tanim-bala and bukas-box are both highly condemnable and must also be stopped. There should also be an in-depth investigation into this matter, and the surveillance of the airport personnel up to the highest rank must be undertaken.  We are not out of our minds to plant a bullet into our stuff that could cost us our names, our jobs and lead us to expensive litigation. Also, everything that we painstakingly packed into the boxes that we send to our family back home, make them almost sacred and untouchable as they were bought with our hard-earned money.
Thinking of how we will be retiring someday, many of us pay SSS contributions, hoping to have something to rely on in our old age, albeit small. An increase in the pension is very much needed and necessary, given our contribution to the economy.
Lastly, as breadwinners, our salary is stretched to the limit when it comes to budgeting  for the household, education,  medical  and miscellaneous expenses.  The new administ-ration should regulate the prices of basic commodities in order for us to cope with the burdens of inflation.
The new administration must heed our demands as OFWs and as citizens. The incoming officials must fulfill the promises that got them into the positions they are in now. Like with past administrations, they must work hard to leave behind a legacy that would make its mark in our colorful history.


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“How I wish my fellow OFWs would be more involved with every issue that affects us—not only as migrants but as citizens of the Philippines and the world. If only others could see the relationship of every aspect of life-economic, political, social-cultural which are so much inter-related  we would probably allot more time for deeper study and analysis, like how is the price of bagoong related to the abuses of OFWs. Seems farfetched but there is still a link”. This was how long-time community leader Josefina Pingkihan explained her keen desire to get involved in events that are happening around her. Pingkihan arrived in Hong Kong in June 1996, and shortly thereafter became a member of Pinatud a Saleng ti Umili, composed mostly of Cordillerans who advocate the promotion and protection of migrants' rights and welfare. Josie then spearheaded the formation of Cordillera Alliance in Hong Kong in October 1998, and remained its chairperson for 16 years.  She stepped down when she was elected as deputy secretary of Bayan Muna HK-Macau Chapter in 2014. At CORALL-HK, Josie led the campaign for migrants’ rights and welfare, especially for those coming from her region. In particular her group brought to public attention the cases of Jocelyn Dulnuan who was abused and murdered in Canada, and “Grace”, a rape victim in Saudi Arabia. Her group also led the campaign to prevent mall giant SM from cutting all the trees at its vicinity in Baguio City, and helped rescue distressed Filipinos in the Middle East.— Ed)

P100,000 gift for centenarians

President Benigno Aquino III signed into law on June 23 the Congress-approved bill granting a P100,000 cash incentive to Filipino centenarians, a similar measure he vetoed in 2013.  The new law grants Filipinos – whether residing in the country or abroad – who reach 100 years old various rewards and incentives, including a cash gift of P100,000 and a presidential letter of felicitation. Some 7,000 Filipinos are expected to benefit from the law.

Duterte pledges compassionate gov’t

When Rodrigo Duterte takes his oath on June 30, he is expected to promise a government that will be harsh to the corrupt and criminals and strict to wrongdoers but compassionate for the hopeless, helpless, and the defenseless.
 “I'm hell-bent in stopping corruption. You will not get help from me if you are in government and you commit corruption,” he said after the last flag raising ceremony on June 27 in Davao City that he attended as mayor. “If Cabinet secretaries make money through corruption, I'll ask them to just go. If you saw something stolen, even if it is just one peso, I'll not only admit it. I will resign.”
Duterte anchored his campaign on fighting crime and promoting inclusive growth. He said he would work hard to satisfy the expectations of the 16.6 million people who voted for him.
“My government is for the helpless, hopeless, and the defenseless. Those are the words of my father. I just borrowed it from him,” Duterte said. Duterte's father Vicente served as governor of Davao and was a Cabinet member of former President Ferdinand Marcos.
“I do the very best I can and I mean to keep doing so until the end,” the 71-year-old Duterte said. “If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me would not amount to anything. But if the end brings me out wrong, ten angels of God swearing I was right would make no difference.”
While promising to be decisive and strong, the incoming President sought the help of the public for his programs to succeed. “To those who want to help the government, now is the time to do it. If you really want a government that is good, we're trying to make up something good for the next generation,” he said.
“But as I said, do not destroy our children. I will kill you... That's what I will do.”

Digong unfazed by impeachment

Impeachment is the least of Rodrigo Duterte’s worries when he assumes the presidency. “I have no problem with that. I won. Why? Because I was the person carrying the right message – corruption in government, criminality. I will fulfill my promise regardless of who will be affected. I will stake my honor my life and presidency itself,” the incoming President said.
Some sectors have expressed concerns that Duterte’s all-out war on illegal drugs and other criminal activities could raise grounds for impeachment particularly his pronouncements favoring summary executions against criminals who resist arrest.
Duterte warned that the Philippines could transform into a narcotics state if he would listen to his critics who question his anti-criminality policies. “You cannot solve what ails this country by killing people but in the meantime, I have a serious problem to solve because seven years from now, it’s going to be narco-politics,” he said.  Duterte has promised to suppress crime within three to six months of his presidency.
Duterte has also publicly endorsed the restoration of the death penalty on heinous crimes such as those related to illegal drugs. He also assured policemen of protection against investigations and prosecution for offenses in pursuit of his advocacy.
Duterte also plans to impose a curfew on minors “to protect them from harm.”
“We’re not in the process of arresting. We’re taking into the custody the child to protect them from harm. How can it be a human rights violation? You protect the children of this country by controlling their movements at night. That is human right violation?” he pointed out.
Outgoing House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said an impeachment has zero possibility.

Aquino proud of AFP reforms, modernization

Saying that “good governance is good economics,” outgoing President Benigno Aquino III took pride in being instrumental for the reforms in the Armed Forces of the Philippines with more than P60-billion spent for its modernization.
“Sa tamang pamamahala, at tamang paglalaan ng pondo, naging makasaysayan ang modernisasyon ninyo. Yung ilang mga dating pinapangarap lang natin, tangan na natin ngayon. Ang maganda pa: Hindi lang kayo tumatanggap ng biyaya mula sa estado; sinusuklian ninyo ito ng karampatang serbisyo. Sa huli, naging virtuous cycle ito; nagtutulungan ang lahat, at sa dulo, Pilipino ang panalo,” Aquino said at the testimonial farewell to the military at Camp Aguinaldo on June 27.
Acting AFP chief Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda thanked Aquino for the much-needed upgrading of military equipment and firepower.
In early June, the Philippines commissioned BRP Tarlac, a brand new 123-meter-long strategic sealift vessel that is bigger than former US Coast Guard twin ships BRP Ramon Alcaraz and BRP Gregorio Del Pilar. It is the first of two Indonesian-built landing dock vessels acquired for nearly P4 billion. The ships are undergoing finishing touches and will eventually serve as a platform for command and control of naval operations.
BRP Tarlac was the latest delivery among the new acquisitions of the AFP under the modernization program. It was named after one of the provinces that fought for freedom from an earlier colonizer, Spain, in the 1800s, which happens to be the home province of President Aquino.
In his speech, Aquino praised the military for doing its job well despite the lack of resources.
For instance, he cited the Navy’s show of “seamanship” to resupply Marines stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre, the country’s unconventional naval detachment in the middle of the West Philippine Sea. “Ganitong tapang at paninindigan, diskarte at inobasyon ang di dapat mawala sa ating kaisipan,” he said.
“Di pwedeng maging de-kahon, walang imahinasyon, at kapos sa inspirasyon ang pagtutupad ng ating tungkulin,” the President.

Bagong liderato

Simula sa buwang ito ay may bago na tayong pangulo. At gaya ng 15 pangulong nagdaan, nasa harapan ni Rodrigo Duterte ang pagkakataon upang maghabi ng isang mahusay na pamahalaan.
Lahat tayo, bilang Pilipino, ay dapat humanay sa likod niya upang siya ay magtagumpay. Ito ay hindi para sa kanya, kundi para sa atin, dahil ang tagumpay ng kanyang administrasyon ay tagumpay nating Pilipino. Tayong lahat ay dapat maging bukas ang isipan sa posibilidad na dala niya ang maganda nating hinaharap.
Pero dapat din tayong maging mapagmasid, dahil baka saan lang tayo dalhin.
Ang pagpapatakbo ng isang bansa ay hindi lamang umiinog sa paglaban sa krimen at droga, o pagsugpo ng katiwalian. May ekonomiya rin na dapat pangalagaan, may gobyerno na dapat maayos na patakbuhin, may relasyon sa ibang bansa na dapat ingatan, at may mga interes ang Pilipinas na dapat bantayan.
Ang pinakamalaking interes natin sa ngayon ay ang West Philippine Sea. Nakatakdang magbaba ng hatol ngayong buwan ang arbitration court sa The Hague, Netherlands, tungkol sa kasong isinampa ng Pilipinas laban sa pagkamkam ng China sa halos buong South China Sea, kasama na ang karagatang dapat ay sakop ng Pilipinas.
Base sa mga salita ni Duterte—gaya ng pagma-malaki niya na isang railway system ang itatayo ng China sa Luzon—baka mawalang saysay kung manalo man ang Pilipinas sa kaso. At tutol siya sa modernisasyon ng militar; dahil ba upang patuloy na walang kakayahan ang Pilipinas na lumaban kahit ito ay inaapi?
Nagparamdam rin si Duterte na ipalilibing niya ang sinipang diktador na si Ferdinand Marcos sa Libingan ng mga Bayani, kahit marami ang tutol dahil sa mga krimeng ginawa nito sa bayan noong martial law at bilyong dolyar na ninakaw niya sa kaban ng bayan. Gusto ba niyang ipakita na kaya niyang suwayin ang kagustuhan ng mamamayan?
Gaya ni Duterte, ika-16 na pangulo si Abraham Lincoln ng Estados Unidos. May habilin siya na dapat tandaan: “Stand with anybody that stands right, stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.”

Jail them!

If there is one issue that has brought me untold, vicarious grief over the past years, it is the illegal recruitment of our migrant workers to overseas destinations, particularly Canada, Britain, Australia, and lately, Russia.
It frustrates me no end why little has been done to stop this massive fraud, which has victimized hundreds, if not thousands, of our workers.
Considering the insane amounts often charged each applicant, who pays out of hard-earned savings or through loans obtained at cut-throat interest rates, the problem looms even larger.
But what has been the action by the authorities so far? A fine as little as $3,000 when the “placement fee” charged was an outrageous $21,000, or the cancellation of agency license when the owner could no longer be found.
In at least one case involving a notorious agent, the suspect was not even charged because investigators were reportedly unsure about what to accuse her of.
She remains free to this day, long after luring dozens of Filipinos, both in Hong Kong and the Philippines, to non-existent jobs in Canada and Cyprus, and making them cough up fees of as much as CAD$9000 each.
Seven of her victims turned to us for help, and we took them to a nearby police station where officers adamantly refused to even record their complaint until their boss came out and saw the obviously fake air tickets given them by the agent.
But despite the lengthy investigation that followed, and despite her fleeing to Macau with about two dozen applicants who were made to wait for a month for flights to Cyprus that never came, the agent, sadly a Filipina, is still around.
Even more frustrating is seeing this Filipina’s obviously fraudulent ploy being copied by other rogue agents, who must have been impressed with how she managed to wriggle out of an extremely tight spot.
They, too, have gotten away with a mere slap on the wrist, or none at all.
The list is long: Natino, Limestone, Pacific Management Consultants, Joyce Agency, Vick’s Maid, and most recently, Excellent Nannies. They were all taken to court or the police, but not a single one was made to fully answer for the wrong they did to our workers.
In many cases, even the Hong Kong Employment Agencies Administration would not act on complaints because of its insistence on such claims falling under the Summary Offences Ordinance, for which a time bar of six months is prescribed.
This means that if payment was received in January, no complaint against the agency involved would be entertained if it was made after July, or after a time lapse of more than six months.
One other option offered to victims is to seek repayment through the Small Claims Tribunal. But this often leads to more frustration for victims because even if they get a favorable judgment, the errant agent tends to ignore the order for repayment.
In such a case, the victim’s only recourse is to seek the bailiff’s help, but this comes at a price of around $4,000, which is the fee prescribed for getting the order enforced.
And even if they are willing to put in good money after the bad, the results are not always favorable.
In one remarkable case brought to our attention, an OFW who paid the fee to enforce the order giving back her $21,000 was stymied further when the agent threatened to file suit against the bailiff, claiming the properties being seized to satisfy the claim were not hers.
The bailiff backed out.
Given all these, it comes as a relief to see our new labor attache coming out firmly against the deployment of our workers here to a third country. While the sanctions for such a violation are just administrative in nature, it still sends out a strong signal that our government is doing its best to strike down on the illegal practice, especially if the agency involved has been in business for decades, like Emry’s.
But more should be done. Our officials must put before their Hong Kong counterparts the long list of cases showing how unscrupulous agents managed to run scot-free after fleecing our workers of thousands of dollars for non-existent jobs abroad.
This is fraud, and this is how Hong Kong authorities should regard it. If the perpetrators end up serving time in jail, this long-standing problem that has caused untold suffering to many of our workers could maybe come to an end.

Umela celebrates 8th anniversary

Umela president Ofelia Baquirin (below, right)  and some of the graduates of livelihood  courses (above).

More than 70 graduates of various livelihood courses were honored at the 8th anniversary celebration of United Migrants Entrerpeneurship and Livelihood Association (Umela) held at Bayanihan Centre on June 19.
Umela president Ofelia Baquirin took the chance to pay tribute to her group’s trainors for their “effort, time and dedication” and also their trainees for putting their trust in her organization.
She also proudly announced that a second batch of Umela trainors were among those who received certificates from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) that same morning.
Special guest Consul Charles Macaspac said Umela was among the first organizations to catch his attention because of its emphasis on entrepreneurship and livelihood training.
He took the chance to say goodbye to members of the group as he was about to end his six-year posting in Hong Kong.
Umela’s livelihood program included lessons in massage therapy, basic dressmaking, meat processing and flower making.
The celebration was capped by the oathtaking of Umela’s officers for the year. - DCLM

Fate A slams against Steel

By Emz Frial

Fate A summoned all its strength and dug into its bag of tricks, but there was no way the all-Filipina team could beat a formidable foe like Steel, last season’s champions.
Ranged against their younger and nimbler local rivals, the Filipinas were the underdog, while Steel simply hit hard and kept its defenses airtight to trounce Fate, 14-3, at Tin Kwong Field on June 19.
Fate batted first being the away team. But Steel’s tight defense foiled the Filipinas’ bid to step on the bases.
First batter Zenny Badajos was caught on a flyball by pitcher Yeung Li-kwan, while Myra Japitana was put out on first base. Don Gaborno was also caught on a flyball by right-fielder Lee Sue-yee.
Steel then took over the batting plate with first batter Lam Pui Kwan slamming a ball that took him safely to first base.
A throwing error of shortstop Ma. Eva Mendez to first baseman Japitana took Kwan to third base on a playball. Kwan later ran to home base when Yeung Man-wai struck an outfield ball.
The Filipinas put up a tight defense to give the locals just one home in the first inning.
Fate scored one run in the second inning via Mendez while holding Steel scoreless at its turn to bat. That evened score 1-1 in the second inning.
In the third inning, Fate struggled but failed to earn a score.
That signaled a scoring party for Steel. Kwong Yuen-yi struck a short outfield ball for a safe run to first base. Then he ran to third base when Yeung Man-wai blasted a long ball and ran up to second base.
The two base runners sailed home unhampered when Lo Wing-yan smashed another outfield ball.
Steel then piled on more home runs via Lo Wing-yan, Lee Sue-yee, Sung Ka-yan, Yan Wai-yan, Lam Pui-kwan, Kwong, Yeung and, again, Lo. The inning ended at 11-1.
Fate then took its last chance to score in the fourth inning with Lyka Algonez hitting the ball and running safe to first base. She then dashed to third base when Romela Osabel struck the ball to the outfield and was safe until second base.
Fast balls of local pitcher Yeung Li-kwan caught Cherry Octaviano and Jessie Duque standing out.
Eunice Locop gave base runners Algonez and Osabel a chance to reach home base safely when she hammered an outfield ball. Locop then ran safely to second base, but was stuck on the plate when Badajos was caught on a flyball by shortstop Yam Wai-yan.
When Steel took over the batting plate, Fate changed its pitcher from Badajos to Gaborno, but luck lingered with the local sluggers. They added three more runs courtesy of Sung Ka-yan, Yam Wai-yan and Lam to end the game, 14-3.
Fate manager Law Wai-ho greeted the team after the game, giving them his full support. “Nice game, guys!” he said.

Filcom says goodbye to Consul Chuck

Leaders of Philippine Alliance and its splinter group Global Alliance, and other guests show unity with a wacky pose with Consul Charles Andrei Macaspac.

By The SUN Staff

Tributes poured on Aug. 26 at Bayanihan Center in Kennedy Town, as about 100 leaders of the community said farewell to Consul Charles Andrei Macaspac who went back to the Philippines the next day, exactly six years to the day he arrived in Hong Kong.
Consulate officials led by Consul General Bernardita Catalla came in full force to show support for the popular officer fondly called Consul Chuck by everyone.
Congen Catalla thanked the leaders for their tributes, and for giving importance to her  junior officer’s exemplary service to the community.
The gathering also served as a show of unity by Philippine Alliance and its splinter group Global Alliance, which had been at loggerheads for months following an acrimonious leadership struggle.
Leo Selomenio, chair of GA which co-organized the farewell with The SUN, graciously welcomed PA chair Walter Melicor and president Aldwyn Mas who joined the event at the request of Consul Chuck.
Mas thanked Consul Chuck for always giving “tulong, suporta, inspirasyon” to the community, particularly his group.
Selomenio who gave the final tribute, recalled how Macaspac remained by her group’s side even after a harrowing encounter with several organizations over Independence Day preparations five years earlier.
“Hindi nang-iiwan” was how Selomenio described the well-loved diplomat.
“Thank you very much for everything. We will never forget you,” was Selomenio’s heart-felt closing statement.
The SUN editor Daisy CL Mandap lauded Consul Chuck’s humility, which she said made him listen well to those in need, learn from those who had been in the community long enough to know its problems, and help when need be.
“I have only two wishes on his departure. That we will have more officers like him in the Consulate, and that he will continue his good deeds wherever he may be posted,” said Mandap.
The obvious love and respect that the leaders had for Consul Chuck was not lost on Vice Consul Robert Quintin who was on his first working day as the Consulate’s head of community relations.
Quintin said his departing colleague was a “tough act to follow”. The newbie officer said he would do his best to emulate Consul Chuck’s example
Quintin’s wife, Vice Consul Timmy, said she would always remember Consul Chuck for his wisdom, much like the wizened character “Yoda” from the movie Star Wars.
Consul Chuck’s advice to his fellow officers to love the community and to always do their best to help anyone in need was, according to VC Timmy, something she would always treasure.
Also paying tribute were several community leaders who sent video greetings because they couldn’t attend the Bayanihan send-off.
Among them was militant leader Eman Villanueva who said Consul Chuck possessed three important qualities of a good public servant: approachability, an ability to respond quickly to any situation, and of having an open mind, which was important to progressive organizations like his.
“Hangad namin na nawa na ang paglilingkod mo dito ay pamarisan din ng iba pang nasa serbisyo publiko, ng papalit sa iyo. Sana ay madala mo din ito saan ka man dalhin ng iyong pagsisilbi,” Villanueva said.
In turn, Macaspac said in a video interview with The SUN that he would never forget Hong Kong and the people he had met here.
“Talagang isinapuso ko ang lahat ng mga experiences ko dito and I am sure that ang mga aral na napulot ko dito ay magagamit ko sa hinaharap para makatulong pa din sa mga kababayan natin sa ibang lugar,” he said.

Two more Emry’s applicants get refund after threat to report

By Vir B. Lumicao

Ester Ylagan, with her company's pledge

Two Filipinas who had been promised jobs in Canada and Britain which were apparently non-existent got a full refund of the up to $15,000 they had paid the owner of Emry’s Employment Agency after one of them threatened to report to the Hong Kong authorities.
But Fatima Toquero and Joy Ensenado were made by agency owner Ester Ylagan to sign a quitclaim on June 26 in which they promised not to pursue any case against Emry’s after receiving their refund.
At least 10 other applicants who had also obtained a refund from Ylagan, eight of them with help from Labor Attache Jalilo de la Torre.
Four other applicants who went with Toquero and Ensenado to Emry’s were refused a refund, so they said they went to the Consulate to complain.
Toquero, a nurse who was promised a job at a hospital in Canada, got back the $15,000 she paid Ylagan. Ensenado recovered the $5,500 she paid Emry’s on March 24 for an unspecified job in London.
The “Affidavit of Desistance, Waiver, Release and Quitclaim” that Ylagan asked Toquero and Ensenado to sign before she paid them back was made in the name of Mike’s Secretarial Services, which Ylagan allegedly explained to applicants as a “baby” of Emry’s.
The document stated Mike’s address as Shop 356, 3/F, World-Wide Plaza, 19 Des Voeux Road Central. In Toquero’s case, it also stated that the money paid was for securing a “Foreign Immigrant Clearance Certificate” and Foreign Employment Clearance Certificate. For Ensenado, the lesser amount was supposed to pay only for the FICC clearance.
But in both affidavits, the applicants were made to declare that they were waiving the right to file “any legal suit, proceeding or desist from further pursuing or prosecuting any legal action” against Mike’s Secretarial Service, Emry’s and Ylagan in Hong Kong and the Philippines.
According to Toquero, they were promised that after the two clearances were obtained, they could already be given a job order. The said “JO” was originally meant to be released in June, but this was later moved to October.
In the meantime, Ylagan reportedly told the applicants to entice more people to apply.
The jobs offered were in hotels, restaurants, hospitals and schools, domestic helper, and others that were based on the applicant’s work experience.
“Huwag na huwag daw po namin kalilimutang ilagay ang domestic helper, kasi  iyon daw po ang karamihan ng work doon sa UK, kahit tagapulot lang ng plastic sa street,” Toquero said.
The applicants were made to fill up pro forma resumes where they stated the work they were applying for, and to rank them according to the order of preference.
Toquero said she had threatened to take Ylagan to the police and Hong Kong’s Labour Department if her money was not returned. This was after Ylagan had reportedly told the applicants that she would no longer give refunds as the money had already been sent to her partner in London.
“She said we should not treat her like a criminal because she had helped a lot of people for 30 years,” Toquero said.
Emry’s, the biggest recruiter of Filipino domestic workers to Hong Kong, has been in business for three decades.
Ensenado said Ylagan had told her sharply that God would punish her for insisting on a refund. “She also told me not to recruit people to demand a refund,” she said.
One of the applicants who failed to get her money back said in a Facebook group chat that when they got to Mike’s, Ylagan told them to write  down their reason why they needed to withdraw their money. “She said many other applicants are positive about the job prospects and have decided to wait until October,” she said.
Ylagan reportedly told them to wait for her call if they wanted a refund.

POLO suspends Emry’s over job recruitment to UK, Canada

Notice of closure posted on the door of Emry's Worldwide House shop.

By Daisy CL Mandap

The Philippine Overseas Labor Office has suspended the processing of foreign domestic helpers’ contracts by Emry’s Employment Agency, amid reports the biggest recruiter of Filipino maids into Hong Kong was offering jobs in Britain and Canada.
Labor Attache Jalilo de la Torre said he ordered the suspension on June 20, and asked  Emry’s to explain in writing within 5 days why it should not be penalized for violating Philippine laws against third country deployment.
But Emry’s proprietor Ester Ylagan reportedly asked for a further 14 days to explain their side, and also asked for a copy of the law against the said recruitment practice. “If she (Ylagan) does not explain satisfactorily, we will endorse the case to POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Authority) for either suspension or cancellation (of accreditation),” said de la Torre.
In the meantime, he issued the sternest warning yet against the recruitment of Filipinos for jobs outside Hong Kong.
In a Facebook post on his own wall and POLO on June 27, the labor chief said:
“OFWs WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED BY THIRD COUNTRY RECRUITERS OR WHO HAVE ALREADY PAID ARE ADVISED TO BRING THE MATTER TO THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL, OR THE PHILIPPINE OVERSEAS LABOR OFFICE (POLO) OR TO THE POLICE AUTHORITIES”.
In another post on the same day, Labatt de la Torre reiterated that third country deployment is illegal under Philippine laws. He warned overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong against agencies that “advertise for jobs in the United Kingdom, Canada and other countries”.
He also told The SUN in an interview that he would personally draft the formal complaint by job applicants, and endorse the same to the Hong Kong Labour Department and the HK Police, if they would come to his office for help.
POLO’s move came as more Filipino helpers sought a refund of up to $15,000 they had paid directly to Emry’s owner Ester Ylagan for the promised jobs in London and unspecified parts of Canada.
Ylagan herself admitted to The SUN in an earlier interview that the number of applicants was around 500, and that she did not issue any receipt for the money they paid, but only noted each payment in a ledger she was keeping.
She also claimed to have remitted all the payments, around HK$2 million in all, to her partner in London she knew only as “William Clinton James” and “William Clinton Erich”. But she did not offer proof of any remittance being made to the person. Curiously, Ylagan also said she had not met the said person, and was communicating with him only via email.
A cursory check on FB showed recently opened acounts for each name, but no profile pictures apart from some random shots of Filipino workers who were supposedly working at “London Bridge Hospital”. Another shot was of Filipinos lining up at the visa counters of HK Immigration.
Following an inquiry by The SUN on why the owner of the accounts was not showing his face, both were locked so public posts could no longer be made. The SUN’s comment was also deleted.
On Sunday, June 26, at least two applicants successfully got their money back after agreeing to sign a quitclaim offered by Ylagan, but the others were not as lucky.
A video recording surreptitiously made by one of the applicants and shown to The SUN shows Ylagan telling those asking for their money back that they were giving up on the chance to improve their lot by quitting ahead of the promised deployment by October.
Two of those who insisted on a refund were made to feel remorse.
“Make my day...Alalahanin ninyo, sa ka-kawithdraw ninyo I lost money. Masaya ba kayo ng ganyan? Na I worked for your documents, tapos wi-withdrawin ninyo? But if you are happy like that, sige. Kasi ang pera ninyo, naipadala ko na,” Ylagan told them,
De la Torre said that so far, POLO has brokered the return by Ylagan of between $10,000 and $15,000 paid by eight other Filipino job applicants.
All were also asked to sign the quitclaim affidavit with Ylagan, which stated that the money they paid was for the processing of a “Foreign Immigrant Clearance Certificate” and “Foreign Employment Certificate”.
However, checks made by POLO with the Philippine Embassy in London and by The SUN with the Philippine Consulate in British Columbia, Canada, showed that there were no such documents.
Philippine officials at both posts also warned of the strict immigration rules applied to foreign workers seeking jobs there, which have become even more stringent lately. In Canada, for example, no placement fee should be collected from a job applicant, and no job application could be processed without a labour market impact assessment (LMIA, formerly LMO) being obtained beforehand.
In both countries, only a very limited number of posts are available, and they are mostly for caregivers or nurses. Factory or low-grade office work, which were among those reportedly promised by Ylagan, are definitely not available for imported workers.
While the case is being investigated, Labatt de la Torre warned Ylagan against continuing the recruitment, but this was apparently not heeded. A number of those who trooped to Worldwide House where Emry’s office and that of its affiliate business, Mike’s Secretarial Services, are located, reported seeing Ylagan accepting more applicants for the apparently non-existent jobs.

New envoy eyes intellectual ties with HK

By Vir B. Lumicao

The diplomat who has just taken over as head of the Consulate’s cultural section believes more is needed than culture and arts to change Hongkongers’ impression of the Filipino.
Vice Consul Robert Quintin said more Filipino intellectuals should be brought in to engage the locals at the intellectual level by presenting papers to the academe or lecturing in universities not only on Filipino topics but in other fields as well.
The 34-year-old envoy expressed his views in an interview with The SUN at the Consulate on Jun 26, Day One of his tour of duty in Hong Kong, his first overseas posting.
 “I think we should import more of our intellectuals,” Quintin said, citing the impression here that the Filipino is more of a worker than anybody else.
“I don’t think we are making a mark on the intellectual level para masasabi na ‘Ah, may thinker pala na Filipino on this subject”.
“I think we could bring in more people to present papers to the academe here … maybe we’ll facilitate more of that para ang exchange ay hindi lamang sa culture and arts. I feel that more can be done on that matter,” he said.
Programs are already in place on the cultural side, so all that is needed is to inject more in terms of promotions, Quintin said, “kasi parang kulang ng focus on our intellectuals”.
In fact, he sees a window of opportunity in cultivating relations with Hong Kong people by having more programs involving them and more mutual exchange activities to push interaction. That window is the changing social milieu where public view is opening up.
“I think we have a window of opportunity to engage them at the intellectual level also, kasi if they see na ganun, they might think highly of Filipinos, they might think twice when they see a Filipino, instead of isipin na domestic worker siya, baka naman this could be an exchange student, this could be a writer, a novelist, an expert in the field of science,” Quintin said.
He said that to reintroduce the Filipino differently, Dr Jose P. Rizal could be “one starting point…we have a mark here.” By giving Filipino experts slots in universities to talk about Rizal or even on any topic, or having a professorial chair lecturer here, “siguro we could change perspectives”.
Another of Quintin’s advocacy during his posting here is empowering women.
“Siyempre, karamihan sa mga kababayan natin dito ay babae, so women empowerment should be conducted. So, yung mga programs na i-generate for women should be gender-sensitive, and kung anuman ang mga programs na related to the issue, siguro paigtingin pa natin, either by frequency or scale,” he said.
Quintin flew into Hong Kong on Jun 16, to fill up the post left vacant by Consul Charles Andrei Macaspac at the end of his six-year posting in Hong Kong.
Quintin’s wife, Vice Consul Fatima of the assistance to nationals section, took over Macaspac’s post as head of the political and economic section, while Vice Consul Alex Vallespin moved to ATN from cultural.
Born on March 14, 1982 in Benguet, Quintin said he should be teaching anthropology or culture now, having graduated with a social science degree, major in anthropology and sociology, and a minor in history, from the University of the Philippines Baguio.
Becoming a diplomat was not his dream. “It was not top of my mind before because I was a musician at the time, so, I was looking at trying to secure a day job so I could support my musician lifestyle,” he said.
Living in La Trinidad outside Baguio, Quintin performed at folk bars as a solo artist in the highland city and played acoustic instruments, particularly the guitar. He also taught young students about making and playing native instruments.
“But I was also involved in other musical endeavors, as part of a choir, member of an indigenous music group, advocacies in preservation of ethnic culture,” he said.
In 2010, Quintin began his Foreign Service cadetship after passing the Foreign Service Officers’ examination, a tedious two-year process that he started in 2008.
He also became fast friends with then Fatima Guzman, his batchmate in the cadetship, before “we decided to take the relationship to the next level.”
After the cadetship program, he realized that Foreign Service was his career.
He first worked in the Office of Intelligence and Security under the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs. He was in charge of security of the DFA’s foreign posts, linking the DFA intelligence unit with the government’s intelligence community.
From there he moved to the Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations, preparing for the Asia Pacific Economic Community hosting in 2015, such as “sheperding initiatives in Apec meetings, kung ano yung course na kung saan gusto naming dalhin yung isapan (because) as Apec host we were also the chair”.
At the same time, he was part of the economic diplomacy unit, the nerve center of the country’s diplomatic posts abroad. He was in charge of the Europe desk and the Africa and Middle East desk, while being part of the Apec group in the national secretariat.
Hong Kong is his first overseas posting. a consular post he described as very far removed from what he used to do, “but I am expected to hit the ground running so, I have to adjust quickly. It will be a major adjustment for me but hopefully I can cope up,” he said.

John Lloyd at LJ, panalo sa 39th Gawad Urian

Sa unang pagkakataon ay nanalo bilang best actor si John Lloyd Cruz sa Urian awards. Nangyari ito sa 39th Gawad Urian na ginanap noong June 21 sa Kia Theater sa Quezon City.
Nanalo si John Lloyd para sa pelikulang Honor Thy Father, at naging nominado rin sa para sa pelikulang A Second Chance.
Unang panalo rin sa Urian ni LJ Reyes nang makamit niya ang parangal bilang best actress para sa pelikulang Anino sa Likod ng Buwan. Tinalo niya ang beteranong aktres na si Nora Aunor, na naging nominado para sa pelikulang “Taklub’.

Ang mga nanalo:
Best Picture: Taklub
Best Actor: John Lloyd Cruz (Honor Thy Father)
Best Actress: LJ Reyes (Anino sa Likod ng Buwan)
Best Director: Jerrold Tarog (Heneral Luna)
Best Supporting Actor: Bernardo Bernardo (Imbisibol)
Best Supporting Actress: Ana Abad Santos (Apocalypse Child)
Best Editing : Jerrold Tarog (Heneral Luna)
Best Music: Jake Abella ("ARI: My Life with a King")                                                 Best Sound: Mikko Quizon ("Heneral Luna")                                                                Best Production Design: Ben Payumo ("Water Lemon")                                                     Best Screenplay: Robby Tantingco ("Ari: My Life with a King")                                      Best Cinematography: Pong Ignacio ("Heneral Luna")                                                  Best Short Film: "Wawa"                                                                                                            Best Documentary Film: "The Crescent Rising"                                                        Natatanging Gawad Urian award: Romy Vitug
Ang mga naging hosts ng programa ay sina Iza Calzado, Zoren Legaspi at Butch Francisco.
Sa panayam kay LJ pagkatapos ng programa, sinabi niyang huli na niyang daring role ang “Anino sa Likod ng Buwan. Lumalaki na raw kasi ang kanyang anak na si Aki (anak niya sa dating boyfriend na si Paulo Avelino) at marami nang mga tanong. Ang isa rin sa ibinigay niyang dahilan ay nagpabinyag na raw siya bilang Christian noong nakaraang taon, kaya pipiliin na daw niya ang kanyang mga projects. Pero hindi naman daw ibig sabihin nito ay hindi na siya gagawa ng projects na susubok sa kanyang kakayahan bilang aktor.
Malapit na muling mapanood si LJ sa bagong TV series na ginagawa niya sa GMA Network. Sana nga ay mabigyan siya ng magandang project ng kanyang home studio dahil tila napag-iwanan na siya ng ibang mga baguhang Kapuso actors, dahil madalang na siyang mapanood sa TV, at kontrabida o suporta lang ang kanyang papel. Mabuti na lang at nauso ang mga indie films, kaya naipapakita pa rin niya ang kanyang husay sa pag-arte.                                
Kasamang dumalo ni LJ sa Urian awards ang boyfriend niya ngayong si Paolo Contis.

SUNSHINE, HINDI PAYAG SA ANNULMENT
Palaban si Sunshine Dizon sa paghihiwalay nila ng kanyang asawang si Timothy Tan. Dinaan niya sa social media ang galit niya sa asawa at kinakasama daw nito ngayon, na ayon kay Sunshine ay itinira pa sa itaas na palapag ng gusaling tinitirhan ngayon ni Sunshine at dalawang nilang anak.
Ang pahayag ni Sunshine: “You used to be my best friend, my partner in everything. We used to talk about everything and anything. Now I wake up from this dream and everything turned to nothing. It was all for nothing. It was all a lie.
“My nightmares began exactly June of last year. I’ve given you several chances, I swallowed everything for the sake of Doreen and Anton, I tried my best and gave my all. You have disregarded your responsibilities and turned into a monster, all the lies and deception. I have worked hard on my own to survive this family. You just sat there and did nothing. Did you really think I was that stupid? Did you really think I would just cry in one corner and do nothing? Too bad this stupid girl isn’t stupid after all. I will not make excuses for you nor lie. You have shamed your family, you have shamed your children. You will get what you deserve. If you really have balls face the consequences of your actions. You ruined two families. You ruined the lives of our children. For almost a year you had the audacity to live with that woman in the same building where your own children live. I have refused to give interviews out of respect for your family but instead you go ahead and do it on your own. There is no forgiveness for what you did. No annulment for you. I will seek justice. I will see you both in court.”

SARAH, HINDI RAW BUNTIS
Patuloy ang usap-usapan sa tunay na dahilan ng mahaba-habang pagbabakasyon ni Sarah Geronimo. Lately ay may mga commitments siyang hindi na nadaluhan, at nag-back out pa bilang isa sa mga coaches ng third edition ng The Voice Kids, kung saan ay pinalitan siya ni Sharon Cuneta. Ayon sa mga namamahala sa kanyang career, magbabakasyon ng ilang buwan si Sarah sa Amerika, dahil kailangan niyang magpahinga at ilang taon na rin siyang kumakayod ng husto.
Hindi maiaalis na mabahala ang kanyang mga fans sa tunay na kalagayan ni Sarah dahil iba-iba ang naglalabasang balita tungkol sa kanya, gaya ng buntis daw siya, na pinabulaanan naman ng kanyang boyfriend na si Matteo Guidicelli. Maging ang big boss ng Viva Entertainment, na nagma-manage sa kanya ay pabirong sinabi na “virgin” pa si Sarah, kaya siguradong hindi ito buntis. May nabanggit din na magpapagamot siya dahil sa isang karamdaman, pero hindi naman sinabi kung ano ang kanyang sakit. Wala naman daw dapat ikabahala dahil hindi malala ang kanyang karamdaman.
Si Judy Ann Santos, na isa sa mga pinakamalapit na kaibigan ni Sarah ay natatawa na lang sa tsismis na buntis ito. Napagdaanan na daw niya na mapabalitang buntis ng kung ilang beses, kahit hindi naman totoo. “Unfair naman dun sa bata na hinusgahan agad siya na ganun. Hindi ba puwedeng sabihin muna na gusto lang niyang mag-break, gusto lang niyang magpahinga? Hindi naman lahat ng tao puwedeng magtrabaho nang dire-diretso. Gusto niyang mag-enjoy, ibigay natin sa kanya. Ang tagal naman niyang nagtrabaho nang dire-diretso.”
 “Para sa akin, I trust Sarah. And whatever she wants to do in her life, she’s 27, okey na yun, puwede na yun.”, ang dagdag pa ni Judy Ann.
May mga napabalita noon na balak balikan ni Sarah ang pag-aaral. Sana ay ito na lang ang totoong dahilan kung bakit siya pansamantalang mamamaalam sa showbiz.


JODI AT JOLO, HIWALAY NA
Nag-guest kamakailan si Jodi Sta. Maria sa show ni Boy Abunda, at doon ay inamin niya na hiwalay na sila ni Jolo Revilla, pero nananatili raw silang magkaibigan. Hindi na siya nagbigay ng iba pang detalye tungkol dito.
Kinumpirma din ito ni Jolo, at sinabing mutual decision daw nila ito. Nag-uusap pa rin naman daw sila, pero sa ngayon ay nakatutok daw siya sa kanyang trabaho bilang bise gobernador ng Cavite.
Matagal nang usap-usapan ang pagbi-break ng dalawa, pero noong unang bahagi ng June ay nakita silang magkasama sa isang bagong bukas na coffee shop, kaya ang akala daw mga nakakakilala sa kanila ay nagkabalikan silang muli. Ayon naman sa showbiz writer na si Lolit Solis, matagal nang away-bati ang dalawa sa loob ng apat na taon nilang relasyon. Nang “aksidenteng” nabaril ni Jolo ang sarili noong February 2015, ang naging haka-haka ng marami ay problema sa love life ang pinagdaanan nito.
Si Jodi ay nagpakasal noong 2005 kay Panfilo “Pampi” Lacson, Jr. (anak ni Sen Lacson) pero naghiwalay sila noong 2011. Sila ay may isang anak, si Thirdy, 10. Si Pampi ay may anak na sa karelasyon nito ngayong si Iwa Moto. Balitang hindi pa annulled ang kasal nila ni Jodi, kaya hindi pa sila pwedeng magpakasal ulit sa iba.
Si Jolo ay may anak din sa dati nitong girlfriend na anak ni Rosanna Roces.
Dahil isang mahusay na aktres ay hindi nawawalan ng projects bilang Kapamilya si Jodi. Naging top rated ang TV series niyang Be Careful with My Heart na pinagtambalan nila ni Richard Yap, (2012 – 2014) at sinundan ng isa pang hit na “Pangako Sa ‘Yo”, na naglunsad naman sa loveteam nila ni Ian Veneracion.
Bukod sa TV shows, nakagawa rin siya ng mga pelikula (All You Need is Pag-Ibig at Maria Leonora Teresa) noong nakaraang taon.
Ngayon ay ipapalabas na rin ang bago niyang pelikulang “The Achy Breaky Hearts”, katambal ang dati niyang mga leading men na sina Richard at Ian. Bagama’t marami ang kinikilig sa dalawang aktor, parehong happily married ang mga ito,

Announcements

The Philippine Consulate General will be CLOSED on the following dates:
July 7, Thursday – Eid’l Ftr (Feast of Ramadan)
Aug 29, Monday – National Heroes’ Day
*There will be no official transactions, including OEC issuance, at both the PCG and POLO on both dates. In case of emergency, call: 9155 4023 (consular assistance); 5529 1880 (POLO) or 6345 9324 (OWWA)

Attention: Filipina Registered Nurses
Are you a Registered Nurse working as a domestic helper in Hong Kong who cares for elderly and/or patients with dementia?
If so, please send a private message to the FB page, Philippine Nurses in Hong Kong, giving the following details:
1. Complete Name
2. E-mail Address
3. Patient Category: (Elderly and/or with Dementia)
4. Mobile Number

The Board Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (BLEPT, formerly LET) will be held in Hong Kong on Sept, 25, Sunday.
All interested applicants should visit the PRC website at http://www.prc.gov.ph to apply through "online application system: http://www.prc.gov.ph/online/application/apply.aspx
Deadline for submission of online applications:
July 22 for Repeaters
July 29 for New Applicants
Submit documents to:
Philippine Overseas Labor Office
11th floor, Admiralty Tower 1,
Admiralty

For the requirements and other details, visit the FB page of the National Organization of Professional Teachers (NOPT) – HK Chapter, like it and send a private message

The SUN Calendar

‘Idulog sa IBP 3’ Free Legal Consultation:
July 2, Saturday, 10am-4pm, July 3, Sunday, 9am-3pm
Venue: Conference Room, Philippine Consulate General. For appointments, call Cholo at 2825 8511.

July 3, Sunday, 4pm-5:30pm –Legal forum. 
IBP lawyers will speak on debt, scams and other legal issues
Venue: Public area, Philippine Consulate General.

Unifil-Migrante’s 31st Anniversary
July 3, 9am-7pm, Chater Road, Central
Highlight will be the presentation of the Migrants’ Agenda to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte. Call: Dolores, 97472986, Eman at 97585935 or Vicky at 95372125

‘Ugoy ng Duyan’, stage play on Rizal 
July 3, Sunday, 3pm-5pm, Venue: Y Theatre, Youth Square, 238 Chai Wan Road, Chai Wan.  Free admission, but tickets may be booked in advance. Organizer: Teatro Filipino, featuring Filipino community youth in Hong Kong.

Search for Miss and Mrs Bangar
July 3,  11am- 7pm, Organizer: Bangar Association of Hong Kong. Contact: Marites Nuval, 9528 1880

AlDub’s 1st Anniversary and 12th Meet-up
July 17, 8am – 5pm. Repulse Bay Beach. Organizer: Official AlDub HK. Contact: Dhezi Andres

Maternity Protection Workshop
July 24, 4-6pm. PCG Conference Room. Organizer: Pathfinders. The workshop is meant to increase health awareness and maternity rights for foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong. Details, contact Carmen Lam at 5621 8239, or email carmen@pathfinders.org.hk.

Free Training on Dementia Care
July 31, 9am-5pm. POLO, 16th floor, Admiralty Centre Tower 1. Priority are registered nurses/BSN graduates with elderly and dementia care duties, and, secondly, registered nurses/BSN graduates without elderly and dementia care duties. If interested please register at the FB page, Philippine Nurses in Hong Kong by liking it and messaging your full name, mobile phone, and whether you are a registered nurse or BSN graduate. A Certificate will be issued by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Center for Positive Ageing.

General Assembly of Midwives in Hong Kong
Aug 7, PAOS Room, Philippine Overseas Labor Office. Guest Speaker: Dr. Michael Manio For details, visit the FB page, Philippine Midwives in Hong Kong and send a private message indicating your name, telephone number, and desire to join the assembly

Forum on Nuat Thai Therapeutic massage
Aug 14, time and venue TBA. Resource speaker will be Engr. Kenneth Carredo, owner of Nuat Thai Philippines, the biggest chain of massage spas in the country.  Send your name and the name of your training organization or school to Ms. Bona Crescencia, tel. 51889157. Limited to 200 attendees.

Free Forum for Nurses
Oct. 9, Bayanihan Centre, Kennedy Town
Speakers from Australia and New Zealand, and agencies deploying to Germany and Qatar are coming to orient registered nurses about the working conditions in those markets.
For full details, visit the FB page, Philippine Nurses in Hong Kong. Like it, and message your full name and mobile number.