Takot ma-offload sa airport

Ang lalakas ng tawa ng tatlong magkakapatid na pawang nagtatrabaho sa Hong Kong nang makitang putlang putla ang nakababata nilang kapatid na si Junior nang salubungin nila sa  paliparan kamakailan. Ayon kay Junior, tatlong kainan na daw itong hindi nakakain sa kakaisip kung makakalusot siya sa airport sa Pilipinas.

Walong oras bago ang kanyang flight ay nagpunta na daw ito sa airport at hindi muli kumain. Kahit tubig daw ay hindi ito makainom sa takot at kaba. Dati nang nag OFW si Junior sa Middle East pero kinabahan pa rin dahil sa kuwento ng isa pa nilang kapatid na na-offload sa Pilipinas nang tangkain nitong pumunta sa Singapore.

Kampante naman ang tatlo niyang kapatid na makakalusot siya dahil kumpleto naman ang lahat ng kanyang papeles, kasama ang invitation letter at affidavit of support para sa pananatili niya sa Hong Kong.

Noong makalabas sila sa Chek Lap Kok ay saka lang nakahinga ng maluwag si Junior. Dinala agad siya ng mga kapatid sa isang restaurant para kumain at inuwi para makapagpahinga dahil ilang gabi na din daw itong hindi makatulog sa kakaisip.

Sinubukan ni Junior na maghanap ng trabaho sa Hong Kong pero hindi siya sinuwerte katulad ng isa sa mga kapatid na natanggap bilang hardinero dahil natuto itong magsalita ng Mandarin nang magtrabaho sa Taiwan ng 12 taon.

Bago matapos ang 14 araw na palugit sa kanyang visa ay nagbakasakali naman si Junior sa Macau. Namalagi siya doon ng halos dalawang buwan pero wala pa rin siyang nakuhang trabaho, bagkus ay nasaksihan niya ang pananalasa ng bagyong Hato na umabot sa signal 10 at kumitil ng walo katao.

Natakot siya ng husto sa nasaksihan ngunit naging bentahe niya at ang mga kasabayan niyang naghahanap din ng trabaho dahil nagkaroon sila ng ilang araw na parttime. Binayaran sila sa paglilinis ng ilang araw kaya nakaipon siya ng kaunti bago bumalik sa Hong Kong.

Masaya na rin daw siya dahil marami siyang natutunan habang nasa Macau, at maraming naging bagong kakilala at kaibigan. Napagtanto niya na mahirap na ring makakuha ng trabaho sa Macau sa dami ng mga  Pinoy na pumupunta doon para makipagsapalaran.

Minabuti na lamang niyang umuwi na sa Pilipinas bago natapos ang 14 araw na visa niya pagkagaling sa Macau. Balak niyang bumalik na lang sa Middle East dahil tinatawagan na rin naman siya ng agency na kanyang inaplayan noon bago siya umalis papuntang Hong Kong.

Laking pasasalamat ni Junior sa mga kapatid na todo ang suporta na ibinigay sa kanya noong siya ay nagbakasakali sa Hong Kong. Ang apat na magkakapatid ay mula sa Cagayan Valley. – Marites Palma

Bad trip si Lola

Banas na banas na si Greg, 38, Kapampangan, sa ingay na ginagawa ni Lola paggising nito ng madaling araw.

Nung minsan na mapuno siya, bandang alas singko ng umaga, ay itinodo nya ang volume ng kanyang mini hi-fi, na gumulantang sa buong flat. Napabalikwas ng gising ang babaeng kapatid ng kanyang boss, at pupunga-pungas na sinugod ang kuwarto ni Greg at nagtanong ng, ‘What happened, what is that noise?”.

Sumagot naman si Greg ng “sorry”, at ipinaliwanag kung bakit naisipan niyang mag-ingay. Ito kasing si lola na nasa edad 80 na ay madalas lumikha ng ingay sa kusina na katabi ng store room na ibinigay bilang tulugan kay Greg.

Nakagawian na nito ang hindi magsindi ng ilaw para mag-init ng tubig para sa kanyang tsaa kaya gumagawa ng maraming kaluskos sa kusina. Ang suot pa nitong jacket ay may maliit na bell na nag titiling-tililing habang paikot-ikot ito sa kusina. Ngunit ang talagang ikinainis ni Greg ay noong nabitawan nito ang takure at kumalampag ito nang husto.

"Grabeeeee!" kuwento ni Greg na inis na inis.

Nang malaman ng kanyang amo ang tungkol sa nangyari ay namagitan ito sa kanila ng matanda. Sinamantala naman ito ni Greg para isa-isahin ang epekto ng kulang sa tulog. “Sir”, sabi niya, “when I’m driving and I feel sleepy, it is very dangerous”. Tumango-tano naman si boss na nag-iisip.

Pagkatapos ng ilang minuto ay tinanong nito si Greg ng, “Kung ipapagawa kita ng kuwarto sa mismong bahay ko hindi mo kami iiwan?” Lihim na natuwa si Greg dahil wala naman sa isip niya na layasan sila. Pero sinagot pa rin niya ito ng, “No Sir, I will continue working with you.”

Nagpasalamatan silang mag-amo at nag-ngitian. Pakiwari ni Greg tumaas pa ang respeto sa kanya ng amo dahil sa kanyang pagiging tapat. – George Manalansan

Naudlot na termination

Isang taon at pitong buwan na si Fe sa paninilbihan nang hamunin siya ng kanyang amo ng termination dahil lang sa nakita nito ang Pilipina na pinulot ang noodles na nahulog sa sahig at hinugasan bago ibinalik sa kawali na ginagamit niyang panluto.

Kahit humingi na si Fe ng katakot-takot na paumanhin ay hindi tinanggap ng amo. Walang nagawa si Fe kundi tanggapin ang termination, bago nagpunta sa Philippine Overseas Labor Office para ipakuwenta ang mga dapat bayaran sa kanya.

Umabot sa $9,917.00 ang lahat ng makukuha ni Fe dahil sa kanyang hindi nabayarang sahod, isang buwang suweldo kapalit ng isang buwang pasahe, taunang bakasyon at allowance pabalik sa Pilipinas, bukod pa ang para sa plane ticket.

Nagulat ang kanyang among babae sa laki ng babayaran. Nang malaman ng kanyang among lalaki at alaga ang tungkol sa balak na pagpapaalis kay Fe ay tinutulan nila ito.

Natuwa naman si Fe na hindi natuloy ang kanyang pag-alis, dahil kahit paano ay hindi siya nahirapan sa biglang pag-aalsa balutan at paghahanap ng malilipatan. Pilit na lang niyang iniintindi ang masungit na among babae na nagpapirma pa sa kanya sa isang kasunduan na nagtatakda ng mga bagong pamamaraan sa loob ng bahay.

Ang payo ni Fe sa mga kapwa OFW, alamin nila ang kanilang mga karapatan at pumunta agad sa POLO at kung sakaling magka problema. Ngayong isang buwan na lang ang natitira sa kanyang kontrata ay nag-uumpisa nang maghanap ng lilipatan si Fe na nagtatrabaho sa Mongkok at tubong Ilocos Sur. Hangad niya ang makahanap siya ng mabait na amo. – Rodelia Villar

Ano daw ang Polo?

Hindi makapaniwala si Gina nang tanungin siya ng Pilipina na nakasabay niya sa lift kung ano ba daw ang Polo at kung saan ito matatagpuan. Tinanong kasi siya nung Pinay kung saan siya galing dahil Lunes iyon at bihis na bihis siya at naka lipstick pa. Nang sagutin niya na sa Polo dahil may inasikaso siya ay iyon agad ang tinanong sa kanya. 

Nais sana ni Gina na ipaliwanag sa kausap kung ano ang POLO ngunit bumukas na ang lift at nagmamadali itong lumayo. Nagtataka ngayon si Gina kung bakit hindi alam ni kabayan ang Polo gayong isa siyang OFW at sigurado namang dumaan sa PDOS o pre-departure orientation seminar sa Pilipinas, kung saan sinasabihan ang lahat ng mga paalis ng bansa na ang POLO o Philippine Overseas Labor Office ang una nilang lapitan kapag nagkaproblema sa trabaho.

Pagdating sa Hong Kong, dapat ay sumailalim din ito sa PAOS o post arrival orientation seminar para mas lalo nilang maintindihan ang pamamalakad sa lugar na kanilang titirhan.

Naisip tuloy ni Gina na kaya siguro maraming nasisisante sa mga bagong OFW dahil parang hindi nila isinasapuso ang mga tinuturo sa kanila sa training bago umalis ng bansa.

Umaasa siya ngayon na makita niyang muli ang kapwa OFW para maipaliwanag sa kanya ang kahalagahan ng POLO sa mga manggagawang Pilipino na nasa ibang bansa. Si Gina ay taga Cagayan Valley, 40 taong gulang, may pamilya at kasalukuyang naninilbihan sa mga among Briton sa New Territories.- Marites Palma

It’s final: POLO will move to Wanchai in December

Mass Mutual Tower on 38 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, will be the site of the new offices of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office when it moves out of Admiralty Centre Tower 1 in December, for which the monthly rental will be just over $500,000.

This was disclosed on Sept 21 by Labor Attaché Jalilo dela Torre, who told The SUN that POLO had already paid rental deposit for the property.

He said the move would take place in December as renovation work would take two months.  In the meantime, POLO will extend its lease on its offices at Admiralty Centre Tower 1.

Clinched at a monthly rent of $42 per square foot, or $504,000 for the 12,000 sq ft space, the Mass Mutual property unit will have more space for training programs and the long queues for the overseas employment certificate exemptions, Labatt Dela Torre said.

Mass Mutual Tower is about 8 minutes away by foot from Admiralty, where POLO and the Consulate are both located neighboring buildings.

People who need to go to the new POLO offices will have to walk from the Admiralty MTR station, or take the tram to the stop next to the Hong Kong Police headquarters on Arsenal St. then walk north to Gloucester Road.

For those going or coming from the Immigration Tower, the new POLO site will just be a few blocks away, as Mass Mutual stands midway between Admiralty and the Immigration.

Earlier, Labatt Dela Torre said the site selected was Sunlight Tower on Queen’s Road East, but the deal fell through because the property agent was asking for a bigger fee and management was not prepared to handle big crowds of people.

However, the rent Sunlight could have been cheaper than Mass Mutual, at $38 per sq. ft. or $440,800 a month.

POLO’s first choice was, however, the more upmarket Lippo Tower, also in Admiralty. But it was snapped up by another tenant after POLO failed to pay the required deposit on time.

Labatt dela Torre chose not to renew the lease on its 11th and 16th floor offices in Admiralty Centre because the current monthly rent of more than $500,000 is projected to rise considerably on renewal.

Many visitors to its present offices also complain about the rough treatment they get from security officers in the building, especially on Sundays. - VBL

Phl solons seek HK Pinoy’s inputs on divorce bill

By Daisy CL Mandap

A group of lawmakers from the Philippines is set to hold a landmark public consultation with Filipinos in Hong Kong on Oct. 1 on divorce bills currently pending before the House of Representatives.

Those who will lead the consultation set between 5 and 7pm at the Philippine Consulate’s public area are members of the House Committee on Population and Family Relations, led by Deputy House Speaker  Pia Cayetano (Taguig City, 2nd dist).

Also in the list are Reps. Gwen Garcia (Cebu, 3rd district); Sol Aragones (Laguna, 3rd dist); Geraldine Roman (Bataan, 1st dist); Teddy Baguilat (Ifugao, lone district); Ranie Abu (Batangas, 2nd dist); Lourdes Aggabao (Isabela, 4th dist); Aniceto Bertiz III (ACT-OFW party list) and Emmie de Jesus (Gabriela party list).

The bills that would be presented for discussion were authored by various House members, with the most comprehensive coming from Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay, 1st dist). The bill brings out the surprising fact that divorce used to be allowed in the Philippines from as far back as the Spanish rule, and was outlawed only when the Civil Code was passed in 1950.

Lagman suggests carrying over all the grounds for obtaining legal separation and annulment under present legislation to the new law on divorce.

The most liberal is the draft bill submitted by Rep. de Jesus which allows divorce when the spouses have been physically separated for at least five years.

Filcom leaders largely welcomed the consultation, the second in as many months by a Congressional delegation, with many saying they are in favor of divorce being legalized in the Philippines.

Leo Selomenio, chair of Global Alliance said: “Coming from a predominantly Catholic country, I should probably oppose a divorce law. However, the reality in our country these days suggest we must have divorce to give justice and respect to battered wives and victims of infidelity by the other spouse. While marriage should remain sacred, reality dictates that there should be a way out for those in an abusive situation.

Marites Palma, adviser of the Roxas Group of Migrants and contributor of The SUN, agreed that the time is ripe for divorce to be allowed in the Philippines.

“In favor po ako sa divorce dahil naniniwala ako na kung wala ng pag-ibig sa puso mo para sa asawa mo ay wala ng dahilan para ituloy ang pagsasama,” she said.

This alienation, according to her, could be the result of the other spouse’s infidelity, irresponsibility, and substance abuse which puts the whole family’s security at risk.”

“Mas mainam na mawala ang bisa ng kasal para malagay na sa tahimik ang buhay ng bawa’t isa.”

A prominent Hong Kong resident and outspoken leader, Daphne Ceniza-Kuok, said she is also in favor of divorce, but a law allowing it should not be passed only because it favors high-ranking officials known for their philandering ways.

Last month, another congressional delegation led by Rep, Winston Castelo (Q.C., 1st dist) held a public consultation on issues confronting overseas Filipino workers.

DHs’ monthly pay raised by $100, food allowance by $16; workers call it insult

Migrant workers groups asked for a minimum monthly wage of $5,500

By The SUN Staff

Foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong who sign new contracts from Sept 30 onward will see their monthly salary increased by $100 (2.3%) to $4,410 from the previous $4,310. Those who are given food allowance will get an increase of a mere $16 (1.5%) – from $1,037 to $1,053

The new rates were announced by the Hong Kong government earlier today, Sept. 29.

Villanueva

Militant migrant workers’ leader Eman Villanueva called the meager increase “an insult and a clear proof that the Hong Kong government is promoting slavery.”

“We laid down the basis of our demand for a $5,500 monthly minimum wage during the public consultations but the government simply ignored our demand. Obviously, it is clear that the government is not sincere about the public consultations,” Villanueva, chairman of Bayan Hong Kong & Macau said when asked for a comment. 

He said the levels of increases are not realistic and send a message that the government does not care about migrant workers.

“The $100 increase is only a token pay hike to appease the workers,” he said.

Militant workers’ groups are now reportedly consulting each other to set a date for any action they will take against the slight salary increase.

A government press release reiterated that several factors were taken into consideration in coming up with the MAW.      

“The government reviews the MAW for FDHs regularly. In accordance with the established practice, we have carefully considered Hong Kong's general economic and labour market conditions over the past year, as reflected through a basket of economic indicators, including the relevant income movement and price change in this year's review,” a government spokesman said.

“Moreover, the government has taken into account Hong Kong’s near-term economic outlook, as well as affordability for employers on the one hand and the livelihood of FDHs on the other, in reaching the decision on the above-mentioned adjustment.

“The government has also reviewed the food allowance in lieu of free food, and decided to increase the allowance level.”

Most FDWs are asking to get the allowance instead of being given free food by their employers, claiming that many are not given enough to eat each day, or get only leftovers.

The government announcement said contracts signed on Sept 29 or earlier at the existing salary of $4,310 a month and with food allowance of not less than $1,037 a month will still be processed by Immigration provided the applications reach the department by Oct 27.

This arrangement is meant to give employers enough time to send the signed contracts to Immigration to complete the application process.

POLO makes farm training quarterly event

By Vir B. Lumicao


Seminars on farming will become a regular part of the livelihood training program of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Hong Kong for overseas Filipino workers.

Labor Attaché Jalilo dela Torre told The SUN at the sidelines of last weekend’s two-day integrated mushroom-rice farming seminar at POLO that he would make the highly popular organic farming and livestock raising seminars a quarterly event.

Resource speaker  Jo Johnson Munoz.

“We will make this a continuing program for our workers. We’ll invite experts from the Department of Agriculture to conduct the training sessions to prepare our workers for reintegration into the economy when they return home,” Labatt Dela Torre said.

He said the regular seminars will be held at the new POLO offices on Queen’s Road East in Wanchai when they move there by December.

On Sept 9 and 10, a total of 532 OFWs attended the seminars conducted by farming experts Josephine Muñoz and Lowell Rebillaco of the DA Region 3 office in San Fernando City, Pampanga.

Resource speaker Lowell Rebillaco.

These were a follow-up of the successful mushroom-growing seminars on June 24-25 at POLO’s 16th floor office in Admiralty Centre and Boys and Girls Auditorium in Wanchai which had a total of 858 participants.

Labatt Dela Torre was pleased with the unexpected overwhelming interest from the Filcom in the agriculture training program.

In fact, the two-day seminars complement the already regular agri-livelihood training sessions being offered every Saturday and Sunday by POLO courtesy of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

POLO’s rationale for the extra focus on farm production is that OFWs who return home for good might not be able to rejoin the labor force in the country, where the official unemployment as of April was at 5.1%. So, the training program will ensure that returning OFWs won’t starve when they go home.

“Food security is a paramount national concern. We’re glad to be able to contribute our 5-cents’ worth through this farming seminar series,” Labatt Dela Torre said separately in a post on his Facebook page after the latest seminars.

“The objective is to open the eyes of 1,427 potential and actual OFW farmers that agriculture through the farming technologies now available may be profitable, and may prod them to reunite with their families,” he said.

He said that the feedback gathered after the seminar indicated that many participants wanted to return home and farm again. Even while still in Hong Kong, some of them are already actively engaged in farming or slowly investing in their farms until their contracts run out.

The labor official said coming up next in the livelihood series are balut, salted egg and food processing seminars sometime in December, and livestock production early next year.

In the latest seminars, Rebillaco presented “Palayamanan”, his masteral thesis featuring the zero-tillage method of rice farming that aims to maximize resources, reduce farming risk, enhance sustainability, productivity and profitability, improve economic stability and build a better relationship among family members.

“Yung ating maliit na lupa sa Pilipinas, gawin nating pagkakakitaan sa pamamagitan ng konseptong ‘Palayamanan’,” Rebillaco said.

He said key to this is maximizing resources by integrating organic rice farming with vegetable, fruit, cash crop, livestock and fish production in which excess output can be sold in the market or exported to earn income for the farmer.

Muñoz gave a presentation on organic mushroom farming that OFWs can start on a low capitalization and can turn into an income and employment-generating community livelihood activity.

She said demand for mushroom in the Philippines is so big that current production fills just a small percentage of that output.

Nakababahala kapag umatras ang isang biktima

Ni Vir B. Lumicao

Sa limang pagkakataon sa nakaraang dalawang buwan ay may nagpatulong sa aming mga OFW dahil pinagmamalupitan sila ng kanilang mga amo o ng kapamilya ng mga ito.

Hangad naming mabigyan sila ng hustisya kaya inilapit namin sila sa mga kaukulang  opisyal ng Konsulado na makatutulong upang ilaban ang kanilang mga karapatan at makakuha ng karampatang kabayaran sa perhuwisyong ginawa sa kanila.

Ngunit sa huling sandali ay isa-isa silang sumuko dala marahil ng takot sa ganti ng amo, nainip sa mabagal na proseso ng hustisya, o nabalisa sa katotohanang di sila puwedeng magtrabaho o maghanap ng bagong amo habang nakabinbin ang mga kaso nila.

Ang pinamasaklap na maaaring nangyari ay ang nakipag-areglo sila sa kanilang mga amo para iurong ang mga isinampang reklamo, o ang mas masama, ay bumalik sila sa panunungkulan sa mga amo.

Ang ganitong desisyon ay mahirap intindihin. Nakapagtataka dahil may malakas silang ebidensiya laban sa pananakit ng kanilang mga amo nguni’t naisipan pa rin nilang bumaligtad.

Magkakaiba ang mga dinanas ng mga maid na itatago namin ang mga tunay na pangalan. Ang una, si Beatrice, ay inilapit sa amin ng isang kaibigan dahil sinasaktan siya ng maliit na anak ng kanyang “amo”. Ngunit inamin niya nang makausap namin na hindi pala niya tunay na amo ang ina ng batang nanakit sa kanya.

Ayon kay Beatrice, ang lolang nakatira sa ibang bahay na may kalayuan sa tirahan ng ina ng bata sa Yuen Long ang siyang dapat pinaglilingkuran niya. Ngunit nang dumating siya sa Hong Kong noong nakaraang taon ay ipinasa siya ng matanda sa anak at doon na rin tumira ang Pilipina. Araw-araw ay pinaglingkuran niya ang matanda at ang anak, na siyang nagtatakda ng mga gawain niya sa maghapon.

Napuno siya nang baliin ng alagang bata ang kanyang hinlalato dahil inawat niya ito sa pakikipag-away sa nakababatang kapatid. Napasigaw at naiyak sa sakit si Beatrice ngunit siya pa ang pinag-initan umano ng ina ng bata at binantaang sisisantihin.

May usapan kami ni Beatrice na sasamahan siya sa Konsulado upang ireklamo ang mga  amo ngunit nagbago ang isip nang takdang araw at hindi na raw magrireklamo dahil nagkaayos na sila ng ina ng bata. Di nagtagal ay nabalitaan naming na-terminate siya.

Iba naman ang kaso ni Josie, na halos araw-araw ay kinakagat ng asong alaga ng amo niya. Minsa’y ipinakita sa amin ang mga bagong kagat at mga pilat sa kanyang mga binti.

Nang sabihin niya na magpapatusok siya ng anti-rabies ay hindi siya pinayagan ng amo dahil may bakuna naman daw ang aso. Tinanggihan din siyang iniksiyunan ng  pinuntahang ospital dahil naitawag na raw ng amo na may bakuna ang asong nangagat.

Pinayuhan naming magtungo sa Konsulado at sa Immigration si Josie upang ireport ang nangyayari sa kanya para payagan siyang mag-constructive termination, o yung umalis sa amo ng walang pasabi dahil sa pagmamaltrato sa kanyan, pero hindi siya nakinig. Pagkaraan ng dalawang buwan ay nabalitaan naming sinisante siya at pinauwi kaagad ng amo.

Si Lindy naman ay matagal nang nagrireklamo sa pagmamaltrato ng kanyang mga amo, kabilang na ang pagpapagawa sa kanya sa bahay ng amo at sa matanda nang ina nito.

May kasulatan pang pinapirmahan sa kanya ng amo na hindi siya puwedeng umalis sa trabaho hangga’t di natatapos ang kontrata niya.

Nang hindi nakatiis, nagsumbong siya sa Labour Department. Ipinaalam din siya sa Immigration na aalis na siya dahil sa mga paglabag ng amo sa kanilang kontrata.

Nang ipatawag ng Labour ang amo, hindi ito humarap, kaya iniakyat sa Labour Tribunal ang kaso. Hindi naman ito sinipot ang Pilipina. Kinalaunan ay sinabi ni Lindy na iuurong na niya ang kaso dahil nag-usap na raw sila ng amo at bumuti na raw ang trato sa kanya. Iyon pala’y nilansi lang siya at tinanggal dahil padating na ang kapalit niya.

Ang pinakanakakabahala ay ang pang-apat na kaso. Isang Pinay na ilang buwan pa lang sa Hong Kong ang binugbog isang gabi kamakailan ng isang napakayamang among lalaki. Humingi siya ng tulong dahil gusto na siyang dalhin sa airport ng amo at pauwiin noon din.

Pinayuhan naming tumawag kaagad sa 999, kaya sinundo siya ng mga pulis at pina medical, at pagkatapos ay kinunan ng pahayag sa presinto. Itinawag namin sa Konsulado ang kanyang kaso upang dalhin siya sa shelter, ngunit hindi siya dumating sa POLO sa itinakdang meeting nila ni Labor Attaché Jalilo dela Torre.

Iyon pala’y iniurong na raw niya ang kasong pananakit laban sa amo at babalik na ito sa bahay ng bumugbog sa kanya.

Pananakit din ang inireklamo sa pulisya ni Dolly laban sa kanyang among babae at malakas ang kanyang kaso dahil mga pulis mismo ang nagligtas sa kanya. Ngunit nang umabot na sa husgado ang mga kasong isinampa niya ay saka siya nagkipag-areglo. Mabuti na lang at binayaran siya.

Nalungkot at nainis kami sa pangyayaring ito. Pilit naming inuunawa ang dahilan nila sa pag-atras. Sa kabila nito, alam namin na ang ibubunga ng mga ganitong pagtalikod sa karapatan ay ang palakasin ang loob ng mga amo na saktan at pahirapan lalo ang kanilang mga katulong.

Beware. Be Aware.

By Cynthia Tellez

The Mission is currently assisting victims in filing cases against the owner of an agency who promised them jobs in another country that turned out to be inexistent. Sadly, many of our fellow migrants are lured by catch phrases such as “permanent residency” and “you can petition your family”.

Swindlers prey on such simple dreams of migrant workers. Of course, if there is just the slightest chance to bring their family with them abroad, most would grab at such a “golden opportunity”. Unfortunately, this often leads to misery because all that the worker gets is an empty promise from a recruiter who knew how to target their most vulnerable spot.

The usual scheme is to place advertisements or distribute promotional materials convincing potential applicants to apply for placement in other countries. Other agencies or recruiters offer another route: via student visa application. However it is done, the best rule of thumb to protect oneself is to always determine the authenticity of the job offer.

This article aims to provide some pointers for migrants to avoid being victimized. Here are some steps they can take:

1) As the usual warning goes, always verify if the recruitment agency has a valid license to conduct business, particularly for job placements to the countries they cite. The license issued to any business is usually very specific and shows the kind and scope of business and operations it is allowed to do. For example, their license may not allow them to recruit for overseas work, but is only limited to domestic (or local) placement.

2) Verify the authenticity of the job orders (if any). If no job order is shown, beware! It might be just a scheme to swindle money from applicants. Usually, job orders are authenticated by receiving governments. This is an added information that applicants need to know aside from the business permits issued by the local government where the agency is principally based. In sum, applicants should know the authenticity of both the business permit and the job order issued by the country destination.

3) There are times when the arrangement is with a school or a registered institution in the country destination. For example, it can be a school or a college that can issue a student visa but with an additional incentive like giving permission to work at certain number of hours while studying. Again, it has to be verified whether such a policy exists because in some destination countries a foreign student’s right to work has already been revoked or substantially curbed, yet unscrupulous agencies still actively promote the revoked policy.

4) It would be an additional assurance for a job applicant to get a relative, friend or trusted person to verify the job order in the destination country. This way, the applicant will know right away if the job offer should be pursued.

5) In the absence of friends and relatives, applicants may approach church-based or non-church based service providers or NGOs who may have counterpart service providers in the country destination. Or these groups might have individual contacts in the target countries who can be mobilized to help secure the needed information.

6) Do not be enticed by sweet talk. No matter how nice the job prospect being peddled to you, the final decision is still yours. Before making a decision, be sure that you have considered and studied, as much as possible, all angles before accepting the offer.  Remember that your decision will have a lasting effect on your future as well as with your family and loved ones.

7) In case you were already recruited but are still in doubt, be sure to gather enough evidence or proof before making the final plunge. This way, you will not jeopardize your chances of filing a case should it become necessary, and the dubious recruiter will not have a chance to cover up his or her misdeed.  Do not be selective when gathering evidence. It might even be just a piece of paper with hand written instructions by a staff or employee of the agency, a phone number of contact person, or an address in the country destination as their contact. Text messages from the recruiter or agency staff about arrangement, especially pertaining to mode of payment, are also very telling. Gather the contact numbers of fellow applicants as potential witnesses or co-complainants if ever.

It would be good to ask a friend or a willing witness to go with you in the succeeding visits to the agency or appointment with the recruiter. The witness will play a very important role in case the transaction is determined to be fraudulent and you need to file a claim or case against the recruiter.

Before taking any legal action, it would be good to ask for assistance from service providers you know. They will help you seek legal or professional advice, or advise you where to file your case, or what steps you could take to speed up the proceedings. Remember that if you took the wrong steps or procedure in acting on your complaints, you may not be able to take them back anymore. It’s good if corrective measures are still possible; if not, you might have already lost your case before it could begin.

If you decide to seek assistance from a service provider, be sure to bring along all the evidence you gathered as well as your witnesses (if more than one) for proper assistance in making a statement. All these pieces of evidence and witnesses’ statement(s) will be evaluated by lawyers in determining the proper steps to take.

Fraud or scheme to deceive people for monetary gain is a serious matter and should not be taken lightly. Service providers like the Mission are prepared to provide assistance. Lawyers must be consulted every step of the way in filing civil claims or criminal cases. But the success of the  victim’s case lies in the preparation, from collecting all possible documentary evidence to preparing witnesses, even before deciding on what cases should be filed against the erring recruiter or agency. Bear in mind that recruiters know what they are doing and are usually prepared for any eventuality.

Prevention is always better than cure. So beware of fraud. Be aware of the techniques of swindlers and illegal recruiters. Be aware also of ways to protect yourself.

Your employer must provide YOU (worker) a free passage from your place of origin to Hong Kong and another free passage to your place of origin once your contract is prematurely terminated or is completed (finished contract).  Free passage is specified under the SEC’s Clause-7(a).

An airfare or an air ticket is the most common and fastest way for you to return to your place of origin. Employers provide an economy air ticket or equivalent cash.

The airfare or the air ticket must be based on your place of origin, which is written on the SEC’s Clause-1.

However, there are instances when employers and/or through agencies provide an air ticket with Hong Kong-Manila route only even if your place of origin as stated in the SEC’s Clause-1 is somewhere else. That is also why it is important that you state your exact home address in the said Clause.

Many times, the agency writes in the contract as your place of origin the place where you stayed as transient during your application, which is either in Metro Manila or the city/town center in your province. This makes it easier for them to process and follow-up your documents for deployment to Hong Kong. Doing so will compromise your right to free passage back to your place of origin. Remember, you must ensure that what is written in your SEC’s Clause-1 as your place of origin should be the address where you reside. This is relevant as well to your daily food and traveling allowance under Clause 7 which will be discussed later in this article.

When settling your entitlements upon end/termination of contract, do take note that when your employer has not paid you all that you are entitled to and you have no other recourse than to pursue your claims through the Labour Department or HK courts, it is not advisable to accept an air ticket yet. Because once you accept an air ticket and you still have not received other payments due you, the air ticket can either expire or you may have to pay a rebooking fee that amounts to a few hundred dollars. As your employer has already fulfilled her/his obligation under your SEC’s Clause 7(a) by issuing you an air ticket that you have duly accepted, you can no longer claim a replacement even if other claims are still under dispute.

Daily Food and Traveling Allowance
It is also clearly stated in the contract that your employer must pay you a daily food and traveling allowance amounting to HK$100 per day, from the date of your departure from your place of origin until the date of your arrival in Hong Kong, traveling by the most direct route. The same payment must be paid to you by your employer on your return to your place of origin, whether your contract is prematurely terminated or completed (finished contract). Daily food and traveling allowance is laid down under SEC’s Clause-7(b).

However, there are instances when employers only pay the worker one way, such as at the end of the contract only. If your employer has not paid you the daily food and traveling allowance of HK$100 when you arrived, you are entitled to claim it.  Oftentimes, this is being overlooked.

If your travel from your place of origin to Hong Kong takes more than a day, and your travel back to your place of origin is the same, it is your employer’s obligation to provide you a daily food and traveling allowance calculated by how many days your travel took. Again, you have the right to claim it. This shows the importance of ensuring that your place of origin is correctly written on Clause-1 of your contract, and why your first day of employment is from the time you took the ride going to Hong Kong.


Start of Contract
It is not unusual that upon your arrival in Hong Kong, the agency takes you to the Immigration Department for registration to get a Hong Kong Identity Card, then to a clinic for another medical check up, maybe, and to many other places to comply with the requirements set either by the employer or by the agency itself. Keep copies of whatever documents you should have (like medical certificate) especially those that you signed. A day or so (sometimes several days) after, your employer picks you up to bring you to their house. Many times, they consider it as the first day of work. This is wrong. Your day of arrival is the first day of the contract. That is your first day of work. Fulfilling the requirements of the Hong Kong government is part of the working days. More so if the days are used to do other requirements imposed by the employer or the agency (remember, the agency is an extension of your employer until you finally are in your employer’s house). Those days are not to be reckoned as unpaid days off.

Never forfeit your right to free passage and daily food and traveling allowance upon arrival from your place of origin and upon your departure back to your home. Know when the contract starts.

It is best to read through the clauses in your contract and to understand them.

Ask when in doubt. Do not presume. Keep a diary so you will not forget important events and circumstances.

Should you have any queries or concerns on the above matters, it is best to consult service providers for migrants such as the Mission For Migrant Workers (tel.no. 2522 8264) or the Labour Department branch near your place of work.
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This is the monthly column from the Mission for Migrant Workers, an institution that has been serving the needs of migrant workers in Hong Kong for over 31 years. The Mission, headed by its general manager, Cynthia Tellez, assists migrant workers who are in distress, and  focuses its efforts on crisis intervention and prevention through migrant empowerment. Mission has its offices at St John’s Cathedral on Garden Road, Central, and may be reached through tel. no. 2522 8264.

Filipina in viral window-cleaning photos files landmark case vs employer

By Daisy CL Mandap 

The Filipina domestic worker pictured cleaning windows from outside a high-rise in Repulse Bay at the height of a typhoon is seeking 13 months’ pay for her alleged illegal sacking.

M.R. Sta. Cruz, 37, filed the landmark claim for the remaining portion of her contract on Aug. 31, citing her employer’s alleged violation of the Hong Kong government’s policy against unsafe window cleaning by foreign domestic workers.

She was terminated on Apr. 29, a few days after a concerned neighbor took pictures of her cleaning the taped-up windows of her employer’s first-floor flat in Grand Garden.

The pictures that were uploaded on Facebook by Elpie Elba, were allegedly taken on Aug. 23, shortly after typhoon signals were lowered from 8 to 3, as Hato, one of the strongest storms to hit Hong Kong in years, was still making its presence felt in the city.

According to the Mission for Migrant Workers’ Edwina Antonio, the Labour Department accepted the claim after being furnished copies of the pictures that garnered more than a thousand likes on Facebook and were shared by dozens of people.

“The officer who took the complaint did not say anything when we said the claim was for M’s salary for the remaining period in her contract,” Antonio said.

On top of the 13 months’ wage claim, Sta. Cruz is also seeking reimbursement for the plane ticket she bought in July this year, after her employers allegedly forced her to take her annual leave while they went on a vacation in the United States.

She is also hoping that the Immigration Department would allow her to process a new work contract after her claims against her employer had been resolved.

Sta. Cruz told The SUN in an earlier interview that her employers told her to clean their windows daily. When she asked if that was allowed, her employers reportedly said that the window-cleaning prohibition did not apply to them as they were still bound by the old contract that did not have this provision.

Sta. Cruz, who is on her first overseas employment, said she and her employer signed the old green-colored contract in August last year, but she arrived in Hong Kong to start working for his family on Oct 15.

The new blue contracts that were issued starting Jan. 1 this year contain a provision that stipulates that, “when an employer requires the helper to clean the outside of any window which is not located on the ground level or adjacent to a balcony (on which it must be reasonably safe for the helper to work) or common corridor, this must be performed under the following conditions:

(i) the window being cleaned is fitted with a grille which is locked or secured in a manner that prevents the grille from being opened; and

(ii) no part of the helper’s body extends beyond the window ledge except the arms.”

The prohibition was imposed in the wake of debates sparked by Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre’s unilateral decision to require employers of Filipino domestic workers to sign an undertaking not to order their helpers to clean windows from the outside.

He took the move shortly after Filipina helper Rinalyn Dulluog fell while cleaning the windows of her employer’s flat in a high-rise on Lohas Park on Aug. 9 last year

Earlier, Sta. Cruz also got the Philippine Overseas Labor Office to put her employer on its blacklist for willfully violating their employment contract.

With help from the Mission and POLO, she also filed a claim for subsistence allowance from her insurers in the Philippines while she pursues her case in Hong Kong. Under the terms of the insurance, she could claim US$100 for every month that she is involved in litigation, for a maximum period of six months.

According to Sta. Cruz, her employers kept prodding her to write a termination letter after she questioned them about her window cleaning. She was reportedly told that if she was unhappy working for them she could leave, but she did not budge.

In retaliation, she was given a termination letter and told to leave the house shortly after midnight on Aug. 29. She was given her unpaid salary, a month’s pay in lieu of notice, and air ticket.

Kahalagahan ng pagpaplano, tinalakay

Ni George Manalansan 

The CARD HK team.

Ang kahalagahan ng isang epektibong “business plan” ang naging sentro ng talakayan sa  pinakahuling entrepreneurship seminar na isinagawa ng CARD HK Foundation noong ika-23 ng Setyembre sa Bayanihan Centre sa Kennedy Town.

Naging espesyal na panauhin si Jackie Lou Tayaban, na pinadala pa ng CARD MRI sa Pilipinas para gabayan ang mga sumali sa seminar.

Ayon kay Tayaban, ang pangunahing hakbang para sa tiyak na paglago ng isang negosyo ang pagkakaroon ng isang epektibong business plan, o ang pagbalangkas ng mga gustong maisakatuparan sa negosyo sa loob ng itinakdang panahon.

Idiniin din niya na hindi lang pangsarili ang pagtatayo ng negosyo kundi  pampamilya din at panlipunan dahil malaki ang maitutulong nito para mabawasan ang bilang ng mga walang trabaho sa Pilipinas. Malaking kasangkapan din ito para magpatuloy ang daloy ng serbisyo at produkto sa merkado.

Naging katuwang ni Tayaban sa pagpapaliwanag si Vicky Munar na lead trainor ng CARD HK. Itinuro ni Munar kung paano gumawa ng business plan, bago nagbigay ng aktuwal na pagsasanay para dito.

Ang mga kalahok naman ay halatang pursigido na matuto kung paano makapag-uumpisa ng negosyo, at ano ang gagawin para lumaki ang tsansa na umangat ito at lumago. Para sa kanila, ang pagnenegosyo ay isang paraan para makauwi na sila sa kani-kanilang mga pamilya, at nang hindi na maging kasambahay pang muli.

Ang seminar ay kabilang sa mga libreng pagsasanay na ibinabahagi ng CARD HK para matulungan ang mga Pilipinong migrante na mapangalagaan ang kanilang kinikita, at maplano nang maigi ang kanilang pagbabalik sa bansa.

POWA feeds and gives

Officers and members of the Panay Overseas Workers Association celebrated their second anniversary by holding a feeding and gift-giving program in their hometown in the last two weeks of July.

Led by their president Lindy Paclibar, the POWA group feted 80 senior citizens from Sunfuan, Teslar, Traciano and  Dumarao towns in Capiz on July 16, and 26 indigent children from Sitio Hanayac Barotac Viejo, Iloilo on Jul 23.

The kids each received a school bag packed with paper, pencils, erasers, sharpeners and toys. The feeding program was the group’s first project in their hometown. Paclibar expressed heartfelt gratitude to the donors, individuals who contributed to the success of their fist ever mission. – Marites Palma

‘Idulog kay Atorni,’ babalik sa Oktubre

Muling darating sa Hong Kong sa Okt 7 ang mga abogado ng Integrated Bar of the Philippines Central Luzon Chapter upang magbigay ng libreng konsultasyon sa mga OFW rito ukol sa mga problema nila sa Pilipinas.

Ang misyon na tinawag na “Idulog Mo Kay Atorni – 5”, ay handog ng Konsulado sa pakikipag-ugnayan ng IBP Central Luzon, at gaganapin sa PCG conference room sa ika-14 na palapag ng United Centre sa Admiralty.

Dalawang araw na magbibigay ng libreng konsultasyon ang isang pangkat ng mga abugado mula sa nasabing sangay ng IBP upang mabigyan ng pagkakataon ang mga OFW na ilapit ang kanilang mga usaping legal.

Ang unang konsultasyon ay isasagawa mula ika-10 ng umaga hanggang ika-4 ng hapon sa Sabado, Okt 7. Susundan iyon ng isa pang sanggunian mula ika-9 ng umaga hanggang ika-3 ng hapon sa Linggo, Okt 8.

Marami namang bagay-bagay ang tatalakayin ng mga abogado sa Legal Forum mula ika-4 hanggang ika-5:30 ng hapon.

Sa mga nagnanais dumalo, maaaring magpalista at magtakda ng appointment sa
pamamagitan ng telepono 2823-8537 (Cholo) o 2823-8511 (Charlene).
Maaari ring magpadala ng email sa cru.pcghk@gmail.com.

Kapehan sa Paoay, naka 3 taon na

Ang mga opisyal at kasapi ng Kapehan Sa Paoay Association habang nagdiriwang ng kanilang ika-3 anibersaryo.

Ni Marites Palma

Umabot sa halos 100 na mga OFW mula sa Paoay, Ilocos Norte ang nagsama-sama noong ika-3 ng Setyembre sa Chaterhouse sa Wanchai upang ipagdiwang ang ika-tatlong anibersaryo ng kanilang grupo na tinawag nilang Kapehan sa Paoay Association.
Nagsayawan at nagkantahan ang karamihan sa mga miyembro at bisita ng grupo, kasabay ng pag-aalay ng musika ng bandang Rock and Play. Ang tinaguriang Ilocano Singing Diva na si Louvelin Addu ay nagpaunlak na kantahan ang mga dumalo, na lalong nagpasaya sa lahat
Naging panauhing pandangal si  Joel C  Almeda, na siyang pinuno ng BDO remittance sa Hong Kong at Macau. Ayon kay Almeda, kabilang siya sa Philippine Association of Hong Kong na ang pangunahing layunin ay matulungan ang mga kababayan na hikahos sa buhay, kaya saludo daw siya sa mga taga Paoay sa ginagawa nilang pagtulong din sa mga nangangailangan.
Ayon naman kay Jessie Quevedo na pinuno ng grupo, nag-umpisa sila sa pamamagitan ng pagsasama-sama sa isang “closed group” sa Facebook ng mga taga Paoay sa Hong Kong. Dahil marami ang aktibo sa grupo ay napagsang-ayunan nila na gawin itong asosasyon.
Nang itatag na nila ang grupo noong ika-9 ng Setyembre, 2014, umabot na sa 259 ang mga miyembro ng kanilang closed group.
Pangunahing layunin daw ng grupo ang mabigyan ng pinansiyal na suporta ang mga kababayan sa Hong Kong na biglaang nawalan ng trabaho, at nagbibigay din sila ng tulong sa mga namatayan. Ngunit ang talagang pinagtutunan nila ng pansin ay ang pagtulong sa mga batang may kapansanan sa Paoay.
Bukod dito, nagbibigay din sila ng mga regalo sa mga mahihirap sa kanilang bayan tuwing Pasko sa tulong ng kanilang katuwang na organisasyon sa Paoay na isang puericulture.
Bukod kay Quevedo, ang iba pang opisyal ng grupo ay sina Rose Acang-pangalawang  pangulo; Risalie Pacariem-kalihim; Rodrigo Ragusante Jr.-pangalawang kalihim; Zenaida Natividad- ingat yaman; Pamela Acar-pangalawang ingat yaman; Gay Marie Langman- tagasuri; Marie Alegre Gutierrez- pangalawang tagasuri; Maribel Pacol-PRO; Reynalyn Galapia-punong tagapangalakal; Leonardo Agcaoili-sports coordinator; Denden Agdeppa, Benny Valido-tagapamayapa. Advisers: Lina Asuncion, Regie Rosal, Precila Nefalar, Melacina Lacbayan, Carolyn Alegado, Lourdes Cac, Esperanza Almasan, Leticia Dafun, Josephine Acdal, Sol R. Abrajano. At Atty Cielita Catubay.
Ang mga asosasyong nakisaya sa pagdiriwang ang mga sumusunod: Annak ti San Nicolas Association, Laoag City International Hong Kong, Sarrateneos Ass’n of Hong Kong, Filipino Image Society, Annak ti Ciudad ti Laoag Ass’n of Hong Kong at ang Annak ti Dingras Association.

Saya, hikbi, pagkakaisa sa pagtatapos ng Buwan ng Wika

Si Congen Catalla (naka luntian), kasama ang mga nagtanghal sa programa at ibang lider-Pilipino sa HK.

Ni Vir B. Lumicao

Ang wikang pambansa ay tanda ng pagkakaisa ng mga mamamayan.

Ito ang sinabi ni Consul General Bernardita Catalla sa kanyang huling pakikipagdiwang sa mga manggagawang Pilipino sa Hong Kong nang idaos sa Konsulado ang nabalam na paggunita sa Buwan ng Wika dito noong Set. 3.

Nakipagsaya, nagtinikling, at sa bandang huli ay pinigil ni Catalla ang paghikbi sa isang maikli ngunit makahulugang pagdiriwang na tinampukan ng magkakaibang pagtatanghal na handog ng tatlong samahan ng OFW sa papaalis nang opisyal.

“Siguro nagtataka kayo, bakit ipinagdiriwang pa natin (ang Buwan ng Wika)? Kasi nagta-Tagalog naman tayo o nagpi-Pilipino,” ani Catalla.

Ipinaliwanag ng konsul heneral, na nahirang kamakailan bilang sugo ng Pilipinas sa Lebanon, na ang wikang pambansang Filipino ay binubuo ng iba’t ibang salitang ginagamit ng mga tao sa iba-ibang panig ng bansa.

Mahigit 100 mga opisyal at kasapi ng iba’t ibang mga samahan ng mga Pilipino ang dumalo sa pagdiriwang na ipinagpaliban nang isang linggo dahil sa paghataw ng bagyong Hato sa Hong Kong noong Agosto 27.

Ginising ng awiting “Ako ay Pilipino” na inihandog ng Federation of Luzon Active Groups ang damdaming makabayan ng mga dumalo sa pagtitipon sa bulwagang pampubliko ng Konsulado.

Sinundan iyon ng isang makulay na katutubong sayaw ng mga B’laan sa saliw ng tugtuging likha ng kulintang at agung na itinanghal ng South Cotabato Overseas Workers Association.

Panghuling pumagitna ang mga mananayaw ng Tinikling Group of Migrants at nagpakita ng kanilang husay sa katutubong sayaw ng Katagalugan na sinasaliwan ng masayang tugtog ng mga instrumento at lagapak ng mga bumbong ng kawayan.

Lalong sumaya ang pagdiriwang nang anyayahan ni Bise Konsul Robert Quintin, ang punong-abala sa gabing iyon, ang mga panauhin na hamunin sa pagsayaw ng tinikling ang nagtanghal na grupo.

Ilang malalakas ang loob ang tumalima sa pamumuno ni Catalla, na nagpamalas ng husay at bilis ng mga paa sa pag-iwas na maipit sa nagbabanggaang kawayan.

Pagkaraan niyon, nagpasalamat si Catalla sa lahat ng tumangkilik sa kanya upang maging maayos ang pagpapatakbo sa Konsulado, sa paghahatid ng mga serbisyo, sa pagtulong sa mga kababayan, sa pagtataguyod ng negosyo at pamumuhunan sa Pilipinas, at sa pagpapasulong sa kulturang Pilipino.

“Sa mga organisasyon, maraming salamat sa pagtanggap sa akin sa tatlong taon na nandito ako. May mga pagkukulang ako,” sabi niya at bahagyang naudlot dahil nahihikbi. “Pero sana naintindihan po ninyo.

Sinabi ni Catalla sa mga OFW na nanggaling sa Lebanon na malamang na higit na malaki ang hamong haharapin niya sa nalalapit na paglipat sa Beirut bilang sugo ng Pilipinas.

“Napakaayos ang paninilbihan ko rito, magiging mas challenging yung doon sa Lebanon, dahil karamihan sa atin ay legal na pumasok bilang manggagawa sa Hong Kong,” aniya, di tulad sa Lebanon na bawal ang mga dayuhang katulong ngunit may 28,000 OFW roon na pumasok bilang mga turista.

“So, hindi rin sila protektado ng batas dahil di katulad dito sa Hong Kong na may standard contract,” aniya.

Global Alliance leads Filcom farewell to CG Bernie

Congen Bernardita Catalla (in pink), who leaves HK to become Ambassador to Lebanon, is flanked by Filcom leaders.

There were tears as well as laughter when Filipino community leaders threw a surprise farewell party on Sept 10 for Consul General Bernardita Catalla, who expects to move to her new assignment as Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon by the end of the month.

The public area of the Consulate was filled with community leaders who turned up at the potluck gathering organized by Global Alliance Hong Kong, which is chaired by Leo Selomenio.

Also honored with a send-off was Vice Consul Alex Vallespin, who is moving to Guam for the second half of his six-year overseas tour of duty.

Congen Catalla was teary-eyed as she thanked the Filcom leaders as well as her staff for the support and love they gave her during her three-year stint in Hong Kong.

She said Hong Kong has the best support system, from both the host government and the Filipino community, that’s why she felt more relaxed here than when she was posted in  Malaysia and Indonesia.

Selomenio injected a light moment into the program by saying his first impression of the congen was that she was “mataray, maldita and unapproachable”, to which the diplomat gamely said yes, much to the delight of the audience.

But Selomenio said that impression soon vanished, as he realized the kind of person Congen Catalla truly was.

Selomenio said his respect for the Congen grew even more during the party, when he realized how intelligent and kind-hearted she really was.

“We witnessed her heart melting as we dedicated a community song for both (Congen and VC Vallespin) of them. We will be missing the both of them especially Ambassador Bernardita Catalla,” said Selomenio.

VC Vallespin also thanked the community leaders, and expressed how happy he was to have worked in Hong Kong.

All the other consular officers, including Deputy Congen Deric Acosta and VCs Timmy and Bob Quintin, also delivered speeches about their past experiences in the foreign service, particularly while posted abroad.

Filcom leaders also took turns honoring the two departing officers with speeches and tokens of appreciation, while their members offered dance numbers.

A highlight was the presentation to Congen of a framed collage of greetings and signatures by Filcom leaders.

HK OFWs mark martial law anniversary with anti-Duterte rally

Protest was against Duterrte's 'rising tyranny'

By Vir B. Lumicao

About 60 militant overseas Filipinos and their local supporters called for an end to brutal killings and condemned President Rodrigo Duterte’s alleged drift towards tyranny as they marked the 45^th year of the declaration of martial law by Ferdinand E. Marcos.

The protesters who wore black shirts like their counterparts in Manila, vowed to resist Duterte’s threats to impose martial law nationwide in an hour-long noontime rally at the Consulate in Admiralty under the watchful eyes of about a dozen policemen. 

“We did our part in resisting the old tyrant, we shall do our part in resisting the rising tyranny of the Duterte government. We say no to Duter-tyranny!” declared Eman Villanueva, chairman of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Hong Kong and Macau Chapter.

He also said, “Duterte is on his way to becoming the new Marcos!”

The rally was in response to calls for protests by the Movement Against Tyranny, which spearheaded a massive rally at Rizal Park on the same day.

Joint statement by Filcom leaders is presented to a PCG rep

Towards the end of the protest, a joint statement signed by various Hong Kong-based organizations and individuals expressing opposition “to the rising tyranny and threats of nationwide martial rule” by the Duterte administration was presented to a Consulate representative.

The signatories included prominent church leaders and human rights advocates in the community.

They said Duterte’s path to tyranny is shown by the following acts:

-          the unabated killings by the police and the armed forces of up to 13,000 people, mostly in the name of the war on drugs

-          the declaration of martial law in the whole of Mindanao

-          the attacks on the judiciary and the “immobilization” of the Commission of Human Rights

-          the declaration of an end to peace talks with the leftist National Democratic Front of the Philippines

-          enabling the return of the Marcoses to power, including allowing the burial of Ferdinand Marcos in the ‘Libingan ng mga Bayani”

“We are united in condemning the senseless deaths due to the mindless war on drugs. We are united in safeguarding the gains of the Filipino people in the long struggle against the former dictatorship of Marcos. We are united in stemming the new tide of tyrannical rule that grips the country,” said the joint statement

The rally’s first speaker, Fr Dwight dela Torre of the Philippine Independent Church, said the government is mandated to protect people’s lives yet its war on drugs had already left more than 13,000 mostly poor victims of extrajudicial killings.

He said there were “unabated killings of peasants, indigenous people and human rights, justice and peace advocates and political activists” suspected to have been carried out by police and vigilantes.

All rally speakers including Eni Lestari of the Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body and Hong Kong trade union leaders and human rights advocates said Duterte’s all-out war against communist rebels was victimizing civilians, peasants, and indigenous peoples.

Villanueva said protests will continue in the Philippines and in various cities and countries around the globe for as long as Duterte takes “the path of martial rule and puppetry to foreign powers.”

“Duter-tyranny, as with the fascism of Marcos, will face the resistance of Filipinos everywhere. It did not triumph before and will surely not triumph now,” he concluded.

Would-be teachers hopeful, nervous at this Sunday’s exams

 By Virgilio B. Lumicao

The exam venue

A total of 435 Filipino workers in Hong Kong and Macau will sit this Sunday, Sept 24, for this year’s Special Licensure Examination for Teachers to be administered by the Professional Regulation Commission.

The examinees will troop before 6am to the test venue, the Delia Memorial School–Hip Wo in Kwun Tong, Kowloon, for the various categories of exams that will begin at 8am and finish at 6:30pm at the latest.

The PRC requires the takers to come before 6am and assemble in their assigned room for general instructions and filling out of forms before the actual test.

The final list of examinees announced by the PRC was 29 short of the 464 people who registered online for the exam in August. The number of takers this year is also 34.5% fewer than the 664 who sat for the test a year ago.

Nevertheless, what will count is the percentage of takers this year who will hurdle the exam that will qualify them for a professional license to teach.

Last year, the takers didn’t fare well in the exam with barely 10% of them passing. That has prompted Labor Attaché Jalilo dela Torre to challenge this year’s batch of examinees to do better.

“We just hope for the best results,” Gemma A. Lauraya, president of the National Organization of Professional Teachers Hong Kong, told The SUN.

Lauraya said the would-be teachers are expecting better results this year than in previous editions of the exam.

“Teachers are open-minded, they take (Labatt Dela Torre’s remark) as a challenge because it is their dream to become licensed professional teachers,” Lauraya said.

The examinees are mostly excited while the others are nervous even if they are repeaters because they do not know what the contents of the test items will be, she added.

An examinee must obtain an average rating not lower than 75% and must have no rating below 50% in any of the tests in order to pass the exam, the PRC said.

Asked what could be the reason why 29 online applicants did not make it to the final list, the NOPT leader said these registrants might not have met the PRC’s standard requirements, as all of them have to be vetted by the commission’s assessors.

She said others might have claimed to have questionable units they had purportedly earned, especially if they were not education graduates.

“So far, none of the NOPT applicants and reviewees had been denied the exam,” Lauraya said.

The Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Hong Kong has brought the annual exam to the SAR in cooperation with the PRC, in response to the clamor of former teachers and education graduates who wish to teach when they return home for good.

The complete lists of registered examinees for both the elementary-level and secondary-level tests can be found here:

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NDF still optimistic peace talks with gov’t will resume

By Vir B. Lumicao

The top peace negotiator of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, Fidel Agcaoili, is still optimistic talks with government will resume despite President Rodrigo Duterte declaring that the negotiations are over.

Agcaoili, who visited Hong Kong recently, told The SUN in an interview that he considered the talks in a “suspended animation” in the absence of a formal declaration from Malacañang ending the peace process.

“We are still hopeful and optimistic,” said Agcaoili. “Duterte said na ayaw na niya, pero under the terms of the JASIG (joint agreement on safety and immunity guarantees), kailangan magpadala sila ng formal letter terminating the talks.”

He said government peace negotiators Silvestre Bello III and Jesus Dureza themselves had told him Duterte had not yet sent them such letter.

Under the terms of the JASIG, the government must give the NDFP 30 days to bring its consultants to safety.

Duterte declared the peace talks ended on July 21 after a series of clashes between the New People’s Army and soldiers in Negros, Samar and Davao left several fatalities on both sides.

In the latest incident, four of Duterte’s own security men were wounded in a clash at an NPA checkpoint in Cotabato on July 19. Agcaoili blamed that on the Presidential Security Group, which raided an NPA camp in a rebel-held area.

The two sides would have held their fifth round of talks in The Netherlands on May 27-June 2, but Duterte told the government panel to stay away until there were clear signs “an enabling environment conducive to achieving just and sustainable peace” can be had.

Backchannel consultations were being held to try to work out a resumption of the talks, said the NDF leader, who left Manila on Aug 10 and returned to Hong Kong on Aug 26.

On other key issues, Agcaoili said the NDFP’s views were:
• West Philippine Sea: The government should not abandon the Philippines’ victory at the International Court of Arbitration. “China may not recognize it, but to not assert it, to not fight for it is unpatriotic,” he said.
• Economy: Duterte is lucky to be riding on the economic growth triggered by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s development initiatives that Noynoy Aquino continued.
• Extrajudicial killings: “These have got to stop…No one can just kill 13,000 Filipinos and say wala kang problema. Ang issue ay due process. Hindi puwedeng sabihin ni Duterte na ‘Due process? Wala iyan’.” Agcaoili said.