Maswerte sa amo

Isa si Rowena sa mga domestic helper na maswerte sa amo. Kahit Sabado ang kanyang day-off ay walang problema dahil ang mahalaga sa kanya ay mabait ang kanyang mga amo at tunay na isinasaisip ang kanyang kapakanan.

Isang hapon, wala sa isip na isinara ni Rowena ang pintuan ng kanyang kwarto at nag-lock ito sa loob. Walang susi si Rowena kaya ganoon na lang ang pagkabahala niya. Agad niyang sinubukan na buksan ito gamit ang iba’t ibang bagay at nag-post pa sa Facebook para humingi ng tulong sa mga kaibigan, ngunit umabot ang gabi nang hindi nya ito nagawang buksan.

Pagdating ng mga amo ay agad niyang sinabi ang problema. Hindi niya akalain na ang gagawin ng kanyang among lalaki ay ang akyatin ang ventilation window papunta sa kanyang kuwarto para mabuksan ang pinto sa loob.

Pilit pinagkasya ng amo ang katawan sa maliit na bintana para makapasok sa kanyang kuwarto.

Malikabok at madumi ang loob ng butas at takot na takot na naiiyak si Rowena sa pag-aalala at baka anong mangyari sa amo, pero hindi naman niya sukat akalain na gagawin ng amo ang ganoon. Kasama niyang nakaabang at nag-aalala ang among babae at mga anak nito.

Ngunit pagkaraan lang ng ilang minuto ay nakangiting lumabas ang amo mula sa kanyang kuwarto, sabay sabi na sa susunod ay huwag na niyang ila-lock ulit ang pinto.

Nahihiyang nagpasalamat si Rowena sa matapang at maalalahaning amo. Si Rowena ay tubong Iloilo, 28 taong gulang at tatlong taon nang nagtatrabaho sa mga among taga Tung Chung. - Rodelia Villar

Nakulong sa kubeta dahil sira ang lock

Nataranta at kinabahan si Mando, 45, at isang Bisaya, nang pagkatapos niyang umihi ay nalaman niyang sira ang kandado ng pintuan sa kubeta sa bahay ng kanyang amo. Nag-iisa siya sa bahay sa oras na iyon, at kahit anong pihit niya, ay hindi niya mabuksan ang pinto.

May pinapakuluan pa naman siyang sopas noon, kaya takot na takot siya dahil kapag hindi siya nakalabas agad ay maaring masunog ang bahay, kasama siya. Sinubukan niyang dumungaw sa bintana ng kubeta at inisip na doon na lang siya dadaan palabas, ngunit lubhang delikado dahil walang makapitan, at sobrang taas ng kanyang babagsakan kung sakali dahil nas ika-15 palapag sila.

Pabilis nang pabilis ang pintig ng kanyang puso sa takot.

Saglit siyang umupo para mag-isip bago ginalugad ang kubeta para humanap ng pwedeng gamitin para madistrongka ang pinto, ngunit wala siyang makita ng kahit ano.

Mabuti na lang at dala-dala niya ang kanyang telepono. Agad niyang tinawagan si May na katulong ng nanay ng kanyang amo at sumagot naman ito pero hindi sila magkaintindihan dahil paputol-putol ang koneksyon.

Naisipan niyang i-text na lang at ipaabot sa FB messenger ang kanyang mensahe, at mabuti naman at nakaabot. Agad namang nag taxi si May na swerteng hindi kalayuan ang bahay, at may susi ang lola sa bahay ng anak.

Eksakto lang ang dating nito sa bahay nina Mando dahil natuyuan na ng tubig ang sopas. Sinubukan nitong buksan ang pintuan ng kubeta gamit ang susi, pero hindi na umubra dahil naputol na ang kalahating parte ng kandado sa loob.

Inabot pa ng ilang minuto bago nagawan ng paraan ni Mando na sirain ang kandado gamit ang isang maliit na distilyador na inabot ni May dahil hindi magkasya ang naunang ibang mga gamit sa siwang sa ilalim ng pinto.

Pagkalabas sa kubeta ay nagpasalamat si Mando kay May, sabay inom ng tubig. “Akala ko ay katapusan ko na,” ang sabi niya. – George Manalansan

New ConGen to push for caregiver roles for OFWs

By Daisy CL Mandap

Newly-arrived Consul General Antonio A. Morales has pledged to work on getting the Hong Kong government to open caregiver positions to Filipino domestic workers as soon as possible.

Consul General Antonio A. Morales 

He also told The SUN during a meet-and-greet session at the Consulate on Jan. 7 that he intends to push for greater cooperation with Hong Kong authorities in addressing the illegal recruitment of Filipino workers here for third-country destinations like Russia.

ConGen Morales arrived only the day before, to formally assume the post as the Philippines’ top representative in Hong Kong.

Consul General Antonio A. Morales called on the Director of the Hong Kong Protocol Division, Mrs. Judy Li.

He told The SUN he would focus on these two main concerns when he gets to meet with Chief Executive Carrie Lam again.

He said he first met Mrs Lam when he accompanied Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on a courtesy call on Hong Kong’s top official last month.

During the meeting, the Chief Executive reportedly expressed appreciation for the important role that Filipino domestic workers play in Hong Kong’s society.

Morales said he would build on that goodwill to push for the creation of a new category of work as caregivers for overseas Filipino workers.

In Singapore where he was posted for three and a half years before moving to Hong Kong, he said there is already a caregiver post that is separate from that of a domestic worker.

He said he could use that as a reference in getting Hong Kong to speed up its plan to import caregivers amid looming concerns over its rapidly ageing population.

The Chief Executive first disclosed plans about opening a new category of work for caregivers during her maiden policy address on Oct 11 last year.

She said that Hong Kong would consider giving subsidized elderly-service units more flexibility on importing caregivers.

Later, the Hong Kong government also disclosed plans to launch in the first quarter of this year an 18-month trial program to equip 300 domestic workers already in the city with nursing skills.

At the same time, the Labor Department and Security Bureau are expected to set up an interdepartmental group for creating a mechanism to hire foreign caregivers from the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia and Southeast Asian countries.

On Jan. 11, ConGen Morales reiterated his commitment to upgrade the skills of Filipino domestic workers in remarks he made after swearing into office the new officers of the Philippine Association of Hong Kong.

After saying that there was nothing to be ashamed of about domestic work he added, “But that does not stop us from dreaming of greater things. That’s why our job is to ask our domestic workers to upgrade their skills, (by) going into caregiving, or thinking about doing business in the Philippines.”

Also part of his immediate plans, said Morales, is to meet with his counterparts at the Russian consulate, to ask help in addressing the worsening problem of Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong being recruited for non-existent work in Russia.

The Philippine embassy in Moscow says there are about 5,000 Filipinos working illegally as domestic helpers in Russia, many of them recruited in Hong Kong.

Within the first few days of his taking over as consul general, Morales managed to meet with his Indonesian counterpart Tri Tharyat.

The consuls general reportedly exchanged views on a wide range of issues, and agreed to work together in promoting the interest of migrant workers in Hong Kong.

Morales also called on Hong Kong’s protocol chief, Judy Li.

‘Abused’ Filipina gets labour case put on hold while police investigate

By Daisy CL Mandap

A Filipina domestic worker who claims to have been abused by her employer’s live-in companion for more than a year has asked the Labour Tribunal to postpone hearing her case until the police has completed its investigation.

Lanie Grace Rosareal, 27, however, accepted a partial payment of $2,500 from her employer, Leung Shet-ying, 63, for her unpaid salary and travel allowance, at the hearing held on Jan. 4.

Lanie Grace Rosareal

Leung, who at first resisted paying Rosareal’s claim for return air fare, eventually offered a further $1,200 for this, but the helper rejected the offer, saying she wished to wait for the conclusion of all investigations into her case first.

But at the suggestion of deputy presiding officer Mary Wu, Rosareal agreed to drop her claim for compensation and one month’s salary in lieu of notice.

Wu made it clear the Filipina could not claim for salary in lieu, even if it was true that she had been abused, saying this was not in accordance with the Labour Ordinance.

The officer also cast doubt on whether Rosareal could claim employees’ compensation, saying this was awarded only for injuries sustained in the course of work.

But she agreed that Rosareal had the right to ask for an adjournment pending the outcome of the police investigation.

“For the rest of the items that are in dispute, the case will be adjourned sine die (for an indefinite period) pending the investigation of the police,” said Wu.

Rosareal had worked for Leung and her companion, Au Wai-chun, 65, from Jan 24, 2014 until Nov. 9, 2017 when the Filipina and her fellow domestic worker Rowela Subiono Suete, 36, were rescued from their employer’s house in Tseung Kwan-o.

Suete has since returned to the Philippines after settling her claim against Leung.

But Rosareal, who claims to have been physically abused by Au since May 2016, sought help from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office and the Mission for Migrant Workers to file a case against her employer.

During a conciliation hearing at the Labour Department in November last year, the two parties failed to reach agreement, so Rosareal’s case was referred to the Labour Tribunal.

The Filipina helper is seeking a total claim of $207,423.00 against Leung for unpaid salary for six months, wage in lieu, cancelled holidays, return air fare, travel allowance and compensation.

She alleged that Leung would pay her salary each month, but would then tell her to settle the penalties imposed on her by Au, a retired civil servant, for all sorts of alleged misdeed.

The monthly payment she got was reportedly never enough to settle all of Au’s claims, which were duly recorded in a notebook of penalties that Rosareal managed to take with her when she fled her employer’s house.

Rosareal claims Au subjected her to almost daily torture.

The elderly woman reportedly hit her on the head with a knife and a TV remote control, boxed in the arm, clawed on her wrists and neck, poked at the throat with a pair of scissors, made to kneel and bang her head on the floor.

Au reportedly did these less than two years after she was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for 18 months, for throwing a cup of hot water at a Bangladeshi maid also hired by Leung earlier.

Aside from the police investigation, Rosareal’s complaint of physical abuse against Au and Leung’s non-payment of wages and withholding of her passport are being looked into by the Labour Department.

Immigration is also investigating her report that Leung made her work daily in the house of Au’s son which is in an adjacent building in Tseung Kwan-O.

Rosareal was accompanied at the hearing by the Mission’s case officer Edwina Antonio.

PEYA’s claimants now nearly 900

Consulate and POLO officials see off some of the passengers they helped. (Photo From POLO)

By Daisy CL Mandap

The number of complainants against PEYA Travel Agency has risen by the day, and as of Jan. 10, was already at 869. At an average price of $2,500 per ticket, the total claim against PEYA now stands at well over $2 million.

This was revealed by Danny Baldon of the assistance to nationals section of the Consulate, which continues to receive complaints from overseas Filipino workers who were not issued tickets for flights they booked through PEYA.

The affected travelers include those who booked for flights over the upcoming Chinese New Year, when prices for air tickets are at a premium.

However, the “mercy flights” arranged over the Christmas season for the stranded passengers by the three airlines that fly to the Philippines, which were partly paid for by the Philippine government, have all terminated.

According to Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre, a total of 124 air tickets on Philippine Airlines flights costing more than Php600,000 were paid for by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. Fifty other passengers were assisted by his staff in securing the free seats offered by Cebu Pacific for three flights on Dec. 25, 28 and Jan. 4.

In addition, about 200 other stranded passengers availed of discounted seats that became available when PAL and Cathay Pacific Airways sent bigger aircraft for selected Hong Kong to Manila flights just before Christmas.

 The passengers whose flights were paid for by the government were, however, asked to sign a form assigning their claim against PEYA for their unclaimed tickets to OWWA.

As to whether the Philippine government could recover the money is, however, uncertain as PEYA was forced to shut down on Dec. 20, two days after it was besieged by irate customers who failed to board their flights to the Philippines.

On Dec. 25, police raided the office for documents after arresting PEYA’s Filipina co-owner and managing director, Rhea Donna Bayona – Boyce, 38. She was held by police for two days and upon her release, her Australian husband and PEYA co-owner Peter Brian Boyce, 58, was also picked up by police.

Both were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud, but were released on police bail pending further investigation. No charges have been filed in court as of this writing.

Meanwhile, police are reportedly also looking for PEYA’s sales director and longtime Hong Kong resident Arnold Grospe, who appears to have left Hong Kong.

Sources say police tried to arrest Grospe in his house in Wanchai early this month, but found it locked. His wife and two grown-up children have reportedly moved out of the flat, and Grospe’s whereabouts are unknown.

There are reports he has fled to Macau where Hong Kong residents are reportedly allowed to stay for up to a year without a visa, but this has not been confirmed.

Grospe was detained by police earlier, on Dec. 19, after he singlehandedly faced PEYA’s angry customers at the agency’s shop for two days. But he was released that time with no charges being laid.

The next day, the Consulate started receiving complaints from Filipinos affected by PEYA’s booking mess. The complainants’ records and contact details are continually being turned over the police to help them in their investigation.

Baldon told The SUN complainants have been coming to ATN daily, with the number going up to more than 100 on Sundays since Christmas.

He said the unpaid bookings were from the days just before Christmas, and up until May this year. Several were for bookings to the Philippines over the busy Chinese New Year season, when prices are at their peak.

The costliest booking reportedly totaled more than $8,000 because the package included not just a flight to the Philippines, but also an onward journey to Canada.

Baldon said they expect more PEYA customers to come forward to complain over the next few days.

“Marami pang hindi nakakabalik mula sa kanilang bakasyon sa Pilipinas,” Baldon said.

Blue Eagles win HK baseball Open

By Vir B. Lumicao

Ateneo Blue Eagles came from behind to beat Sydney University Baseball Club of Australia, 10-4, on Dec 17, and finish as champions in the Club Pool of the restructured Hong Kong International Baseball Open 2017.

The defending champions, however, saw their dominance of the annual tournament limited as host Hong Kong Baseball Association divided the event into National Team and Club Pool competition, thus confining the Filipinos in the latter division.

Blue Eagles batter Javi Macasaet (7) prepares to blast a Sydney University fast ball in the fourth inning.

“We’d been the champions twice here, and Hong Kong Red took the trophy only when we did not take part the other year. In the last championship, we beat them again,” coach Bocc Bernardo told The SUN.

He expressed regret that this year the National Team division was added and the Philippines was unrepresented.

The Blue Eagles, defending champions of the tournament, waylaid all their opponents in the four-day event at the Sai Tso Wan Baseball Field in Lam Tin, Kowloon starting with a 12-7 drubbing of newcomers Sydney University on Dec 14.

The Filipino sluggers went on with their juggernaut, trouncing Hong Kong Blue, 9-6, on Dec 15 and mauling Lanzhou New Way of China, 12-3, on Dec 16.

Sydney University set itself up for a revenge game against Blue Eagles by outclassing Lanzhou New Way, 6-4, on Day Two and hammering Hong Kong Blue, 11-7, the next day. But the Australians settled for first runner-up after bowing to the Filipinos.

Lanzhou New Way beat Hong Kong Blue 4-3 in the duel for second runner-up. It was sweet revenge for the mainland team, which the local boys walloped 17-2 on opening day.

The Australians began strongly in the final match, holding the home-team Filipinos at bay, 1-0, until late in the fourth innings. But Gio Salvatierra slammed a fast ball to centerfield that sent Enzo Orbeta and Dan Laurel running to home base in succession.

Then Marquis Alindogan blasted another ball to the centerfield, and Salvatierra raced to home base. Alindogan himself sailed home when Radito Banzon hit another powerful ball that took him to second base.

Banzon made it 5-1 for Blue Eagles towards the end of the fourth.

Sydney University added a run courtesy of Stuart Wright in the fifth innings, 2-5, but runner Salvatierra cruised home, 6-2, after Alindogan fired another fast ball to the center outfield.

The Australians rallied with two runs in succession by Lachlan Arford and Nicholas Doller, 4-6, in the seventh.

But Blue Eagles replied with four runs in the eighth by Adriane Bernardo, Banzon, Marco Mallari and Miguel Habana to seal the championship, 10-4.

The champions also took the other top honors with Paulo Macasaet voted the Most Winning Pitcher with two strikeouts, Mallari recording the most hits, and Alindogan taking the most stolen bases.

Mallari was also voted the Most Valuable Player in the Club Team Pool.

Section Juan goes island hopping

Many of us who have lived in Hong Kong for years haven’t seen the best of it. Tung Lung Chau is one such gem.

Amidst the busy and festive season, Section Juan managed to squeeze in a hike at this largely unexplored and uninhabited island of Hong Kong to chill, and bond.

Tung Lung Chau offers a breathtaking view of the Clearwater Bay Peninsula.

Every year, the group makes sure to have at least one hiking activity and this year they held “Hataw sa Tung Lung Chau” on Dec 10. It was the first time most of those who took part had set foot on the island.

Section Juan president Pau Ciriaco said, “The hike’s success in building camaraderie among members was visible throughout. All of us hiked as one. We waited whenever there was someone who needed to rest. We shared water and food to keep everyone on track”.

Tung Lung Chau is located along the Clearwater Bay Peninsula and is accessible by ferry during weekends and public holidays. It is widely known as the site of an ancient monument, a prehistoric rock carving known to be the largest of its kind in Hong Kong.

The island is a place for extreme sports, too. There were people ziplining from cliff to cliff and rock climbing.

Kristeen Romero, the current research, development and multimedia officer of Section Juan, said “it was a good opportunity to get a breath of fresh air, do some exercise and practice my photography skills”.

Candice Adams, an active member of the group, said: “The hike was doable and often breathtaking,” adding that there was no shortage of picturesque views.

But the wondrous sight was just part of the reason why she decided to go.

“Good company, good food and a good route makes for a great hike”, she said.

Indonesia spikers beat Pinays in friendlies

By Vir B. Lumicao

Indonesian spikers D’Cassie walloped the Philippine squad D’Organix 25-17 to emerge as champions in the one-day Sultan Kudarat Volleyball Friendship Games on Dec 25 at Fa Hui Park in Mongkok.

D’Cassie fought its way to the championship by beating the other best of four winners in the elimination round.

First runner-up D’Organix players pose with league organizer and Sultan Kudarat Volleyball team leader Jhergin Barcelona (extreme right) and guests at the close of the on-day friendship league .

At the end of the games, D’Cassie was on first place, D'Organix second; Indonesian team Metal, third, and another Filipina team, Lady Fighters, fourth.

A total of 14 teams, mostly Filipino, participated in the friendly games, the second one-day league brought together by the barely three-month-old Sultan Kudarat volleyball group led by Jhergin Barcelona.

“Noong October lang po namin binuo ang team at pagkatapos ay ginanap namin ang unang friendly one-day league noong Oct 28,” Barcelona told The SUN.

Other members of the team, which works as a committee, are Teng Hernandez, Swet Fulgencio, Jack Manabat, Rose dela Cruz, Elsa Janoras, Bai Parangan, Cel Gumban, Con Baldemor, Chel Riparip, Clear Gumowang, Ping Caceres, Sasa Manzanares, Chel Ferrer, Ren Clar, Renie Duyao and Clear Nasalga.

Barcelona said she met D’Cassie in the first friendly league that Sultan Kudarat held and found that the Indonesians, led by Mika, were friendly and most disciplined players.

“That’s why we invited them to play again this time around,” said Barcelona, who, like the rest of the players in the friendly league, is a domestic helper.

She said she formed the team and went on to organize leagues to provide the army of foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong to keep them away from crowded Central, the city’s financial district that converts into a gathering place for them on Sundays.

“At least dito, instead na naapag-uusapan nila ang tsismis at mga problema sa buhay ay ang problema sa court ang napag-uusapan namin,” said Barcelona.

Aside from attracting the helpers away from their usual idling places, the leagues are intended to hone the volleyball skills of the players and to raise funds for charity projects back home.

When one of the Sultan Kudarat’s 16 team members goes home, she has a project in mind, such as tree-planting by school children. So she receives funds to buy the materials she needs for the project.

Sultan Kudarat is tapping individual or corporate sponsors, such as Amazing Speed, a cargo forwarder, to donate the trophies and medals that the team gives away to the players.

The search for the “Queen of the Night” added excitement to the league with muses from each of the 14 teams competing for the honor that was eventually won by the Lady Fighters’ muse.

Barcelona said the team had submitted its registration as an organization to the police so it would have legal personality and to register as a Filcom group at the Consulate.

She had already sounded out the Consulate’s cultural section about it and said the section was just waiting for the group’s police registration to be released in December but which she would pick up in January.

Ihaw- ihaw sa Hung Mui Kuk

Maraming Pilipina ang nakaugalian nang mamasyal ay magpalipas-oras sa parke.

Ni George Manalansan 

Isa ang Hung Mui Kuk barbecue area na nasa loob ng Lion Rock Country Park sa Taiwai, New Territories, sa mga paboritong puntahan ng mga migranteng Pinoy at lokal na residente tuwing piyesta opisyal, o araw ng pahinga.

Ang lugar ay may mahigit 50 ihawan, ngunit kailangan pa ring magtungo dito ng maaga para makasiguro ng puwesto dahil naging ugali na ng mga dumarayo dito ang mag barbecue habang nagkakasiyahan.

May mga lakaran din paakyat ng bundok kaya maaaring mag ehersisyo muna bago magkainan. Kilala ang lakarang ito na tinawag na Hung Mui Kuk Nature Trail sa dami ng magagandang tanawing makikita paakyat ng bundok.

Sa tuktok ay makikita ang kilalang Amah Rock, na ayon sa pabula ay rebulto ng isang babae na nagihintay sa pagbabalik ng kanyang nawawalang asawa.

Ang lakaran o trail ay 1.3 kilometro ang haba, at kakakailanganin ng isang oraso mahigit pa, para ito mabaybay sa kabuuan.

Ayon kay Junalyn Atriginio na madalas mamasyal dito, kailangan na ang isa sa grupo ay magtungo dito ng maaga para masigurado ang puwesto. Saka na lang daw sumunod ang iba na namalengke ng mga iihawing pagkain,

Maaga pa lang kasi ay makikita nang nagbabaan ang maraming tao mula sa mga sasakyan, o naglalakad papunta dito, bitbit ang uling, pantuhog , mga inumin, at ang iba-ibang karne at lamang dagat na iihawin.

Madami din sa mga dumarayo dito ang makikitang may dalang aso, tungkod at malalaking backpack na puno ng mga gagamitin paakyat sa bundok. May bata at matanda, babae, lalaki o ibang kasarian, ang makikita na tinatahak ang matarik na daan paakyat o pababa mula sa bundok. Marami kasi ang halatang bihasa na sa paglalakad kaya balewala sa kanila ang pag-akyat, panaog mula sa bundok.

Sa grupo ni Caroline Canete, may ilan sa kanila ang pinipili ang umakyat muna sa bundok habang ang a kasama nila ay kampante na sa pagkukwentuhan at pag-iihaw sa kanilang kakainin.

Sabi ni Caroline, mahirap akyatin ng diretso ang bundok. Kailangan ay  pahinto-hinto muna para makapahinga, lalo na yung baguhan sa pamumundok. Malaking ginhawa daw ang mararamdaman kapag umabot sa mataas na parte dahil masarap langhapin ang sariwang hangin. Mas maganda daw na umakyat kapag medyo malamig na ang panahon dahil hindi ka masyadong makakaramdam ng pagkahapo at pagod.

Sa entrance pa lamang ay naamoy na ang pagkain mula sa Hung Mui Kuk barbecue area na nasa loob ng Lion Rock Country Park sa Taiwai, New Territories.

Nagpaalala naman si Junalyn na ingatan ang mga dala dahil may mga unggoy sa paligid na mahilig mang-agaw ng  pagkain. Nasanay kasi ang mga unggoy na pinapakain ng mga namamasyal dito kaya parang nakalimutan na nila ang kanilang sariling kakayahan na maghanap ng kakainin sa bundok.

Laging masaya ang mga OFW na dumadayo dito dahil hindi lang basta kainan at kuwentuhan ang kanilang ginagawa, kundi pati kantahan at sayawan sa saliw ng tugtog mula sa kanilang mga cellphone o bluetooth speakers.

Isa sa naging punto ng usapan ng grupo nina Caroline ang mga hitsura ng talong na iniihaw ng mga tao sa paligid. Iba-iba kasi ang laki at hugis, may payat na mahaba, punggok na mataba, may baluktok at diretso. Lalo nang naging berde ang msayang usapan  nang ihain ang mga bagong ihaw na talong na nanguluntoy na sa lambot.

Sabi ni Junalyn, pakiramdam niya ay hindi siya natunawan sa dami ng kanyang kinain, at walang humpay na kuwentuhan at halakhakan.  Sayang nga lang daw at kailangang umalis ng maaga ang ilan sa grupo dahil malayo pa ang kanilang uuwian.

Para makarating dito mula sa Central, sumakay sa bus no 182 papuntang Shatin at bumaba sa unang tigilan pagkalampas ng Lion Rock Tunnel.

Para mapabilis, maaaring sumakay sa MTR at bumaba sa Tai Wai station. Mula doon ay maaring sumakay sa taxi papunta sa Hung Mui Kuk. Hindi na muling papatak ang metro sa lapit ng biyahe.

Kung gustong mamili muna ng iihawin ang pinakamalapit na bilihan ay ang Tai Wai market.

Preparing to go home for good

Nothing is permanent for Filipinos who opt to work abroad, particularly in Hong Kong.  As acquiring residency is a privilege not extended to them, all will evetually return to the Philippines. It's just a matter of when and how, as there is no forever for them in Hong Kong.

Like most OFWs I was one of those who aspired for greener pasture, and thought that the only way to achieve my dreams was to work abroad. I came from a poor family in Bicol and my father's income was not enough to send me and my siblings to college.

The author

I was 23 years old, single,  when I left my sales job to start working in the Middle East. I took care of a 50-year-old  woman whose family owns a big company in Kuwait .She taught me how to stand on my own and to be independent. I was the only maid allowed to attend to her needs. I must know everything that she liked and didn't like. She was such a perfectionist that she wanted everything to be in order, from her clothes to the dining table. I needed to be smart so I wouldn't make mistakes. I must have done something right because she took me along to her trips to Europe and Middle East.

She let me go to the church on Sundays so I became a member of Singles for Christ in Lebanon. I managed to finish three contracts there before I moved to Hong Kong.

My experience in the Middle East gave me an advantage in finding a good employer in Hong Kong. My initial plan when I arrived was to finish just one contract then go home. I wanted to find a job back home that was in line with my course. I hold a degree in management, so I wanted to work  in an office.

Unfortunately my father got sick so I had to extend my stay in Hong Kong to help in buying his medicines But God had other plans. My father died in November 2016 and I didnt get the chance to say a final goodbye because I had just returned from a vacation in the Philipines, and my employer didn’t allow me to go home again.

It was painful  but I didn't have a choice. But because of that experience l decided I that I should go home after my contract has ended to be with my mother, and to serve my own people.

As an OFW who has worked 10 years abroad  and plan to go home for good, I believe that preparation is the key to success in coming home for good. I spent  my days off wisely by learning various skills. I attended various financial literacy seminars conducted by  Card HK and another NGO. I joined the various skills training offered by the Balikatan sa Kaunlaran such as ribbon folding,  jewelry making, basket weaving, and the processing of foodstuff like tinapa, embotido, siomai and puto/kakanin.

I knew I also had to keep abreast with what's happening in tne community by following the Facebook posts of the Consulate and its attached agencies like Polo and Owwa, where I also get to read about the different livelihood seminars open to OFWs, such as mushroom farming and skills training like massage therapy. I decided to join the massage therapy class and recently passed the  national certification exam administered by Tesda. I now hope there will be another civil service examination here so I can take it.

Apart from taking part in skills training I am also an active member of my Filipino Reflexology Association. I also joined the Domestic Workers Empowerment Program run by HKU to acquire the voice I needed to speak up and leave my comfort zone.

Through the financial education seminars I attended, I learned how to invest money and save for my future. I learned how to budget my salary and apply tough love on my family. I make sure that I provide enough for their important needs, and also buy the things that I need for myself

From one of my LSE mentors I learned that there are 4Ks needed to succeed in life, and these are kaalaman, kakayahan, kakilala at kapalaran.

All of these valuable lessons helped me realize to take every opportunity that comes my way.There are lot of free financial literacy and livelihood trainings offered by various community organizations to help OFWs to plan for their future and all it takes is a genuine effort to take the lessons to heart..

I took up the leadership and social entrepreneurship course to learn how to make a business plan.I want to be an entrepreneur, I want to set up my own agricultural business and be the boss.

Saving is another lesson I learned, I have to save to have enough to start a life when I go back, and to set aside capital to start my own business. I learned that saving at least six  months of salary for  emergency funds is important. Saving takes a lot of commitment and so one has to do it like a habit.

Another thing I learned was closer to home. I attended physical  fitness activities such as yoga, hiking and zumba.. I join the AYC 10 yoga every Sunday to be healthy and to release stress after a week of work. I also join charity hikes as they allow me to go sightseing and enjoy the beautiful places in Hong Kong while helping the needy

Another source of relaxation is a museum near our place. It allows me to marvel at beautiful artworks while learning more about the history  of Hong Kong

Working in Hong Kong has taught me  a lot about life.I learned to be compasionate, friendly, thankful and humble. I became a woman  ready to face the battle alone. I have readied my heart, mind and  body for the next chapter of my life when I go home.

As an OFW, planning for the future ahead is a must. You must have a plan to create a strategy that will guide you so you can achieve your goals.

I have heard of a lot of stories about  ex-OFWs who have gone home for good and and are now running their own businesses  I hope I can be like them someday

As an OFW  we should set  our priorities, limit our expenses and set goals for a given period of time. Coming home for good will turn from dream to reality when we take action, or by applying what we learned.
---
Our featured columnist this issue is Ellen Asis, who has taken just about any training seminar offered in Hong Kong, in preparation for her impending return to the Philippines. These include joining the news writing seminar of The SUN, where she is now a regular contributor. Ellen started life as an overseas Filipino worker in Kuwait, where she worked for six years, before deciding to move to Hong Kong. She would have quit after finishing her first contract, but fate intervened, so she ended up staying for another two years. But not one to waste time, she took the chance to enrol in a fnancial literary training course, an empowerment group, as well as a leadership and social entrepreneurship  seminar. On the side she also took a massage therapy course, and did well enough to pass the qualfying exam to become a licensed practitioner. If this is not what preparing well for reintegration, we don't know what is - ED.

Mahirap ang buhay OFW sa Russia

Ni Nelle J.

(Ito ay pagpapatuloy ng artikulo si Nelle, 33 taong gulang at isang dating OFW sa Hong Kong, na naengganyong lumipat sa Russia apat na taon na ang nakakaraan. Sa hinaba-haba ng pagtira niya doon ay nananatiling ilegal ang status ni Nelle dahil ayon na rin sa kanya, walang visa para sa mga domestic worker doon. Babala niya: huwag nang mag-ambisyon pa na magpunta sa Russia dahil walang proteksyon ang mga OFW doon, at walang katiyakan ang trabaho. Masyado pang malayo sa Pilipinas kaya mahirap umuwi, at may mga buwitre sa airport sa Pilipinas na naghihintay para sila kotongan. Si Nelle ay may dalawang anak at nagtapos ng kolehiyo sa Cebu. Balak niya na magtrabaho ng ilan pang taon sa Russia, mag-ipon, bago bumalik sa kanyang naghihintay na pamilya sa Pilipinas.-Ed)

Patuloy pa rin ang pakikipag-usap ng mga taga Embassy sa mga opisyal ng Russia para magkaroon na ng kasunduan upang mapaayos ang lagay ng mga OFW dito. Iminungkahi nila na ipatupad ang isa sa dalawang bagay: Una, baguhin ng Russia ang batas nila na nagtatakda na mga citizen lang ng CIS members ang maaaring maging domestic workers, o pangalawa, bigyan ang mga OFW ng pagkakataon na makapagtrabaho ng legal.

Bilang tugon, nagbigay daw ang gobyerno ng Russia ng dalawang kundisyon. Una, dapat matigil na ang ilegal na Pilipino sa kanilang bansa. Pangalawa, maglabas ang Embahada ng sample na visa na ginagamit ng mga Pilipino na hirap naman daw nilang tuparin dahil maraming mga OFW ang mapapahamak nang dahil ditto.

Bakit? Halimbawa, ibinigay ng Embahada ang kopya ng visa ko sa kanila. Yung visa ko ay nakuha ko naman kay Maria. Ngayon nang tingnan ng mga awtoridad dito ang visa ko ay nakita nila na kay Maria ko kinuha. Mula dito ay makikita nila na may iba pang visa na na-issue itong si Maria sa iba pang Pilipina. Ibig sabihin, damay na lahat ang nabigyan ng visa ni Maria, at makukumpiska lang ang visa na hawak ng iba.

May problema din sa pabago-bagong batas ng Russia kaya kahit si Ambassador King Sorreta na isang abugado ay nagsabing hindi niya maintindihan ang batas nila. Dahil dito ay ingat na ingat daw sila sa bawat aksyon nila upang masigurado lagi ang kapakanan ng mga OFW.

Ang isa pa sa problema ngayon ng mga OFW dito ay aberya na nangyayari kapag umuwi sila sa Pilipinas para magbakasyon. May mga kaso na na o offload sila sa airport sa Pilipinas at kinakailangan pa nilang magbayad ng Php80,000 para sa tinatawag na “escort service” upang makaalis pabalik sa Russia.

Sa dami ng mga gustong magtrabaho dito ay hindi lang mula sa Pilipinas o sa Hong Kong nanggagaling ang mga dumarating dito. Kapag hindi sila nabigyan ng visa sa Pilipinas o sa Hong Kong ay dumadayo sila sa Thailand at Malaysia, kung saan may mga kontak na ang mga recruiter. Maari silang tumira sa mga bansa na ito habang naghihintay ng kanilang visa.

Ang mas masaklap lang, may mga agent or recruiter na katulad ni Meer Jon Meer at ang kanyang live-in partner na Pinay na hindi maayos ang pagtrato sa mga niyayakag nila mula sa Hong Kong. Liban sa malaking singil nila ay wala pang trabaho na nadadatnan dito ang mga na recruit nila. May isa pa na nakapagtrabaho nga pero hindi pinahawak ng suweldo dahil inobliga nila na magbayad ng USD500 buwan-buwan.

Sa kabila ng lumalalang problema ng mga OFW dito marami pa ring Pilipino ang patuloy na umaasa na makarating dito. Ayon sa balita, maraming aplikante sa Pilipinas ang nakapagbayad na sa mga agent na kapwa Pinoy din dito sa Russia, pero hindi pa rin napapadalhan ng “invitation” na siyang gagamitin nila para makapag apply ng visa.

Ang mga agent na Pinoy na ito ay nang-iimbita ng mga aplikante, at pagkatapos ay pinapasok nila sa agency dito yung mga papeles. Kung ang singil ng agency ay USD1,300 bawat invitation ay pepresyuhan naman nila ng USD1,5000 sa aplikante, kaya may tubo agad silang USD200. Yung iba ay gagawing USD2,000 kasama na daw yung sundo sa airport, bahay at pagbigay ng trabaho. Ang kaso, kapag walang bigayan ng invitation ay nagagastos ng Pinoy na agent yung pera, kaya yung iba hindi na mahagilap ng mga aplikante.

Mayroon din namang napapunta nga dito, pero pagdating ay pinabayaan na. Walang trabaho, may utang na naiwan sa Pilipinas o Hong Kong, at mas masaklap, patapos na yung visa.

May isa pang kaso na pinangakuan daw na makalipat sa Western Europe, pero hanggang tatlong buwan lang ang visa pagdating dito. E kailangang tumigil ka sa Russia ng hindi kukulangin sa anim na buwan bago ka mabigyan ng Schengen visa. Ang nangyari, naubos ang kanyang visa, walang trabaho, walang pera, at pinabayaan na ng agent.

Patong-patong ang problemang kinakaharap ng mga OFW na nandito, kaya sana ay matigil na ang pagpunta ng mga Pilipino dito dahil dadagdag lang sila sa mga walang trabaho at walang papeles, bukod pa sa talaga namang walang visa category para sa household service workers dito. Hindi legal ang pagtatrabaho dito bilang kasambahay, hindi katulad ng sa Hong Kong o sa Singapore.

Sana din, matigil na yung tinatawag na “escort service” sa airport kung saan kasabwat ang ilang corrupt na opisyal sa immigration. Kunwari ay pinipigilan nila ang pagbalik ng isang Pilipino sa Russia dahil diumano sa suspetsa na biktima sila ng human trafficking, yun pala ay gusto lang nilang perahan ang pobreng OFW.

Panghuli, sana ay matulungan kami ng ating Pangulo na ma-legalize kaming mga OFW dito at magkaroon ng akmang visa para sa mga trabaho namin para maibsan ang mga problemang matagal na naming dinadala.

Ang laban natin

Hindi malimit maglabas ang isang pahayagan ng artikulo tungkol sa  kapwa nito pahayagan. Kaya naman mapalad tayo na napansin ang The SUN ng mga mas malalaking kumpanya upang i-feature. Sa issue na ito ay matutunghayan ang isinulat para sa Coconuts Hong Kong, isang internet news service, at para sa South China Morning Post.

Napansin nila ang The SUN dahil sa natatangi nitong pananaw sa kung ano ang papel na dapat gampanan ng isang pahayagan sa lipunan.

At natutuwa kami dahil natutulungan nila kami na maimulat ang mga mata ng mga taga-Hong Kong sa mga isyu na matagal na nating ipinaglalaban.

Halimbawa, marami pa rin ang inaabuso ng kanilang amo—pang-aabuso na may iba’t ibang kalubhaan. Marami pa rin ang naloloko ng mga nangangako ng trabaho sa Canada at iba pang lugar, na sa huli ay lalabas na peke. Marami ang hindi nabibigyan ng katarungan dahil ayaw magreklamo sa takot na mawalan ng trabaho. At ang masakit nito, ang mga salarin ay hindi naparurusahan.

Simula pa noong kami ay itatag noong 1995, nadiskubre na naming hindi sapat ang pagsusulat lamang ng balita at opinyon; kailangan din naming lumabas upang kami rin ay makipagbuno sa mga pagmamalabis sa mga OFW. Hindi namin maiwasan na makiisa sa kanilang laban, dahil maliban sa aming regular na trabahong paghabol ng mga balita, hinahabol din kami ng mga sumbong mula sa mga naaapi. 

Dahil sa dami naming sinuong na laban ng ating mga kapwa Pilipino, kalimitan kaming natatawag na ikalawang konsulado. At kung minsan, nagiging sumbungan pa kami kapag hindi sila nasiyahan sa naging serbisyo sa kanila ng mismong Konsulado.

Kung tinawag kaming tinig ng OFW sa Hong Kong, ito ay dahil sa mga prinsipyong aming pinanghahawakan.

Ngayong pumasok na kami sa ika-23 taong serbisyo sa inyo, pag-iibayuhin namin ang laban para sa Pilipino. Dahil alam naming walang makagagawa nito kundi ang isang pahayagang tunay na Pilipino—itinatag ng Pilipino, pag-aari ng Pilipino at pinapatakbo ng Pilipino.

Ang The SUN.

Sana ay lumawig pa ang ating pagtutulungan,

PEYA fiasco

We all know the story by now. Hundreds of Filipinos, mostly OFWs, were not able to board the planes that would have taken them home to a much-anticipated reunion with family members over Christmas.

Were if not for the charitable spirit of the airlines and later, the government, most would have gotten stuck in Hong Kong, uncertain of how to seek redress, and still hoping to be home for Christmas.

Much of the credit for getting things moving quickly should go to the Consulate, notably the outspoken acting head of post, Deric Atienza, who spared no effort in taking up the cudgels for the affected travelers. He got them to file complaints, then took the police to task for not investigating.

The result was that the couple that owns Peya Travel, the company that had caused the biggest uproar to date over unticketed flights out of Hong Kong, was arrested in full glare of the media spotlight.

More importantly, the bleak Christmas that loomed for many of the affected passengers was no more. Around 300 of them managed to eventually fly out in time for Christmas, either through their own resourcefulness, or with help from the airlines and the government.

Many more are scheduled to fly out before the New Year, and beyond.

Police say 645 people were affected, meaning, they paid for their air fare in full, but were not issued the tickets that would have ensured they could board their flights.

As far as things go in Hong Kong, especially those involving our migrant workers, the issue had been addressed quickly, even admirably. One cannot help but feel hopeful that other cases where our workers found themselves at the losing end, as in the fraudulent recruitment by Emry’s, would finally be resolved.

Now all we need to do is to wait for the police to wrap up its investigation to know exactly what had gone wrong.

As longtime customers of Peya and keen observers of events unfolding in the community, we were also shocked to hear of the booking fiasco that left many of our homebound OFWs in tears.

For the past few years, Peya gave off an image of dependability and prosperity, launching its own credit card to much fanfare, moving to a bigger space in WorldWide Plaza, then opening a branch in North Point.

While most travel agencies catering to our community have at most two people attending to the needs of clients, Peya had around half a dozen well-dressed staff manning its counters.

More importantly, except for a single case brought to our attention through social media, we had not heard of any passenger being denied boarding because of a botched booking by Peya.

On top of these, Peya's highly visible co-owner and managing director Yanyan Boyce was well-known in the community, especially among its more militant members, as a generous supporter.

But with emerging stories about Peya’s serious cash problems, we are also taking a closer look at the company’s lavish public spending in the relatively short time it has been in business.

These include the Peya Mastercard launch at Grappas where more than 100 people were invited, a catered junk party for about 50 people, and more recently, a gay beauty contest where participants had to be flown in.

Still, this begs the question of how Yanyan and her co-owner and husband Peter, could have allowed the mess to blow up in such spectacular fashion.

Yanyan, who once shared the story of how she used to work at the defunct Worldwide Travel Agency when exactly the same case happened to its passengers over the Christmas season, should have known better.

No matter the glitch, or inadvertence, or deliberate misdeed by anyone in her staff, she as a hands-on owner, should have known.

And when the problem did blow up, she should have immediately accepted responsibility, instead of pointing the blame on others.

She could have also grabbed the Consulate’s offer to mediate in resolving the issue, and coming up with a definite plan on compensaring the victims.

But all these are under the bridge now.

We can only hope that our OFWs get justice by being fully compensated for what they had to go through because of Peya’s misdeed.

Peya, if it does recover from the mess, should use this as a reminder that customers are at the core of their success as a business, and should thus be treated fairly.

This should also serve as a wake-up call to all companies catering to our community, especially our OFWs.  We help them best by dealing with them honestly, if not compassionately.

Filreflex, pinasaya ang mga batang may kapansanan

Ni Ellen Asis

Walang pagsidlan sa kasiyahan ang isang grupo ng mga batang may kapansanan na nagtipon-tipon sa Sablayan Central School sa Mindoro, kung saan idinaos noong ika-19 ang  pamaskong handog  ng Filipino Reflexology Hong Kong. 

Halos 50 kabataan na may kapansanan at mula sa mahirap na pamilya ang napasaya ng Filreflex sa mga pinamigay nilang regalo na damit,pagkain, laruan at iba pang bagay na hiling ng mga bata bilang pamasko. Karamihan ay humiling ng bagong damit na pinagbigyan naman ng grupo.

Ang mga kabataan habang tumatanggap ng regalo na damit, pagkain, laruan at iba pang bagay  mula sa Filreflex.

Tuwang tuwa ang mga bata at taos-pusong pasasalamat naman ang pinaabot ng pinuno ng paaralan dahil iyon lang ang unang pagkakataon na may nagsagawa ng pamaskong handog sa paaralan.

Hindi pa man natatapos ang pagtitipon ay nagtatanong na ang mga bata kung babalik ba si Santa Claus sa susunod na Pasko.

Ang sagot naman ng pinuno ng grupo na namigay ng regalo na si Genevy Carillon, babalik si Santa  Claus galing ng Hong Kong kung magpapakabait at mag aaral silang mabuti. 

Naglundagan sa tuwa ang mga bata sa narinig, at niyakap nang mahigpit ang namahagi ng mga regalo, na panay dating miyembro ng Filreflex na umuwi na sa Pilipinas upang magnegosyo.

Plano ng grupo na magdaos muli ng pamaskong handog sa susunod na taon dahil ayon sa kanila, maghandog uli ng pamasko sa susunod na taon dahil para sa kanila, "sharing is loving".

Agency owner recruiting OFWs to Russia ordered to pay fine, damages for overcharging

The cover photo on Quality Consultants' Facebook page

By Vir B. Lumicao

A Filipina co-owner of an unlicensed recruitment agency that has been sending Hong Kong-based domestic workers to Russia was convicted today, Jan. 5, of overcharging a client, and ordered to pay a total of $22,000: $12,000 in compensation and $10,000 in fine.

Gilda Flores Li, who jointly owns Quality Consultants Agency with her husband, was also warned by Magistrate Andrew Mok Tze-chung to make the payment within three months, or face a jail term.

However, the $12,000 compensation she was ordered to pay Filipina domestic worker Jean Lorena Sheel was $8,000 less than what she took from the maid, who had applied for a domestic helper job in Russia.

This was because the magistrate found that Li had paid US$1,000 to a Russian company for a second invitation to Sheel, after the first one had to be scrapped because of an error.

The invitation was meant to be used for securing a commercial visa for Sheel, even if what she had applied for was to work as a maid in Russia.

Li pleaded not guilty on Jan 2 to three counts of “receiving payment other than the prescribed commission” from Sheel, arguing that her company was not a recruitment agency.

But Mok dismissed the claim, saying in his verdict: “I don’t find the defendant a credible and reliable witness. I do not accept that QCA, of which she is a partner, is not an employment agency."

Quality Consultants used to be licensed by the Employment Agencies Administration but its name no longer appears in EAA’s list updated as of Dec. 17, 2017.

Neither is Quality Consultants licensed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, contrary to its claim in its Facebook page, where it also openly recruits for jobs in Russia, Mongolia, New Zealand and Spain.

Sheel, testifying on the first day of the trial, said Li charged her $20,000, of which she paid $11,000 in cash on March 5 last year, $4,000 on April 9 and $5,000 that she deposited in Li’s HSBC account on April 25.

Giving evidence on Jan 4, Li claimed that the $20,000 she charged Sheel was not a placement fee.

She said $10,000 was payment for an invitation letter issued by a firm in Moscow that the maid needed in applying for a commercial visa to Russia, and $10,000 to cover the cost of visa, air ticket, and room and board if Sheel got terminated after her first month there.    

The magistrate said Sheel’s evidence was clear and credible. He noted from her evidence that Li told her the first monthly salary as a helper would be $9,000 to $10,000.

He said taking into account the US$1,000 paid for the invitation letter, the commission was still more than the 10% provided under the regulation.

“Having considered all the evidence, I find the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty of the charges,” Mok said.

The labour prosecutors told the magistrate that Sheel was applying for damages and claims totaling $20,000, and Mok asked the defendant if she had any objection.

“I’m just a poor company. I don’t know the regulation. I don’t know if I have money,” Li replied tearfully, asking the magistrate if she could pay the compensation in installments.

The magistrate said he saw no reason to mitigate the sentences, which were a maximum of $50,000 for each offense. But after taking into consideration Li’s clear record, he said, he was imposing a $5,000 fine for the first charge, $3,000 for the second charge, and $2,000 for the third. 

Mok then ordered that Li’s payment of US$1,000 to the Russian company for a second invitation be deducted from Sheel’s $20,000 damage claim, leaving the maid with just $12,000 in compensation.

Li’s conviction ended a four-day trial during which Sheel, the first of five prosecution witnesses, spoke of how the defendant charged her $20,000 for a domestic helper job in Russia.

Sheel said she withdrew her application after waiting in vain for a second invitation to replace the one with a wrong birth year that would have invalidated her application for a commercial visa to Russia.

In their evidence and during cross-examination, both Sheel and Li brought to light how agencies offering OFWs purported jobs in Russia and other places send the workers there without any job contracts and no employers waiting for them.

Sheel testified that Li would at first get her a commercial visa that was good for three months, and once she got to Russia, she would be housed by a Russian agency that would find her an employer for a fee, or find one on her own.  

After the commercial visa expires, the worker will have to apply for a work visa.

The practice is under fire from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office, which has repeatedly warned that third-country deployment is illegal under Philippine law.

Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre has also urged Hong Kong authorities to clamp down on the practice of sending Filipino workers to non-existent jobs in Russia and other places abroad, saying this amounts to fraud, if not human trafficking.

  

OFW in HK held in India for 4.7kg cocaine haul

By Vir B. Lumicao

A cocaine pack seized from a drug courier in HK

A Hong Kong-based Filipina maid has reportedly been arrested by Indian anti-narcotics agents after she was arrested on Jan 2 for allegedly carrying into the country 4.7 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil.

Indian online media quoting narcotics officers said the woman, Jonna de Torres, was intercepted at Nedumbassery International Airport in Cochin, the capital of Kerala state, as she tried to bring in the drug, said to be worth US$3.9 million (HK$30.4 million).

The SUN contacted the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi for an update about Torres, but has not yet received a reply.

Torres reportedly admitted being paid US$4,000 ($31,200) by a Sao Paulo-based drug cartel to take the dangerous drug to India. She was supposed to stay in a hotel in Cochin booked online by the cartel, the New India Express online news service reported.

The news portal quoted an officer of the Narcotic Control Bureau as saying it had been informed that Torres, a helper in Hong Kong with a Filipino passport issued in 2013, had carried drugs several times in the past but this was her first trip to India.

The NCB officers said Torres’ passport showed she visited Brazil for five days before the New Year and was there previously in 2015. The Filipina was paid US$2,000 to US$4,000 for smuggling drugs, with her last errand earning her US$4,000, New India Express reported.

“Torres has admitted to smuggling drugs on several occasions. It was her first attempt to transport drugs to India,” an NCB officer was quoted as saying.

In India, the maximum penalty for drug smuggling is 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of 200,000 rupees.

The officer said Torres alleged in a statement that a Brazilian who she did not know visited her at Sao Paulo and gave her two pieces of luggage –a trolley bag and a handbag.

“The cocaine was concealed in the trolley bag. The booking of her flight and a room at a hotel in Ernakulam North was done by someone from Sao Paulo,” the officer said. He said Torres refused to name anyone during her several hours of interrogation.

Torres’ itinerary showed a circuitous flight route from Sao Paulo, a port city on the Atlantic coast of Brazil, to Cochin via the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa and the Omani capital Muscat.

The officer said the drug syndicate must have wrongly thought that Nedumbassery Airport was an easy entry port for smuggled drugs as baggage checking would be minimal. He said NCB was surprised to see Torres’ baggage containing cocaine getting through Addis Ababa and Muscat airports undetected before reaching Cochin.

Recruiter to Russia on trial for overcharging

By Vir B. Lumicao

The owner of a Hong Kong employment agency is in court for allegedly charging a Filipina domestic worker $20,000 for an invitation from an employer in Russia that she could use to apply for a commercial visa.

Gilda Flores Li, also a Filipina and owner of Quality Consultants Agency, pleaded not guilty on Jan 2, the first day of her trial  in Kwun Tong Court.

She is being prosecuted by the Employment Agencies Administration of the Hong Kong Labour Department on three counts of “receiving payment other than the prescribed commission”.

Li, in her 50s and who appeared without a lawyer, told the court “money changed hands” between her and her alleged victim, Jean Lorena Sheel, but it was meant for an invitation that the Russian consulate requires to issue a commercial visa to a person.

The prosecution presented Sheel as the first of its five witnesses against Li.

Sheel, a soft-spoken woman in her 40s who had been a domestic helper in Hong Kong since 2011, said she came to know about Quality when she browsed the internet early last year and saw its advertisement for jobs in Russia and Canada.

The helper said on Feb 2 she called Quality’s phone number listed on the advertisement and  talked to a woman whom she later came to know as Li.

She applied for a job in Russia and was told by Li that she had to pay $20,000 – the first payment of $10,000 to be made in advance and another $10,000 when the invitation arrived in two weeks.

When Magistrate Andrew Mok asked her if she was given a breakdown of where the $20,000 would go, Sheel said the amount would cover visa and air ticket.

Sheel said on Mar 5 last year, she went to Quality’s office and paid $11,000 in cash to Li.

She said she wasn’t given a receipt so the helper took a notebook, wrote the amount she paid Li on a page and took a picture of the scribbled payment.

She made another payment of $4,000 on April and on April 9, Li allegedly called Sheel to tell her that the invitation had arrived. The helper went to Li’s office to check the invitation and found no mistake.

On April 25, Li asked Sheel to pay the remaining $5,000, as the visa might soon arrive. Li gave the jobseeker her HSBC account number where Sheel would deposit the money. As the helper was working, she requested her cousin to deposit the amount in the bank account.

But when Sheel called Li to confirm if her cousin had deposited the money in Li’s account, the agency owner told her the visa couldn’t be issued because there was a mistake in the helper’s birth year, which was printed on the invitation as 1975 instead of 1976.

Sheel was heart-broken when Li told her about the mistake. Since then she said she had been asking Li to refund her money, even only just half of the amount, but she was made to wait until she ran out of hope.

In the meantime, Sheel said she had no more job and would exit to China each time her visa ran out.

The trial continues.

No malice intended in Peya booking mess, says Yanyan

By Daisy CL Mandap

Rhea Donna Boyce

The woman at the center of the airline booking scandal that saw hundreds of home-bound overseas Filipino workers unable to board their flights has insisted there was no intention to cause harm to anyone.

Rhea Donna Boyce, part owner and managing director of PEYA Travel which issued the dud confirmation bookings to more than 600 of its clients, spoke with The SUN on Dec.22, shortly after she declined an offer from the police to make a voluntary statement.

Boyce was nevertheless arrested on Christmas day three days later, and questioned for two days before being released on police bail.

The Filipina known to many in the community simply  as Yanyan, told The SUN during a phone conversation: "PEYA Travel does not have any intention to fool people. No malice was intended".

She was, however, cagey when asked what had caused a huge number of its clients not being issued tickets, and why PEYA failed to warn them in advance about the problem.

“It was an internal problem. Someone tasked to monitor the bookings failed to see that the tickets were not issued,” she said, without naming names.

It was a clear attempt to distance herself from an earlier excuse that a "technical glitch" had caused the problem.

Some industry sources had readily brushed away this excuse, and said PEYA simply did not have the money to buy the air tickets for its clients.

What was not readily apparent, though, was why PEYA had allowed its once formidable name to get tarnished in such a spectacular fashion.

In an earlier interview, Boyce spoke of how angry she was on hearing on Dec. 16 about the looming problem, and how she had bought tickets at $5,000 each, round-trip, to enable some of their clients to fly home as  scheduled.

That time, she said she had paid a premium for the tickets of about 100 clients, just so they could leave. But on hindsight, this could not have been possible as flights to the Philippines starting mid-December are often packed, and 100 additional seats would have been hard to come by, even if one had money to spare.

Boyce said she was willing to refund the money paid by the affected clients, and even hinted at providing freebies to make up for the inconvenience.

To do this, she said she needed some time to sort out the company's finances, including closing down PEYA's branch office in North Point.

“Babayaran ko sila, pero siguro in groups of 30 muna,” she said.

She also said the fact that she chose to stay put in Hong Kong after the scandal unraveled showed she had nothing to hide.

When asked why she slipped out of public view when irate clients began storming her office, Bpyce said it was because she got scared.

“Hinila nung isang Pilipina na nakakilala sa akin ang kamay ko nang minsang lumabas ako,” she said.

Boyce admitted that the booking mess could impact heavily on PEYA's business, but she was confident she could ride out the storm.

“PEYA has learned its lesson, but we have to be tough. What we have to do now is to regain the trust of the public. Pero makakabawi din kami.”

With all that has happened in the days since the first of its OFW clients failed to board their flights home, PEYA would need nothing short of a miracle to get back on its feet.

Yanyan ‘begged for 6 tickets’ as mess unfolded

By Vir B. Lumicao

An airline consolidator has told The SUN that PEYA Travel managing director Rhea Donna Boyce had tearfully begged him to issue air tickets to some of her clients on Dec. 16, two days before the travel agency's air booking mess unraveled.

Rhea Donna Boyce

Benny Hui, owner of AGC Travel and wholesaler of Philippine Airlines tickets, said he granted Boyce’s request to help her out.

“ She was crying when she called me, begging to issue six tickets for flights on Dec 16 and Dec 17 because some passengers could not go back to the Philippines,” said Hui, who claimed to have been a friend of Boyce for about four years as PEYA provided him "very good" business.

“She is my friend, so I issued the tickets,” Hui said, adding they cost a total of $21,000.

The supposed incident happened two days before hundreds of PEYA clients, mostly overseas Filipino workers, were turned away at the check-in counters at Chek Lap Kok Airport.  Airline staff told them PEYA did not pay for their tickets.

But months before this, Hui said he already sensed that PEYA was in trouble.  He said that a cheque issued to her by Boyce bounced in August, so by the end of that month his company stopped extending credit to PEYA.

But in September, October and November, Hui said he still provided PEYA one-way tickets for overseas Filipino workers priced at less than $1,000 each, saying "the amounts were not so big".

Not being a full member of the International Air Travel Association (IATA), PEYA had to buy air tickets from consolidators or wholesalers like AGC

Hui said Boyce promised to pay the six PAL tickets before 6pm on Dec 15. But when he called her, the PEYA executive was not in her office in World-Wide Plaza, and told him to come on Saturday afternoon, Dec 16.

“On Saturday afternoon, I kept calling her but she didn’t answer,” Hui said.

Despite this, Hui said he was not angry at Boyce.

“We are still friends. I’m not angry because I’ve known her for three to four years. I know she has been doing investments, like launching a credit card, the PEYA Card,” the AGC executive said.

Ano ang kapalaran mo sa simula ng taon?

TANDANG. Isinilang noong 1921/33/45/57/69/81/93
Paghuhusayan mo ang trabaho mo ngayon, lalo na kung may bago kang ginagawa. Suwerte ang love life, kaya masaya ang buhay ng may-asawa. Sa mga walang relasyon, ito ang tamang oras na makipagkaibigan. Mas malaki ang tsansa mong kumita sa trabaho kesa makipagsapalaran. Pananakit ng ulo at puyat ang mararanasan dahil sa labis na pag-iisip. Lucky numbers: 18, 23, 29 at 31.

ASO. Isinilang noong 1922/34/46/58/70/82/94
Sa umpisa ng taon ay makakaranas ka ng sari-saring problema. Maghinay-hinay upang makapag-isip at maiwasan pang lumala ang sitwasyon. Mahihirapan ka rin sa pakikipag-relasyon, at maging ang pagkakaibigan ay masusubukan dahil sa mga away. Habaan ang pasensya at piliting makontrol ang galit. Lucky numbers: 4, 13, 39, at 41.

BABOY. Isinilang noong 1923/35/47/59/71/83/95
Maganda ang pakikitungo mo sa lahat, at matutulungan ka ng mga taong ipinanganak sa taon ng Tigre upang mapaganda ang iyong trabaho. Kung naghahanap ng trabaho, makikilala mo ang taong maniniwala sa kakayahan mo. Mapayapa ang pagsasama kahit salat sa dating init ng pagmamahal. Maganda ang lagay ng pananalapi at kalusugan, pero iwasan ang kumain ng labis. Lucky numbers: 11, 29, 33 at 40.

DAGA. Isinilang noong 1924/36/48/60/72/84/96 
Maganda ang pasok ng taon dahil sa magandang simula sa trabaho. Kung gagawa ka ng plano para mapaganda ang kalagayan mo, at pagsisikapan na masunod ito ng unti-unti, malaki ang tsansang magtatagumpay ka. Mag-ingat sa pakikipag-usap dahil baka ka madiin sa isang bagay na maaring humantong sa demanda. Sa pamilya, ang hindi pag-uusap ng maayos ay maaring humantong sa hindi pagkakaunawaan. Lucky numbers: 3, 14, 28 at 45.

BAKA. Isinilang noong 1925/37/49/61/73/85/97 
Kailangan pang dagdagan ang sipag upang umangat ang kabuhayan. Huwag gaanong problemahin ang pagkakasakit; bigyan ng atensyon ang kinakain. Maging palakaibigan. Sa trabaho, kumilos ng maingat, pero sigurado sa ginagawa; huwag masyadong maging agresibo at huwag i-pressure ang sarili. Magiging maswerte ka sa pera ngayon, pero huwag maging tuso. Lucky numbers: 9, 17, 26 at 44.

TIGRE Isinilang noong 1926/38/50/62/74/86 at 98 
Magiging swerte ka sa trabaho sa unang bahagi ng 2018. Humingi ng tulong sa iba upang mapaganda ang trabaho. Hangga’t nagsisikap at nagsisipag ka, maraming oportunidad ang magbubukas sa iyo. Malaki ang tsansa na umangat pa dahil sa tapang mong makipagsapalaran, pero iwasang maging gahaman sa pera. Lucky numbers: 16, 27, 34 at 48.

KUNEHO Isinilang noong 1927/39/51/63/75/87 
Maganda ang dating ng Year of the Dog sa iyo. Hangga’t ginagawa mo ng maayos ang trabaho at mahusay kang makisama sa mga kasamahan, tuloy-tuloy ang pag-asenso mo. Ang away sa kapartner ay hindi nakakapekto sa relasyon sa ngayon, pero iwasang lumala pa ito. Maswerte ka sa pera ngayon, magandang i-share din ito sa iba. Lucky numbers: 11, 23, 37 at 42.

 DRAGON Isinilang noong 1928/40/52/64/76/88 
Pag-isipang mabuti bago ka maglabas ng pera, mahirap sumugal sa mga bagay, lalo kung hindi mo ito kabisado. Hindi ito ang tamang oras upang magsimula ng bagong negosyo, pag-aralan pa itong mabuti. Huwag pakialaman ang gawain ng iba upang makaiwas sa away. Maganda ang relasyon mo sa kapartner kaya madaling maayos ang anumang gusot. Pag-ingatan ang tiyan at sikmura, iwasan ang pagkain o pag-inom ng alak ng sobra. Lucky number: 12, 19, 25 at 30.

AHAS Isinilang noong 1929/41/53/65/77/89 
Mahihirapan kang gawin ang trabaho mo ngayon dahil kailangan mong isipin ang sariling kaligtasan at katatagan ng kalagayan. Madali ka ring mairita at mapa-away, piliting kumalma sa gitna ng mga problema. Sa walang karelasyon, may tsansang makilala mo ang taong nababagay sa iyo, at masisimulan ang matatag na relasyon, sa tulong ng iyong kaibigan o kaanak. Iwasang maglabas ng malaking pera. Ingatan ang pananakit ng sikmura. Lucky numbers: 7, 18, 35 at 40.

KABAYO. Isinilang noong 1930/42/54/66/78/90
Magiging masipag ka sa panimula ng bagong taon at magbubunga ito ng magandang resulta. Sa mga walang karelasyon, ito ang tamang oras na makihalubilo at makipagkaibigan dahil swerte ka sa pag-ibig ngayon. May pagkakataon ring kumita ng maayos ang iyong puhunan. Panatilihin ang magandang kalusugan sa pamamagitan ng pagkain ng wasto at balanseng pagkain. Lucky numbers: 20, 21, 38 at 46.

KAMBING. Isinilang noong 1919/31/43/55/67/79 at 91 
Lahat halos ng gawin mo ay magiging maganda ang resulta, kaya makukuha mo ang tiwala ng iyong boss at mabibigyan ka ng mahalagang posisyon. Maganda ang tubo ng iyong puhunan, ituloy mo lang ang sinimulan mo. Bigyan ng pansin ang sakit sa puso, lalo na kung senior citizen na. Mag-ingat din sa pagtaas ng presyon ng dugo. Lucky numbers: 16, 14, 18, at 32.

UNGGOY. Isinilang noong 1920/32/44/56/68/80/92
Makakaranas ng hindi inaasahang problema sa trabaho at dagok sa buhay, kaya mahihirapan kang makagalaw at makapag-isip ng maayos. Maging ang love life ay magkakaroon ng malaking pagbabago. Dahil sa mga pinagdaraanan, hindi napapanahon ang pagpasok sa mga delikadong pamumuhunan.Mag-ingat sa mga sakuna na magdudulot ng pagdurugo. Lucky numbers: 19, 21, 33 at 40.