Macau on a budget

Kinailangang mag-exit sa Macau ni Myrna dahil matatapos na ang palugit na isang taon na ibinigay ng immigration sa kanyang visa. Umuwi kasi siya ng dalawang beses bago pa makapag renew ng kontrata dahil nagkasakit ang ama kaya wala na siyang bakasyon na natitira, at gipit din sa pera.

Eksaktong pamasahe lang ang ibinigay ng kanyang amo kaya napilitan siyang humiram ng pera para may gastusin sa isang araw na paglilibot, kasama na ang pangkain. Unang punta pa lang niya sa Macau kaya gusto niyang makasiguro na may ekstra siyang pera na panggastos kung sakali.

Kasama ang kaibigan ay nakapasyal naman sila sa ilang mga tanawin sa Macau bago nagkasundong umuwi na.

Habang naghihintay ng ferry pabalik ng Hong Kong ay may nakakwentuhan sila na isang Pilipina na kasambahay din. Napagkuwentuhan nila ang mga lugar na magandang pasyalan sa Macau at nasambit ni Myrna na masaya nga ngunit magastos ang mamasyal lalo na kung gipit sa budget.

Nang usisain siya ng kausap tungkol dito ay sinabi ni Myrna na kailangan kasing bumili ng pagkain at mamasahe ng ilang beses para makalibot.

Ayon naman sa Pinay hindi naman kailangan na gumastos ng malaki para makapamasyal sa Macau. Sa halagang $500, kasama na ang bayad sa ferry, ay maaari nang mag-enjoy sa pamamasyal, basta marunong ka lang.

Ayon sa Pinay, siya daw ay nagbabaon ng pagkain kaya hindi na kailangang gumastos para dito, at hindi na rin kailangang mag-ubos ang oras sa paghihintay ng makakain sa restawran. Hindi din siya gumagastos ng malaki sa pamasahe dahil sumasakay lang siya sa libreng shuttle na lumilibot sa mga magagarang casino doon.

Tuwang tuwa si Myrna sa mga ibinahaging kaalaman ng kausap dahil balak nilang magkaibigan na bumalik ulit sa Macau para mamasyal. Sa susunod, alam na daw nila ang kanilang gagawin. Si Myrna ay dalaga at kasisimula lamang sa ikalawang kontrata sa mga among intsik na may dalawang anak at nakatira sa Baguio Villa sa Pokfulam. – Ellen Asis

Tourist charged with trying to cash fake US$2 billion in bank drafts

A 57-year-old Filipina businesswoman appeared at the District Court on Apr 17 facing a charge of “using false instruments” for attempting to cash US$2 billion worth of allegedly bogus bank drafts in Tsimshatsui last October.

Elena S. Orosa was originally scheduled for plea-taking, but Judge Anthony Kwok adjourned the hearing for two months at the request of the defense.

A defense counsel said the woman was getting a Legal Aid lawyer and needed time for legal advice.
The judge said the defendant must prepare to plead whether she is guilty or not. He extended the woman’s bail.

Orosa, a tourist, was arrested on Oct 18 along with another Filipina visitor, Veronica F. Yambao, after they allegedly tried to cash the bank instruments at a Hang Seng Bank branch on Hankow Road.
Hang Seng staff who noticed that the bank drafts were fake alerted police and the two women were nabbed.

Orosa and Yambao were initially charged at Kowloon City Court on Oct 19. They were allowed to post bail of $6,000 each. The case came up for second mention on Dec 1, when the prosecution applied to transfer the case to the District Court.  There was no mention why only Orosa was named in the transfered case.

OWWA officer set to leave HK

By Vir B. Lumicao

Welfare officer Judith Santos

Welfare officer Judith Santos of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration - Hong Kong will soon return home as her extended tour of duty is ending.

Santos told The SUN in an online message that her replacement, who she did not identify, will be arriving shortly to take over her post.

The departing welfare officer will be returning to the OWWA home office in Manila after serving in Hong Kong for nearly four years. Santos arrived here on May 15, 2014 and assumed her position two days later.

The officer said she had not yet received her airline ticket, so, she could not tell her departure date.

Santos said her recall is a decision of OWWA, an OFW welfare and insurance unit that is under the Department of Labor and Employment.

“It’s my time to go because my tour of duty ended last year but I was extended for nearly a year,” said Santos.

She considers her posting in Hong Kong, her first assignment abroad, as a learning process as it allowed her to get to know OFWs better through dealing with them daily.

“Siguro po mas naintindihan ko yun iba-ibang mukha ng OFW (and the) struggles and success stories ng iba,” Santos said.

Santos has had the rare opportunity of serving three labor attaches during her stint at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office, an extension of the Consulate that deals with overseas Filipino workers and all issues related to them.

When Santos arrived in Hong Kong, the incumbent labor attache was Manuel Roldan, who was recalled home after being investigated for malpractice on orders by then Consul General  Bernardita Catalla.

Roldan was replaced by Nenita Garcia, who ended her tour of duty prematurely because of poor health. Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre took over from Garcia, but was recalled to the Home Office on Mar 26 for alleged corruption, a move that prompted widespread protests by members of the Filipino community.

Lakas-loob na nagsumbong

Naglakas-loob si Marlyn na ipa watchlist ang kanyang amo dahil noong nakaraang taon ay binuhusan ng mainit na tubig ang kanyang kamay ng kanyang alagang matanda habang siya ay naghuhugas ng kamay, at nitong huli ay sinaktan pa siya, ngunit hindi pinigil ng anak.

Isa pa, kahit nasa iisang building ay magkahiwalay ng tirahan ang kanyang amo at ang matanda, kaya bale dalawang bahay ang pinagsisilbihan niya. Lagi pang pinahihirapan ng matanda si Marly; lagi siyang kulang sa tulog at pagkain.

Pagkatapos siyang buhusan ng mainit na tubig ay sinubukan niyang magsumbong sa kanyang agency, pero ipinaabot lang nito ang reklamo niya sa matanda, kaya lalo itong naging maging mabangis. Nang sumunod na saktan siya ay hindi na nagdalawang isip pa si Marlyn na magpunta sa Philippine Overseas Labor Office para magreklamo at ipalagay sa watchlist ang amo.

Sinusubukan pa rin niyang magtiis ngayon dahil ayaw niyang matanggalan ng trabaho, ngunit hindi niya alam kung hanggang ano ang kaya niyang tanggapin. Natatakot din kasi siya na baka sa susunod ay mas grabe pang pananakit ang gawin sa kanya ng matanda.

Noong una ay atubili pa rin siyang magsumbong, mabuti na lang ay may nakilala siyang kapwa Pinay na nagbigay ng lakas ng loob sa kanya para magreklamo at ipaglaban ang kanyang karapatan. Si Marlyn ay naninilbihan sa dalawang bahay sa Tsing Yi at tubong Bulacan.

Dahil sa dalawang anak na nasa kolehiyo kaya nagtitiis si Marlyn. Gusto sana niyang matapos ang kontrata at nang sa gayon ay maluwag siyang makakahanap ng ibang amo pagkatapos. — Rodelia Villar

Filipino in child porn case jailed for 12 months

By Vir B. Lumicao

A Filipino sales executive who pleaded guilty to child pornography was sentenced to 12 months in jail by a District Court judge earlier today, May 7.

Lordjel Gelizon, 33, single, was found to have downloaded 32 photos and 138 video clips from child pornography websites as early as August 2013, and stored them in his notebook PC.

He was arrested during a police raid on a flat he shared with his family in Tsimshatsui at early on Apr 19, 2016, during an anti-child pornography operation. He was charged in January last year and the case was first heard in September.

His lawyer argued vigorously for a significant discount to the 18 months used as a starting point in sentencing, citing the two-year delay in prosecuting the case.

“We were sitting here two years after the event waiting when he’ll go to prison,” the lawyer said. He said his client’s life was on hold and under the strain of waiting because of the delay in taking the case to court.

But Judge Isaac Tam stressed repeatedly that “delay will not be a mitigating factor”. He said the prosecution was delayed because it needed more time to find out the ages of the children in the sex videos and photos, as well as to seek further legal advice.

Court records showed the images found in Gelizon’s computer were of children aged from 5 to 15 years doing erotic poses and sexual acts, including “penetrative activity” with adults without the use of condoms.

The prosecution submitted to the court a folder of photos and still shots from the videos

The judge pointed out that while the defendant suffered stress after his arrest, he managed to stay on his job as a sales manager and resigned only after he was charged.

The psychiatric report said Gelizon was now stable after being reclusive and anxious after he was charged in court.

The psychological report said his downloading the child pornography photos and videos was insufficient to suggest he was suffering from pedophilic disorder. The report also said the risk of re-offending was not high.

In mitigation, his lawyer said Gelizon had a clear record. He was born in Hong Kong where he attended elementary school, but left for the Philippines after his third year in high school. After high school, he enrolled in a marketing course but did not finish it.

He then set up a concrete block production business where he employed 12 relatives, but sold the business following a downturn.

He returned to Hong Kong and worked for various companies, where he rose from being a customer service officer in a logistics solutions firm to sales executive in an electronic services company, the defense counsel said.  All rights reserved.

Mahirap maintindihan ang gusto

Bago pa lang si Airen sa kanyang amo na nakatira sa MidLevels pero gusto na niyang sumuko dahil mahirap itong pakisamahan.

Hindi naman mahirap dapat ang kanyang trabaho dahil mag-asawa lang ang kanyang pinagsisilbihan, pero lagi na lang siyang nakikitaan ng mali ng among babae, gayong sinusunod naman niya ang lahat ng utos at gusto nito.

Halimbawa na lang sa pagluluto. Ang utos ng amo ay gayahin niya ang turo sa cookbook na sinusunod naman ni Airen, ngunit palagi pa rin itong may reklamo. Kung hindi maalat ay overcooked naman daw ang niluto niya. Upang hindi na lumalala pa ang usapan ay humihingi na lang siya ng paumanhin sa amo kahit na sa tingin niya ay umaarte lang ito, at gusto lang na may masabi.

Kasi naman, laging ubos ang pagkain na inihahain niya.

Sa sumunod niyang pagluluto ay sinubukan ni Airen na baguhin ang timpla at sukat ng mga sangkap ngunit hindi pa rin siya pumasa sa masungit na amo. Nalilito na si Airen kung ano ang gagawin dahil ni hindi naman marunong magluto ang amo, at sa cookbook lang umaasa.

Sa ngayon ay hinahayaan na lang ni Airen na pumasok sa isang tenga, at labas sa kabila, ang mga sermon ng amo upang hindi siya materminate. Si Airen ay tubong Quezon at may isang anak sa Pilipinas. – Ellen Asis

Why religious leaders support war on drugs

By Leo A. Deocadiz

“Thou shalt not kill,” says the fifth commandment.

But majority of pastors and priests who were surveyed in the urban poor community of Payatas, Quezon City, are not swayed by this invocation—they support the government’s war on drugs, or have remained silent even after it has left more than 20,000 people dead in the last two years.

In a way, this reflects the national sentiment towards the drug war. A recent survey by Pulse Asia shows that 88% of adult Filipinos support the war on drugs.

The view has not been swayed by the mounting number of extrajudicial killings, which have claimed the lives of even innocent people such as student Kian de los Santos, who was dragged from his family’s sari sari store and shot by policemen.

The main reason is that drug users are viewed by these religious leaders are swine or sinners, according to Dr. Jayeel Cornelio, an Ateneo de Manila social science professor who is a visiting professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. “It has nothing to do with church-state relations, is has nothing to do with the management of religion. It has to do with theological vision.”

Cornelio’s study on the religious responses to the war on drugs in Payatas is part of a three-part research funded by the Australian National University. The two others are being done by Ging Gutierrez, a sociologist of crime from the University of the Philippines Diliman, who is looking into the negotiated identities of drug dependents arrested and detained in the war on drugs; and by Nicole Curato, a political sociologist from University of Canberra who is looking into why victims of the war on drugs are not given as much compassion as victims of Typhoon Yolanda.

“When we embarked on our research in 2017, our working hypothesis was this: that a religious leader would become socially and politically involved against the anti-drug campaign if and when the congregation was directly affected.... We thought the Catholic parish set the precedent because it was clear to us that they became more involved when many of their parishioners were being killed,” Cornelio said in a lecture recently at the City University of Hong Kong. “But we noticed that this could not explain why other churches with similar experiences did not follow suit.”

Cornelio said his research revealed two groups of religious leaders in Payatas: those who believed that drug users were swine or sinners, and those who regarded addicts as poor and victims of their poverty.

Dr. Jayeel Cornelio discusses his findings during a lecture at the City University of HK.

“If the drug user is a sinner/swine, then the response is spiritual, nothing to do with politics,” he said. “If the drug user is a victim of injustices, then the response is political.”

Majority of religious leaders see taking drugs as being away from God, and a deliberate act of sinning.

“To them the problem of substance abuse is a function of the failure of their relationship with the Holy Spirit,” Cornelio said.

He cited a pastor who likened drug dependents to swine, and quoted Jesus’ injunction to “Cast not your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet. (which means that you don’t reveal the Gospel to people who are not interested in it).” (Matthew 7:6)

“He rightly says that there are more kids in Payatas than there are drug addicts,” Cornelio added.

He quoted a number of church leaders, whose identities he withheld. A pastor of a mega church, with outreach in Payatas, told him: “God gave us government to protect the innocent and punish the guilty. They have swords and guns for a reason.”

The minority view, on the other hand, characterized drug users as victims, “In their view, criminal acts are committed not because of individual choices but because of structural causes like extreme poverty, unemployment and derpessed psychosocial conditions of the area.”

This group believes that people, especially the religious, need to give drug users a chance. “As a matter of fact, for a female youth minister, not giving them a chance is a form of injustice itself. She’s alluding to the extrajudicial killing in the community itself,” Cornelio added.

“They also instituted many interventions. The Catholics are so good at this. Everything from helping the families, providing scholarships to the children, setting up psychological trauma support system for them, and even providing legal services for them. One reasons is they have the resources and the network,” he said,

Cornelio quoted a lay leader, a lawyer: “We are not fighting the anti-drug campaign, we are fighting summary executions. They destroy the bill of rights, the very pillar of our democracy.”

And worse, killing drug dependents merely worsened the poverty of the families they left behind.

Filipina DH held for alleged theft of diamond ring

Magistrate said the Filipina can go to the High Court to apply for bail

By Vir B. Lumicao

A Filipina domestic worker accused by her female employer of stealing a diamond ring has been denied bail by a Kwun Tong magistrate despite an offer of guarantee from the Consulate that she won’t abscond.

Jeambreth Algura appeared on May 4 before Magistrate Chu Chung-keung to apply for her temporary release eight days after she was charged with theft by the police.

The defendant was arrested and taken into custody on Apr 24 after the employer called the police to report that her ring was missing. The ring was allegedly found later by the employer in a pocket of Algura’s backpack.

The defendant’s mother, who also works in Hong Kong, attended the hearing accompanied by Danny Baldon, an officer of the Consulate’s assistance to nationals section.

The counsel assigned by the Duty Lawyers Service to represent Algura applied for bail on her behalf. He said she had offered to post a $1,000 bail and that the Consulate had agreed to house her in its shelter for troubled workers.

The Consulate has also offered to guarantee that the defendant will not leave Hong Kong while the case is not resolved, the lawyer said. Pointing to the gallery, the lawyer said a consular officer was, in fact, in the courtroom.

But Magistrate Chu refused the application, but told the defendant she could apply for bail at the Court of First Instance.

He adjourned the hearing until May 31 and ordered the helper remanded in custody.

Beyond grief

By Daisy Catherine L. Mandap

Coping with grief is not the easiest thing to do, more so if the cause was the untimely demise of a loved one. Things get more tough when the death happens abroad, and the victim is a migrant worker.

Lucky are those who have friends or family members at the worksite who can attend to the numerous tasks that need to be done before the remains of a loved one can be brought home. Beyond coping with the pain, it is the nitty-gritty of attending to the paperwork, dealing with the police and the morgue, and deciding on whether a public viewing should be held, that could prove taxing to whoever has to deal with this unenviable task.

Fortunately, Hong Kong has an efficient system in place that allows even tourists to get through this unsavory part of dealing with a loved one’s death rather quickly, at least in most cases. Complications may arise only if there are matters that need to be addressed first before the body is sent for its final journey home.

Such complications could result if there are suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, or it was the result of an accident.

A recent example of the first was the unfortunate death of Lorain Asuncion, who fell from the house of her employer’s father in Shenzhen in July last year. After three autopsies conducted over four months, her family had to finally come to terms with the fact that she had committed suicide.

Death from an accident, in particular, a traffic accident, could result in even more prolonged mourning for the family. A case in point was the death of Geraldine Betasolo who was hit by van while rushing to deliver a spare car key to her employer in November last year.

Geraldine’s grieving husband and teenage son were lucky in that they got full support from her friends in Hong Kong, including her employers; the mayor in their hometown of Inabanga, Bohol, who paid for their air fare to Hong Kong and ensured they got passports quickly; and staff at the Consulate, particularly Danny Baldon, who took them to nearly all the government offices they had to deal with.

But five months since the tragedy, her family still has to deal with claiming the compensation due them under both Hong Kong and Philippine laws.

In helping them get through the hurdles, we were struck by how seemingly simple the procedures were in filing claims. Immediate members of the family can do all the paperwork, or appoint someone to act in their stead.

It turned out it wasn’t so simple, especially since Geraldine’s next of kin live in a barangay four hours away from the capital of Tagbilaran, and snail mail is even more slow in their part of the country.

Given this, the task of having documents notarized, then authenticated in the nearest Chinese consulate in Cebu, took far longer than usual, and they nearly missed meeting the deadline for filing refunds for funeral expenses.

The requirements for pursuing the bigger claims – for compensation due to death, personal injuries, and from the traffic accident victims assistance scheme - are even more formidable, and will entail them going back to square one with the new documents they need to submit.

But the rewards for putting up with the paper and leg work are real, and within reach. In Geraldine’s case, the compensation alone for death resulting from an accident - which now stands at about $400,000 (Php2.5 million) — is substantial, especially if spent in the Philippines. It should be enough to feed her family for months, and if her husband so wishes, use it to start a business. The money that will go to her son, Kyle, could see him through college, and hopefully, improve on the life they used to have.

It wouldn’t be hard to provide help to families like them if support groups including the Consulate could all sit together and come up with an action plan to address their concerns in the quickest time possible. All we need to do is to draw from our shared experiences and create a blueprint that ensures help is given when it is needed, and who would be in the best position to provide it.

All it takes is a community that cares and works together to ensure the grief does not last longer than necessary.

Magbasa ka kasi

Hindi namin napigilang matawa nang mabasa ang isang balita na inilathala ng Inquirer, na nagsasabing ang Pilipino ang isa sa pinaka-mali ang pag-unawa sa nangyayari sa mundo.

Ayon sa Perils of Perception 2017 survey ng Ipsos, isa sa pinakamalaking kumpanyang gumagawa ng market research sa mundo, pumapangalawa lamang ang Pilipinas sa Brazil.

Ang basehan ng resultang ito ay mga tanong tungkol sa murder at suicide rates, terrorism death rates, at teenage pregnancy at health issues — mga tanong na may eksaktong kasagutan kaya madaling malaman kung ang sumasagot ay tama o nagdudunung-dunungan lang.

At hindi lang iyan. Ang mga Pilipino rin ay pumangalawa lang sa India sa pagging sigurado na sila ay tama, kahit sa katotohanan ay mali ang kanilang sagot.

May paliwanang ang gumawa ng pagsusuri kung bakit nangyayari ito. “We are often most incorrect on factors that are widely discussed in the media, such as deaths from terrorism, murder rates, immigration and teenage pregnancy,” ayon kay Bobby Duffy, ang managing director of Ipsos MORI Social Research Institute sa London. “There are multiple reasons for these errors – from our struggle with maths and proportions, to media and political coverage of issues, to social psychology explanations of our mental shortcuts or biases.”

Mayroon din kaming paliwanang kung bakit ganito ang Pilipino—mula sa aming sariling karanasan.

Tingnan mo ang aming Facebook page (hanapin ang The SUN Hong Kong) at makikita ang pagmamagaling ng Pilipino. May mga komento pa nga na malinaw na nagpapakitang hindi man lang nila binasa ang balitang kanilang tinutuligsa.

Hindi masamang magbigay ng opinyon. Magbasa nga lang muna para maintindihan ang sinasalihang diskusyon, at upang maiwasang ipakita na sila’y tanga.

May payo si James Madison Jr., ang ika-apat na pangulo ng Estados Unidos at isa sa sumulat ng Saligang Batas nito, sa mga pinipiling maging mangmang: “Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power that knowledge gives.”

Bail refused for Pinoy tourist gang of pickpockets

Eastern Court in Sai Wan Ho

A magistrate in Eastern Court rejected on May 3 a bail application by two of five Filipino tourists who are facing an attempted theft charge following a botched bid to pick the wallet of a Korean woman in April.

Four of the defendants appeared in court before Magistrate Peter Law. They were Rasim Linambos, Arlene Gerodias, Manuelito Camacho and Delia Neri.

A fifth defendant, Zenaida Aviles, was absent, as she was reportedly taken to a hospital a few days earlier because she vomited blood. She was scheduled to appear solo in the same court on May 2, but failed. Magistrate Law was told she remained in hospital.

Aviles, Linambos, Gerodias, Camacho and Neri were arrested on Apr 24 after their failed attempt to steal the Korean woman’s wallet in an MTR station on Hong Kong Island.

The attempt failed because the Korean felt someone was tugging at her wallet. It turned out the wallet was secured by a chain to the bag. Plainclothes police who were nearby arrested the five.

On May 3, the duty lawyer representing the five said Linambos was offering to put up a $2,500 bail for his temporary release while Gerodias was offering $1,650, but Law rejected their applications.

The magistrate adjourned their case until May 24 and ordered them remanded in custody.  - Vir B. Lumicao. All rights reserved.

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Pioneering court interpreter passes on after lingering illness

Menchu Rivera with her closest friends among the interpreters:
Jo Ann Bautista, Yollie Santos and Gigi Wearing-Smith

A well-loved member of the Filipino community who spent nearly four decades working as a court interpreter in Hong Kong, died in Manila early on Apr. 24.

Carmen Eizmendi Rivera, 75, who was fondly known as “Menchu” in the community, passed away due to bladder cancer. She left behind two children, Louie and Socci. A third, her youngest son Ramon, died from drowning three years ago.

Socci said in a message to Menchu’s friends in Hong Kong that her mom passed away peacefully after fighting a “very painful battle.” Socci said Menchu was cremated on the same day that she died, and her remains interred at the St. Therese Columbarium in Pasay City on Apr 29.

Mercifully, Menchu’s last hours were reportedly “filled with laughter, love and prayers.”

Menchu with Jan Yumul, who became close to the affable
interpreter while covering court stories for The SUN 

The jovial and sharp-witted interpreter was known for her fluency in Filipino, English and Spanish, and was often called upon to handle difficult court cases. She was friendly with many in the community, and was known for always turning up smartly dressed and well-coiffed for any occasion.

Told of how saddened people in the community were on hearing of her mother’s death, Socci said: “We all miss her. Her smile, her colourful and matching accessories…that's my mom!”

A longtime Hong Kong resident, Menchu joined the interpreter’s office of the Hong Kong Judiciary in 1981, and served until November last year, when she had to go home for medical treatment. She had noticeably lost weight by then, but remained her funny self that many of her friends were shocked to hear of her untimely death.

Several masses were offered for Menchu in Hong Kong, including one on Apr 21 by her interpreter-friends, shortly after news about her deteriorating condition was relayed by her son Louie; and another at the Philippine Consulate on Sunday, Apr 22. More masses were offered after she passed on. – Daisy CL Mandap

 

Louie Rivera (leftmost, on the floor) and Socci Cristi (in pink dress) were joined by relatives
at the inurnment of Menchu's ashes at St Therese Columbarium on Apr 29.

A memorial mass for Carmen “Menchu” Rivera will be held on May 19, 2018 (Saturday), 6pm, at the Catholic Centre on the 18th floor, Grand Building, 15-18 Connaught Road, Central. Join her family, friends and colleagues in commemorating Menchu’s life and passing.

Filipina in Fortress MTR incident taken to hospital

By The SUN 

(first posted: May 3, 2019)

A Filipina domestic worker is now under observation at the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital after she was found acting strangely at Fortress Hill MTR Station on May 1.

Footages of the worker who appeared to be deep in prayer while reportedly chanting, “Ako ang tagapagligtas ninyong lahat”  went viral on Facebook after they were posted by fellow Filipinas who were at the MTR station at the time.

At one point, the OFW prostrated herself on the floor beside the station’s turnstiles, while security officers and other people watched. A Filipina in one of the videos could be heard telling the people around her that “she is Filipina.”

'Ako ang tagapagligtas ninyong lahat',
she reportedly chanted

The worker falls flat on the floor

A netizen later posted in one of the Facebook chats that the woman was her townmate in Southern Leyte. She said she had informed the OFW’s relatives of what happened, but assured them that she was already in the hospital.

Lorna Obedoza from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration office in Hong Kong confirmed to The SUN that the woman is a domestic helper working in North Point. Her employers had reportedly been told about the incident, and had visited her in the hospital.

Obedoza also confirmed that the worker's relatives in Southern Leyte had been informed.

The worker is said to be single, and has been working for the same employer for the past seven years. It is unclear what had caused her apparent breakdown.

The Police Public Relations Branch said in an emailed statement that the police received a report at about 9:15 am on May 1 about a “44-year-old foreign woman” causing obstruction to other users inside Fortress Hill Station.

“Upon police arrival, the woman was brought to Ruttonjee Hospital for medical treatment. The case was classified as ‘suspected mentally disordered person found’,” the police said. 

The helper was apparently moved afterwards to Eastern Hospital which has a psychiatric ward. 

Obedoza said OWWA was informed by friends of the worker about her situation on May 2. The welfare officer said her staff would visit her in hospital tomorrow afternoon.

Soon after the videos of the helper were posted, a clamor went up for the footages to be deleted, but some are still online, and continue to be shared. All Rights Reserved

Pinoy to do 160 hrs of community work for indecent assault on OFW leader

Magistrate said case was at "low end"of the offence

By Vir B. Lumicao

(May 2, 2018)

A technician convicted in Eastern Court on two counts of indecent assault on a Filipina community leader has been sentenced to 160 hours of community service.

Jesnar Bade, the 55-year-old offender, cried when Magistrate Cheung Kit-yee pronounced the sentence earlier today after receiving a copy of the community service report submitted by the defense lawyer.

He had been in custody since being convicted of the offence on Mar 27.

Bade had pleaded not guilty to indecently assaulting the victim identified only as “Miss X”, who testified in open court about the incident in late July last year.  Bade chose not to give evidence.

“All women should be protected in their workplaces,” Cheung said, noting that Bade committed the two counts of indecent assault right in the workplace of the victim.

But the magistrate said she accepted the recommendation of the probation officer for  community service after considering the merits of the case, which she described as being at the low end of the indecent assault bracket, as well as Bade’s background.

She said it was the technician’s first offense; he had been working hard all his life; he had shown deep remorse and willingness to do community service, and he had the support of his wife, who was present in the courtroom.

Cheung ordered Bade to do 160 hours of community work on each charge to be served concurrently, specifying 8 hours of service every Sunday under the supervision of the probation officer.

She warned that in case of any breach of the probation order, the court would cancel the community service and impose a new sentence.

Miss X, married and a mother of three girls, testified that in late July last year, Bade embraced her from behind twice, trying to touch her breasts, when the technician was sent by his company G4S, to fix the alarm system at her employer’s house.

She said the assaults happened while she was learning how to bypass the alarm system. Each time, she said, she covered her breasts with her arms and halted Bade’s advances by elbowing him and telling him to stop.

DH fined $2,000 for shoplifting in supermarket

For taking several grocery items worth more than $700 without paying for them, a Filipina domestic worker was fined $2,000 by an Eastern Court magistrate on Apr 18.

Rosemarie Sano, a widow and mother of six, was convicted and fined by Magistrate Peter Law after she pleaded guilty to one count of theft.

The prosecution said the 55-year-old woman was observed by the manager of the Fusion by Park n Shop supermarket in Cyberport, Pokfulam, putting the goods in her rucksack on Mar 27.

When she tried to leave the supermarket without paying, the manager intercepted her and demanded to inspect the woman’s backpack.

Found inside the bag were a pack of sushi, a box of body lotion, four oranges, a pack of mushrooms, two eggplants, six pieces of avocado, a pack of vegetables, two packs of underwear and two packs of socks.

The manager called police and Sano was arrested. She was released after putting up a 1,000 bail.

The prosecutor said the defendant had a clear record.

In mitigation, the duty lawyer assigned to represent Sano asked for a lenient sentence by way of a fine, saying she had a clear record and had pleaded guilty to the charge.

He said Sano was a domestic helper earning $7,000 a month. Her husband died four years ago and she has single-handedly supporting her two daughters and four sons.

Magistrate Law said that as the value of goods Sano had stolen was quite large, he was imposing a fine of $2,000, half of it to be taken from her bail money and the remainder to be paid within one week. – VB Lumicao

DH fired after overstaying while in China sues employer

By Vir B. Lumicao 

A Filipina who had overstayed her visitor’s visa while she was on the mainland serving her employer, has filed a $112,000 claim against the latter for terminating her contract upon hearing her stay permit had expired.

Myles A. Alfaro laid the claim against Lin Haiyan, a mainland businesswoman residing in Hong Kong, but the defendant did not show up for the hearing in the Labour Tribunal on Apr 26.

The Labour Tribunal building on Gascoigne Road, Yaumatei.

The defendant sent her cousin, a Mr Kwok, as her representative purportedly because she was in Sri Lanka for an important business meeting.

Lin’s absence upset Presiding Officer Isabella Chu, who said she could not allow Kwok to represent the defendant as he was not in a position to address the issues against the employer.

Kwok explained that Lin had thought of appearing in the hearing but that she really had a very important business meeting.

Chu, however, did not accept that explanation.  She said the tribunal hearing was an equally important meeting that had been set a month ago.

She said Lin should have informed the Tribunal that she would be outside Hong Kong on the day of the hearing so that another date would have been booked.

“It’s not fair to the taxpayer. It’s not just the defendant who is busy, I am busy as well. Digest what I said to you just now: ‘Don’t waste the time of the court, don’t waste the taxpayers’ money.” 

She told Kwok the defendant would be charged the full cost of the day’s hearing, then instructed him to call Lin and ask her to choose a date in early May when she is available to attend court.

Alfaro tearfully expressed her concern that Lin might not appear again in the next hearing, but Chu assured her that in case that happens, she would deal with the case in favor of the domestic worker.

Alfaro is claiming $630 in arrears in wages, one-way air fare to Manila of $1,120, $100 food allowance, $97,492.50 for the unfinished portion of her contract that includes wages in lieu of notice, as well as expenses incurred totaling $12,384.87.

The expenses include such items as the $1,780 air ticket, accommodation in China following her termination and the fine she paid the mainland immigration for overstaying her visa for 20 days.

Alfaro said Lin wanted her to fly back to the Philippines right after her termination, but the helper called up her agency, which lent her money to buy an air ticket to Hong Kong.

Chu set the next hearing for May 10 and instructed Kwok to remind Lin that she might have to be in court the whole day so she must set no other business meetings on that day.

When Alfaro asked whether she could start looking for a new employer, Chu said she should ask the Immigration Department.

‘Mystery’ cleanup drive on island set for ‘Earth Day’

A recent cleanup was well-attended by Filipino domestic helpers.
Photo: AquaMeridian Conservation & Education Foundation.

A massive cleanup drive in one of Hong Kong's outlying islands has been set for April 22 to mark Earth Day. But the location of the event is not being disclosed - yet.

“The location is a secret - adds more fun,” said Robert Lockyer, operations director of the AquaMeridian Conservation & Education Foundation, which is leading the cleanup.

Lockyer said his group has been organizing regular cleanup events in Lamma where he lives, and on Lantau and Hong Kong islands. Hundreds of people, many of them foreign domestic helpers, take part.

“Every month we do a big cleanup event and each weekend we do smaller cleanups, hiking or hiking trails cleanups,” he said.

At each event, more than 100 FDHs reportedly turn out to join and help. The biggest turnout for helpers according to him was on Feb. 25 when about 300 of them came to help.

“On Sunday 25th February, over 500 people comprising of over 300 domestic helpers, about 50 children, more than 100 local residents from Hong Kong, about 50 members from the Lamma Island sports clubs descended (on) TaiWanTo to start the Year of the Dog with one big cleanup,” he said.

The group reportedly collected over 1400 kilos of rubbish  left on Lamma's beach in just under two hours.

Lockyer said the trash, mostly polystyrene left from typhoon Hato which devastated Hong Kong in September 2017, had been on the beach for at least 6 months.

“The mission today was to get a head start on cleaning the beaches before the 2018 typhoon and monsoon seasons began and our beaches become too devastated again,” Lockyer said after the operation.

After polystyrene he said the second most common item picked up that day was plastic cutlery and drinking straws.

A participating team  from the Hong Kong Ghost Net Facebook Group also managed to remove some plastic nets that had become entangled in the rocks.

Following the cleanup, a representative from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department reportedly said that it took 15 village vehicles to remove all the trash that was collected that day.

Keilim Ng, from the Lantau-based marine environmental organization EcoMarine said: "It’s so rewarding to see so many people inspired to come along today. We all hope and wish that they will carry the memory of today with them and replicate this all over Hong Kong.”

A representative from one of the main supporters for the event, The European Union Office of Hong Kong and Macao, thanked all the volunteers, and expressed hope that everyone could change their pattern of behavior in everyday life and consume less single use plastic.

Lockyer said: "Whilst approximately 400 bags of trash were collected from the beach, sadly this will all end up in Hong Kong landfill due to the limited opportunities and funding for recycling in Hong Kong and the single waste transport facility that is on north Lamma Island".

He said that for the whole of 2018, his group will be organizing monthly public cleanups to help promote a healthier and happier lifestyle by using less “single use plastic”

Police to interview more victims of PEYA booking fiasco

Scene at PEYA'S shop in Worldwife Plaza at the height of the booking fiasco in December last year

By Vir B. Lumicao

More victims of last year’s PEYA Travel airline booking fiasco will be interviewed by the Hong Kong police this Sunday, Apr 29, in a bid to hasten their investigation of the case, a Consulate official said.

ATN head, Consul Paulo Saret

Consul Paulo Saret, head of the assistance to nationals section, told The SUN in a telephone conversation that about 20 complainants will be interviewed at the Wanchai police station.

He had offered to have the interview done at the Consulate to speed up the process, but the police declined due to their longstanding policy of not taking their records out of the police station.

“There’ll be 20 or so complainants whom we will accompany to the Regional Crime Unit on Sunday for the interview,” Saret said.

Saret said investigators told him they must have at least 250 statements from the victims to evaluate before deciding if they should file a deception case against Peya’s executives. But they have not given a timeframe for filing, he said. 

In an interview earlier he said fewer than 200 of the 1,200 Filipinos who had complained of getting bogus bookings from the travel agency had been interviewed by the police. He urged the other complainants to step forward to help the police speed up their investigation.

The police had reportedly told Saret that many of those on the list provided by the Consulate either did not answer phone calls or failed to show up for their scheduled interviews

Saret had contacted the police for an update on the case, amid online queries from complainants on how the case was progressing.

“Tanong ko lang po mga madam/sir tungkol sa refund ng PEYA Travel agency, kasi hanggang ngayon e wala pa po kayong update,” a certain Emie Lee asked.

Police are still looking for Grospe

Commenter Ladyjoy Magna Quina replied that the victims should go to the police to file their statements so that the case would move forward. But others blamed the Consulate for not informing them of the need to go to the police.

According to Saret, Another hindrance cited by the police was the disappearance of PEYA marketing manager Arnold Grospe, who they also want to investigate. Grospe is reported to have fled to Macau in the wake of the booking fiasco, and was reportedly spotted afterwards in Baguio City in the Philippines.

Grospe was invited to the Central Police Station on the evening of Dec 20, when the booking mess unraveled, as hundreds of Philippines-bound were not allowed to board their flights by airline staff who said PEYA did not pay for their tickets.

PEYA owner Peter Brian Boyce was arrested Dec 27, two days after his wife and co-owner Rhea Donna Bayona-Boyce, or Yanyan, who also acted as general manager, was taken by police from their Wanchai flat.

Police said the couple was being investigated for possibly defrauding customers of some $2 million in bogus airline bookings. On Apr 23, the Police Public Relations Bureau told The SUN that the couple was ordered to report again to the police in early May.

Saret said PEYA victims still trickle into ATN to file complaints, adding they are likely those who had bought replacement tickets on their own, and only recently learned they could still recover their loss with help from the Consulate.

HK art exhibit featuring works of Filipino migrant workers opens tonight

"Beyond Myself' opens in HK after
successful runs in London & Manila

Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong are among those whose works will be on display at the ‘Beyond Myself’ exhibition which will be launched at Hive Spring in Aberdeen at 7-9pm this evening.

The exhibit in Hong Kong follows successful runs at Goldsmiths, University of London and UP Vargas Museum in Manila. It is co-organised by Enrich HK and Curating Development project (a collaboration of Goldsmiths, University of London, University of Hong Kong and Keele University

‘Beyond Myself’ represents the experiences of some of nearly 400,000foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong, majority of whom are Filipinos.

The exhibit focuses on their contributions and sacrifices through language, as well as the images and objects that are produced in their daily lives. It also identifies the major obstacles they face in making their hard work turn into economic benefits for themselves and their families.

Enrich executive director Lucinda Pike explains: "Beyond Myself is unique because the artwork, photography and stories are created and told by migrant domestic workers themselves, through their day-to-day experiences, dreams, struggles and achievements. Enrich strives to empower domestic workers with financial education and a particular theme that is creatively explored in the exhibition are their financial goals and difficulties."

Accompanying events include a special reception for domestic workers on Apr 29, and the screening of the documentary, The Helper, on May 2.

Also featured in the exhibit are the works of various Filipino artists, including Nathalie Dagmang, Hong Kong-based domestic worker group Guhit Kulay, rights organization Voices of Women Media (VOW Media), and National Geographic photo contest runner-up Joan Pabona.

The exhibit is open to the public and will run until Monday to Friday, 9am-7pm, and on selected Sundays, until May 14.

Arnel Pineda topbills HKMU’s 70th year concert on Apr 29

HKMU's 70th anniversary concert poster

by Daisy CL Mandap

A Filipino singing legend is returning this weekend to Hong Kong, his home for many years, to pay tribute to a group he was once part of. 

Arnel Pineda, soloist of the world-famous American rock band, Journey, will join his former Hong Kong band mates on stage this coming Sunday, Apr 29 at the Cultural Centre Piazza in Tsimshatsui, for the Hong Kong Musician Union’s concert to celebrate its 70^th year.

Arnel Pineda at his Manila concert in Sept

Pineda, 50, will sing with his former Most W@anted band mates in what HKMU chair Manuela Lo said will be “a kind of reunion for them.”

Lo said she and former HKMU chair Jun Cortes, both convinced Pineda to find time to support the milestone in the union’s history.

“He was with HKMU for years when he was still here in Hong Kong,” said Lo.

Pineda, along with his Most W@anted band mates, sang six days a week in a club in Central in the early 2000s. On Sundays, their only day off in the week, they often obliged requests to sing at community events, including the annual Philippine Independence Day celebrations.

Pineda moved back to Manila in 2006 to join a new band, The Zoo, and was discovered on YouTube the next year by Journey’s lead guitarist Neal Schon. By the early 2008, he was already part of Journey, and began touring with the legendary band in the same year.

(Check The SUN's earlier story on Arnel Pineda and his life's Journey here: http://sunweb.com.hk/Story.asp?hdnStoryCode=4185&)

Over the years, Pineda would visit Hong Kong and jam with his friends, do short singing stints at community events, or perform solo, like the one he did last January at the Dog House in Tsimshatsui.

HKMU chair Manuela Lo

Lo said he will resume his world tour with Journey next month.

Pineda is not the only luminary to perform at the concert to mark a milestone in the Filipino community’s oldest organization.

Also part of the program are a motley of talents, including the Hong Kong Youth Jazz Orchestra with Taka Hirohama, Boyet Herrera and the ICEBOX Band, Chris Polanco & His Azucar Latina Band, Suzan Guterres, Anders Nelson, and two groups of selected HKMU artists.

Lo described Guterres as a popular TV personality in Hong Kong, and the daughter of a veteran singer who was also famous during her time. Nellson, Hirohama and Polanco are all popular performers who are active supporters of HKMU.

The concert is a dream come true for Lo, who is on her third two-year term as HKMU chair.

“It has been tough putting it together, but we are determined to do it,” said Lo.

Organizing charity concerts is just one of the many challenges confronting Lo and the HKMU at the moment. Seven decades since it was founded, the Union is struggling to keep afloat, mainly because of the rapid drop in demand for live performances.

“Life has been tough in the music industry for the past few years. We are trying our best to find jobs for the other musicians and help them as much as we can,” said Lo.

Corollary to this is the Union’s effort to keep members within the fold so they could continue enjoying benefits, as well as the life insurance that assures their families of financial help in case of their untimely death.

Tough as the challenges are, Lo is resolute on forging ahead. She is now looking at offering more music courses at the HKMU’s clubhouse in Kowloon as a way to help both members and the Union financially.

Having gone this far, she is determined the HKMU, and the music it provides, must never end.