LET results out, HK teachers ‘shocked’ at low pass rate

Happy faces at the LET 2018 review in Bayanihan Centre. Lauraya is in front, with glasses 

By Vir B. Lumicao

The results of last September’s Licensure Examination for Teachers have already been released by the Professional Regulation Commission, and the low pass rate is bringing a sense of foreboding to the teachers’ group that helps administer the test in Hong Kong.

“Kaka-shock, kokonti pa lang nag-message sa akin,” Gemma Aquino Lauraya, president of the National Organization of Teachers said in a chat message. “Meron naman nag-message sa akin, iilan lang sila. Dati andami na pag ganito.”

The PRC said that out of the 90,750 who took the LET in the elementary level overall, only 18,409 or 20.29% passed the board exam. The result is comparatively much better in the secondary level, where 60,803 takers, or 48.03% of the total 126,582 takers, passed the exam.

No separate results for Hong Kong have yet been posted.

Lauraya attributed the poor results to various factors, such as the high passing mark of 75% set by the exam administrator, and the inadequate preparation by the examinees because, she said, the test required more academic brush-up.

The NOPT HK head also pointed to the high standard of competency that the Licensure Board has set, especially for generalist teachers, those aspiring to teach in the country’s public elementary schools.

“Malaking factor din po yong takers mismo, lalo dito sa Hong Kong. Andun po ang taker's educational background din, lalo na ngayong 21st century na ang standard.”

She said the poor results also boiled down to the examinees’ preparedness and attitude.

“Concentration, determination and strong will po kasi yan, eh, hindi lang naman sa review center o mentor nila,” Lauraya said.

She also said that the examinees possibly were not equipped with the desired learning competencies that they should have.

Still, she said, those who passed from Hong Kong deserved a big congratulations, considering the comparative difficulty they face in preparing for the exam. Most, if not all, are employed as domestic helpers.

“Congratulations to all passers, and to those who failed, better luck next time! Make sure to review or study hard before taking the exams,” she said.

A total of 608 examinees took the Special Board Licensure Board Examination for teachers held at the Delia Memorial School Hip Wo in Kwun Tong on Sept 30.

For the first time, an OFW working in mainland China joined the 319 elementary and 289 secondary school examinees who took the annual test. Two traveled from Macau the night before to make sure they were at the venue before 6am, when the exam started.

Cold spell to hit HK over weekend

Newly arrived migrant workers get free warm clothes from  the Domestic Workers Corner ahead of the cold snap

The SUN HK

The BRRRR days are here again in Hong Kong, with temperatures expected to plunge this weekend, and will remain low until the rest of the week.

The forecast is for a low of 12 to 13 degrees starting tomorrow, Saturday. Sunday will be even cooler, with temperatures in the range of 13 to 16 degrees. On Monday, the mercury will dip even more, to between 12 and 16 degrees.

Rainy weather over the past several days have contributed to the onset of the cold weather.

“The northeast monsoon associated with the cold front is bringing appreciably cooler and rainy weather to Guangdong,” said the HK Observatory.

At noon today, the temperatures around most parts of the territory were reportedly four degrees lower that yesterday.

The Observatory said the day will remain cloudy with a few rain patches, but will become “significantly” cooler by tomorrow, until the middle of next week.

Temperatures will rise again by the weekend of Dec 15 and 16, hitting a maximum of 21 degrees on Saturday, and 23 on Sunday.

But for now, it’s time to bring out those thick jackets again.

Pinay claiming death threats from creditors fails to stop deportation order

Bansiles failed to bring her case to the Court of Final Appeal

By The SUN

A Filipina former domestic worker who claims to be in deathly fear of her creditors has failed in her bid to go to Hong Kong’s highest court to seek a judicial review of Immigration’s decision to deport her.

In its written judgment issued on Dec. 3, the Court of Appeal said Jamaicha Bansiles’ application failed to set out any question for determination by the Court of Final Appeal.

Justices Peter Cheung, Carlyle Chu and Aarif Barma noted that leave to go to the Court of Final Appeal may be granted only if the question involved was of great general or public importance.

Bansiled had filed her leave to apply for a new leave to appeal on Oct 3, or just a week after the CA ruled that there were no reasons to disturb Judge Bruno Chan’s rejection of her grounds for the intended judicial review.

The CA said Bansiles’ claim was not reasonably arguable and had no prospect of success.

Among Bantiles’ claims was that the Director had ignored “overwhelming evidence of violence against minorities,” that he had been biased, and had relied merely on country of origin information and not on her actual situation.

Bansiles, who came to Hong Kong in November 2006 to work as a domestic worker, remained and overstayed her visa after she was fired in April 2007. She was arrested by the police on Mar 15, 2009.

She filed a torture claim in 2009, but the director rejected it in October 2012 and her appeal to the Torture Claims Appeal Board was refused in February 2013.  But on Oct 17, 2014, the Court of Appeal allowed a judicial review and her torture claim was sent to the director for reconsideration.



Bansiles said she feared she would be harmed or killed by two people for failing to repay loans.

On Jan. 6, 2017 the Immigration director rejected Bansiles’ claim, after deciding that the risk of harm from her creditors was low. She appealed to the TCAB, but the board also refused her claim, so she went to the High Court.



On Mar 9 this year, Judge Chan dismissed the application saying the grounds were not properly supported and he was not satisfied a judicial review would succeed. 

From beauty pageants, Global Alliance shifts to livelihood training

Selomenio shakes the blues away at GA's anniversary& Christmas party

By The SUN

Global Alliance chair Leo Selomenio, who has renounced the holding of beauty pageants featuring Filipina domestic workers, says her group is shifting to livelihood projects that will showcase the talent of OFWs.

The star of “Sunday Beauty Queen”, an award-winning documentary on Hong Kong-based Filipina domestic helpers who join beauty pageants, said her 30-member alliance has proposed the holding of livelihood training courses to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office.

“Ngayong totally nag-switch out na kami sa beauty pageants, nag-shift na kami sa livelihood. May nai-propose na kami kay Labatt (Jalilo dela Torre), yung training for hairstyling, tapos yung make-up,” Selomenio told The SUN in an interview of the sidelines of Global Alliance’s third anniversary celebration on Dec 2.

She said the group already has trainers to handle the hairstyling and make-up courses.

GA has also proposed a jewelry design training and other art-related short courses that would harness the talent of Filipina helpers, Selomeno said.

“The way na kung paano naming nai-promote ang tourism, siguro sa Independence Day mag-showcase kami ng mga costumes from the Philippines through modeling lang…pero yung sabihin mong magkaron din ng beauty pageant, hindi na,” she said.

She said her group would also focus on talent-based contests similar to “Talentadong Pinoy” so that domestic workers could showcase their varied talents.

For years, Selomenio’s group had focused on holding beauty pageants for OFWs, an activity that had reaped criticism and opposition from various sectors, especially in the wake of the spread of photos from a sleazy beauty contest held in Wanchai recently.

But the success of “Sunday Beauty Queen” in the Manila Film Festival, where it won the Best Movie Award, appeared to have softened the negative the stance of Consulate officials toward beauty pageants.

That is, until pictures of the lewd Wanchai pageant held on Nov. 18 spread like wildfire on social media.

Labatt Dela Torre condemned the show as commoditizing and debasing Filipinas, and called its organizer to his office to explain why she staged the pageant. The organizer subsequently issued a public apology over the incident.

Labatt also called on corporate sponsors to withdraw support so that the contests will die a natural death.

Selomenio also slammed the show as offensive to the Filipinas’ image before announcing that GA would stop holding beauty pageants. Her decision stirred a storm that subjected her to bashing on social media by other OFW groups.

On Dec 2, however, Labatt Dela Torre congratulated GA’s decision.

“Pinupuri ko ang desisyon ng Global Alliance at ng mga member organizations nito na magbago ng direksiyon at ipatigil na itong kahiya-hiyang parte ng pagku-conduct ng beauty contest,” Labatt Dela Torre said, as he pledged POLO’s full support.

“Sisikapin ko na mabigyan kayo ng alternative, decent ways of showcasing the skills and talents of our Filipinas here in Hong Kong rather than shows that commoditize and debase our women,” he said.

He said these beauty contests are doing more harm than good to the community. “Karamihan nangungutang na lang para makasali sa beauty contests.”

Leaders of various member groups pledged their support to Global Alliance and tearfully defended the embattled Selomenio against her bashers. Corporate sponsors who attended the celebration at the Queensway Plaza rooftop also promised their continued support.