Relief as Filipina gets visa extension after unwittingly overstaying for 5 months

By Vir B. Lumicao

Albo on a recent hike. She wasn't aware she had been in HK illegally for 5 months

While Filipina helper and avid photo bug Thonie Albo was going up trails in Hong Kong’s countryside recently, she did not realize that she was already staying in Hong Kong illegally. 

She only learned this when staff from an employment agency that was processing her new work contract informed her on Jul 18 that she had already breached immigration laws by overstaying her employment visa.

It turned out her former employer had neglected to inform the Immigration Department that Albo had reconsidered her resignation in February.

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Albo, 40, was confident that her visa was still valid because she herself had sent the department a letter in February canceling her resignation notice as her employer had pleaded with her to stay on until her contract expires.

For some reason that letter did not reach Immigration so Albo didn’t know that her visa was cancelled 14 days after her notice period had lapsed.

After being assured by a friend that she should be able to sort out her problem as she had documents to prove her case, Albo went to the Immigration Tower in Wanchai to explain her side.

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She told the officer that she was prevailed upon by her employer to finish her contract on Aug. 8, and not leave on Mar 20 as she had stated in her notice of termination.

Albo told the officer she sent a letter to Immigration also in February, asking the department to cancel her termination notice. She showed the officer a copy of that letter.

But the officer was still not satisfied. He gave Albo a form to fill and instructed her to ask her employer for a longer written explanation on what happened.

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Early yesterday afternoon, Albo returned to the Immigration Department with the required documents. By 4pm, she was already on her way home with a new visa that is valid until Aug 11.

It turned out Albo’s employer did not notify Immigration about the cancellation of the termination notice as she wanted the helper to sign up for a new contract.

After failing to convince Albo to stay on, the employer then refused to give her an early release, even if she said she wanted to use her 14 days’ annual leave.

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The helper said the employer did not even look concerned when informed by Albo last Saturday evening about her having overstayed.

“Ayaw pa nga akong pagreportin, feeling po niya hindi urgent. Sabi ko huhulihin na ako ng pulis,” the maid said.

(She didn’t even want me to report back (to Immigration), she feels it wasn’t urgent. I told her, the police are about to arrest me)

Albo said that midway through her two-year contract, she had already thought of leaving because of a lack of sleep, her employer’s tantrums and lack of concern for her.

“Ni hindi man lang nila ako kinuhanan ng health insurance. Ako naman ang mag-suffer kung di ako lilipat,” she said when asked why she was leaving the employer and her two and a half year ward.

(She didn’t take out a health insurance for me. I would have suffered if I didn’t leave).

With Aug 8 barely three weeks away, Albo is excited at finally moving on to her next employers, an Indian family.

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Covid-19 cases in HK hit daily high of 113

By The SUN

 

Public hospitals are now 75% full because of the spike in the number of cases

Hong Kong recorded 113 new Covid-19 cases today, Jul 22, the biggest single-day tally since the outbreak began in January this year. The latest figure topped the previous record of 108 cases reported on Sunday.

The historic number was announced as Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan unveiled more stringent measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus, and warned of further restrictions if the infection tally continues to rise.

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Chan said the stricter measures would focus on social distancing, but did not rule out a lockdown, even if a government statement issued only yesterday said this was “fake news.”

“Whether there will be a lockdown depends on the entire situation. We are looking at some of the international practices. We also have to balance people’s basic daily needs in Hong Kong,” she said.

 

Dr Chan now says a lockdown cannot be discounted if the surge in cases continues

The new measures announced today include requiring travelers from the United States and Kazakhstan to test negative for the virus no longer than 72 hours prior to flying in.

They will also have to show proof that they they have confirmed bookings in a hotel in Hong Kong for their mandatory 14-day quarantine, before being allowed to board their flights.

The new travel restriction takes effect on Jul 29.

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The same requirement was previously imposed on travelers flying in from seven countries deemed as high risk for the virus - the Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and South Africa. Those coming from these places will have to comply with the pre-boarding requirements starting this Saturday, Jul 25.

Among the new cases today which took Hong Kong’s total tally to 2,132 were eight imported cases.

Four of these flew in from Manila, three domestic helpers and one seafarer. Two were cargo plane crew from India and Kazakhstan, and two were returnees from the U.S.

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Of the 105 local cases, 42 had links to previous cases, including family members and friends of the infected patients. The sources of the remaining 63 were unknown.

The untraceable cases include a chef at Pottinger Hotel in Central, a kindergarten teacher in To Kwa Wan, two secondary teachers (from Po Leung Kuk Pershing Tsang School and St Clare’s Girls Schoo), a nurse at St Paul’s Hospital and a staff in an eye specialist centre, both in Causeway Bay.

There was also a cleaner at the Salvation Army elderly home, a lawyer who visited the reception counter at the Correctional Services Deparment, and a taxi driver.

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Among the linked cases are two patients at Queen Elizabeth Hospital who tested positive after being isolated as close contacts of a previously confirmed patient; and an outpatient at the physiotherapy department of Northern Hospital, whose family member was also infected.

Two separate incidents at two hospitals also caused concern. In the first case, a patient who was in an isolation room at Princess Margaret became emotional, and a nurse who helped restrain him dislodged her N95 mask. In the other case, a patient vomited on the hand of a support staff at Tuen Mun Hospital. Both staff were isolated as close contacts.

There were also new cases in the restaurant clusters. Three more patients were linked to the Pier Market in Grand Tower in Mong Kok, another three went to a different branch of the restaurant on the same day.

There was a new case linked to Fulum Palace in Sha Tin, and another to Victoria Harbour Restaurant at MetroPark Hotel in Mong Kok.

Virus hotspot Tsz Wan Shan also had five new cases of people who work at a restaurant, a hair salon, as well as the wet market there.

The Broadway shop at Plaza Hollywood was the link to two more cases – one staff member, and another who recently bought a telephone at the store.,

Another employee at Novotel Citygate hotel in Tung Chung also tested positive.

Dr Linda Yu of the Hospital Authority said that there are 645 patients currently confined at 14 hospitals. Twenty-nine of them are in critical condition, 14 are in serious condition, and 62 are stable.

The usage rate for the negative pressure beds has reached 75.4%, and the HA is making final preparations for setting up new facilities in case a new surge in cases result in a shortage of isolation rooms.

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Agencies urge Covid-19 test validity for FDWs extended to 7 days

By Daisy CL Mandap

Most Philippine testing centers guarantee results upwards of 3 days

A group of employment agencies has called on the Hong Kong government to extend to seven days the validity of the Covid-19 testing for Filipino and Indonesian domestic workers who will fly in from Jul 25, from the current 72 hours.

The Hong Kong Union of Employment Agencies said in a press release issued on Jul 20 that the requirement was not realistic as most swab tests carried out overseas are not released within 72 hours.

In the Philippines, most hospitals that do Covid-19 testing send back test results no earlier than three days. Only Makati Medical Center guarantees a result within two days, at a cost of Php8,150.

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The Philippine Red Cross, which charges the cheapest fee of between Php1158 and Php4,000, takes a week to send the test result.

The agencies said that the 7-day validity is in line with the standard set by the neighboring city of Guangdong.

Even if some tests results are released within 48 hours, the statement said the time left for employers to confirm the worker’s ticket and hotel booking for quarantine is too short.

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Should the worker fail to meet the requirement in time and misses her flight, the employer will end up shouldering a huge cost.

In the  HKUEA's estimate, the total cost for the failed test fee, cancelled flight and hotel booking would amount to around $10,000.

 

HKUEA earlier called on the government to provide a centralized quarantine facility for FDWs

Because of such problems, the Union predicted that the FDW deployments to Hong Kong will fall sharply, despite the strong demand from employers, and the sending countries might also stop sending their workers here.

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The new travel restrictions for people flying into Hong Kong from seven countries including the Philippines, were published in the Official Gazette on Jul 18, as part of cross-border regulations to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The other countries affected previously described by government as “high risk” for Covid-19 are Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and South Africa.

Aside from testing negative for the virus within the prescribed time before the flight, the worker must also present a certificate that the laboratory that conducted the test was accredited by the government.

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Also required is proof of confirmation of a hotel booking in Hong Kong for no less than 14 days, the required period for the mandatory quarantine.

The new restrictions were drawn up in the wake of a number of travelers from the affected countries testing positive for Covid-19 on arrival at Hong Kong Airport.

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Maid in deep worry as male friend uses her ATM card to move $1.2m

By Vir B. Lumicao

Some of the more popular online dating sites

Never lend your bank ATM card to anyone.

This was the advice Jennifer (not her real name), a Filipina domestic worker, heard from everyone when she realized too late that the card she had lent a male friend was being used in illicit cash transfers totaling more than $1.2 million.

Jennifer sought advice from a helpers’ online group in late June after receiving a phone call from her bank asking her if she had a joint account with another person. It turned out her ATM card had been used repeatedly by her online boyfriend for illegal money transfers.

The latest case emerged just two weeks after another Filipina, Estrella Gumabay, was jailed 12 months for her role in laundering nearly $1.6 million of suspected “love scam” money by lending her two ATM cards to a male friend she met online.

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Jennifer said in her online appeal for help that she was alerted to her boyfriend’s illicit activities after hearing from the bank. The group in turn referred her to The SUN, who helped her report the matter to the Consulate and the police.

Jennifer, who has been in Hong Kong for just three years, said she met the man on a dating site in late March this year.

About a month later, the man asked her to open a bank account, and then to lend him her ATM card, saying he needed a bank account from where he could draw his salary, but he didn’t have any in his name.

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Jennifer opened an account with $1,000 of her own money as opening deposit, then gave the ATM card to her friend. Soon after, large sums of money began moving in and out of her account.

For the period April 20- May 15 alone, more than $750,000 had passed through her savings account in amounts ranging from $100 to $50,000. Each time a large sum was deposited, it would almost be immediately withdrawn.

Then on May 21, a huge deposit of around $500,000 was made to her savings account, while a separate one for $20,000 was deposited into her current account.

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A deposit of $24,000 was made into the savings account a week later, but withdrawn the same day.

That was the last transaction made into her accounts, leaving the $20,000 in her current account before the money flow halted.

The police are now investigating.

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At least three other similar attempts to use Filipina helpers in money laundering were disclosed on the same online page, DWC Help Group, before Jennifer came forward.

But fellow workers who are aware of the scam warned the target Filipinas of the danger they would get into if they allowed their bank accounts to be used as conduits of money-laundering criminals.  

“Huwag kang papayag, Sis. Ikaw ang makukulong diyan,” warned one commenter.

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Govt quashes lockdown rumor as 61 new infections and 2 deaths reported

By The SUN

 

It's not true that a lockdown will be ordered in the next few days, says a government spokesman

The government has issued a press statement denying that it may impose a lockdown in the coming days amid a surge in Covid-19 cases.

The statement released today, Jul 21, said the rumor is unfounded.

“In view of the severity of the epidemic situation, we should fight the disease together. Members of the public should not be misled by fake news, nor should they spread any rumour that can lead to unnecessary fear,” the statement said.

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The statement came as health officials reported 61 new confirmed Covid-19 cases, one of the biggest daily tallies since the outbreak began in January. The total tally now stands at 2,019.

Two deaths were also reported within the day, which raised the total fatality rate to 14.

The first casualty was a 77-year-old male confirmed patient at Queen Mary Hospital in Pokfulam who passed away at around 2am today.

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Less than an hour later, a 87-year-old male patient who also had Covid-19 died at Prince of Wales Hospital in Shatin.

Both had chronic diseases but were in stable condition when admitted to hospital – the first on Jul 16 and the other on Jul 9.

An elderly male patient at Prince of Wales Hospital was among two deaths reported today

Among three imported cases today was a Filipino seafarer.

Talks of a lockdown began when a top microbiologist Prof Yuen Kwok-yung warned during a radio interview Monday that a “virtual lockdown” may be necessary if the coronavirus cases increase in the next week or so.

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Asked about the statement, Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection did not rule out more stringent measures if the number of cases continued to rise.

Sunday saw a record 108 confirmed cases being reported. Yesterday, 73 more positive cases were added to the total figure, the second highest on record.

As in the start of the month, when the so-called third wave of infections occurred, the cases were spread out across several districts in Hong Kong, and many had unknown origin.

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Today reflected the same phenomenon, with 58 local cases reported from various districts and establishments, and with many family members being infected at the same time.

Chuang said 34 of the cases had links to previous ones, but the source of the 24 others could not yet be determined.

Hospital Authority’s chief manager Linda Yu said that the surge in new cases was putting pressure on the city’s public hospitals. As of now, almost 70 percent of the isolation beds are occupied, and two hospitals are already near capacity.

“We are also worried. If the situation does not improve we will not have enough beds,” Yu said.

She also noted that 29 patients are now in critical condition, up from seven yesterday. A further 11 patients are seriously ill.

Chuang reiterated an appeal for people not to seek Covid-19 test if they do not have symptoms, to avoid overloading the public healthy system.

“If you have no symptoms and are just worried, please do not go tested because you will burden the medical system such that those who really need it have to wait longer,” she said.

The doctors also issued an appeal for blood donation, saying what is collected daily at the moment is not enough to meet the needs of the hospitals.

Among today’s cases were a number involving various hospitals. A patient at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital has tested positive, after staying in the same ward as an infected patient who was put there while recovering from an appendectomy.

A total of 40 health case staff and 33 patients have been tested after the incident, and all the results are negative.

At Ruttonjee Hospital, a patient who visited the endoscopy center on Jul 16 was diagnosed with the disease afterwards. Eight other patients who had been in the same ward were classified as close contacts, and were put under quarantine.

An 84-year-old patient in the general ward of Queen Elizabeth Hospital also tested preliminary positive today. A total of five cases have so far been linked to this cluster, which started with another elderly patient being put in a ward before being found to be infected.

Among the local cases with unknown source was a 64-year-old woman who accompanied residents of various elderly homes to hospitals. Her case is being investigated.

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Suspect in alleged staircase rape in Central alley charged in court

By The SUN

 

The alleged rape happened in an exit staircase of Fai Man building on Li Yuen Street West in Central

A man, described in a Chinese online media site as an African asylum seeker has been charged in Eastern Court of raping a Filipina domestic helper on Jul 1.

The defendant, Obi Collins, 36, was charged yesterday, Jul 20, before Magistrate Bina Chainrai following his arrest in Yuen Long last Friday.

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No plea was taken and the suspect was release on $10,000 bail. But she ordered him not to contact the prosecution witnesses, not to leave Hong Kong and to report to the police three times a week.

Chainrai adjourned the case until Sept 15 at the request of the prosecution, who said police were making further investigation.

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The alleged offence took place on the fifth floor exit staircase of Fai Man Building on 13 Li Yuen Street West. The incident was captured on video by an unknown person and was then freely circulated online.

The 38-year-old alleged victim, identified in the charge sheet as Miss X, was reportedly drunk at the time of the incident.

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Miss X reportedly went to the Central Police District to complain about the alleged rape, as well as the uploading of the video on the internet.

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The Philippine Consulate says it will extend assistance to the alleged victim.

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