Consulate closes for the day because of typhoon

By The SUN

Photo taken from the Peak early this morning, when T8 was still in force (photo by Ednalyn Salvador)

The Consulate, through Consul General Raly Tejada, has announced that it will be closed today, Aug 19, and its services suspended “until further notice” as a result of Typhoon Signal No 9 being enforced across Hong Kong early this morning.

Typhoon Higos was expected to make landfall this morning but veered away as it made its way towards Guangdong.

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But the typhoon signal was lowered to 8 only at 7:40 am, then to No 3 just after 11am. All warning signals were lifted as of 1:20pm.

Congen Tejada said the Consulate will remain closed throughout the day, and all applicants who have scheduled appointments have been notified that they can choose any date after today to walk in for services.

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The typhoon also caused courts to close for the day. An announcement posted in the government’s website said that all court hearings that had been affected will be resumed tomorrow, Aug 20. Everyone due to attend court today should do so by 9:30am tomorrow.

However, court or tribunal registries and offices will open starting at 2pm this afternoon.

The Immigration Department also announced that emergency services will resume two hours after the cancellation of T8, which means, at around 1pm. Those provided by the Branch Offices, Registration of Persons Offices, Deaths Registries and Marriage Registries will resume at 2pm.

According to a government statement, seven people have sought medical treatment in public hospitals as of 11am today as a result of the typhoon. No serious injuries were reported.

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The 1823 Government Call Centre received 48 reports of fallen trees, while Leisure and Cultural Services Department received five of such reports. Two flooding cases were also reported, but none about landslips.

The Home Affairs Department reportedly opened 25 temporary shelters in various districts and 103 people sought refuge at the shelters.

Shortly after the typhoon signal was downgraded to 3, hundreds of people made their way to MTR stations and other modes of public transportation, to catch up with work. Most offices, including those in the private sector, opened in the afternoon.

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Trial set as ‘abused’ Filipino DH and ex-employer fail to settle claims dispute

By Vir B. Lumicao

Rosareal is shown with a big lump on her forehead in this photo taken just before she left Leung's house 2 years ago

The Labour Tribunal is set to hold a four-day trial in November of a Filipina domestic worker’s claim against her former employer whose partner allegedly tortured her and deprived her of six months’ wages nearly three years ago.

Lanie Grace Rosareal and her ex-employer, Leung Shet-ying, failed to settle their dispute at the hearing today, Aug. 18, so Presiding Officer W.K. Ling set down the trial from Nov 23 to 26.

Rosareal, 30, had originally sought more than $200,000 in unpaid wages, one month’s salary in lieu of notice, return air ticket and damages from her former employer, Leung Shet-ying.

She has been paid a total of $42,517 so far, but at today’s hearing, Leung, 66, offered only $5,000 more.

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For her part, Rosareal was willing to settle for an extra $12,000 as payment for arrears in wages and long service pay, as well as a one-way air ticket to her hometown costing $2,265.

After spending more than an hour trying to convince the two parties to settle their dispute, the presiding officer gave them a further 15 minutes to talk outside the courtroom.

When they returned, Leung told Ling that the claimant had rejected her offer.

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The presiding officer said she was suggesting that both parties settle instead of going to a trial because the amount being disputed was not big.

 

She reminded Leung in particular that in a trial, details of the case would again be brought back in the open, including the claimant’s allegation that she had been abused by the employer’s partner, Au Wai-chun.

In Rosareal’s case, Ling said her credibility would be put to test because she will not have a witness to support her allegations if she could not convince her former co-worker at Leung’s house to come to Hong Kong and testify.

Rosareal's notebook in which Au allegedly made her write down her 'mistakes' with corresponding penalties

Asked by Ling whether she has a new employer and if she would be allowed by the employer to attend the trial, Rosareal said yes. She said her employer knows about her case.

The police investigation of Rosareal’s complaint and the ensuing prosecution of Leung by the Immigration and Labour Departments held up the hearing of her claim for nearly two years.

Leung was charged along with Au in Shatin court on 11 charges or failing to pay wages on time, and four counts of abetting illegal work. Prosecutors alleged that the two had forced Rosareal do illegal work in the house of Au’s son.

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The charges were subsequently dropped against Au, while Leung pleaded guilty to all the 15 counts of labour and immigration offences.

On Nov. 4, Leung was sentenced to 160 hours of community service and fined a total of $33,000.  She was also ordered to pay Rosareal $39,617 in compensation.

When the hearing of her labour case resumed on Jun 8, Presiding Order Timon Shum restored Rosareal’s compensation claim and allowed her to present a witness to back up her abuse allegation.

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Rosareal said she would try to convince her former co-worker, Rowela Suete, to return to Hong Kong and act as her witness.

The abuses that Rosareal claimed she suffered at the hands of Au resurfaced when Shum began ticking off the seven claims the helper filed against her former employer.

At the initial hearing of her claim at the Labour Tribunal in January 2018, Rosareal accepted just over $2,400 in unpaid wages and the cost of the return air ticket from Leung.

She asked then that her remaining claims be put on hold pending the police investigation of her complaint that Au, 67, had subjected her to physical and mental abuse, and Leung did not do anything to stop her partner. 

She fled their house on Nov. 17, 2017 along with Suete, who initiated sending out appeals for help via social media.

Rosareal said in her claim that after Leung had paid her salary for the last six months of her employ, Au took it all back as “penalty” for supposed infractions, such as failing to take the thread out of an underwear, or scowling when scolded.

She presented as evidence a notebook in which Au had made her list down her “mistakes” with the corresponding penalty, along with handwritten notes on how the maid could improve her work.

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3 hikers are fined $2k each for not wearing face masks

By The SUN

Hikers like these ones in Mount Parker, must all wear masks, no matter the weather 

or the difficulty of the climb (file photo)

Everyone who goes outdoors, even hikers in some remote areas of the New Territories,  must observe the strict new measures put in place to control the spread of the novel coronavirus.

This seems to be the message from the Hong Kong Police, who disclosed today, Aug 18, that three hikers in Sai Kung were issued with penalty tickets, each costing $2,000, for not wearing masks last Sunday, Aug 16.

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The previous Sunday, two hikers in Tseung Kwan O were also penalized for the same offence, while five others were fined for violating the rule that provides that no more than two people can gather in public.

The moves were part of stricter police enforcement of social distancing and other measures imposed to contain the spread of the virus.

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The gathering ban and the requirement to wear masks in all public areas are contained in Cap 599 of the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance, which has just been extended for another week from tomorrow.

A police spokesman, however, said, that no similar operation was conducted in the popular gathering places of foreign domestic helpers, unlike the previous Sunday, when dozens of officers descended on Chater Road and Statue Square in Central.

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A total of nine Filipinos were issued penalty tickets in Central that day for violating the gathering ban. A Pakistani was also penalized for not wearing a mask.

The sweeping operation on Aug 9 came under heavy criticism from migrant workers groups who called it discriminatory as it targeted only FDHs and not locals, who could also be seen violating the gathering ban.

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For his part, Labour Legislator Fernando Cheung said the police operation did not make sense, as it involved about 50 officers going together to the targeted areas to tell people not to gather in big groups.

Migrant support organizations also decried that officers told them to “go home” at 5pm, and tried to drive them away from their meeting places when they did not violate any law.

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Filipina DH who tests positive during quarantine is among 36 new Covid-19 cases

By The SUN

The Filipina  patient who arrived on Aug 7 tested negative twice earlier : in Manila and HK

A Filipina domestic helper who tested positive for the coronavirus disease 10 days after arriving from Manila is among 36 new cases reported today, Aug 18.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said the 36-year-old Filipina arrived on Aug 7, “and tested positive on second sample.”

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That means, the Filipina would have tested negative twice, in Manila before boarding her flight; and second, on arrival at Hong Kong International Airport, where she should have waited for her test result before being allowed to undergo the 14-day hotel quarantine.

Travel restrictions imposed since Jul 25 requires all travelers from the Philippines and six other high-risk countries for the virus to present a negative test result for Covid-19 before being allowed to board their flights to Hong Kong.

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The Filipina was the only imported case reported today. Of the 35 local cases, 29 were linked to previous infections, all but two of them from family clusters. The six others were of unknown origin.

A 95-year-old patient at Princess Margaret Hospital was the 70th to die from Covid-19 in HK

The death toll now stands at 71. A 95-year-old male patient passed away at 5:55am today at Princess Margaret Hospital, while a 64-year-old woman succumbed to the disease at Queen Elizabeth Hospital at 5:58 this afternoon.

A security guard assigned to terminal 2 of the Kwai Chung container terminal where more than 60 other infections have been recorded, tested preliminary positive today.

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The patient was among 2,600 staff at the container port who returned sample bottles after the outbreak, traced to the temporary living quarters provided to people on overnight shifts.

More than 50 of the cases occurred at the Wang Kee company, which has suspended operations as of Monday to contain the spread of the virus.

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Also testing preliminary positive was a 65-year-old man who was admitted to the surgical ward of the Yan Chai Hospital on Aug 15, after complaining of abdominal pain. He was moved to an isolation room after he developed a fever on Aug 17.

Six other patients who shared the ward with the patient will be put under quarantine, while seven medical staff who looked after him while wearing the standard PPE will be pub under medical surveillance.

As of 9am today, 78 more patients have been discharged, raising the total recoveries to 3,677.

There are still a total of 751 patients confined in 19 public hospitals and the treatment facility at AsiaWorld-Expo: 31 are in critical condition, 38 are serious, and 682 are in stable condition.

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T8 signal now in force as tropical cyclone moves closer to HK

The Observatory says Tropical Storm Higos has picked up speed as it moves towards HK

By The SUN

The Hong Kong Observatory hoisted the No 8 typhoon signal at 10:40 tonight, as Tropical Storm Higos gets more intense as it moves closer to the city.

The Thunderstorm Warning has been issued, and will remain in force until 1am tomorrow.

In its latest weather bulletin, the Observatory said that strong to gale force winds can be expected overnight, but they will moderate later during the day. Seas will be very rough with swells.

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Isolated squally thunderstorms are expected to occur over Hong Kong, as Higos moves  across the northern part of the South China Sea towards western Guangdong.

The Observatory raised Strong Wind Signal No 3 at 2:20pm earlier today, as it noted that Higos was picking up speed.

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This meant that winds with mean speeds of 41 to 62 kilometres per hour could be expected. Objects that could be blown away must be securely fastened. People should stay away from the shoreline and not engage in water sports.

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The Observatory says Higos will move to within 150 km of Hong Kong by tonight, and strong winds are expected until early tomorrow. It is expected to intensify gradually as it moves towards the coast of western Guangdong.

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Temperatures will range between 25 and 29 degrees. At 10pm the temperature was 26 degrees celcius and the relative humidity was 94 percent.

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HK extends social distancing rules, saying Covid-19 situation still highly severe

By The SUN

Govt warns of 'explosive community outbreak' if the virus spread is not contained  

Hong Kong will again extend its social distancing measures for seven days from Wednesday, Aug 19 to next Tuesday, Aug 25, as the government admits the latest novel coronavirus outbreak in the city remains highly severe.

The government today gazetted the extension of the most severe gathering restrictions it has imposed to date under the Prevention and Control of Disease legislation for businesses, group gathering and the wearing of masks in public.

Under the rules, no more than two persons may gather in public; all individuals must wear a mask in public, whether indoor or outdoor, including on all public transportation; and all dine-ins after 6pm will not be allowed in restaurants.

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Public amusement places such as games centers, bathhouses, fitness centers, party rooms, beauty parlors, clubs or nightclubs, karaoke establishments, mahjong-tin kau premises, massage parlors, swimming pools and gyms will remain closed.

Likewise, facilities run by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department where large groups gather such as beaches, barbecue pits, hiking trails, sports stadiums and the like will continue to be off-limits.

A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau noted that while the number of new cases daily has dropped from its peak in late July, it remains at a high level with the seven-day average still higher than the peak of the second wave in March to April.

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The spokesman also pointed out that unlike the previous outbreak which largely involved imported cases, the new wave is characterized mainly by community infection spread out across various places and sectors.

“The latest virus strain is observed to have higher transmissibility, and its spread to elderly homes and elderly or chronic disease patients has brought about a rising mortality rate,” said the spokesperson.

 

The high mortality rate among elderly patients is also causing concern

“The occurrence of new and growing clusters in settings such as dormitories for foreign domestic helpers and a workplace for port workers suggests that the risk of an explosive community outbreak and a rebound of the epidemic situation remains considerably high.”

The statement pointed out that up to 40% of the new infections are from unknown sources, suggesting that there are a lot of asymptomatic carriers in the community.

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Another worrying factor is the slow decline of the third wave, despite the most stringent border control and social distancing measures ever imposed since mid-July.  This suggests the third wave of the epidemic, the most severe Hong Kong has experienced, is far from over, the government said. 

The extended measures include restricting the number of diners to no more than 50% of a restaurant’s seating capacity, with a maximum of two people being allowed to sit together at each table. Live performance and dancing as well as karaoke and mahjong-tin kau activities will be suspended.

In addition, patrons of dining establishments must wear a mask at all times, except when eating or drinking. Staff must screen the body temperature of all customers and provide them with hand sanitizer; and keep tables 1.5 meters apart or effectively partitioned.

Catering businesses exempted from the requirements are those selling or supplying food or drink for consumption in their premises in hospitals, residential care homes, treatment centers, boarding schools, premises controlled or managed by the government, and premises that have been built for use as a private dwelling.

Also exempted are those that cater to staff at the airport and the aviation industry; staff canteens of MTR Corp, franchised bus companies, tunnel operators and franchisees, container terminal operators as well as at the Hong Kong Sports Institute; business catering for welfare services for persons with disabilities, elderly, children and youth, and other disadvantaged groups run by NGOs that provide meals or food and drinks on premises.  

Public amusement places such as games centers, bathhouses, fitness centers, party rooms, beauty parlors, clubs or nightclubs, karaoke establishments, mahjong-tin kau premises, massage parlors, sports premises, beaches, barbecue pits and swimming pools will remain closed.

Those exempted from closure of massage establishments include government-maintained or registered hospitals or maternity homes and military hospitals or maternity homes of the Hong Kong Garrison.

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Nearly half of all adults in Philippines were jobless last month, SWS survey shows

By The SUN

Nearly half of all employed Filipinos have lost their jobs mainly because of the pandemic crisis

A record 45.5% of all adults in the Philippines were jobless in July 2020, a survey by the Social Weather Station (SWS) shows.

The figure was a full 28 points higher than the 17.1% posted in December 2019. This means that the actual number of adults without a job in the Philippines now is 27.3 million, compared with only 7.9 million in December last year.

Half of the unemployed respondents lost their jobs or livelihood during the coronavirus crisis, according to the survey. The other half were displaced even before the pandemic.

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The data was collected from a national mobile phone survey conducted by SWS from Jul 3-6 this year, the result of which was published yesterday, Aug 16.

The biggest number of the unemployed came from Luzon (excluding the NCR), 23 percent; followed by Visayas, 19 percent; Mindanao, 19 percent; and Metro Manila, 18 percent.

Among the newly unemployed are the hundreds of thousands of displaced overseas Filipino workers. A news release issued by the Department of Labor and Employment also yesterday showed that more than 600,000 OFWs have lost their jobs because of the global crisis due to the pandemic.

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The statement said a total of 604,403 OFWs had sought DOLE’s cash aid as of Aug 15 after losing their jobs. 

Of these, more than half are still at their jobsites, unable to return home due to travel restrictions or repeated flight cancellations. The others have already been repatriated, or flew home on their own.

Last month, official figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the unemployment rate for the first quarter of the year rose to 17.7 percent, accounting to 7.3 million unemployed Filipinos by April 2020.

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The PSA said then that this was a record high, reflecting the effects of the economic shutdown due to Covid-19. In comparison, the jobless rate for the last quarter of 2019 was 5.3 percent.

In addition, the PSA said the labor participation of Filipinos 15 years and older is just 55.6 percent in April 2020, the lowest ever recorded in the country.

However, the SWS study showed the adult labor force (18 years old and above) participation rate for July was 86.4%, for an estimated 60.0 million adults.  This is an increase from 68.7% in December 2019, for an estimated 45.5 million adults.

Adults who are jobless are defined as those who voluntarily left their jobs, are seeking jobs for the first time, or those who lost their jobs due to economic hardship.

The survey, conducted through phne a mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing of 1,555 adult Filipinos, also showed that those who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 crisis was highest in Balance Luzon (23 percent), followed by Visayas (19 percent), Mindanao (19 percent), and Metro Manila (18 percent).

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Pagnanakaw ng mga Pinoy, anino ng nagaganap sa pamahalaan

Marami sa ating mga kababayan ang nagugulat dahil nitong mga nakalipas na mga araw at buwan ay sunud-sunod ang napapabalitang mga kasambahay na Pilipino na nahuling nagnakaw ng malalaking halaga ng pera o alahas mula sa kanilang mga amo.

Karamihan sa mga nakabasa sa mga balitang nakalap namin sa mga korte ng Hong Kong ay halos hindi makapaniwala na ganoon kalalaki ang halaga ng kinulimbat ng kanilang mga kababayan at kapwa kasambahay.

Nagtataka sila kung bakit nagawa iyon ni Ate, kung ano ang nagtulak sa kanya upang magnakaw at lalo pang ipapahiya ang ating lahi sa mga tagarito.

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Mayroon ding nagsasabi na baka napagbintangan lang si Kabayan tulad ng nangyari sa ibang mga kasambahay na ginawan ng kaso ng mga amo nila sa di malinaw na dahilan.

Ang nakakagulat sa mga kaso ng pagnanakaw na isinampa laban sa mga kababayan natin nitonng mga nakalipas na araw o buwan ay kinasasangkutan ng malalaking halaga ng pera at mga personal na ari-arian ng mga biniktima nila.

Sa nakalipas na anim na taong sinusubaybayan namin ang mga kasong isinasampa sa korte laban sa mga kababayan natin ay nitong mga nakalipas na buwan lang nagkaroroon ng malalaking halagang tulad ng nababalita sa mga pahayagan ngayon.

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Kami man ay nagtataka kung bakit nagkaganoon. Dati-rati ay maliliit na halaga lamang ang kinukuha ng mga nasasakdal sa kanilang mga amo, at bihirang umabot iyon sa $10,000. Ngayon ay parang pangkaraniwan na ang humihigit sa $50,000 ang nakawan.

Hindi namin isinasama rito ang maliliit na nakawan sa mga supermarket, mga pandurukot sa matataong lugar, at yaong pagdagit sa mga kagamitang tulad ng cellphone at iba pa.

At tinutukoy namin ay yaong mga nakawang naganap sa mismong bahay ng mga amo, dahil doon nakatira sa mismong bahay ng biktima ang nasasakdal.

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Ang mga ganitong nakawan ay may mabigat na kaparusahan kaysa sa iba dahil kasangkot dito ang “breach of trust” o pagsira sa tiwala ng amo. Ang biktima ay nagtiwala sa tao, pinatuloy ito sa kanyang bahay, binigyan ng trabaho, pagkain at kalinga habang ito ay nasa malayo at naghahanapbuhay para sa kanyang pamilya.

Mahirap ipaliwanag kung bakit sa kabila ng pagpapatuloy at pagbibigay ng trabaho ng mga amo sa isang dayuhan ay nagagawa niya silang biktimahin. Tandaan natin na ang mga nakawang ganito ay nagaganap kahit saan bansa, at maski sa mismong bayan natin.

Ang paliwanag ng mga psychologist ay isang sakit sa pag-iisip ang pagnanakaw, lalo na ang paulit-ulit na pang-uumit.

Ngunit ang ganitong uri ng sakit, na “kleptomania” sa wikang Ingles at binansagan nating “kati ng kamay,” ay kadalasang kinasasangkutan lamang ng maliliit na halaga.

Ayon sa mga psychologist, hangad lang ng tao na maibsan ang kagustuhang niyang magnakaw, kahi wala pang halaga ang makukulimbat niya.

Hindi natin masasabi na kleptomania ang nagbunsod sa mga kaso ng pagnanakaw kamakailan dahil sa laki ng mga halagang kinuha ng mga nasasangkot. Maliwanag na ang nag-udyok sa kanila ay kasakiman, at ito rin ang inamin nila sa pulisya.

Ano ang nagbunsod sa kanila upang magnakaw?

Maraming maaaring dahilan, tulad ng matinding pangangailangan. May mga taong nagnanakaw dahil nagugutom sila at ang kanilang pamilya. Mayroon ding nagnanakaw para lamang sa kasiyahang idinudulot niyon sa kanila.

May nagnanakaw upang may ibabayad sa utang, na nagsimula sa pagsunod sa mga luho, o pagkakalulong sa masasamang bisyo tulad ng sugal, droga at pambababae o panlalalaki.

May mga natutukso dahil sa nakikita nilang kayamanang abot-kamay nila, ang pera at alahas ng mga taong pinaglilingkuran nila. Marami kasambahay dito ang nagsasabing pakalat-kalat lang ang pera at alahas ng mga amo nila sa bahay.

Nakasanayan kasi ng mga taga-Hong Kong na ilapag kung saan-saan sa loob ng bahay ang kanilang mga ari-arian dahil tiwala silang walang kukuha sa mga iyon. Ang turo kasi sa kanila mula pa sa pagkabata ay huwag kukuha ng bagay na hindi sa kanila.

Taliwas ang aral na ito sa nakasanayan sa Pilipinas na kapag ang isang bagay ay nakitang pakalat-kalat sa kalsada, sa sasakyan o sa pasyalan ay iniuuwi at inaangkin ito ng nakapulot at sasabihing pang ito ay hulog ng langit.

Itinuturo rin naman sa mga mag-aaral sa Pilipinas na huwag aangkin ng mga bagay na hindi sa atin. Ngunit ang pangaral na ito ay hindi isinasapuso ng mga taong dapat ay siyang mangunguna sa pagsunod dito.

Nakikita ng mga mamamayan na ang mismong mga opisyal ng pamahalaan ay nagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan sa iba’t ibang paraan.

Hangga’t hindi nawawala ang masamang ehemplo ng mga namumuno ay may idadahilan ang mga magnanakaw upang gayahin sila sa sariling bayan o sa ibang bansa.

Samakatwid, kailangang-kailangan ng bansang Pilipino ang malinis na pamumuno. -- Ni Vir B. Lumicao

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