2 FDWs found infected after compulsory tests in Yau Ma Tei building

By The SUN 

Shun On building in Yau Ma Tei where the 2 FDWs live with their employers

Two foreign domestic workers, one from the Philippines and another from Indonesia, were found positive of Covid-19 after undergoing compulsory testing in a Yau Ma Tei building where they live with their employers.

They were among 28 new coronavirus cases reported today, Jan 30.

The 47-year-old Filipina helper tested positive along with her 81-year-old female employer in their house in Shun On Building in Yau Ma Tei.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The 28-year-old Indonesian helper also lives in the same building.

All but two of the new infections were locally acquired. Of the two imported cases, one was a 47-year-old male cargo pilot who flew in from the United States. The other is a 31-year-old returnee who came from Pakistan via Dubai.

The local cases include 20 linked to previous infections, and six with unknown sources. More than 40 preliminary positive cases were also recorded.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The linked cases included five new ones at two construction sites at the airport’s third runway project, bringing to nine the total number of cases from that cluster.

Au says it's too early to say if the new wave of infections has peaked 

Dr Albert Au from the Centre for Health Protection said construction work at the two sites will be suspended to allow for thorough cleansing.

Around 3,000 workers there will be subjected to mandatory testing, while 60 others along with 20 of their family members will be moved to a quarantine center as a precaution.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Au said the virus might have spread in the changing rooms shared by the workers, although there is only a low risk of cross infection among them. The site is huge and is divided into different zones, in which contractors work in different areas.

Among the new local cases, eight were from Yau Tsim Mong District, five of which were from specified areas in Yau Ma Tei. There were six new cases in Kowloon City District, but none from Hung Hom. No new case was detected from Sham Shui Po.

CLICK FOR DETAILS

Among the untraceable cases is a nurse who works as a receptionist at an eye clinic in Champion Building in Jordan. People who have visited the clinic of Dr Lam Hok-suen between Jan 26 and 28 to get tested. The clinic will be closed for 14 days for disinfection.

Although the day’s total tally is low compared to previous days, Au said it is too early to day that the fourth wave of infections has peaked, as “the number of cases will fluctuate from day to day.”

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

With the approach of the Lunar New Year, he said there is still a risk of large-scale transmission if people attend gatherings.

He pointed out that in the past week, 40% of the new cases were of unknown sources, indicating there is still a lot of silent transmissions in the community.

Hong Kong’s total Covid-19 tally now stands at 10,400. Of the confirmed patients, 801 are being treated in 22 public hospitals and the treatment facility at AsiaWorld-Expo. Among them, 28 are in critical condition, 38 are in serious condition and the remaining 735 patients are in stable condition.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

CALL US NOW!

PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS

 

Filipina acquitted of theft gets back at accuser with labour claim

 By Vir B. Lumicao 

Liberty worked for the socialite employer for just 2 weeks 

Liberty is her name, and that was what she won after four long months spent behind bars for a crime she did not commit.

Filipina domestic helper Liverty Narcelles, who was acquitted on Jan 28 of a charge of stealing a $100,000 ring from her socialite employer in Stanley, says she is set to pursue a labor claim for all the money owed her, while slowly getting her life back to normal.

Narcelles, now on a six-day visitor visa, said she will file a claim against her employer, Chua Eh Fong for $6,000 as one month’s salary in lieu of notice, unpaid wages for eight days, plus a return air ticket.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, general manager of Mission for Migrant Workers, said her organization will help Narcelles pursue her claims at the Labour Department.

On the second day of her release from prison following her acquittal at Eastern Court, the 35-year-old Ilocana worker went to the Mission’s office at St John’s Cathedral on Garden Road to discuss her next move.

A day earlier, she spent half the day collecting her belongings at Chua’s house at Regalia Bay, Stanley, with the help of police escorts, who drove her afterwards to the Immigration Department headquarters in Wanchai to apply for a visa.

 

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

After about three hours at the Immigration, Narcelles was issued a six-day visitor’s visa. Then she was fetched in a car by her former employer and friend, Portia Cheung, and taken to the latter’s house in Saikung where she would stay for the time being.

“Wala pa po akong tulog, naninibago pa ako,” (I haven’t slept, I am still getting used to life outside), the worker said as she savored freedom after four-and-a-half months detained in Tai Lam, and then Lo Wu,  while her case was pending in court.

The prosecution had objected to granting her bail while she was in custody despite Cheung offering to bail her out since the worker’s first hearing in Eastern Court.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Cheung also visited her regularly in prison, and even bought her a change of clothes for her court appearance. Three of her closest friends also saw her during her darkest days.

But that is all behind her now.

“Sobrang happy and blessed. God is always good to me,” Narcelles said when asked how she felt after her court victory against her wealthy accuser. 

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

The feeling contrasted sharply with the despair she felt when Chua claimed she found her tourmaline-adorned ring in the helper’s luggage at mid-day on Sept 9.

Chua gave police spliced CCTV videos of the alleged theft 

 “Shocked po ako syempre at bakit may ring sa gamit ko,” Narcelles said. (I was shocked of course, because why was there a ring among my things?)

 What was clear from the video submitted to the police and played in court on the last day of her trial on Dec 31 was it was Chua who bended down to point out the ring among a handful of trinkets Narcelles held on her open palm.

 

CLICK FOR DETAILS

The helper said she was already in the process of returning all her things in her bags after Chua’s inspection, when the ring suddenly appeared.

 Asked how the ring ended up in her box of trinkets, Narcelles said, “I honestly do not know.”

Regalia Bay in Stanley, where the employer's family lives

Narcelles cried so much when the CCTV was played in court that Magistrate David Cheung to call a 10-minute recess so she could calm down. She cried again unabashedly on Thursday after the verdict, but this time it was tears of joy over her vindication.

 She said the first thing she did after getting hold of a phone yesterday was to call her 61-year-old mother and 65-year-old father to tell them about the good news. “Kahapon ko pa sila natawagan at sobrang happy po sila,” she said. (I called them yesterday and they were overjoyed).

This Sunday, she will go to church with her surrogate mom in Hong Kong, Remie Nidoy, one of the people who had always believed in her innocence. Narcelles is also thankful to

her cousin Izy Valdez and “kumare” Beverly for their help during her ordeal, and to Cheung who went all out to support her.

Narcelles said she hopes to sign up with a new employer after her labor claims are settled so she could continue to work in Hong Kong.

But she said it won’t be a bad idea either to return home and be back with her loved ones if she finds a decent-paying job there. Her husband is gainfully employed, and before coming to Hong Kong, she worked as an agent for the transfer of land titles.

While she is now ready to move on with her life, Narcelles couldn’t resist sending out a message to people who followed her ordeal.

“Sa lahat po ng taong nag-judge na guilty ako na hindi pa alam yung story, God bless po. At sa lahat ng naniwalang inosente ako at nag-pray para sa victory ko, thank you so much.” (To everyone who judged me guilty without knowing the real story, God bless. And to those who believed in my innocence and prayed for my victory, thank you so much).

PRESS FOR DETAILS

CALL US NOW!

PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS

Down but not out: Infected Pinay regains hope after getting help from kababayans

By Daisy CL Mandap 

'Liza' signs up with new employer, a day after testing negative for Covid-19

Many a migrant’s worst nightmare came true for 33-year-old Liza (not her real name) on Jan. 11, when she tested positive for Covid-19 while her visa status was in limbo.

Worse, after two weeks of stay at the community treatment facility at AsiaWorld-Expo, Liza was dealt another blow: her prospective employer backed out, and her employment agency hastily returned her passport, not wanting to have anything more to do with her.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Then, as she was checking out at the AWE facility, she got another shock. As she was already on visitor’s visa, she was billed a whopping $40,800 for her two-week stay there.

Liza said that since she had no symptoms, except for a slight sore throat, she got no treatment at the facility, but was only tested repeatedly until she showed two successive negative results. In all, she said she had two blood tests and four coronavirus tests before she was released.

CLICK FOR DETAILS

In her desperation, Liza sent an appeal for help via a private message to Rain Tuando, administrator of Domestic Workers Corner, who immediately shared it in one of her group’s Facebook accounts.

“Maam, what should I do po? Totoo po pala ang discrimination, ang sakit. Gustuhin ko man pong umuwi ng Pinas wala akong pera,” said Liza. (Discrimination is real, it hurts. Even if I want to go home, I can’t because I don’t have money).

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Her appeal was immediately met with messages of hope and encouragement from her fellow helpers. Tuando took a step further and linked Liza up with people who could offer help.

Through a go-between, Liza was assured by the Consulate of financial help from the Dole-Akap cash grants for overseas Filipino workers whose jobs had been adversely affected by the coronavirus. She was also told she could get the AWE bill waived with help from the social welfare department.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Others offered to look into how Liza could avail of the $5,000 financial help for Covid 19 patients that the Hong Kong government announced just a few months back.

But the biggest support so far came from the Mission for Migrant Workers, which gave Liza money to help pay for her own lodging space, so she need not worry about hiding her recent health problem from other people.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

At that time, Liza was staying temporarily in a shared room in Tsim Sha Tsui, and was so afraid of facing more discrimination that she did not dare share her brush with the coronavirus with the other people there.

Yet more good news came the following day, when Immigration extended Liza’s visa for another week so she could look for a new employer and process a new work contract here.

Pindutin para sa latest Winners!

Liza was overjoyed as she had technically overstayed her visa since Jan 22. She said she had to explain to an officer that she couldn’t apply for an visa extension, as she was at AWE then, being treated for Covid-19.

The next hurdle was getting swabbed again so she could present a negative test result to a recruiter as a first step towards getting a new employer.

Liza's bleak mood is shown by this only picture she took from her isolation room at AWE 

At first, Liza balked at having to revisit her worst nightmare, but her new positive outlook got her back on track soon enough.

“Pa swab test na po ako bukas. Kinabahan lang po ako noong una kasi bumabalik ang experience ko dati…pero I need to face it now,” she said in a message to a friend. (I will go for a swab test tomorrow. I just got nervous at first because my previous experience (with the virus) was all coming back…but I need to face it now).

But luck was back on her side. After testing negative for the virus for the third time, she was immediately linked up by an employment agency in Central with a new employer, who signed her up right away.

Liza’s brush with the deadly virus was not unique. A recent report to the Legislative Council by Labour Secretary Law Chi-kwong showed more than 400 foreign domestic workers had been infected, with half of these locally acquired.

However, her having been released more than a month early from her two-year contract made things more difficult for her.

Getting a new employer was a breeze, as Liza was deemed to have completed her previous work contract, even if the finish date indicated there was Jan. 15. The problem was, like with many migrant workers in her situation, she could not move in with her new employer in Tsim Sha Tsui until her new employment visa was released.

Not having any place to stay while waiting to move in with her prospective employer, Liza was forced to scour around for temporary lodgings. She ended up sharing a dingy room on Reclamation Street in Jordan with another Filipina domestic worker who was working fulltime and only spent the night there.

Her flatmate was lucky to have avoided being infected. So far, after several mandatory testing and a weekend lockdown, hundreds of cases have already been detected in Jordan and other parts of the Yau Tsim Mong district.

On Jan 11 alone, when Liza was led to isolation at AWE, there were seven others from the same housing block on Reclamation Street who tested positive for the virus. The infections continue to mount to this day.

Aiza shows her hefty bill from AWE that gave her more worries

Had times been different, Liza said she would have flown home for a quick reunion with her husband and two young kids in Camarines Norte when her first two-year contract ended. But with the pandemic wreaking havoc on all travel and vacation plans, she was left with no choice but to stay put.

Armed with her newfound faith and a realization that many people are willing to help, Liza is looking towards the future with renewed hope.

“Positive thoughts lang po talaga ang kailangan ko kasi nandyan si God na tutulong sa akin sa pamamagitan ng mga mabubuting tao para tulungan ako…Hindi naman po ako nawawalan ng pag-asa. Siguro ito din ang way niya para lalong lumakas ang faith ko sa kanya,” said Liza. (Positive thoughts are all I need because I know God is there to help me through all the good people around me. I haven’t lost hope. This must be His way to help strengthen my faith in Him).

Liza’s worst nightmare is clearly over.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

CALL US NOW!

PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS

HK suffers worst ever economic slump due to pandemic

By The SUN 

Hong Kong is going through a record economic downturn amid the pandemic

Hong Kong’s economy has shrunk 6.1 percent last year, its worst ever performance, amid the continuing onslaught of the coronavirus.

Previously, the city’s worst economic performance was recorded in 1998, when battered by the Asian financial crisis, the city’s GDP (gross domestic product) fell by 5.9 percent.

It’s the second straight year the economy has shrunk, falling by 1.2 percent in 2019.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The news comes as health officials reported 50 new coronavirus infections Friday, all but two locally acquired. The city now has a total of 10,371 confirmed cases.

One of the imported cases was a 33-year-old man who arrived on Jan 27 from Dubai, and was found with the highly infectious variant from either Britain or South Africa. The second was a 44-year-old Indonesian foreign domestic helper who just arrived from Jakarta.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection said a partial evacuation of residents from Block R at Luk Yeung Sun Chuen in Tsuen Wan has been ordered, after a cluster of Covid-19 cases emerged there.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Six residents from four different units on the 18^th floor of Block R tested either positive or preliminary positive, so those living in the remaining four flats on the same floor will be moved to a quarantine center.

“After the confirmation of the first case, we’ve advised thorough disinfection. But we found that there’s some clustering of the case on that floor, so as a precautionary measure, we’ll arrange all the residents in the other four units to stay in the quarantine camp because they might have been expose to similar risks as the other cases,” Chuang said.

She added the transmission might have occurred through common areas, such as the lift lobby, the corridors, or the rubbish dump.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Of the 48 local cases, 16 were untraceable. More than 30 preliminary positive cases were also recorded.

Eleven of the confirmed patients live in Kowloon City, seven in Yau Tsim Mong, four in Jordan, and three in Sham Shui Po.

Also included were five workers involved in the redevelopment of Kwong Wah Hospital. Compulsory testing will be issued to all workers and anyone else who spent at least two hours at the site.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

An outbreak was also reported from Harbourfront Horizon, a serviced apartment block, in Hung Hom. Five security guards and a repairman have tested positive for the virus, prompting the evacuation of dozens of staff.

No new infections were found in Tung Fat building after the lockdown

Earlier, a second “ambush lockdown” and mandatory testing ordered by the government at four blocks of Tung Fat building in North Point yielded no new infection.

Of the 475 people tested at blocks A, B, C and D of the building on Kam Ping Street, not a single Covid-19 infection was found. But two environmental samples taken from there tested positive for Covid-19.

Pindutin para sa latest Winners!

An estimated 1,000 people live in the affected blocks, but the authorities said nobody answered the door at 190 households, and will follow up with the tenants. 

The lockdown which took effect at 7pm Thursday, ended after 12 hours, when the test results on the residents were known. By 7am, everyone who could show a negative test result was allowed to leave the secured premises.

Thirteen people living in block C of the 56-year-old residential building were earlier found infected. Residents of units 6 and 7 in the block were evacuated and sent to quarantine center.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

CALL US NOW!

PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS

BUMILI NG BARKADAHAN SIM, MAG-COLLECT NG STAMPS AT MAY LIBRENG REGALO!

 

Bongga talaga ang pa-rewards sa SmarTone. 

Kapag bumili ka ng bagong SIM at maging Barkadahan user ka ng 6 months, may FREE Gifts ka pwede ma-claim. 

Paano ito? 

Simple lang! Bumili ng Barkadahan SIM na $50 na pwede ng maka-internet at mag-install ng My SIM Account app ng SmarTone. Mag download at install mula sa Playstore kung Android user ka o sa AppStore naman kung iPhone iOS user ka. 

Mag-load ng unang $50 para makasimula sa pag collect ng stamps. Kada load mo ng $50 o pataas sa bagong SIM, may 1 stamp kang makukuha. Itong stamps makikita mo sa MY SIM Account App. Pag umabot ka ng 3^rd month ng paggamit at pagload sa SIM, meron kang FREE MC Make Up Lipstick. 

Pag umabot ka sa 6^th month, meron kang LED Mirror. 

Paano makuha ang mga Free Gifts? Press mo lang ang “REDEEM NOW” button sa My SIM Account app. Pwede ka rin pumili kung saan mo gusto i-claim ito - WWH Central o Lik Sang Plaza Tsuen Wan. 

Dapat tuloy tuloy na 6 months kang mag load ng minimum $50 sa iyong bagong Barkadahan SIM para maka-avail ng mga Free Gifts. Kapag na miss mong mag load sa isang buwan, hindi ka na entitled. 

Bukod sa mga Free Gifts na ito, pwede ko rin magkaroon ng points para makakuha ka ulit ng iba pang Free Gifts sa SPOINTS o SmarTone Points. Kada $1 na spend mo sa SIM, may katumbas na 1 SmarTone Point. 

Itong mga points ay pwede mo i-redeem para sa mga bonggang regalo gaya ng discounted Smartphones, home appliances, cosmetic and beauty products, door to door box, Data Plan at Local Call Bonuses at marami pang iba. 

Para malaman ang SPoints mo, open mo lang ang iyong My SIM Account at i-tap ang SmarTone Point na Green color button. Dito lalabas kung ilang SPoints meron ka. 

At para malaman naman anu ano ang pwede mong makuha na Free Gifts, i-tap ang Shop Now Na Green button. 

Kung kulang ang iyong SPoints, pwede kang mag-Mix payment SPoint + Cash. 

Maraming free items sa SmarTone Points kaya tuloy tuloy lang dapat ang iyong spending para makakuha ng madaming points at i-claim ang mga regalo. 

Laging tandaan na i-check ang inyong points sa MY SIM ACCOUNT App. 

Para malaman iba pang mga offers, tingnan ang aming leaflets o tap here: https://bit.ly/2zTjdzs. 

Mas bongga talaga sa Barkadahan, pramis! 

Barkadahan sa SmarTone for the OFW, with the OFW!

DH admits stealing boss’ jewelry, another set for plea in $860k theft

 By Vir B. Lumicao 

1 FDH admits stealing jewelry from employer, another set to plead 

A Filipina domestic helper pleaded guilty Wednesday, Jan 27, in District Court to a charge of stealing more than a dozen jewelry pieces of an undisclosed value from her female employer in Ap Lei Chau last year.

Another Filipina helper accused of stealing $860,000 worth of luxury watches, jewelry and gold bars from her employer in Homantin is expected to enter her plea on Feb 24.

Revelyn Resurreccion admitted the offense before Judge W.K. Kwok, who told her to return on Apr 15 for the sentencing.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Resurreccion’s appearance in District Court was her second since her case was moved there from Eastern Court last Nov 30.

Serious criminal cases where the prescribed penalty is jail term of up to 7 years or civil disputes involving claims over $75,000 but not more than $3 million are heard in the District Court.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The defendant was accused of stealing five necklaces with pendants, two other necklaces, five pairs of earrings, one ring, and four bracelets from her employer, Lai Ching, in the latter’s residence in South Horizons.

Resurreccion has been held in police custody since her arrest on May 1, after the employer reported that her jewelry pieces were missing.

CLICK FOR DETAILS

Also at the District Court was Edarlyn Emperador, 50, who is accused of stealing luxury watches and jewelry valued at $860,000 from her employer in Homantin, Kowloon.

The employer was looking for her Rolex watch when she discovered the theft

Her lawyer said negotiations were under way with the Justice Department and his client should be ready for plea after a three-week adjournment on Feb 24.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Emperador was arrested on Aug 7 after her female employer reported to police that her watches and jewelry that she kept in a box in her closet had gone missing.

The employer said she discovered the theft when she tried to look for her Rolex watch in her closet on the evening of Aug 3. As she searched the box, she found out that her other watches and jewelry were missing.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

 

Emperador reportedly admitted taking the missing valuables when confronted by her employer. The theft was reported to the police, who arrested Emperador the next day. Pawnshop receipts for the missing items were also found, prosecutors said.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Stolen were a Rolex watch, three Patek Philippe watches, a white gold Piaget watch, a Roger Dubuis watch, a pair of Hermes earrings, a platinum Roger Dubuis necklace and gold bars.

CALL US NOW!

PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS

PRESS FOR DETAILS