Fate back in fighting form with 11-0 crushing of Feliz

By Emz Frial 

A Fate batter waits for the ball during practice for the team's match against Feliz on Mar 28.

Filipino softball team Fate, returning to the pitch after a long break due to the pandemic, resumed their campaign in the Hong Kong Women’s Softball League with a murderous 11-0 win in six innings over Chinese team Feliz on Mar 21.

The victory on the Shek Kip Mei diamond is significant for Fate, the only Philippine softball team in the city, as the Hong Kong Softball Association’s reopening of pitches to continue games postponed last year due to the coronavirus contagion.

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To the Filipinas, the triumph is a much-needed shot in the arm after they lost by just a point in their last game against local squadron Artemis on the same field in November.

Fate captain and pitcher Don Gaborno encouraged her all-domestic helper team to focus on the match and prove it wasn’t yet over for them after that loss to Artemis.

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When the game got under way, Fate took an early lead as spirited play by the Filipinas long sidelined by the pitch closure showed their local rivals were the underdog.

In the first inning, the Filipinas scores three home runs courtesy of Percy Jayme, Sierra May Tebia and Chelo Garbo.

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They added three home runs in the third inning through Tebia, Garbo and Don Gaborno for a 6-0 score at the end of third inning. 

Gaborno’s vaunted fast ball pitch combined with the tight defense of infielders and outfielders to make sure Fate won’t give their opponents a chance to get to home base. 

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Josel Ondrade added another run in the fourth inning to make the score 7-0 for Fate.

Editha Hidalgo and Bambee Abadilla also produced a run each in the fifth inning, lifting the score to 9-0.

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In the last and final inning, Tebia and Garbo made two more home runs that ended the game with a total score of 11. 

Fate celebrates its win with team manager Law Wai Ho

Fate is now on its 8th year since joining the Hong Kong Softball Association. 

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With the help and support of their team manager Law Wai Ho, a respected veteran in Hong Kong softball, Fate continues to reap pride for him and for Filipinos in the sport. 

Fate players have made softball their priority on Sundays, their rest day, by going to the pitch early to practice and get ready for the match.

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Fate will face the local team Sirius in the next match scheduled for 10:30am this Sunday, April 4, in Shek Kip Mei.

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Labour reminds employers not to force FDHs to work on rest days

By The SUN 

FDHs are reminded anew that they must wear a mask
and observe social distancing in public (File)

The Labour Department has issued its usual reminder ahead of long holidays for foreign domestic helpers to observe social distancing measures when out on their rest days.

At the same time, it warned employers that it is illegal for them to force their FDWs to work on their days off.

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A statement issued Thursday, Apr 1, on the government website said: “Employers are reminded that they must not compel their FDHs to work on a rest day. An employer who compels his or her FDH to work on a rest day without the agreement of the FDH, or fails to grant rest days to the FDH, is in breach of the Employment Ordinance and is liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, to a maximum fine of $50,000.”

The advisory likewise carried a warning to FDHs that they could be charged a fixed penalty of $5,000 if they do not wear a mask, or violate the prohibition against the gathering of more than four persons in public.

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"We remind FDHs to strictly observe the requirements and appeal to them to avoid gatherings (including in boarding facilities), food sharing and other social activities on their rest days and stay at home for rest as far as possible to safeguard their personal health,” said the statement.

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It added that employers and FDHs could discuss rest day arrangements so as to minimize the health risk of having a lot of people gathering in public during the holidays.

Sunday, Apr 4 is a statutory holiday. Labour laws say that if the statutory holiday falls on a rest day, a holiday should be granted on the day following the rest day, which in this case, is Monday, Apr 5.

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For all other workers, the long public holidays will start from tomorrow, Good Friday, and last until Tuesday, Apr.6, which is the day after Ching Ming Festival and Eastern Monday.

Police will again patrol FDH haunts on Apr 4 & 5

During the Easter holidays, or from Apr 2 to 6, the Labour Department said it will conduct mobile broadcasts at popular FDH gathering places to remind them to comply with social gathering rules.

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On Apr 4 and 5, Labour in collaboration with Hong Kong Police, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Home Affairs Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, will conduct joint operations in Central, Tamar Park in Admiralty, Victoria Park in Causeway Bay and Lai Chi Kok Park to ensure the gathering restrictions are observed.

“Relevant departments will take enforcement action against those who still refuse to abide by the regulations after repeated reminders,” the statement said.

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Also on these two days, free coronavirus tests will be given to FDHs who may avail of the offer by registering on site at the four designated locations.

FDHs are also reminded that they can get vaccinated for Covid-19 free of charge. To book an appointment, visit the designated website of the Vaccination Programme (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk). 

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“The Government appeals to FDHs to get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves and others,” said the statement.

Any enquiries on FDH employment may be made through the dedicated FDH hotline at 2157 9537 (manned by 1823), by email to fdh-enquiry@labour.gov.hk or through the online form on the dedicated portal (www.fdh.labour.gov.hk).

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HK records 11 imported & 2 local coronavirus cases

By The SUN   

CHP says 6 of the 11 new imported Covid-19 cases carried the mutated virus

Eleven of the 13 new Covid-19 cases reported today are imported, and six of them have the highly contagious coronavirus variant, according to staff at the Centre for Health Protection.

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Those found with the N501Y variant, said to be 70 times more infectious than the regular strain, include three Filipina domestic workers, two returning residents from Pakistan, and another from Nepal.

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The five others who did not carry the mutated virus were all FDWs from Indonesia.

Two local cases, both with no known source, were also confirmed today. One is a 23-year-old renovation worker who lives in Yau Tong, and the other is a 56-year-old waitress who lives in North Point. Both tested preliminary positive yesterday.

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The three Filipinas, aged 28, 32 and 47, all flew in on Mar 30 aboard Cebu Pacific flight 5J 272, and tested positive at the airport.

Four others flew in on the same day: two FDWs from Indonesia, aged 31 and 32 years old; two returning female residents aged 56 and 67 from Pakistan, and a 24-year-old male from Nepal.

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The three other Indonesians, aged 25, 32 and 42, tested positive while in hotel quarantine.

CHP experts inspect Kwan Yick building where 4 confirmed cases were found

Earlier, the CHP ordered all asymptomatic residents of units 10 in Block B, phase III of Kwan Yick Building in Sai Ying Pun transferred to quarantine centers after a 25-year-old man who lives in the block tested positive for Covid-19.

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Anyone found to have symptoms would be sent directly to hospital for tests and treatment.

Three others who live in a unit directly below the patient’s flat were earlier found infected. During a compulsory testing order issued on the building on Mar 17, the latest patient tested negative.

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Experts who inspected the building yesterday afternoon said that vertical air transmission of the virus could have taken place.

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Filipina worker fighting for life in hospital after suffering stroke

By Vir B. Lumicao

 

The Filipina had brain surgery at Queen Elizabeth Hospital after a stroke

A 47-year-old Filipina domestic helper is fighting for her life in Queen Elizabeth Hospital after undergoing surgery to remove a blot clot in her brain due to stroke.

The prognosis on Cherry D. Cariño is not encouraging, however, with her hospital doctor reportedly telling the patient’s male employer that “she may not survive or, if ever, she may take long to recover.”

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Cariño, from La Union province, was taken to the hospital by her employer, Li Sui Hung, after she came home from her day off on Mar 28 feeling dizzy and weak, and was throwing up, said her friends, who wanted to find out about her status.

The worker’s identity and condition were confirmed by Welfare Officer Virsie Tamayao of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in Hong Kong when contacted by messenger.

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A day earlier, Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, general manager of the Mission for Migrant Workers, a church-based charity helping distressed foreign domestic helpers, also sent a Viber message to Tamayao enquiring about Cariño’s case.

Abdon-Tellez said an aunt of the worker complained that she had been calling the OWWA but no one was answering.

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Tamayao said Li called the OWWA hotline on Mar 30 to inform the government insurance agency about what happened to the worker and that he had taken her to Queen Elizabeth for treatment.

(The) patient is confined at Queen Elizabeth Hospital ICU due to ischemic stroke. Further to employer’s update, (the) patient underwent surgery and is under close monitoring and observation,” Tamayao said in reply to Abdon-Tellez’s enquiry.

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The OWWA officer also told Abdon-Tellez about the doctor’s grim forecast for Cariño.

Medical experts say ischemic stroke is one of three types of stroke and is also referred to as brain ischemia and cerebral ischemia.

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They say this type of stroke is triggered by a blockage in an artery that supplies blood to the brain. As a result, reduced blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain lead to damage or death of brain cells, the experts said.

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According to her friends, the helper had been working for nearly six years for Li’s household at Victoria Tower, a residential block on Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. 

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BioNTech jabs to resume Monday, Apr 5

By The SUN

All those scheduled to get the BioNTech shot from Apr 5 can keep their appointments

The Hong Kong government has announced that it will resume giving free BioNTech coronavirus jabs to residents from Monday, Apr 5, after the expected arrival tomorrow of a new shipment of the vaccine from Germany.

This means that those scheduled to have their jab on Monday will get it as scheduled. Those who were originally scheduled to receive their second dose of the vaccine on or before Apr 4 will be given new time slots between Apr 5 and 10.

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Those who missed their booking for their first shot will also be allocated new time slots that they can change through the online booking system: www.covidvaccine.gov.hk

The BioNTech inoculation was halted because of concerns over leaks and other packaging issues with the initial shipment of more than 500,000 doses.

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The resumption of the vaccination came after the German drug company submitted a report to the Department of Health showing that the defects of the vaccine’s vial lids were due to problems during shipment and did not affect the quality or safety of the vaccines.

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Civil Service Secretary Patrick Nip who oversees the government’s inoculation programme said 300,000 doses of BioNTech will arrive in Hong Kong Friday and will be used for those who will take the jab from Monday.

The two batches sent earlier, identified as 210102 and 210104, will be kept in storage until the manufacturer submits a final report on the investigation

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Nip said about 183,000 people were booked to get their BioNTech jabs during the suspension period. Of these, 30,000 people were scheduled to get their second dose and will be given priority to make full use of the vaccine’s efficacy.

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“Those two groups, starting from April 2, would receive an SMS concerning their bookings,” Nip said. “If they are not available for vaccination on the allocated date and time, they can change the time when the BioNTech vaccination online booking system reopens at 9am on [Saturday],” Nip said.

Another vaccine made by mainland company, Sinovac is also used to inoculate Hong Kong residents.

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Nip said a total of 505,000 shots of the two vaccines have been administered so far. Among them, around 461,000 people have only received the first dose, making up only about seven percent of everyone qualified to get the shot. He said this is far below the target needed to reach herd immunity in Hong Kong.

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PCG closed from April 1-6

By The SUN 

The PCG announcement of its long holiday which starts today

Filipinos with transactions at the Consulate will have to wait until next Wednesday, Mar 7, when the PCG reopens after the prolonged Easter and Ching Ming Festival weekend.

The Consulate will close for business from Apr 1 to mark Maundy Thursday, a holiday in the Philippines and other Catholic countries but not in Hong Kong.

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The PCG will remain closed on Sunday, Apr 4, which coincides this year with the Ching Ming Festival or Grave Cleaning Day, one of the statutory holidays in Hong Kong.

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The long weekend will stretch to Monday, Apr 5, the day following Ching Ming Festival, and Tuesday, Apr 6, the day following Easter Sunday. These two extra rest days will compensate for Easter and Ching Ming falling on Sunday, a regular holiday.  

 

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Both holidays in Hong Kong and the Philippines are observed by the Consulate, as the country’s missions elsewhere observe holidays in their host countries in addition to Philippine holidays.

For the PCG in Hong Kong, it will be observing 21 holidays this year, as Dec 8, the feast day of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, was declared a national holiday by Malacañang last year.     

https://hongkongpcg.dfa.gov.ph/89-holidays

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