Pinay na lumabag sa batas kontra Covid, pinayagang bayaran ng hulugan ang multang $5k

 

Ang kaso ng dalawang Pilipina ay dininig sa Eastern Magistrates’ Court

Dalawang Pilipina ang napatunayan ngayon (Sept. 6) na seryoso ang gobyerno ng Hong Kong sa pagpapatupad ng mga patakaran upang labanan ang Covid-19, nang humantong ang kaso nila sa Eastern Magistrates’ Court.

Ang dalawa ay nahuli sa magkahiwalay na operasyon ng gobyerno laban sa pagtitipon-tipon ng mga tao, na ipinagbabawal ng Prevention and Control of Diseases (Prohibition on Gathering) Regulation.

Si Mary Jane Garcia, 43, ay pinagmulta ng $5,000 ni Magistrate Lau Suk-han matapos siyang umamin sa sakdal at nakiusap na payagan siyang bayaran ito ng unti-unti. 

Dapat kasi ay umabot sa $10,500 ang babayaran niya dahil pinili niyang umapela sa korte imbes na bayaran agad ang fixed penalty ticket na $5,000. Dahil dito ay dinagdagan pa ito ng multang $5,000 at $500 na gastos ng korte.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Ngunit dahil sa kanyang apela ay hindi lang inalis ni Magistrate Lau ang mga dagdag na parusa, pinayagan din niya si Garcia na bayaran ng hulugan, o $500 buwan-buwan, ang multa, sa loob ng sampung buwan.

Nahuli si Garcia, kasama ang iba pa, na nakikipag-inuman sa isa sa mga upuan sa ilalim ng tulay na nilalakaran ng mga taong papunta sa Immigration Tower, sa O'Brien Road, Wanchai, noong 4:35 p.m. ng April 5.

Si Ellyn Pinana, 28 taong gulang at walang trabaho, ay may mas kumplikadong kaso, na dinidinig ni Principal Magistrate Ada Yim.

Kinasuhan siya ng parehong paglabag sa panuntunan laban sa bawal na pagtitipon, matapos mahuling nakikipagsaya kasama ang iba pang parukyano ng Port LKF Bar sa D’Aguilar St. sa Central nong Aug. 27.

Habang iniimbestigahan, nadiskubre rin na overstaying na pala siya, kaya hindi na siya pinakawalan.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

Nang tawagin ang kaso ni Pinana sa korte, sinabi ng abogado niya na hindi siya makakadalo dahil nahawa siya ng Covid-19 habang nasa kulungan.

Noong unang beses na dapat siyang humarap sa korte ay sinabi namang naka quarantine sya dahil tinaguriang close contact ng isang nakasama sa kulungan.

Press for details

Ipinagpaliban ni Yin ang pagdinig ng kaso sa Sept. 13.

Ang karanasan nina Garcia at Pinana ang naghihintay sa iba pang Pilipinong mahuhuli, gaya ng 13 Pilipinong inaresto dahil sa ilegal na pagsusugal noong Linggo (Sept. 4), kasama ang apat na Pakistani, sa tabi ng HSBC headquarters sa Central.  

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

Lahat sila ay tinikitan at pinagbabayad ng $5,000 dahil sa ilegal na pagtitipon. At, gaya ni Garcia, may ilan na pagbabayarin ayon sa kanilang kakayanan.

Sa ilalim ng Prevention and Control of Diseases (Prohibition on Gathering) Regulation, ang parusa sa paglabag dito ay multang aabot sa $25,000 at pagkakakulong ng anim na buwan.

PADALA NA!

PRESS FOR DETAILS

WeChat Pay app pwede nang pang-load sa Barkadahan sa SmarTone SIM!!

Heto na ang magandang balita sa mga gumagamit ng E-top up pang load ng SIM! May WeChat na rin sa My SIM Account App ng SmarTone pang bili mo ng loads! 

Mas lalo na talagang pinadali ang mag load. Nandun na halos lahat ng pang load mo sa SIM sa loob ng app. Kompleto na ng mga sikat na e-wallets kaya hindi mo kailangan bumili ng vouchers sa mga tindahan. Mag load ka lang sa WeChat mo sa mga 7-11 o Circle stores. 

Ano ba ang benefit ng e-top up? 

Maiiwasan na ang ma wrong number ka at maipadala mo ang load sa iba! Kasi sa My SIM Account app ng Barkadahan, wala nang wrong number kapag nagpasaload gamit ang e-wallets. 

Paano nga ba ito? Sa e-top up ng My SIM Account App, naka link na ang mobile number sa mga e-wallets gaya ng WeChat, Alipay at Octopus kaya sure na papasok ang e-top up o load sa number mo. 

Madali lang gamitin ito. Pag press mo ng e-top up, pipili ka kung saan mo gusto mag load. Ito ba ay sa SIM o sa shopping wallet ng Spoints. At pipili ka ng amount na $20, $50 o $100 at kung anong e-wallet ang pang bayad mo. Pwede credit card, Alipay, Octopus at WeChat ngayon pwede na! 

Diretso mula sa e-wallet ang pag top up mo after mo piliin kung saan ka mag load kaya sure na walang wrong number. Kaya naman it's Faster, Easier & Safer na ngayon. Nothing to worry, promise! 

Ang ok pa sa e-top up, may data plan bonus ka makukuha kada top-up. Sa Alipay may $10 bonus pag nag top-up ng $128, $100, $98 at $5 bonus sa $88, $50 at $1 bonus sa $20. Mga data plan ang top up kapag sa Alipay. 

Pag sa WeChat o Octopus naman, puro mga load ang pang top-up hindi data plan. May $10 bonus sa $100, $3 bonus sa $50 at $1 bonus sa $20 na top up load at hindi data plan. 

Kapag sa credit card naman, may $10 bonus sa $100 top-up na pag load, $3 bonus sa $50 to $99 pag load at $1 bonus sa $20 to $49 na pag load. 

Oh di ba ok talaga, kasi may data bonus sa mga iba't ibang e-wallet pag nag top up. Kaya naman super sulit talaga. Kaya mag e-top-up na sa iyong SIM gamit ang E-wallet sa My SIM Account App directly.  

How? Ganito lang:

1. Open My SIM Account app > i-tap ang “Top-up”
2. Choose ang “E-Top up” > piliin ang account type, amount ng recharge at i-click ang “Next”
3. Choose ang e-wallet na ginagamit mo: WeChat, Octopus, AlipayHK at Credit Card.

Huwag kalimutang i-update ang My SIM Account app para ma-enjoy ang new function na ito!

No My SIM Account app? Get mula sa Google Play o App Store now, i-tap ang https://wap.smartone.com/bssapp/ para i-install. 

Kung kailangan mo ng tulong, pwede kang pumunta sa Barkadahan shop 159 WWH Central o Shop B, 1F Jollibee Shopping Arcade, Yuen Long o sa mga promoters sa mga suking Pinoy tindahan sa HK o mag text sa WhatsApp customer service number https://wa.me/94478231. 

Para malaman nasaan ang SmarTone sa Jollibee Yuen Long, press https://bit.ly/3HPaoVU . 

Para naman malaman iba pang mga offers sa Barkadahan, tingnan aming leaflets o press https://bit.ly/2Uy81zi. 

Mas bongga talaga sa Barkadahan, pramis! 

Barkadahan sa SmarTone for the OFW, with the OFW!

Hottest September day recorded as autumn begins

 

Hong Kong under a cloudless sky. (HK Observatory photo)

Autumn in Hong Kong begins in September as cold winds would normally begin blowing from the North, heralding the coming of winter.

But today, Hong Kong sizzled at 35.3 degree celsius -- the hottest September day since weather records began in 1884, according to the Hong Kong Observatory, which recorded the temperature at its headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui.

In Tseung Kwan O, the temperature was even higher at 35.7 degrees, the Observatory said.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The hot sunny day was due to a dry continental air stream blowing from the East across Southern China, it added.

The sunny weather is expected to continue tomorrow, before rainclouds reach Hong Kong by Wednesday and Thursday, bringing with them scattered showers and thunderstorms.

​The Home Affairs Department continued to open 18 community halls/community centres as temporary heat shelters for people to take refuge from the heat.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

From 10.30pm to 8am tomorrow, the temporary heat shelters will also provide bedding and a sleeping place for people in need.

In view of tomorrow’s weather, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) also reminded the public of measures against heat stroke and sunburn in very hot weather.

Among its pointers:

Press for details

• Carry and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration while engaging in outdoor activities.
• Wear loose and light-coloured clothing to reduce heat absorption and facilitate sweat evaporation and heat dissipation.
• Avoid vigorous exercise and prolonged activities like hiking or trekking as heat, sweating and exhaustion can place additional demands on the body.

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

• Perform outdoor activities in the morning or the late afternoon;
• Do not stay inside a parked vehicle.
• Reschedule work to cooler times of the day.
• Minimise direct exposure of the skin and the eyes to sunlight.
• Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen lotion with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or above. Apply liberally and reapply after swimming, sweating or towelling off.

PADALA NA!

PRESS FOR DETAILS

Peso sinks to P56.999 to US$1 – lowest in history

 

The peso has been losing its value since it last peaked on Feb 1, 2013. (Google graph.)

The Philipine peso sank today (Monday) to its lowest value in history, closing at P56.999 to the dollar, capping a steady weakening that began in May 2021.

Figures from the Bangko Sental ng Pilipinas indicated that the peso opened today at PhP 56.80 and even sank to its lowest ever at PhP 57.00 before recovering to its day’s high at PhP56.80.

Google, using figures from Morningstar, a US-based provider of financial data from around the world, also saw the peso sink to as low as PhP57.03 at 5:03 am today.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

In the last five years, the peso was highest at PhP47.23, but slid steadily down to today’s lowest, these figures show.

Morningstar’s data also showed the peso weakening against the Hong Kong dollar, closing at PhP7.26 today.

The peso was at its highest during the last five years at PhP6.14 on May 28, 2021 but it has lost steam steadily from there.

Press for details

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

To OFWs, this could mean their remittances will cost less if they send the same amount in pesos.

However, because consumer prices are rising in the Philippines in the face of shortages, it could also result in their families asking for more money.

PADALA NA!

PRESS FOR DETAILS

HK reports over 10k cases again, a third of them from schools

By The SUN

 

Parents are urged to get their children jabbed so they can avoid getting infected or suffer from serious symptoms

There has been a surge in Covid infections reported from schools, with 3,444 being logged over the weekend and Monday, but health officials say the rise in cases is within their expectations.

The school-linked cases made up a third of the 10,021 new Covid cases reported today, 152 of them imported.

A record total of 1,169 schools reported infections, involving 2,864 students and 580 teaching staff. Some classes had to be suspended for a week in 737 schools where at least two cases had been reported.

But Dr Albert Au of the Centre for Health Protection said there is no plan to again suspend face-to-face classes because of the surge in infections within schools.

“It is predictable that cases in schools see an increasing trend due to the new academic semester started,” Au said.

“The government is not willing to suspend the in-person class mode again since it is of significance to students’ physical and mental health,” he added.

But he advised students not to forget to take their daily rapid test to help fight the spread of the virus on campus.

Au also appealed to the public not to attend or hold large family gatherings during the Mid-Autumn Festival to prevent cases from piling up some more.

Dr Larry Lee of the Hospital Authority reported eight related deaths, but said half of these are believed to be not directly caused by Covid. They involved five men and three women aged 56 to 104.

Three of the deceased patients did not complete three doses of a vaccine, while two did not get jabbed at all.

Among those whose deaths are believed to be not due to Covid was that of a 56-year-old woman who had terminal cancer, but was tested positive on admission to hospital shortly before she passed away. She was one of those who completed three jabs.

Lee said more than 2,900 Covid patients are now receiving treatment in hospital after 271 new cases were added to the list.

They include 63 who are listed in critical condition, of whom 26 are in intensive care. A further 60 patients are in serious condition.

 

Meanwhile, the Philippines emerged today as the source of the biggest number of imported cases, with 24; while the United Kingdom came second, with 23 infections.

No other country was listed as having 10 or more cases.

 

Of the 152 infected travelers, 66 were detected at the airport, 36 in quarantine hotels, and 50 between days four and seven. A further 14 tested positive after the seven-day isolation period, but are believed to be all re-positive cases.

 

 

Kasong droga laban sa Pilipino, ililipat sa mas mataas na hukuman

Mananatili pa rin ang kaso sa West Kowloon Magistracy hanggang Oct. 3

Ipinagpaliban ngayon (Sep. 5) ang paglilipat sa mas mataas na korte ng kaso ng isang Pilipinong nahulihan ng 13.4 gramo ng methaphetamine hydrochloride (o shabu).

Nahaharap si Cresencio Alanguilan II, 44 taong gulang at hardinerong taga Pui O sa Lantau, sa kasong pagkakaroon o possession ng mapanganib na gamot, na ipinagbabawal ng Dangerous Drugs Ordinance.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Si Alanguilan ay hinuli noong July 5, 2021 sa lift lobby ng isang residential na gusali sa Tung Chung, at kinasuhan ng pulis noong Nov. 23, 2021.

Sa pagdinig sa harap ni Magistrate Jeffrey Sze Cho-yiu sa West Kowloon Magistracy, humingi ang taga-usig ng karagdagang oras para sa payong legal mula sa Department of Justice.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

Pumayag si Magistrate Sze na ipagpaliban ang pagdinig sa Oct. 3.

Dahil hindi humingi na payagan siyang magpiyansa upang makalaya pansamantala, si Alanguilan ay ibinalik sa kulungan.

Press for details

Ayon sa batas ng Hong Kong, kapag inilipat ang kaso mula sa magistracy, ang pinakamabigat na parusang maaaring ipataw sa isang nasasakdal sa kasong droga ay tataas mula sa limitasyon nitong $100,000 na multa na at pagkakakulong na tatlong taon. 

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

Kung mailipat ang kaso sa District Court, ang multa ay puwedeng umabot ng $5 milyon at ang pagkakakulong ay aabot sa pitong taon.

PADALA NA!

PRESS FOR DETAILS

13 Filipinos among 17 arrested for alleged illegal gambling in Central

By The SUN

 

The arrested people, mostly Filipinos, being herded to a waiting police van

Police have arrested a total of 17 people, 13 of them Filipinos and the rest, Pakistanis, for allegedly gambling in the vicinity of the HSBC headquarters in Central at about 5pm yesterday (Sunday).

A police spokeswoman said those arrested were made up of 11 Filipino women and two Filipino men, as well as four Pakistani men, aged between 27 and 68 years old.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

She said the suspects were all detained on suspicion of “gambling in any place other than a casino or on the street.”

All of them were also issued with fixed penalty notices of $5,000 each for violating the gathering restrictions under the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap 599G).

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

Under current regulations, only a maximum of four people can gather together in a public place, and a distance of at least 1.5 meters should be maintained between each group.

As of this morning, all of them were still being detained while the investigation was continuing.

11 of the 17 arrested were Filipinas

The area underneath and around the HSBC building – which is located along Queen’s Road Central, Des Voeux Road Central and Bank Street has long been an eyesore for gambling, mostly among Filipinos.

However, arrests are rarely carried out because money is not seen to change hands among those seen openly playing cards in the area.

Press for details

A statement issued by the Hong Kong Police warned that anyone who operates, manages or controls illegal gambling on the street is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for up to two years.

Those found to engage in illegal gambling on the street could be fined up to $30,000 and imprisoned for nine months.

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

The police also appealed to everyone to help curb the spread of the coronavirus by following social distancing regulations.

PADALA NA!

PRESS FOR DETAILS

Balik-saya sa Chater habang patuloy ang kampanya laban sa pagtitipon-tipon

The SUN

 

Ang programa sa dulo ng Chater Road ay inorganisa ng gobyerno ng HK

Muli na namang nagkaroon ng programa sa kahabaan ng Chater Road sa Central nitong araw ng Linggo, samantalang patuloy pa rin ang inspeksyon ng mga tauhan ng gobyerno sa mga restaurant at bar para siguraduhing naipatutupad ang mga mahigpit na patakaran laban sa pagtitipon-tipon.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Nitong Sabado ng gabi hanggang Linggo ng umaga ay 36 katao sa mga bar at 17 sa iba pang mga kainan ang pinagmulta ng tig-$5,000 dahil sa paglabag sa mga iba-ibang patakaran, katulad ng pagtanggal ng face mask gayong hindi kumakain o umiinom, pagsasama sa iisang mesa ng lampas sa itinakdang bilang at hindi pag-scan ng QR code ng lugar bago pumasok.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

May isang namamahala ng bar at 11 ng iba-ibang kainan ang hinuli at nakatakdang kasuhan dahil sa paglabag diumano sa batas na naglalayong pigilan ang pagkalat ng coronavirus, ang Prevention and Control of Disease (Cap 599).

Dahil sa mga nasabing paglabag ay inutusan ang isang bar na magsara ng pitong araw, samantalang 11 na kainan ang pinagbawalang magsilbi ng pagkain sa oras ng hapunan at limitahan sa dalawa katao ang pauupuin sa bawat mesa.

Samantala, 53 katao sa mga bar at restaurant ang natiketan dahil sa paglabag sa patakaran

Tatlo sa mga restaurant ay kailangang ipatupad ito sa loob ng tatlong araw; tatlo din ang dapat sumunod dito sa loob ng pitong araw; samantalang ang lima ay 14 na araw ang itinakdang parusa.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

Noong Biyernes hanggang Sabado ng umaga naman ay may tatlong kainan at isang bar ang pinatawan din ng parusa dahil sa kaparehong paglabag. Ang mga namamahala sa kanila ay kinasuhan din.

Samantala, naging makulay at maingay muli sa Chater Road nitong maghapon dahil sa itinatag na “cultural show” ng pamahalaan. May entablado para sa programa na tinampukan ng mga sayaw mula sa iba-ibang bansang pinanggalingan ng mga migrante, at pati mga booth sa magkabilang gilid ng kalsada.

Press for details

Ang kaibahan lang, sinarhan ang magkabilang gilid ng daan, at may itinalagang “reception” sa bukana kung saan ang bawat papasok ay kailangan munang mag scan ng QR code ng lugar para masigurong wala silang red o yellow code na nagbabadya na hindi sila maaring makihalubilo sa publiko.

Ang kabilang dulo ng Chater Road ay nanatiling sarado pero patuloy na binabantayan ng mga pulis

Bantay-sarado rin ang mga nanonood para masigurong nasusunod ang itinalagang dalawang metro na pagitan sa bawat apat na katao na nag-uumpukan.

Ito ang unang pagkakataon simula nang kumalat ang libo-libong kaso ng Covid-19 sa pagbukas ng taon na pinahintulutan ang pagtatanghal sa kahabaan ng Chater Road na nananatiling sarado sa publiko.

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

Dahil dito ay sa mga gilid-gilid na lang ng kalsada nagtitiyagang magkita-kita ang mga Pilipino na nakasanayan nang tumambay doon sa araw ng kanilang pahinga.

PADALA NA!

 

HK posts 10,683 Covid-19 cases, highest since March

By The SUN

 

Those who contracted Covid in March or earlier should get their next jab now, say doctors

Health officials are calling on those who got infected in the massive outbreak of Covid-19 infections early this year to get their next vaccine shot to protect themselves from the disease.

The call came as the government reported 10,683 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday, the biggest daily tally since Mar 24. The cases included 194 that were imported from various countries.

There were also eight deaths.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Dr Albert Au of the Centre for Health Protection said those who contracted the virus in March or earlier are due for their additional vaccine dose now as their antibody levels would have dipped, giving them less protection against a new infection.

As other health experts have pointed out, even those who have had three jabs could still get infected,  although their symptoms, if they have any, are far less severe than those who did not  complete three doses.

According to Au, the rise in the infection tally is due to the more infections BA.4 or 5 Omicron sub-variant which now account for 64.4 percent of all cases.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

He said that based on various indicators, the infection has yet to peak, which means the cases will still rise in the coming days.

"Although we are not seeing an exponential rise in cases like what we experienced in February and March, the number of daily infections has doubled to 10,000 since the middle of August,” he said.

“We expect the upward trend to continue.”

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

The eight Covid-related deaths involved four men and four women aged 59 to 102. Only one was triple-jabbed, while one was never vaccinated. The remaining six had one or two doses.

There are now 2,793 patients receiving treatment at public hospitals, after 356 more were admitted in the past 24 hours.

Among them, 64 are in critical condition, including 18 in intensive care; while 54 have severe symptoms.

Press for details

The infected patients included three patients and one staff who tested positive in Yan Chai Hospital during contract tracing done after an 84-year-old patient was found infected earlier.

All the patients are in stable condition, while admission to the ward was stopped for disinfection and cleansing.

Of the 193 imported cases, 75 were detected on arrival at the airport, 44 during the three-day hotel quarantine and 58 afterwards. A further 16 cases were found after day 7, but they are suspected to be re-positive cases because of the low viral load.

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

The patients came from 44 countries, with the following having more than 10 cases: India, 29; the Philippines and United States, 21 each; United Kingdom, 19 and Thailand, 13.

PADALA NA!