HK Post announces deadlines for sending Christmas airmail

by The SUN

 

All post offices in Hong Kong will follow the Christmas delivery schedule

Hongkong Post today, Oct. 28, announced the latest dates for posting letters and parcels to various places abroad to make it in time for Christmas.

The list is said to be provisional as the dates and services are still subject to availability of flights and the pandemic situation, and may be altered at short notice.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

To avoid delays, members are advised to post earlier than the dates shown and to log in to the

Hongkong Post web page at www.hongkongpost.hk/en/about_us/whats_new/index.html to check on service availability for overseas destinations before posting.

Pindutin para sa detalye

 

Asia
Destination -------------	Letters and packets ------------	Parcels --------
The Mainland	November 18	November 17
Bangladesh	December 5	November 30
India	December 1	November 30
Indonesia	December 13	December 12
Iran	December 6	December 5
Israel	December 3	December 2
Japan	December 5	*
Korea	November 29	November 28
Kyrgyzstan	November 11	*
Malaysia	December 3	*
Nepal	November 21	*
Pakistan	December 8	*
Qatar	December 3	December 2
Singapore	November 26	November 25
Taiwan	November 29	November 25
Tajikistan (Republic of)	November 11	November 10
Thailand	November 30	November 28
The Philippines	December 2	November 28
Turkmenistan	November 11	November 10
United Arab Emirates	December 10	December 9
Uzbekistan	November 11	*
Vietnam	December 6	December    3

 

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE Americas (North, Central and South)
Destination -------------	Letters and packets ------------	Parcels --------
Brazil	November 29	November 17
Canada	November 16	*
Mexico	December 3	November 28
Paraguay	November 24	November 23
Peru	December 1	November 30
United States	November 25	November 25
MAY CHANCE KA PANG MANALO!
Europe
Destination -------------	Letters and packets ------------	Parcels --------
Austria	December 2	December 1
Belgium	December 6	December 5
Bulgaria	December 2	December 1
Channel Islands	November 18	November 17
Croatia	December 1	November 30
Cyprus	December 1	November 30
Czech Republic	December 3	December 1
Denmark	December 2	December 1
Estonia	December 5	December 3
Finland	December 6	December 3
France	December 6	December 3
Georgia	November 30	*
Germany	December 6	December 5
Greece	November 28	November 26
Hungary	December 6	December 5
Isle of Man	November 18	*
Italy	December 6	*
Latvia	December 2	December 1
Liechtenstein	December 1	November 30
Lithuania	December 5	December 3
Luxembourg	December 9	December 8
Malta	December 5	December 3
Netherlands	December 6	December 5
Norway	December 2	December 1
Poland	December 2	December 1
Portugal	December 5	December 3
Romania	December 8	December 2
Serbia	December 5	December 3
Slovenia	December 3	December 2
Spain	November 26	November 26
Sweden	December 8	November 26
Switzerland	December 9	December 8
Türkiye	December 5	December 3
United Kingdom	November 25	November 24
Press for details
Oceania
Destination -------------	Letters and packets ------------	Parcels --------
Australia	November 23	November 23
New Zealand	November 30	*
Africa
Destination -------------	Letters and packets ------------	Parcels --------
Egypt	December 12	December 10
Mauritius	December 3	November 30
South Africa	November 22	*
PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE Enquiries on the subject can be directed to the Hongkong Post general enquiry hotline at 2921 2222. * Service is currently under suspension

 

Sentencing of Filipina torture claimant seeker in ecstacy caper postponed

By The SUN

 

Drug trafficking cases like Quejada's are dealt with at the High Court

A Filipina torture claimant on recognizance who appeared at the Court of First Instance today, Friday, for a scheduled sentencing on a drug trafficking charge, will have to wait until Jan 31 next year to know her fate.

Prosecutors in the case against Maricris Q. Quejada, 38, asked Judge Susana D’Almada Remedios to postpone the sentencing until that day so they can make further inquiries about certain matters that could mitigate her offence.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The judge agreed to the request, and remanded Quejada in custody until then.

Quejada pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking charge at Eastern Court on Aug. 22 this year, saying she was tempted to accept a package for a “friend” in May last year, which turned out to contain about 1.9 kilos of ecstacy tablets, in exchange for $5,000.

The value of the drugs was estimated to be around $310,000.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Following her plea, Magistrate Jason Wan ordered the case transferred to the Court of First Instance for sentencing. 

Drug trafficking is a serious offence in Hong Kong, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and up to $5 million in fines.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

In her statement to the police, Quejada said she was lured into the illicit deal by a man called Emeca who contacted her through WhatsApp in May last year, and a woman called Megan whom the man introduced as his girlfriend.

The pair offered $5,000 to the unemployed former domestic worker if she would agree to accept a parcel for their friend Jack.

MAY CHANCE KA PANG MANALO!

Although she found the offer suspicious, Quejada said she agreed to the deal as she was enticed by the big payment that was offered.

What she didn’t know was that the parcel she was meant to receive had already been intercepted by customs officers at the airport, as they found it suspicious.

Press for details

The shipment from Germany was listed to contain “materials for a wedding gown,” but officers who opened it for inspection found 1,862 grams of tablets containing 531.6 grams of methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a hallucinogenic substance found in the drug  commonly known as “ecstacy”, hidden inside.

Quejada was arrested after accepting the package, and was confirmed by Megan who was the original consignee, as someone authorized to accept delivery.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Following her arrest, Emeka and Megan disconnected the phone numbers they gave her. Jack initially sent her a message telling her where to take the drug parcel, but stopped communicating after apparently being tipped off by the two.

Customs reminds the public to stay alert, and not take part in drug trafficking activities in exchange for money. They must not agree to accept, carry or transact in illicit goods on behalf of others; or to allow others to use their name or home address for receiving mailed packages. Anyone may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

Maari nang magbukas anumang oras ang mga kainan, at mag bbq sa labas

 Ng The SUN

 

Mahigit isang taon nang nakasara ang mga barbecue pit na pinapatakbo ng gobyerno

Simula sa darating na Huwebes, Nov. 3, ay tatanggalin na ang itinakdang oras ng pagbubukas ng mga restaurant at mga bar, at bubuksan nang muli ang mga barbecue pit sa mga parke at beaches.

Maari na ring magtanggal ng mask para magpakuha ng litrato ang mga bisita sa handaan, pero kailangan nila itong ibalik pagkatapos.

Ito ang mga binagong patakaran na inanunsyo ng mga opisyal ng gobyerno ngayon, kung kailan tumaas muli sa mahigit 6,062 ang bilang ng mga bagong kaso ng Covid-19 sa Hong Kong, kabilang ang 375 na mula sa ibang bansa.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

May walong pasyente ng Covid ang nadagdag sa listahan ng mga namatay – pero walang masyadong nadagdag sa bilang ng mga kinailangang maospital dahil sa sakit.

Ayon kay Libby Lee, Undersecretary for Health, napagdesisyunan ang pagpapaluwag muli ng mga patakaran dahil hindi na halos nadadagdagan ang bilang ng mga nagkakasakit nang malubha nang dahil sa coronavirus, kaya hindi na hirap magbigay ng serbisyo ang mga ospital.

Gusto din daw ng gobyerno na maibsan nang kaunti ang hirap na dulot ng Covid sa mga tao sa Hong Kong.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Pagdating naman sa pagpayag nila na magtanggal ng mask ang mga nagpapakuha ng litrato sa mga handaan, katulad ng sa kasal, sinabi ni Lee na sa tingin nila ay hindi naman ito magdadala ng malaking panganib.

“Nakakatanggap kasi kami ng maraming mensahe sa mga miyembro ng publiko na ang pagpapakuha nila ng litrato sa stage ng walang mask ay makakatulong para maibsan ang kanilang mga pag-aalala at humusay ang kanilang pakiramdam,” dagdag pa niya.

Sa ilalim ng mga kasalukuyang patakaran, maari lang magtanggal ng mask ang mga dumadalo sa handaan kapag sila ay kumakain o umiinom. Kailangan nilang ibalik ito tuwing sila ay lalayo sa kanilang mesa.

MAY CHANCE KA PANG MANALO!

Ang mga restaurant naman ay pinapayagan na magbukas nang hanggang hatinggabi lamang, samantalang ang mga bar ay hanggang 2am.

Sa pinakahuling mandato ng gobyerno, maaari nang magsamang magkainan ang 12 katao sa mga restaurant, at anim naman sa mga bar.

Sa handaan naman ay puwede nang mag-imbita ng hanggang 240 katao.

Press for details

Pagdating naman sa desisyon na buksan nang muli ang mga barbecuehan, hindi na daw sila nagdadala ng mas malaking panganib kaysa sa mga restaurant, kung saan maaari nang magkasamang kumain ang 12 katao.

Mahigit isang taon nang sarado ang mga barbecue pits na pinapatakbo ng gobyerno. Isinara sila noong Hulyo ng 2021 dahil sa biglang pagdagsa muli ng mga kaso ng Covid-19 sa Hong Kong.

Pero nang tanungin si Lee kung may balak ba ang gobyerno na muling paluwagin ang mga patakaran para sa mga paparating sa Hong Kong, sinabi niya na patuloy pa nilang inoobserba ang sitwasyon ng Covid sa buong mundo.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Marami ang umaasa na tatanggalin na ang tatlong araw na “medical surveillance” sa mga bagong dating dahil nangangahulugan ito na limitado ang kanilang mga kilos sa loob ng panahong ito. Pati ang pumasok sa restaurant o iba pang lugar na tinatawag na “high risk” ay hindi nila maaaring gawin.

Umaasa din ang marami na tatanggalin na ang maraming Covid testing na kailangang gawin ng isang bagong dating. Kailangan nilang mag PCR test paglapag sa Hong Kong airport, at sa ika-2, 4 at 6 na araw ng kanilang pagdating, at rapid antigen test naman sa loob ng isang linggo.

Travelers to Philippines do not have to fill out e-arrival card before boarding

By The SUN 

Travelers now have the option of filling out the e-arrival card when they land in Manila  

Starting on Nov. 1, passengers bound for the Philippines are no longer required to fill out the electronic arrival card (e-arrival card) before boarding their flights, Malacanang said yesterday (Wednesday).

The Office of the Press Secretary said in a statement that lanes will be set up in all ports of entry for those who have yet to complete the e-arrival card registration.

Filling out the numerous information required in the e-arrival card and its predecessor, the OneHealthPass, has prompted widespread complaints among inbound travelers.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

In Hong Kong, at least two returning overseas Filipino workers were unable to board their Manila-bound flight because they failed to complete the OneHealthPass before the departure gates were closed.

“Hindi na ito mandatory; lanes will be set up in airports for this system,” said an officer of the Press Office.

The use of the e-arrival cards for all incoming travelers was made mandatory for all new arrivals starting on Tuesday, Nov.1. The entry pass could be filled out within 72 hours before flying to Manila.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

However, in a press briefing Tuesday, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said all Cabinet secretaries agreed to a proposal to that filling out the e-arrival card would no longer be required during check-in. 

Instead, travelers can now fill out the said card at their own convenience, either before departure, or upon arrival where they can get help. 

Frasco said special lanes will be set up at all ports of entry for those who did not have the chance to fill out the e-arrival card.

MAY CHANCE KA PANG MANALO!

She also announced the decision to do away totally with requiring RT-PCR tests for arriving passengers who did not receive a booster dose of a Covid vaccine.

Under the new rules, even unvaccinated foreigners need only present a negative result for a rapid antigen test taken before their flight, or on arrival in the Philippines.

“The overarching direction of the Marcos administration is to allow our country to convey an openness and a readiness to the world to receive tourists and investments so that we would give our fellow Filipinos an opportunity to regain all the livelihood and losses that were incurred during the pandemic,” she said.

Press for details

Separately, the Philippine government has also made the wearing of face mask voluntary in all indoor public places. Previously, mask-off was allowed only in outdoor spaces.

However, people will still be required to wear a mask when taking public transportation, medical transportation and medical facilities.

Frasco said in the earlier press briefing that persons who are unvaccinated and those with co-morbities or are senior citizens are still “highly encouraged” to wear masks.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

But the Department of Health appears to be not as enthusiastic about allowing more people to take off their masks in public.

In a separate statement, the DOH said people will be more protected against Covid-19 if they use more layers of protection.

These include, said the DOH, vaccination, social distancing, taking care of one’s health, proper ventilation and sanitation, apart from masking.