By Daisy CL Mandap
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| Unifil's Balladares (top left photo) with 7 failed Covid aid claimants during the zoom presser |
Migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong
have again called out the Overseas Workers Welfare Organization for continuing
to ignore pleas to ease its rules on giving aid to recovered Covid-19 patients so
more can benefit.
In an online press conference held on
Sunday, the migrants, led by United Filipinos in Hong Kong, also questioned
OWWA’s offer to give the Php10,000 fund relief to only 43 beneficiaries, and
pay the money to their relatives in the Philippines, instead of directly to
them in Hong Kong.
The named beneficiaries were the OFWs
endorsed by the Mission for Migrant Workers directly to OWWA’s head office in
Manila after their applications were rejected by OWWA HK for not complying with
the strict rules imposed on those seeking the financial assistance.
Unifil chairperson Dolores Balladares
said in a statement, “It should be given not only to the people on the list
submitted by Mission For Migrant Workers but also to all those who applied and
submitted documents, even if it’s not in compliance with all the requirements
of OWWA.”
Balladares added, “OWWA should stop
making it difficult for the Covid claimants to receive what is due to them.”
She also questioned OWWA’s offer to pay
the cash aid to the family members in the Philippines of the selected
beneficiaries when they filed the claim in Hong Kong.
Unifil’s head recalled OWWA HK itself
announced the US$200 aid to all OFWs who were stricken with the coronavirus
during the fifth wave of the pandemic in Hong Kong through a Facebook post on
Feb 28 this year.
“Hindi
natin ito hiningi, sila mismo ang nagsabing bibigyan nila ng ayuda ang mga
nagka Covid sa fifth wave,” she said. (We did not ask for this, they
themselves said they would give aid to those who were stricken with Covid in
the fifth wave).
Faced with a deluge of applications from
the thousands of OFWs who came down with the virus since, OWWA tightened the
rules the following month to include a medical certificate confirming the
patient’s illness, and specifying the symptoms.
Subequently, more requirements were added,
including a positive PCR test result, although the Hong Kong government itself
confirmed test results obtained from an antigen test; and proof of
hospitalization or being sent to a government isolation facility.
Juvelyn, one of those denied Covid aid,
said at the press conference that she had all the documents that would prove
she was stricken with the disease, including an isolation order from the Hong
Kong government – but not the medical certificate –so her application was
denied.
Like all the other applicants who failed
to get the aid for this reason, Juvelyn was puzzled by OWWA’s insistence on
this, saying “imposible kang makakuha ng
medical certificate sa fifth wave.” (It was impossible to get a medical
certificate during the fifth wave).
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| One of the taxis allowed to transport Covid positive patients to some clinics during the 5th wave |
Overwhelmed by the tens of thousands of
people who were testing positive for coronavirus on a daily basis, the government
at the time instructed patients to test themselves at home, and if they tested
positive, to upload the test result on a platform. Once they did this, the government
would confirm the result and issue an isolation order to the patient.
Later, patients, especially those with
severe symptoms, were advised to go to a designated clinic to see a doctor and
get medicines. But they could only do so by taking designated taxis directly to
the clinics, which was another hurdle that threw most people off.
Juvelyn said she went to OWWA’s office
thrice in a bid to get her application approved, but failed. Each time, the
staff who spoke with her said her application could proceed only if she had a
medical certificate.
The same experience was shared by
Judith, who had to isolate at home along with all members of her employer’s
family per the government’s orders. That meant no one in their household was
allowed to go out and had to wait until the government gave them the all-clear.
Liza, another failed claimant, had it
worse because she tested positive on August 8, less than a month after she
arrived in Hong Kong. She said her elderly employers shunned her and were
scared of her passing on the virus to them that she had to be moved to a
government facility.
As she did not have sick leave credits
yet, she also could not claim any salary during her period of isolation, making
her situation really dire.
“Sana hindi lang yung 43 ang bibigyan,” she said (I hope cash aid will be given not only to the 43 <who
were endorsed by the Mission>)
Mary Rose, on the other hand, had been
working in Hong Kong for 25 years when she was stricken. In all the time that
she had worked abroad and was a member of OWWA, she said it was the first time
that she had turned to the government for help, so it pained her to be turned
down.
When she went to OWWA’s office to
inquire about the cash aid, she said the woman at the counter merely said, “Mag email ka (send us an email),” before
turning her back on her.
Most of the claimants were also angered
by OWWA’s allegations that some applicants had tampered with their documents so
they could claim the benefit when they were not qualified.
The claimants said this was demeaning and
outrageous, as they could not possibly have risked being arrested and charged with
falsification, which carries a penalty of $10,000 – far more than the promised
aid - and imprisonment of up to five years.
Another common lament was that OWWA was
withholding money that belongs to them.
Kelly, another claimant, asked: “Bakit ninyo kami pinapagpalimos sa perang
galing sa amin?,” (Why are you making us beg for money that came from us?)
Jenny, whose lament also included her
being allegedly treated nastily by OWWA after she complained directly to
Malacanang when her application was rejected, said it was ridiculous to insist
on a medical certificate when there is enough proof that the claimant had been
stricken.
“At the end of the day, we were all
sick; iba-iba lang ang kuwento natin,”
she said.
In her case, Jenny said she had high
fever and felt weak for about two months after catching the virus. But she had
no medical certificate as she was made to isolate at home.
What made matters worse in her case was
when OWWA welfare officer Virsie Tamayao allegedly called to tell her off for
bringing her complaint to the Office of the President when she had already been
given the Php10,000 Akap fund for those whose jobs were affected by Covid.
Jenny was also mad because the OWWA head
had called up the leader of an Ilocano group to ask about her, and apparently
complained about her being rude during their phone conversation.
In closing, Balladares vowed to help claimants
fight for what is rightfully theirs, even going all the way to Malacanang to
keep up the pressure.
“OWWA's failure to give cash assistance
is clearly abandonment. OFWs have their rights, and as such have the right to
assistance,” she said.
She also called for a full audit of OWWA’s
Trust Fund, which is accumulated from member’s US$25 contribution each time
they sign a new employment contract.
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