The SUN HK

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The celebration, which was also to pay homage to their late manager Law Wai Ho, their team manager who they all called “Daddy”, was held at the HKSA softball field in Ho Man Tin, Kowloon.

Lau’s daughter Pamela, who took over as team manager, said she looks forward to another 10 years with the team.

“I hope you go further in the (top) league,” she said.

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“I’m still getting to know the members and all the friends that my father met through this team,” she added. “I want to continue his legacy.’

Pamela introduced the team’s new coach, David Wong, who used to coach the Sluggers, a baseball team also made up of Filipino domestic helpers, which has disbanded.

Wong said the team has the potential to win the championship of the top league, but realizing that potential needs a lot of work.

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“You have the potential to place top or second. But we need to work hard to get there,” he said.

Don Gaborno, the team captain, agreed. "We need to train harder because the teams in Group A have members of the Hong Kong team playing for them. They are really much stronger than the Group B teams."

During the program, their new manager also unveiled the new team uniform.

There used to be three Filipino teams, with Fate as the most successful in softball tournaments pitting it with local teams in the B Division.

In baseball, the Filipinos competed as Sluggers and Buffaloes, which have since disbanded.

Some of their members have joined Fate which has survived despite the pandemic.

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Filipino fund-raising for St Joseph’s Church underway

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By The SUN

Parish priest Fr John Tan says mass before the start of the fundraising event

A two-day fundraising for the renovation of St Joseph’s Church in Central kicked off on Saturday, Dec 4, with several Filipino community leaders and organizations taking part.

The festivities opened with a holy mass on the church parking lot, led by parish priest Fr. Joseph Tan Leitao. This was followed by a ribbon-cutting, with company representatives were asked to take part.

Among the guests were Consul Paul Saret, who represented Consul General Raly Tejada, Bayanihan trustee Lourdes Salazar, Hong Kong Musicians Union chairman Lito Castillo, and officers of various Filipino companies. Host was Michael Vincent of MetroPlus radio station.

Father Joseph said the event was aimed at raising funds to cover the shortfall for the current year’s targeted budget of $6 million. He was confident the nearly $2 million that has yet to be raised would be met by the next quarterly assessment at the end of December.

The parish priest gave special thanks to “ordinary Filipinos,” including migrant domestic workers, whose donations covered 20% of the total amount raised for the refurbishment of the 54-year-old church building. The rest of the money came from wealthy parishioners and other generous donors.

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“In the beginning we were thinking about, maybe 5% of the donation for the whole fundraising would come from the Filipino community, but in the end, 20% came from ordinary Filipino people,” he said. “It was more than what we expected.”

Salazar, who spearheaded the two-day fundraising drive, said the organizers wanted to “encourage” Filipino companies to also pitch in for the upkeep of the church that has been a “a home away from home” for many Filipino migrants.

A traditional Filipino “bahay kubo” or nipa house set up in a part of the church’s compound gives testament to how well-entrenched the Filipinos are in St Joseph’s.

Guests gather inside the 'bahay kubo' in the church compound

Fr Joseph said originally, the idea was just to set up a temporary shelter for Filipino volunteers around one of the huge trees in the compound. The idea caught on, however, so that the area is now roofed and walled-in with palm fronds and bamboo.

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To reach out to more Filipino Catholics, Fr Joseph is planning to record on video his traditional Christmas message to the community, and have it aired on social media before the start of the Filipino tradition of “simbang gabi” on Dec 15.

Salazar said another upcoming event to watch out for is the enthronement of the Black Nazarene at St Joseph’s next Sunday, Dec 11, during the 10am mass, with a delegation from Quiapo church joining the ceremony.

Quiapo is home to probably the biggest statue of the Black Nazarene in the country, and the annual procession held in its honor attracts hordes of people who mostly walk barefoot as a sign of penance.

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Nine persons arrested in anti-illegal work operations

Posted on 03 December 2022 No comments

Suspected illegal workers arrested during an operation are escorted by officers

Eight workers and one employer were arrested in two operations against illegal work on Nov. 28 to Dec.1, involving raids on 28 locations all over Hong Kong.

The operation codenamed "Twilight" was mounted by the Immigration Department and a joint operation with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed "Champion" targeted premises under renovation, residential buildings, restaurants and a retail shop.

Arrested for illegal work in operation Twilight on 13 establishments were one man and five women, aged 29 to 56. Also arrested was one man, aged 47, suspected of employing them.

In operation Champion in the Western district, two women aged 34 and 39 were arrested for illegal work. One of them was a holder of a recognizance form, which prohibits her from taking any employment.

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The Immigration said those who violate a condition of their stay in Hong Kong as well as visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders may face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment.

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Also prohibited from working and joining in any business are illegal immigrants, those who are subject of a removal order or a deportation order, overstayers or those refused permission to land.

Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment.

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May nahimatay, may nagwala dahil sa OEC

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Ni Daisy CL Mandap

Nahimatay habang nakapila para sa OEC ang isang OFW na namatayan ng kapamilya
(mula sa video ni Ellen Tamayo na pinost sa Facebook)

Patuloy pa rin ang paghihinagpis ng maraming mga migranteng Pilipino sa Hong Kong dahil sa hirap nang pagkuha ng overseas employment certificate (OEC) na kailangan nila para makabalik sa kanilang trabaho matapos umuwi sa Pilipinas.

Sa isang Facebook post na nag viral ay nakita ang isang Pilipinang nahimatay habang nakapila para sa OEC. (heto ang link: https://www.facebook.com/reel/670499984603339)

Sa isa pang post ay nakita naman ang isa pang Pilipina na nanggagalaiti sa galit dahil hindi diumano natulungan na maayos ang kanyang mga papeles para makakuha ng OEC. (link: https://fb.watch/ha4D1o23f0/)

Ayon kay Ellen Tamayo, na nag post ng video ng babaeng hinimatay, nangyari ang insidente noong Huwebes, Dec. 1. Base sa kuwento ng isang katabi ng babae ay nagmamadali daw ito na makakuha ng OEC dahil gusto nang umuwi at namatayan.

“Kawawa naman sya, sobrang stress, walang kain at nagmamadali sa OEC at namatayan sila. Nawalan siya ng malay habang nakapila,” sabi ni Tamayo sa kanyang post.

Mabuti na lang daw at may dala siyang white flower liniment at iyon ang pinaamoy sa babae ng isang lalaking staff ng Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) na biglang tumakbo mula sa service counter para tulungan yung nahimatay.

“Hindi ko na nakuhanan ng video nang nilagay ni sir sa tissue (yung white flower) tapos pinaamoy sa babae hanggang nakatayo siya at pinaupo sya,” kwento pa ni Tamayo.

Marami daw tao noon at nagkataong nandoon siya para mag-verify ng kanyang kontrata. Napansin niya na walang linya para sa mga may emergency katulad nung babaeng hinimatay.

“Sana naman ay maayos na yan (problema sa OEC) dahil kawawa naman ang mga OFW na matagal-tagal na din na hindi nakauwi sa mga pamilya, tapos pahirapan pa sa OEC,” dagdag niya.

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Sa post naman ni Bryan Belisario ay makikita ang isang babae na biglang umalis sa harap ng mga service counter sa Polo at nagsisigaw sa galit.

Galit na lumayo sa counter ng Polo ang babae na hindi daw natulungan para makakuha ng OEC

“Hirap na kami sa trabaho namin, pati ba naman dito, pahihirapan pa? Diyos ko naman, nasaan ang mga puso ninyo?,” sabi ng babae. Dagdag pa nito, wala namang masyadong tao pero hindi pa rin siya natulungan.

Paliwanag ni Belisario, “They won’t entertain enquiries (or those) asking for assistance.” (Hindi sila sumasagot ng tanong o yung nanghihingi ng tulong).

Kaya daw lalong sumasama ang loob ng marami ay ang Polo dapat ang kanlungan ng mga may pinagdadaanang problema, pero lalo pa itong nakakadagdag sa kanilang dinadala dahil ayaw silang tulungan.

Mabuti na lang daw at naturuan ng kanyang grupo ang babae, kaya noong huli ay siya na ang tumulong sa mga kapwa OFW na kumuha ng OEC.

Ang isa pang ikinasasama ng loob ng maraming OFW, ayon kay Belisario, ay parang mas mabilis makakuha ng appointment ang mga negosyante sa ikalawang palapag ng United Centre, kung saan naroon din ang Konsulado at Polo.

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Sa halagang $60 daw ay tinutulungan ng mga negosyante ang mga OFW na makakuha agad ng OEC, samantalang kung sa mismong Polo sila pupunta ay kailangan pa ng appointment.

“May appointment sa itaas, sa baba may bayad, walang appointment,” sabi niya.

Ito rin ang himutok ng ilang mga lider ng komunidad, katulad ni Dolores Balladares-Pelaez ng United Filipinos in Hong Kong (Unifil-Migrante) na nananawagan na tanggalin na ang OEC na matagal na raw nagpapahirap sa mga OFW.

Habang hindi pa daw nila ito magawa ay ibalik na lang ng Polo ang mga volunteer sa kanilang opisina para tulungan ang maraming OFW na hirap na hirap na makakuha ng OEC. Tigilan na rin daw ang pagkabit ng Pag-IBIG Fund sa OEC dahil isa pa itong nagdadagdag ng pahirap sa mga OFW.

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Panawagan ng Red Cross, magbigay ng dugo dahil paubos na ang reserba nito

Posted on 02 December 2022 No comments

Isa sa mga pasyenteng nangangailangan ng dugo

Nananawagan ang Hong Kong Red Cross ng dagdag na donasyon ng dugo dahil tatagal na lang ng tatlo hanggang apat na araw ang pondo nito.

Sinabi ng Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service (BTS) na dalawang linggo nang hindi umaabot ang koleksyon nito ng dugo sa target na 650 unit bawa’t araw.

Ang target na ito ay pangtapat sa pangangailangan ng mga ospital para sa mga pasyenteng kailangan ang dugo sa kanilang paggagamot.

Ilan sa mga maaapektuhan ang kalagayan kung hindi matutugunan ang kanilang pangangailangan sa dugo ay mga may sakit na thalassaemia, na pang habangbuhay ang pag-asa sa paglilipat ng dugo para mabuhay.

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Inaasahan ding mas tataas pa ang pangangailangan sa dugo dahil sa pagsapit ng taglamig, lalo pa’t patuloy ang pagkalat ng Covid-19.

Inaanyayahan ng Red Cross ang lahat na magbigay ng dugo.

Mas mapapabilis ang proseso ng donasyon kung magrerehistro at mag-appointment sa Donor Web Portal (blooddonor.ha.org.hk) o sa "HK Blood" mobile app na pwedeng I download mula sa Apple App Store o sa Google Play.

Tumatanggap din ng walk-in sa mga BTS donor centre, na nakalista sa ibaba:

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Sze Pang Nien Memorial Headquarters Donor Centre

15 King's Park Rise, near Wylie Road

For Reserved Group Donation Only

Mongkok Donor Centre

15/F, Chow Tai Fook Centre, 580A Nathan Road, Mongkok

(MTR Yau Ma Tei Station Exit A2 or MTR Mongkok Station

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Kwun Tong Donor Centre

Units 2301 & 2316, 23/F, Millennium City 5, 418 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong

(MTR Kwun Tong Station Exit A2)

West Kowloon Donor Centre

6/F, Hong Kong Red Cross Headquarters,19 Hoi Ting Road, West Kowloon

Central District Donor Centre

1/F, Tung Ming Building, 40-42 Des Voeux Road Central, Central ( MTR Central station Exit C)

Causeway Bay Donor Centre

14/F, Plaza 2000, 2-4 Russell Street, Causeway Bay

MTR Causeway Bay Station Exit A

Wan Chai Donor Centre

Unit 3, G/F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai

Shatin Donor Centre (Temporarily Relocated)

Units 916-917, 9/F, Grand Central Plaza Tower 1, 138 Sha Tin Rural Committee Road, Sha Tin

Tsuen Wan Donor Centre

8 Tai Ho Road, Tsuen Wan

(MTR Tsuen Wan Station Exit A)

Yuen Long Donor Centre

Unit Nos. 704-705, 7/F, Yuen Long Landmark,

115-127 Yuen Long Castle Peak Road, Yuen Long

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