Pinay na amo, nagtataray sa OWWA dahil pinapulis ng kasambahay

Ang opisina ng OWWA kung saan nangyari ang insidente

Isang Pilipinang employer ang nagbitaw ng mga maanghang na salita sa harap mismo ni welfare officer Dina Daquigan sa opisina ng Overseas Workers Welfare Administration kanina, kung saan sila nagharap ng kanyang domestic helper na lumayas matapos tumawag ng pulis.

Sa malakas na boses ay tinarayan ng employer ang dating helper na si Lyn, at sinabing alam niya na pera lang naman daw ang habol nito sa kanya. Sabi pa ng amo, yun lang naman talaga ang gusto ng mga domestic worker na katulad ni Lyn, at kayang kaya niyang bayaran ito.

Narinig at nasaksihan ng ilang mga Pilipina na nasa opisina din ng OWWA ang pagtataray ng amo, bago ito nagbayad ng kabuuang halaga na $4,600 para sa hindi naibayad na suweldo ni Lyn, pati sa air ticket food allowance.

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Ayon kay Lyn, pinayuhan siya ni WelOf Dina na huwag na lang niyang pansinin ang matatalim na salita na ibinato ng amo sa kanya, dahil mukhang may pinagdadaanan ito.

Nasa sa kanya pa rin kung gusto niyang sampahan ng kaso ang amo, pero dahil pumirma siya sa isang kasulatan na siya ang pumuputol sa kanilang kontrata ay baka mahirapan na siyang maghabol ng dagdag na kabayaran.

Si Welof Dina ang humarap sa mag-amo sa opisina ng OWWA (File) 

Sabi naman ni Lyn, ginusto niyang magreklamo laban sa dating amo hindi dahil gusto niyang maghabol ng pera, kundi dahil sa masamang pagtrato na ginawa nito sa kanya sa loob ng anim na buwan niyang pagsisilbi.

Sa umpisa ay maganda daw ang pagtrato sa kanya, pero pagkalipas ng ilang buwan ay walang oras na hindi siya sinisigawan nito, at sinasaktan pa.

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Noong Sabado, July 1, ay hinampas daw siya ng damit ng amo sa loob ng kanilang bahay sa Lohas Park,  Tseung Kwan O, kaya nagdesisyon siyang sundan ang suhestiyon ng isang kaibigan, at tumawag ng pulis.

Patapos na ng anim na taong pagtatrabaho sa Hong Kong si Lyn nang makilala niya ang amo habang naghahanap siya ng lilipatan. Inalok daw sya nito ng suweldong $6,000at ang sabi ay gusto niyang bihasa at maganda ang record ng kukuning kasambahay, kaya siya pumayag.

“Maayos naman ang usapan naming noon kaya napapayag ako,” sabi ni Lyn.

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Huli na niyang malaman niya na masyadong mataas ang pamantayan ng among Pilipina na kasal sa isang Intsik kaya lagi siyang pinapagalitan, at noong bandang huli ay sinasaktan siya.

Ang isa pang gustong ireklamo ni Lyn ay ang pagtanggi ng amo na ipagamot siya o bigyan man lang ng gamo, noong magka Covid-19 silang lahat sa bahay. May mga natago daw siyang chat nila ng amo kung saan makikitang nakikiusap siya sa amo na payagan siyang magpatingin sa doktor.

Sa payo ng isang nagmamalasakit na kaibigan ay nagdesisyon na tumawag ng pulis si Lyn noong Sabado, July 1, matapos diumano siyang hampasin ng damit ng amo. Pero pagdating ng mga pulis ay maayos naman daw nakipag-usap ang among Pinay sa kanila. 

BASAHIN DITO

Walang ginawang aksyon ang mga pulis dahil wala silang nakitang bakas ng inireklamo niyang pananakit.

Dahil nanlalambot pa rin sa galit sa ginawa sa kanya ng amo ay pinayuhan si Lyn ng mga pulis na bumaba muna ng bahay at magpalamig, bago sila umalis. Ayon kay Lyn, wala siyang kadala-dala nung bumaba siya kaya bumalik sa bahay para kunin ang mga gamit niya.

Doon daw niya nakita na pinagsisira ng amo niya ang mga gamit niya, kabilang ang kanyang apple watch, kaya tumawag siya ng pulis ulit. Sa pagkakataong ito, at para matapos na ang pagwawala ng kanyang amo ay pumayag daw siyang pumirma sa kasulatan na siya ang pumutol ng kanilang kontrata.

Balak pa rin ni Lyn na patuloy na magtrabaho sa Hong Kong, kaya lang ay kinakabahan daw siya dahil nalaman niyang inunahan na siya ng amo sa pagre report sa Immigration na siya ang kusang umalis sa kanyang trabaho dahil hindi niya kayang magawa nang maayos ang kanyang trabaho.

Pero nananaig pa rin ang kagustuhan niya na makaganti sa pahirap at pananakit daw sa kanya ng amo, kaya malamang na ireklamo pa rin niya ito sa labour o sa immigration. Ang tanging gusto na lang daw niya ay wala nang ibang kasambahay na dumanas ng hirap na katulad ng kanyang pinagdaanan.

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OFW Pass will not be linked to any govt fees, says DMW

 

The OFW Pass prototype, along with some key features

The soon-to-be launched OFW (overseas Filipino workers) Pass which replaces the overseas employment certificate is free and is not linked to any government agency that collects fees from members, according to the Department of Migrant Workers.

The clarification was made by DMW Secretary Susan Ople during a consultation meeting with Filipino community leaders in Asia on Saturday.

She was responding to a question from Shiela Bonifacio, chairperson of Gabriela Hong Kong who reacted when one Filcom leader asked if it was possible to link some government fees like SSS contributions to the OFW Pass.

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This was after Undersecretary for Policy Patricia Yvonne Caunan said the second phase of the launching of the OFW Pass will see it being linked to other government departments so the workers will have an easier time transacting with them.

But Secretary Ople explained the linking will be done only within the DMW mobile application or app, which will be used as the registration portal for all OFWs, and through which the OFW Pass can be obtained

The OFW Pass will come with a QR code that will be generated once the worker's  identification and current work visa have been verified, and this will not require any payment of fees.

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Apart from it being free and reusable, Ople said the OFW Pass also has lifetime validity, for as long as the worker has a verified contract on file.

Thus, OFWs who transfer to new employers or whose contracts have lapsed should personally go to the Migrant Workers Office to get a new contract verified to ensure their OFW Pass remains valid.

The long-term plan, according to her, is to automate even the contract verification so the OFWs would have a seamless experience keeping their OFW Pass valid. But until this is done, manual verification of contracts will continue.

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Ople said the DMW is also looking into retaining former OFWs’ records on file so they could be granted some benefits even if they have already returned home for good.

Officials said they had obtained initial approval from Apple Store and Google Play to include the  DMW app to their list, and expect it to be released within the week.

However, OECs will still be issued as of now but will remain valid only until the end of August.  

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Meantime, the DMW has been consulting OFWs all over the world on whether they think the OFW Pass is better than the OEC, which features they want included in the app, and their preferred method of communicating with the DMW.

For the last question, most of the OFWs who responded said they preferred to communicate through messenger.

The DMW also stepped up its campaign to get as many Filipinos overseas to volunteer as “teachers” to those who might have difficulty transitioning to the new system of registering as an OFW and obtaining the OFW Pass.

BASAHIN DITO

Undersecretary for Welfare and Foreign Employment Hans Cacdac advised the volunteer teachers to adopt a more positive outlook by not harking back on the idea that many OFWs are resistant to embracing technology.

He cited a recent study that showed 76.7% of Filipinos have been using mobile apps especially those pertaining to their finances, so it is unlikely that there will be a strong resistance to securing the OFW Pass.

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Mag-amo, kinasuhan ng pagtatakip sa ilegal na pagmamaneho ng DH

Ang panulukan kung saan nahuli ang mag-amo

Nang sitahin ng pulis ang isang sasakyan sa Sai Kung noong May 17, inakala niyang isang simple at maliit na kaso lang ito ng paglabag sa batas-trapiko.

Pero nang lapitan niya ang sasakyan at biglang naging babae ang nakaupo sa driver’s seat – imbes na lalaki na una niyang nakita -- naging kasong criminal ito.

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Sa Kwun Tong Courts noong Biyernes (June 30), binasahan ng tigatlong kaso ang Pilipinong si Rejie Bancaya, 42 taong gulang na domestic helper, at ang kanyang among si Annka Yeung, 67 taong gulang na retiradong Intsik.

Nahuli ang dalawa sa panulukan ng Tai Ming Tsai Road at Yau Yee Road sa Sai Kung.

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Ang unang kasong isinampa kay Bancaya ay “attempt(ing) to pervert the course of public justice” o pagtatangkang pigilan ang makatarungang pag-aresto sa kanya dahil pinalipat niya sa driver’s seat ang among pasahero.

Ito ay paglabag sa Section 159G ng Crimes Ordinance.

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Kinasuhan din siya ng pagmamaneho nang walang lisensiya, na paglabag naman sa Road Traffic Ordinance.

Ang ikatlong kaso niya ay pagmamaneho ng sasakyan na walang third party insurance, na hinihingi ng Motor Vehicle Insurance (Third Party Risks) Ordinance.

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Ayon sa batas, ang insurance ang dapat sumagot sa dapat na bayarin kung maaksidente siya at makapaminsala o makapanakit.

Ang amo niya namang si Yeung ay kinasuhan din ng pagtatangkang pigilan ang makatarungang pagpapatupad ng batas, at pagpayag na imaneho ang kanyang kotse na hindi naka-insure, ng isang hindi lisensiyadong driver.

BASAHIN DITO

Pinayagan ang mag-amo na mag piyansa -- $1,500 para kay Bangcaya at $10,000 para kay Yeung - hanggang sa susunod na pagdinig ng kaso sa Aug. 25.

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DMW chief tells USec to investigate ‘illegal’ recruitment of OFWs to Canada

Sec Ople says she is 'very interested' in the alleged case of illegal recruitment of OFWs to Canada

Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople has confirmed an investigation into the alleged illegal recruitment and attempted trafficking of overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong to Canada.

“I am very much interested in that case, and I have asked Undersecretary Hans Cacdac to look into it,” said Secretary Ople during today’s online briefing of Filipino community leaders in Asia on the new OFW Pass.

Ople also noted that The SUN's editor, lawyer Daisy  Mandap, had alerted her about the case.

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She added that all legal matters pertaining to OFWs, including the possibility of hiring a  legal retainer in Hong Kong for cases, would be handled by USec Cacdac. Matters relating to the illegal operations of recruiters are dealt with by USec Bernardo Olalia.

Separately, USec Cacdac assured The SUN that they were seriously looking into the human trafficking or cross-country allegation against the Philippines-based group led by a barangay captain in Cebu, Prisca Nina Mabatid, saying the DMW is “averse” to such activities.

As a follow-up to the initial inquiry held by Consulate officers on June 25, the complainants were recently asked to provide more details to the DMW’s Migrant Workers Office about their claims.

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Police officers also scheduled another interview with the claimants after Mabatid failed to show up at the Consulate on the same day, reneging on her promise to return the workers’ money.

The DMW chief was responding to a question from Ester Bangcawayan of the Mission of Migrant Workers regarding the Department’s action on a letter sent by 11 alleged victims in Hong Kong of Mabatid’s PCVC.

Sec Ople with The SUN's editor Daisy Mandap(inset) at DMW's online consultation 

Bangcawayan is one of two case officers helping the complainants who mostly paid HK$18,700 (about Php131,000) to PCVC in February this year, after Mabatid personally came to Hong Kong to entice them to apply for student visas to Canada.

The applicants said that after paying the processing fee upfront, they were given a list of requirements that made them realize they could not qualify for the promised visa, or would not be able to earn enough to sustain living there even if they worked the allowed 20 hours a week.

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Two balked when they realized Mabatid had tricked them into paying up by promising to lend each one of them Php1 million. 

One said she was told she would have to provide an "alibi" as to how she got to have this much money in her bank account all of a sudden, while another realized the money would just be put there to trick the Canadian government into giving them a student visa.

When they tried to ask for a refund because of the false promises given them, they were reminded that they had signed an agreement which barred them from asking for their money back, or from filing a lawsuit against the company.

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Also named in the complaint were Mabatid's partner, lawyer Russ Mark Gamallo, who did half of the recruitment pitch; two unnamed female staff members who collected the applicants’ money, and OFW driver and blogger Bryan Calagui who was tapped to promote the group's activities in Hong Kong.

The group held another recruitment drive at the same venue on June 18, which was disrupted when the complainants called the police in, saying the group being mostly tourists, were conducting an illegal activity. They also demanded to get their money back.

Calagui left before the police arrived while Mabatid was forced to cancel her presentation so she could talk to the police. Only Gamallo was left inside the venue to continue the orientation.

After about three hours of negotiations the police let Mabatid go after she promised to go to the Consulate the next Sunday to return the applicants’ money. But the investigating officer told the complainants that they should go back to the police if Mabatid failed to comply with her undertaking.

Mabatid showing off her luxury bus

In a defiant Facebook post on June 22, or three days before she was meant to face her accusers at the Consulate, Mabatid posted a video of her showing off her luxurious bus, which she captioned with: “Ready nako mo share sa akong tinagu-an (I am now ready to share where I hid) I got arrested in my bus not in HK,” with the hash tag “therealthing”.

On June 19, she also did a live interview with Calagui on Facebook while she was at Hong Kong airport about to fly back to the Philippines. She did not deny recruiting OFWs to move to Canada as students, but claimed that they were not genuine complaints against her and her company.

She brushed off the claims by some of the applicants as politically motivated, saying she and Calagui are known to be pro-government while her perceived enemies are on the opposite side of the fence.

Mabatid and Calagui claim the case against them is 'politically motivated'

However, all the 11 applicants who signed the complaints against them have told Consulate officials that they were enticed to apply because they shared Calagui’s politics and followed his blogs regularly.

Despite denying that she was given a list of the complainants, Mabatid’s staff began contacting the applicants by phone before the Consulate meeting. The only one who took the call and recorded it was told Mabatid decided not to go back to Hong Kong on the advice of her lawyers.

The caller who identified herself as being with PCVC, also dared the complainants to sue them, but warned that they could only do it in Cebu, as that is where they are based.

BASAHIN DITO

On June 28, Mabatid posted photos of her and Calagui with former presidential spokesman Harry Roque meeting with the top officials of the Consulate. She captioned this “a meet and greet with DMW and Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong.

Asked about the photos which seemed to suggest that the recruiters had the Consulate’s blessings, Consul General Raly Tejada said it was a simple courtesy call by Roque and no one else.

In her post, Mabatid pitched another call for Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong to continue trusting them and Canada’s ability to give them a good life, and not listen to those who just want to pull them down.

At the same time, she warned her detractors that she will just see them in court “sa daming kasong sinampa namin.” (because of the many cases we have filed against them). However, she did not specify who were the people she was suing, and for what. 

'Good man' Calagui gives pep talk to applicants who lined up to pay the processing fee

She also took time to praise Calagui, saying “nobody can put a good man down, remember that.” (Her partner, Gamallo, earlier told the complainants they were distancing themselves from Calagui because they had heard so many complaints against him)

Mabatid also mentioned that she was setting up an office in Hong Kong soon to better service her clients at wala nang mang-aapak sa amin (so no one would look down on us again).

To this, one of her determined complainants warned, “Tingnan lang natin.” (Let us see).

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OFW, pumanaw 2 araw bago ang takdang pag-uwi sa Pilipinas

 

Si Rovelyn ay dating malusog bago nahawaan ng TB

Nakatakda nang umuwi sa Pilipinas si Rovelyn P. Mendoza, 36 taong gulang, nang biglang manikip ang kanyang lalamunan bandang 6am nitong June 28, kaya sinugod sya sa Kwong Wah Hospital.

Nagdesisyon ang mga doktor na operahan siya agad matapos makitang nagsasara na ang kanyang mga vocal cords kaya hindi sya makahinga, pero pumanaw siya habang nasa operating room.

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Inulila niya ang kanyang asawa na si Ruben Ragudo at dalawang anak, edad 13 at 6 taong gulang. Nakatakda sana siyang umuwi na nitong June 30 dahil lagi siyang nagkakasakit simula nang pagpasok ng taon, pero hindi na niya nagawa.

Ayon kay Marites Palma ng Social Justice for Migrant Workers na isa sa mga hiningan ng tulong ni Rovelyn, hinahanapan daw sana nila ng makakasama ito pauwi dahil laging sumasakit ang lalamunan at hirap nang magsalita, nang malaman nilang bigla itong pumanaw.

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Hinihintay pa ang resulta ng autopsy sa kanyang labi, pero hinihinala ng mga doktor na ang kanyang pagkamatay ay may kinalaman sa tuberculosis sa kanyang spinal column na nakita nito lang Pebrero pero hindi alam kung saan niya nakuha.

Maaari din daw na lumala ito matapos magka Covid-19 si Rovelyn noong Disyembre. Magmula daw kasi nang mangyari ito ay lagi na lang sinasabi ng yumao na nahihirapan siyang huminga.

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Ayon sa naluluhang pahayag ng kanyang nakababatang kapatid na si Ronalyn na dalawang linggo pa lang sa Hong Kong, parang hinintay lang siya ng kanyang ate na makarating dito bago ito namaalam.

“Kahit nahihirapan na siya, hinintay pa rin niya akong makarating dito,” sabi ni Ronalyn.

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Ang ate daw niya ang gumastos sa lahat para makapagtrabaho siya sa Hong Kong, at matulungan ang sariling pamilya sa Pilipinas.

Si Rovelyn ay anim na taon nang nagtatrabaho sa Hong Kong, pero tatlong taon pa lang sa among taga Olympic Station.

BASAHIN DITO

Sabi ni Ronalyn, nagrereklamo dati ang kanyang ate na pagod siya sa trabaho pero ni minsan ay hindi nagsabing gusto na niyang umuwi, lalo at malaki ang naitutulong niya sa pamilyang iniwan sa Pilipinas.

Sobrang matulungin daw ng kanyang ate kahit sa mga panahong malala na ang kanyang sakit..

Isa lang daw ang laging sinasabi nito sa kanya, ang mag-ipon para sa sarili dahil hindi masasabi ng sinuman kung kailan sila magkakasakit, katulad nang nangyari sa kanya.

Kahit nakapagbitiw na si Rovelyn ay inako pa rin ng kanyang amo ang lahat ng gastusin sa pagpapauwi sa bangkay, kabilang ang para sa autopsy, death certificate at bayad sa punerarya.

May makukuha din ang kanyang mag-aama ng Php150,000 mula sa Overseas Workers Welfare Administration para sa pagpapalibing sa yumao, at scholarship para sa kanyang bunsong anak.

(Ang sino mang gustong tumulong sa pamilya ni Rovelyn ay maaring ipadala sa Alipay account ng kanyang pinsang si Aileen Exconde, tel no 62858675. Maari ding kontakin ang kanyang kapatid na si Ronalyn Mendoza, 5682 3375.)

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