More FDHs to get free Disney tickets, other freebies

 

Some of the lucky invitees by the Mission for Migrant Workers at HK Disney on Jan 26

Another round of free entrance, food and transportation to and from Hong Kong Disneyland for foreign domestic helpers is forthcoming.

This is according to Disneyland managing director Michael Moriarty who told the South China Morning Post that it is in talks with the Li Ka Shing Foundation to extend the treat given to a select group of FDHs for the past two years.

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Moriarty made the announcement as HK Disneyland reported an all-time high of $838 million in net profit last year, and a record number of 7.7 million visitors.

This is the first time that the theme park has returned a profit in the past decade.

He said the extended treat is due to the positive response they received following two rounds of sponsored trips on Jan. 19 and 26 this year. 

More FDHs will get the treat this year, as HK Disney celebrates its 20th year

A total of 4,200 workers benefited from the goodwill this year, up by 5% from 2024. As before, they were invited through non-government organizations such as the Mission for Migrant Workers, PathFinders, Help for Domestic Workers, Splash and Enrich.

All the workers each received a one-day ticket which normally costs $669, a transport allowance of HK$80 (US$10) on their Octopus cards and meals valued at HK$365.

The initiative cost the foundation nearly $2 million, excluding the price of the tickets, which it shared with Disneyland.

The foundations said the treat is meant to to “create unforgettable happy memories for those domestic workers who are working hard in Hong Kong and far away from home”.

Disneyland Hong Kong has said it will be celebrating its 20^th year starting in June this year.

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DMW guard arrested for alleged attempt to scam OFWs

 

The security guard was arrested on the spot

A security guard was arrested earlier today right inside the Department of Migrant Workers office building in Mandaluyong City after two would-be overseas Filipino workers complained that the suspect had tried to fleece P35,000 from each of them.

Wenceslao O. Villagracia was arrested in an entrapment operation led by the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau and Mandaluyong City police inside the OWWA PDOS (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration’s Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar) room on the second floor of the DMW building.

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Two female complainants from Calaca, Batangas who are both direct hire applicants for domestic work in Bahrain reported that Villagracia had demanded that they each pay Php35,000 to him so the release of their OWWA PDOS could be expedited.\

Villagracia faces charges of  estafa and “fixing” under sec 21 (h) of the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 (RA 11032).

Some scammers pretend to be DMW employees

Earlier, the DMW also warned the public against transacting with people who claim to work for the Department, usually through email or SMS, if the message did not come from the official DMW account.

Anyone who receives such suspicious messages or solicitation should verify the source, or report ito directly to airtipinfo@dmw.gov.ph or on the official Facebook pag, DMW Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons Program.

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HK OFW loses husband in fire

 

What's left of the Ledesma house in Cavite

Tragedy struck twice recently for Margie Ledesma, an overseas Filipino worker in Hong Kong.

A fire that started in their home in General Trias, Cavite on Feb. 12, not only left her and her four children with only the clothes on their back, but also claimed the life of the 55-year-old father of the family, Nestor.

Margie said her husband had a stroke two years ago, so had difficulty moving around. “Nakakatayo naman at nakakapaligo, pero mabagal na kumilos.” (He could stand and bathe himself, but could only move slowly).

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Thus, when the fire struck and consumed their home, Nestor mercifully managed to keep himself from being burnt, but did not move fast enough to escape the burning house. He died of smoke inhalation.

It was also unfortunate that no one among their four children was at home with their father that time, said Margie. The four, aged 26, 24, 19 and 15, were all out working, studying or hanging out with friends on that fateful night that their father had no one to help him escape.

“Kakaiba yung araw na iyon, kasi madalas naman may naiiwan sa kanila sa bahay,” said Margie. (That was unusual because often, there would be someone among them in the house with their father).

Nestor was only 55 when he died

Because of the tragedy, the house that Margie helped build from working for the past 10 years in Hong Kong was reduced to ashes. Her children ended up staying the night at the barangay hall while grieving over the loss of their father.

As for Margie, she decided to wait awhile before going home to bury her husband. Their relatives in Capiz had sent word that they wanted to be there for the wake, and Margie also had to make sure she did not stay too long in the Philippines as she needed to keep her job now, more than ever.

Apart from grieving for her husband, Margie now has to face the prospect of taking care of substantial funeral expenses, on top of having to rebuild the family home they have lost.

Luckily, a number of her friends in Hong Kong, including broadcaster Jun Paragas, have stepped forward to help, and started a fundraising drive for her family.

Anyone who wishes to do likewise and help alleviate the suffering of Margie and her brood can send money through her Alipay account, 95318776. 

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Filipino mother arrested over death of newborn son

 

The dead baby was found in a flat at this housing estate

A Filipino woman who reportedly works at Hong Kong Disneyland was arrested earlier today, Feb. 24, after the dead body of her two-day old male infant was discovered in their Sham Tseng flat.

Various media reports said the 30-year-old mother was arrested on charges of child neglect after the baby’s body was discovered by his grandmother at around 4:35 pm today in their flat in Lido Garden on Castle Peak Road.

The grandmother had called the police, saying the baby’s body had already turned blue. Paramedics dispatched to the flat confirmed the baby had died.

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One report said the mother was unaware that she was pregnant until she experienced sudden abdominal pain while at work in Disneyland on Jan. 22. She gave birth in a public toilet at the theme park.

It was not clear from the reports if the baby was alive at the time.

Following the delivery the woman placed the newborn infant inside a bag and went home, but did not reportedly tell her husband or 11-year-old son who were in at the time.

At around 1pm today the mother sent a WhatsApp message to her mother-in-law, apologizing for an undisclosed reason. Later this afternoon the older woman checked her grandson’s bedroom and found the dead baby on the bed.

Police arrested the mother at the flat on suspicion of child neglect. Further investigation by the Tsuen Wan Police’s major crime unit is underway.

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Warmer mornings seen this week

 

Victoria Harbor this afternoon (HKO photo) 

The maritime airstream blowing from the east is expected to each Hong Kong overrnight and wam its mornings starting tomorrow, with laden clouds bringing occasional rains duing the rest of the week, accoding to forecasts fom the Hong Kong Observatory.

The rise in temperature is expected to be felt starting tomorrow, with the minimum rising from today’s 12 degrees Celisus to 15 degrees.

“… under the influence of a humid maritime airstream, temperatures will rise progressively over the coast of Guangdong in the latter part of this week and early next week. There may be damp days over the weekend,” the Obsevatoy said.

The warming up is expected to continue, with the daily minimum temperature gradually rising to 16 degrees on Wednesday, 17 degrees on Thursday, 18 degrees on Friday, 19 degrees on Saturday and 20 degrees on Sunday and next Monday.

The trend is expected to reverse on Tuesday, as northeast monsoon winds take over and leave Hong Kongers shivering from the cold again.

Filipino art across borders showcased in Galleria Camaya's new exhibit

 

More than 60 works by notable Filipino artists from across the globe will be featured in Galleria Camaya’s latest exhibition which opens on Wednesday, Feb 26 at the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre on Kennedy Road, and runs until Monday, Mar. 3.

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The exhibit titled  “Unity in Diversity: Filipino Artists Across Borders” will showcase works by established and emerging Filipino artists based in the Philippines, Hong Kong, New York and London, focusing on such themes as cultural identity, fusion and migration.

Among the works on display are those by renowned Filipino artists like Ferdie Cacnio, Bullet Dematera, Ross Capili and Mary Rose Gisbert, and many others.

This painting by Bullet Dematera is among the artworks carefully selected for the exhibit

The exhibition coincides with Philippine National Arts Month, which is held every February, and supports the objectives of promoting cross-cultural exchange and dialogue through the universal language of art.

The featured works delve into the delicate balance of preserving cultural heritage while navigating the complexities of a globalized world.

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 “This exhibition celebrates the diversity within Filipino identity while illuminating the unifying threads that connect Filipino artists across borders,” said Galleria Camaya’s owner and philanthropist, Gail Hills.

“We invite submissions that challenge stereotypes, explore cultural complexity, and inspire audiences to reimagine the global Filipino experience.”

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Galleria Camaya is an art gallery founded in 2016, and focuses on showcasing Philippine art and artists through various exhibitions and events held in key cities around the world, including New York, Vienna and Hong Kong.

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Temperatures to drop to 13 degrees tomorrow

 

Visitors should pay attention to the sudden weather shift in HK 

 

Hong Kong will be noticeably colder tomorrow, with temperatures dropping to 13 degrees in the urban areas, and lower in the New Territories.

The forecast is for cloudy periods overnight, becoming fine and dry during the day, with a maximum temperature of 18 degrees.

This is according to the Hong Kong Observatory, which attributed to the sudden drop in temperatures to the northeast monsoon affecting the coast of Guangdong.

Over the next few days, light rain patches are expected, although the temperatures will gradually rise. It will be relatively humid in the middle and latter parts of the week.

The lowest temperature will go up to 15 degrees on Tuesday, and will continually go up until it reaches 20 degrees on Sunday, Mar. 2.

District Court to hear $4.67 million money laundering case against Filipina

 

The District Court in Wanchai will take over the case because of the huge amount involved

A Filipina domestic helper facing three charges of laundering a total of more than $4.67 million has been ordered to appear at the District Court on March 13, after the cases against her were ordered transferred from the magistracy.

Lilian Ponce Amasula, 52 years old and a resident of Sai Kung, was allowed to post bail of $20,000 by Eastern Court Principal Magistrate Don So until the next hearing at the District Court.

The transfer of the case to the higher court came after the three charges against Amasula were amended and consolidated.

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In the first charge, Amasula is accused of conspiring with a person known as “Maridech Sedasdian” of laundering a total of $2,026,373.31 in a Standard Chartered Bank account, between Apr 11 and 17, 2023.

In the second charge, Amasula and Sedasdian are accused of laundering a total of $2,285.037.06 in a Mox bank account, between Apr 8 and 26, 2023.

In the third charge, Amasula and Sedasdian are again accused of laundering a total of $465,206.79 in an account with the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Ltd.

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The two accused are charged with “knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that the sums involved, “in whole or in part, directly or indirectly” represented proceeds of an indictable offence.

Details of the alleged offences were not disclosed in court, but records showed Amasula was arrested last year and taken to the Central District Police station.

Meanwhile, another Filipina who also faced a charge of money laundering before Magistrate So yesterday, was returned to custody after pleading not guilty to the offence.

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Imelda G. Maqueda, 54, said to be unemployed and with no fixed abode in Hong Kong, was told to appear in court again on Apr 14 for a pre-trial review of her case.

She faces a charge of laundering a total of $312,497.50 in her Hang Seng bank account between Dec 17, 2020 and Jan 8, 2021.

Under Hong Kong laws, money laundering is punishable with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and fine of up to $5 million.

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HK-bound Filipinos recruited for scam hub stopped at NAIA

 

Alert Philippine immigration officers noticed the victims' questionable documents

Five Filipinos bound for Hong Kong but whose ultimate destination was a scam hub in Cambodia were intercepted at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila last February 15 by alert Immigration officers.

This was revealed on Feb 19 by Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado as 12 victims of human trafficking and illegal recruitment operations in Myanmar safely arrived at NAIA through the joint efforts of Philippine officials in Bangkok, Thailand.

In a statement, Viado said the five Filipinos intercepted at NAIA – four males and one female - individually presented themselves as tourists bound for Hong Kong aboard a Cebu Pacific flight.

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They initially claimed to be working in popular restaurants or businesses in the Philippines, and entered the immigration area separately, and pretended not to know each other. However, officers noted their suspicious documents and referred them for secondary inspection.

On further questioning the five admitted that on arrival in Hong Kong, they were to transfer to a flight to Cambodia, where they will be employed by a business process outsourcing (BPO) company. 

Officers told them they would likely end up being held hostage by syndicates running online gambling or other illegal activities in the country. 

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Viado warned the public against scam hubs that recruit Filipinos for supposed call center jobs in various Asian countries through social media platforms, particularly Facebook.

The syndicates behind these operations entice job seekers with attractive salary offers and other benefits. But once they reach their destinations they are coerced into taking part in online fraud schemes, including cryptocurrency scams, under exploitative and abusive conditions.

“We urge Filipinos to thoroughly verify overseas job offers, especially those that promise unusually high salaries,” Viado emphasized. 

“Many of these so-called customer service roles are actually covers for large-scale scam networks that take advantage of unsuspecting workers.”

The 12 scam hub victims were met at NAIA by DMW staff

This was what happened exactly to the 12 Filipinos who returned to the Philippines after being victimized by the scam syndicates. 

They were recruited through Facebook by a Filipino who offered them jobs as customer sales representatives in Myanmar.  But once they got there, they were physically abused, beaten with PVC sticks, and subjected to electric shocks. 

When they asked to leave, their employer demanded US$15,000 in compensation. As they had no money to pay the victims fled the scam hub and were helped by the Myanmar military.

Reports later said they were among 250 people held at the Myanmar scam center and released at the Thai border last week.

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The Filipinos were put on board a Cebu Pacific flight to Manila through the joint efforts of the Philippine Embassy, Office of the Police Attache and Migrant Workers Office in Bangkok.

They are now receiving help from the Department of Migrant Workers.

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Cap on $2 subsidized fare eyed

 

Prototype of JoyYou card from MTR Corporation

The government appears to have found a way to curb the huge public spending on the $2 fare scheme for the elderly and qualified people with total disability.

Various media reports say that a daily usage cap of eight times could be implemented.

In addition, the $2 subsidy could be availed of if the fare is $10 or less. Above this, an 80 percent discount would be implemented, so that an $11 fare would result in the relevant passenger paying $2.2 and so on.

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This is intended to stop some passengers using the discount to take long-haul routes for short rides.

The news comes before Financial Secretary Paul Chan is set to deliver his 2025-202 budget next Wednesday.

He had earlier hinted that the discounted fare benefit could be adjusted, as the annual expenditure for the program had reached almost $4 billion in the last fiscal year. This marked a 200 percent increase compared with the $1.3 billion spent in the 2019-20 fiscal year.

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Some legislators have suggested reverting to the old policy of giving the discount only to those aged 65 and above, but the government did not seem to favor this.

Some non-government organizations and community groups totally opposed the idea of cutting back on the discount, saying it was a small benefit given to elderly residents.

The use of the $2 fare discount was limited to residents using only the JoyYou card as of August 25 last year. 

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Previously, anyone using the Octopus elderly card, or those aged 65 and above using a personalized Octopus card, could avail of the benefit when they took most public transportation, including the MTR and buses.

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Raids against illegal workers net 12

 

Immigration officers escort those arrested.

The latest anti-illegal worker operations mounted all over Hong Kong by the Immigration Department (ImmD) resulted in 12 persons being arrested.

Eight of those arrested were suspected illegal workers, three were suspected employers and one suspected aider and abettor.

The arests came during a series of territory-wide operations mounted by ImmD codenamed "Twilight", and a joint operation with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed "Windsand" on February 18 to 20.

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ImmD Task Force officers raided nine target locations including premises under renovation and restaurants.

They arrested eight workers, five of them men and three, aged 27 to 53. Among them, one woman was also suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card.

Two men and one woman, aged 44 to 61, were arrested for employing the illegal workers. One man aged 63, was also charged with aiding and abetting a person who breached the condition of stay in Hong Kong.

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An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."

The spokesman warned, "As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business.

“Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card or a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years' imprisonment."

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The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offense to employ people who are not lawfully employable.

Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for such an employer has been increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offenses.

“The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence,” the spokesman said.

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Filipino in court after arrest over fake US$10 billion bank documents

 

HSBC branch where incident was reported (Google Maps photo)  

A Filipino arrested for possessing fake bank documents worth US$10 billion was returned to jail today, after his application for bail was rejected at Eastern Court.

Ramon Revillosa Jr., 68 yeas old, and who claimed to be a businessman, was arrested after he presented the bank documents at Pedder Street branch of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. in Central on Feb. 10.

After denying him bail, Principal Magistrate Don So scheduled his next bail hearing date for Feb. 27.

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Magistrate So also rejected his request, presented to the court by a duty lawyer, for access to his belongings so he could contact his relatives in the Philippines to raise funds for his bail.

At the same time, So adjourned the hearing of the case about Revillosa’s alleged violation of section 73 of the Crimes Ordinance, to March 27.

A complaint filed by the Central Police District on Feb. 13 alleges that Revillosa presented three documents last Feb. 10 “with the intention  of inducing the staff” of HSBC “to accept them as genuine and by reason of accepting them, to do or not to do some act to his own or any other peson’s pejudice.”

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Suspicous bank staff called police after examining the documents.

Police  alleged that he presented a bank capabilty letter, a guarantee letter and a certificate of balance, all issued by HSBC, “which were and which he believed to be false….”

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Earlier reports said Revillosa was arrested at the bank with a 38-year-old Filipino woman who claimed to be a lawyer, a Malaysian man, a Taiwanese man and a woman who used a Hong Kong and Macau Travel Permit to enter Hong Kong.

But the charge sheet only named Revillosa and not the others he was reportedly with when he was arrested.

The offence he is charged with carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail.

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