Phil transport officials look into ‘punit passport’ incidents’

 

An elderly Pinoy was denied boarding because of the hardly discernible tear in his passport

The Department of Transportation in the Philippines has ordered an investigation into a rash of complaints from Filipino travellers being denied boarding for overseas travel because of small tears in their passports.

In the latest such incident, a 71-year-old man was not allowed by Cebu Pacific Airways to board his flight to Bali, Indonesia, where he was supposed to spend the Easter holiday with his family, because of a slight tear in the binding of his passport.

The incident which happened on Apr 15 at terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport was recounted on Facebook by the passenger’s daughter Diana Natividad.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

But there were similar complaints earlier from overseas Filipino workers who hinted their passports might have been deliberately tampered with by airline or airport personnel to prevent them from boarding their flights. The intention behind this was, however, unclear.

Natividad said that in her father’s case, it was “power tripping” by a check-in staff of Cebu Pacific, who reportedly said a photo of the torn passport had been forwarded to Bali airport authorities, and they were the ones who said the passenger would not be allowed entry.

Acting on the complaints Transport Secretary Vince Dizon said at a press conference on Saturday, Apr 26, that the DOTr and the Civil Aeronautics Board were already conducting an investigation.

Basahin ang detalye!

Dizon said the inquiry will include a check with Bali airport authorities on whether it was true that they were the ones who told Cebu Pacific to deny boarding to the elderly passenger because he would not be allowed entry to the Indonesian island with his torn passport.

He also said the DOTr has summoned Cebu Pacific - along with other international carriers - to ensure that they strictly verify the condition of the passenger’s passport.

In an statement published earlier, the DOTr called on all airlines operating in the Philippines to ensure their staff do not abuse their authority when checking the validity and integrity of passengers’ passports.

In line with established protocols, airlines must coordinate with immigration authorities of the passenger’s destination country to verity if they will accept a passport that appears to be tampered or damaged.

In the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs has stated in published advisories that under the country’s laws, a passport is considered damaged for travel purposes if its physical condition is altered due to wear and tear, aging, negligence, or other factors that render it mutilated or defective.

For the passport to be deemed mutilated, its data page must have become unreadable or an information is missing.

This could be due to the passport chip being damaged or has become unreadable to the system, a page is torn out, the passport’s binding has unraveled, or the document is water-damaged, causing the visa stamps and printed information to run.

Nowhere is it stated in the advisory that a slight tear in the passport which does not make the information therein unreadable, considered damaged for travel purposes.

A passenger claims this tear in her passport appeared only after she handed it in for check-in

Dizon also said the investigation will look into allegations of deliberate tampering of passports by airline personnel, for whatever purpose it may serve them.

 “So they were told very, very clearly that they need to comply with that clear instruction, no way whatsoever to cause any harm to the documents or tamper with the documents of the passengers in the exercise of their function,” he said.

Dizon said the government agencies will look at CCTV footage and personal accounts of travellers to determine if the alleged deliberate tampering of passports did occur.

“Kasi kung meron tayong makitang gano'n and nahuli natin ang any airline personnel na may ginawa itong kalokohan na ganito, well, you know, sorry na lang, sanctions will be imposed on both the personnel and the airlines,” he said.

Among those who hinted at deliberate tampering by airport personnel was a female tourist bound for Hong Kong who said staff processing her travel tax payment pointed out to a tear in her passport, saying she and her husband may not be allowed to board their flight.

The passenger said she was shocked to see the small tear in the photo page of her passport as she had travelled just three days earlier, and she had checked their travel documents the night before, and was sure the tear was not there before she presented it to pay for travel tax.

Despite the warning, the passenger said she and her husband decided not to say anything about it when they checked in, and were relieved when staff at the counter made no mention about it, either.

 

3 Filipinos arrested for alleged human trafficking to Myanmar

 

DMW published the blurred images of the 3 suspects in the alleged trafficking of Filipinos 

Three Filipinos identified as having recruited a number of their compatriots to work in scam farms in Myanmar have been arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation’s airport investigation division.

Arrested on their arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Apr 25 were Sarah Jane Santos Marquez, Jalrumax Manaois Turingan and Noel Bansag Rodriguez, who flew in with seven human trafficking victims who had been repatriated from Myanmar.

The three were identified by the victims as among those involved in their illegal recruitment.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

According to the victims, they were recruited on social media by individuals who asked to be called "Miss Anne", "Orange", "Carlo", and "Bryan" and offered them jobs as customer service representatives in Thailand with salaries ranging from US$800 to US$1,500 a month.

But after arriving in Thailand, they were immediately transported to Myawaddy, Myanmar, where they were forced to work as online scammers in what are known as “scam hubs.”

There, they realized that those who had recruited them online were also based there and were involved in the illegal operation.

Basahin ang detalye!

The three suspects were taken to the NBI detention facility while authorities continue their investigation into the syndicates behind the recruitment of Filipinos into the scam hubs.

The victims, on the other hand, were promised financial, psychosocial and reintegration assistance by the Department of Migrant Workers.

The DMW is calling on the other victims of Santos, Manaois and Bansag to reach out to them through private message on the official Facebook page of the DMW’s Migrant Protection Bureau at https://www.facebook.com/dmwairtip to get help.

It is also warning Filipinos to be more discerning when offered jobs abroad, and to never  transact online to avoid falling victim to human trafficking and illegal recruited.

 

 

HK-bound Filipinas detained with ‘beshie’ recruiter

 

BI photo of the 2 women arrested as they tried to fly to HK on way to Cambodia

The Philippine Bureau of Immigration has announced the arrest of a suspected illegal recruiter along with two Filipinas he was trying to take to Hong Kong en route to Cambodia for supposed call center jobs.

Officers of the National Bureau of Investigation arrested the three on April 19 at terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila after they tried to get past immigration while posing as friends on their way to an Easter holiday in Hong Kong.

The alleged agent named “Andy” told immigration officers that he was friends with the two, calling them “beshies”, and even presented numerous documents of their supposed local employment.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

However, immigration officers noted a number of inconsistencies in their statements and subjected them to further inquiries.

The three later admitted that they were actually bound for Cambodia to work as encoders and agents in a call center there. They said their fake documents were supplied by a contact whom they met on Facebook.

“Andy” admitted he did not know his two female companions, aged 34 and 31, and had tried to facilitate their departure to Cambodia by pretending to be friends with them.

Basahin ang detalye!

NBI agents determined it was another clear case of Filipinos being recruited for supposed call center jobs abroad, but would later be forced to work in scam hubs.

Andy was arrested on suspicion of human trafficking and illegal recruitment. He and the two women were referred to the inter-agency council against trafficking (IACAT) which is pursuing an investigation into the case.

IACAT said Andy is the 13^th person to be arrested on charges of human trafficking this year.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado hailed the arrest as part of the increasing efforts by the government to step up efforts against human trafficking and illegal recruitment.

 “We thank the IACAT and the NBI-IAID for their unwavering commitment in pursuing this case to the end,” said Viado in a statement.

“Their tireless efforts in building airtight cases against traffickers not only deliver justice for the victims, but also give meaning and purpose to the relentless work of our frontliners at the ports. Every case filed strengthens our resolve to protect our borders and safeguard vulnerable individuals from exploitation.”

 

Pinay jailed 1 year for lying to Immigration

 

Immigration Department

A Filipina has been jailed for 12 months after admitting that she lied to an Immigration officer when she renewed her employment visa as a domestic helper.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Crischalyn Alban, 43 years old, pleaded guilty Thursday (April 24) at Shatin Court for “making a false representation to an Immigration officer lawfully acting in the due execution of Part III of Immigration Ordinance.”

Basahin ang detalye!

The offense is punishable under section 42 (1) (a) of the Immigration Ordinance with a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail and $150,000 fine.

According to the police information filed with the court last April 8, Alban lied when she told an Immigration officer on Aug, 20 last year that she would work for a local resident as a domestic helper, and presenting an employment contract to this effect. 

The contract turned out to be fake, and was submitted to allow the defendant to remain in Hong Kong under a foreign domestic helper visa.

With the guilty plea teminating the case, Magistrate Jeffrey Sze cancelled the previously scheduled next hearing on May 2.

DH gets 14 months’ jail for $237K theft

 

The theft was committed in a flat in this estate (Google Maps photo)

A domestic helper has been sentenced to 14 months in prison after she pleaded guilty at Shatin Court to stealing $237,242.32 in jewelry and cash from her employer.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong handed the jail term to Nishel Narag, 43 years old, after she admitted committing the offense from Jan. 1, 2022 to Jan. 27, 2025 at her employer’s flat at Festival City in Shatin.

Basahin ang detalye!

She was earlier accused of stealing five gold bracelets, two diamond rings, two gold necklaces, one platinum bracelet, one diamond pendant necklace, three gold rings, 6,500 pound sterling, and 10,000 euros.

The offense is in violation of section 9 of the Theft Ordinance, for which the maximum penalty is 10 years in jail.

 

DMW-OWWA to set up hotline for distressed OFWs

OFW suicides in HK is one of the key concerns raised during the Senate committee hearing

Secretary Hans Cacdac of the Department of Migrant Workers has disclosed that a 24-hour hotline for overseas Filipino workers and their families will soon be launched  to provide them support and “ensure their well being.”

Secretary Cacdac made the statement during Wednesday’s hearing of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers headed by Senator Raffy Tulfo, in which the rise in suicide cases among OFWs was among the issues that were taken up.

“This is more than just a hotline. It’s a two-way line of care—our OFWs won’t only be calling us, but we’ll also be proactively reaching out to them,” said Cacdac.

The hotline which will be set up in collaboration with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) will be manned by 30 trained former OFWs who will serve as customer care support agents at the DMW One-Stop Shop Action Center in Makati City.

Basahin ang detalye!

He was responding to queries from Senator Tulfo about the rash in suicides among OFWs in Hong Kong which he said he learned about during a recent visit to the city.

After following this up with a call to Cacdac, Tulfo learned that in 2023 alone, six OFWs had committed suicide in Hong Kong, five in 2024, and one as of April this year.

The latest case involved a 44-year-old OFW who slashed her wrists, then hanged herself with a cloth due to money problems. Her family members said the victim had borrowed money from a loan syndicate, and had been hounded by collectors after she failed to pay on time.

Debt was also what prompted another OFW to also slash her wrists and overdose on drugs just days earlier. Luckily, she was saved.

Cacdac says the high legal interest for loans in HK makes OFW vulnerable to debt problems

Cacdac said it was unfortunate that Hong Kong laws allow an interest rate of up to 48% for loans, although it is illegal for debt collectors to resort to harassment. Thus, he said the DMW is working with the Hong Kong police in running after the harassers.

He also expressed concern over OFWs being arrested and jailed for money laundering in Hong Kong after they allowed their bank accounts to be controlled by syndicates. He said the DMW has given them lawyers who have been quite successful in getting their sentences reduced.

The assurance is, however, contrary to recent pronouncements by both local prosecutors and the police that they are seeking to get the imprisonment terms increased for those found guilty of allowing their bank accounts to be used as funnels for illicit funds.

The police have often warned that the lending, sale or renting out of ATMs or bank accounts is illegal, and that allowing others to use such accounts as conduits for dirty money makes them equally liable for money laundering.

To date, no OFW has managed to get acquitted on such charges even if there is no evidence directly linking them to the illegal transactions. And in all these cases, it is a duty lawyer provided by the Hong Kong government that appears for them in court.

Those struggling with debt and other problems may seek help from the OFW Global Centre in Hong Kong, said Cacdac, where “at least” 12 volunteer psychologists could provide them with in-person counseling.

He also said the DMW is collaborating with the HK Police Financial Intelligence Unit in including warnings about multiple loans and scams in the post-arrival orientation seminars for newly-arrived OFWs.

 

 

Pinay accused of theft jailed for 12 months after sudden guilty plea

 

A two-day trial at Eastern Court ended just minutes after it started Wednesday when the defendant, a Filipina domestic helper, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of theft committed between May 14 to July 12 last year.

Maribel Bringas, 42 years old, was sentenced to 12 months in jail for each of the thefts, all committed at her employer’s flat on Tung Shan Terrace Road, Happy Valley.

Magistrate Kestrel Lam ordered all the sentences to run at the same tine, resulting in a total of 12 months.

Basahin ang detalye!

He also cancelled the pre-scheduled second day of the trial on Friday (April 25).

According to the case filed by Police last Jan. 17, the thefts were committed on the following dates, with the corresponding items stolen:

May 14: one gold pendant, one gold necklace and one gold bracelet.

May 19: one jade pendant and one ring.

May 20: one diamond bracelet.

May 23: two gold pendants, one gold bracelet and one gold necklace.

May 31: one diamond ring and one gold ring.

May 18: one gold necklace with gold pendant, one gold pendant, one gold bracelet and one gold ring.

 June 27: one gold bracelet and one gold pendant.

May 20: one gold ring and one gold bracelet.

June 3: one gold pendant.

June 24: two gold pendants and one gold bracelet.

July 12: two gold bracelets and one gold necklace.

June 7: two gold rings.

Meanwhile, in a separate courtroom at Eastern, another domestic helper was jailed for four months after she pleaded guilty to stealing a necklace and a bracelet of her employer at their flat in Aldrich Garden, Shau Kei Wan.

Principal Magistrate Don So handed the sentence to Laila Dolores, 36 years old, for the theft that happened between June 25 and Nov. 18 last year.

4 of 7 Pinoys arrested for illegal work jailed for 15 months

 

The defendants and their supporters leave Shatin Court

by Leo A. Deocadiz

Four of seven Filipino men who were arrested last March 4 for illegal employment in a cargo-handling warehouse in Kwai Chung, pleaded guilty Tuesday at Shatin Court to taking employment while subject to a removal order, and were each jailed for 15 months.

The three others opted for a trial by denying the charges, which arose after their arrest by Immigration officers in a raid on their alleged workplace.

Julie Arcega Jr., 34 years old, Aris Pareja, 50, Christian Mendame, 43, and Joel Lorente, 46, pleaded guilty to violating Section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance, and by virtue of Regulation 9 of the Immigration Regulations.

Basahin ang detalye!

Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong handed them their respective sentences after deducting one third for their guilty pleas.

Magistrate Cheang scheduled a pre-trial review for June 24 for the three others, whose lawyers said their defense rests mainly on questioning the accuracy of the translation of statements they made during investigation by Immigration officers.

Of the seven, only Rodrigo Sarabia, 60, was charged with breach of condition of stay by taking employment while in Hong Kong with a domestic helper visa. He was set free on bail of $1,000.

Jonifer Sambalod, 41, and Marcelino Guisinga, 44, were both charged with taking employment while under a removal order. Sambalod was freed on bail of $10,000 in cash and $10,000 in surety, while Guisinga posted a bail of $10,000 in cash.

2 Pinays admit money laundering; sentencing put off

 

File photo from HK Monetary Authority

Two Filipinas pleaded guilty on Tuesday to money laundering by allowing their bank accounts to be used to “clean” money from crimes, but their sentencing was put off pending backgound reports to find out how they got entangled in the illicit scheme.

Marilyn Macanas and Perla Gerbolingo, both domestic helpers, admitted their roles in the crime when they appeared at the Fanling Court before Magistrate Chan Ping-chau,  who adjourned their cases to May 7 and 8, respectively.

Macanas' account showed more than $400,000 had passed through in three months, while it took only two months for $1.3 million to flow through Gerbolingo's.

As a result, both were charged with “dealing in property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offense,” in violation of the Organised and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

Basahin ang detalye!

The charge against Macanas, 39 years old, arose from the $401,000 in deposits and withdrawals that appeared in her account with the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. from Aug. 15 to Nov. 16, 2020.

Gebolingo, on the other hand, was accused of handling crime money with the help of an unknown female, through the inflow and outflow of a total of $1,319,670.01 between July 6 and Sept. 9, 2020 in her HSBC account.

Magistrate Chan remanded them in jail until the next hearing.

State funeral held for National Artist Nora Aunor

Aunor's casked draped with Philippine flag is escorted into Libingan ng mga Bayani by soldiers
(ABS CBN Photo)

Full military honors, complete with a 21-gun salute, were held earlier this afternoon as National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Nora Aunor was laid to rest at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.

The actress and singer whose real name was Nora Cabaltera Villamayor, died of acute respiratory failure on Apr 16 at age 71.

Aunor, fondly called “superstar” by her legions of fans, is survived by her children Lotlot, Ian,Matet, Kenneth and Kiko de Leon, and grandchildren.

Full military honors for the late National Hero for Film and Broadcast Arts

Officers of the Armed Forces of  the Philippines escorted Aunor’s casket draped with the Philippine flag, in a funeral march that started from the heroes’ gate to the designated burial site.

The funeral ceremony was made more poignant by dozens of fans who stood in the sweltering heat to say their final goodbyes and sing “Ikaw ang Superstar ng Buhay Ko” to their idol.

A recording of Aunor singing the iconic Filipino pop song “Handog” or “Tribute” left many of the mourners in tears, including her children.

Aunor's coffin was showered with petals and gold confetti at the state necrological service

The state funeral followed a necrological service in the morning at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila organized by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts.

Eulogies were delivered by her fellow National Artist and playwright  Ricky Lee, actor-director Joel Lamangan, and actress and TV executive Charo Santos-Concio.

Basahin ang detalye!

All three who admitted being “Noranians” and referred to Aunor by her nickname "Guy,"  spoke of the late actress' incomparable talent as an actress and singer, as well as her humility, kindness and generosity. 

Santos-Concio said in her eulogy that Aunor not just acted, but “transformed” in every role she took. She also lauded the late actress for making people, especially the underprivileged, believe more in their potentials.

Lee, who had been a longtime friend of Aunor, recalled how she refused to compromise, and gave up so much for her craft that she should be rightfully called "artista ng bayan." 

For her part, Lamangan the many times he witness Aunor's incomparable acting prowess,  and her extreme generosity, especially to the poor.

All three agreed there may never be another one like her.

National Artist Ricky Lee called his friend 'artista ng bayan'

The burial came after five days of wake at the Heritage Park in Taguig City. At the end of the wake last night, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. paid respects, together with the First Lady, Liza A. Marcos.

Thousands of mourners, from Aunor's colleagues, friends, family members and fans, turned up  to also pay tribute, and see her for the last time. Many of her fans came from all parts of the country, and patiently waited in line for hours to get into the funeral home.

Hundreds of fans were among those who said goodbye to the Superstar for the last time

Aunor’s phenomenal rise to fame in the ‘60s and the ‘70s started when she won the grand prize in “Tawag ng Tanghalan,” a nationwide singing contest, when she was just 14 years old.

She soon gained acclaim, not just in the Philippines but also abroad, for her instinctive and mesmerizing kind of acting in such iconic films as “Himala,” “Bona,” “Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos,” “Flor Contemplacion Story,” and many others.

“Himala,” which was directed by the late Ishmael Bernal, also a National Artist, was voted as Best Asia-Pacific Film of All Time in the 2008 CNN APSA Viewers Choice Award.

The country’s “superstar” has won 200 of the 255 nominations she received in more than 50 years of performances in film, television, stage and music.

She as the most international best actress awards and nominations of any Filipino actors, and is the only one to have won as best actress in international awards from five different continents.

She  also has the most lifetime achievement awards from both local and international bodies for er contribution to film, television, music and theater.

Aunor was conferred the Order of National Artists of the Philippines award on June 10, 2022, after being controversially bypassed by the late President Benigno Aquino III earlier.

Aunor was one of three iconic Philippine entertainers who passed on in the last 10 days. 

First to go was Pilita Corrales, dubbed as "Asia's Queen of Songs." She died on Apr 12 at the age of 85.

On the day of Aunor's burial came the news that another '70s idol, Hajji Alejandro, had passed after a long bout with colon cancer. Alejandro, known as "Kilabot ng mga Kolehiyala" during his prime, was aged 70.

 

 

Pinay whose HKID was used for money laundering set to contest charges

 

This February 2025 post by the Consulate warns about a supposed online game where FDWs
are asked to pose for photos and present their HKIDs in exchange for cash

In what could set a precedent for cases where HK ID cards are slyly obtained by crime syndicates, then used them to open bank accounts for money laundering, a Filipina former domestic helper is set to stand trial over charges that she let $2.2 million in crime money to flow through her two bank accounts.

Analiza Talay, 48 years old, appeared in Eastern Court earlier today, when she was told that her trial for two counts of money laundering has been set for Jun 2 and 3.

Both charges accused Talay of “dealing with property known or believed to be proceeds of indictable offense,” in violation of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance, or what is more commonly known as money laundering.

Basahin ang detalye!

Prosecutors said that 25 witnesses will be called during the trial, and transcripts of two video recorded interviews will be submitted.

Magistrate Don So extended Talay’s $5,000 bail until then.

In her interview with the police Talay said she was approached by unknown individuals in a mall and offered $500 in exchange for allowing a picture of her HKID card to be taken.

She complied, not realizing that her ID card would then be used by unknown individuals to open accounts in her name in two different online banks, Mox and ZA, through which a total of $2.2 million from illegal transactions had flowed in March 2023.

In the first charge, she is accused of dealing, together with an unknown person, with $1,746,610.41 “representing the proceeds of an indictable offense” that flowed in and out of her Mox Bank account between 19 and 28 of March 2023.

In the second charge, she is also accused of conspiring with an unknown person in using her ZA Bank account to deal with $478,121.52 in crime proceeds between 19 and 27 March 2023.

This is not the first time that Filipina domestic helpers had found themselves facing similar charges after unknowingly sharing their HKID cards with unknown people, either in person, or via social media, in exchange for cash.

The problem had gotten so rampant that the Philippine Consulate General has repeatedly posted advisories warning Filipinos against selling, lending or renting out their HKID cards in exchange for cash.

In the latest warning posted on Facebook only last February, the PCG said syndicates had been using a supposed online game to entice Filipinos to join using their HKID cards and personal photos, for which a reward of at least $500 was offered.

“Unfortunately, the supposed online game is actually a virtual bank app (e.g., Mox Bank, ZA, ets) and the syndicates would use the Hong Kong ID and photograph taken from the target FDW to open a bank account,” said the PCG in its advisory.

In December last year, the PCG also posted a warning a day after Hong Kong Police announced the arrest of 14 domestic workers – 13 Filipinos and one Indonesian, along with two local men, as part of anti-money laundering operaton.

Police said a syndicate had offered the helpers between $200 and $500 to FDWs to “rent” out their bank accounts so they could use them for money laundering.

The Police called on all employers to remind their helpers that money laundering is a serious offence and that anyone who provides personal information to anyone to open a bank account for money laundering purposes in their name, may be breaking the law.

Under Hong Kong laws, money laundering is punishable by up to 14 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5 million.

 

Catholics mourn loss of Pope Francis

 

Pope Francis was the first Latin American head of the Catholic Church (Vatican photo)

Church  bells rang in many countries across the globe, within hours after the Vatican announced the passing of Pope Francis this Easter Monday. He was 88.

The Pope died almost a month after he was released from a Rome hospital where he was treated for five weeks for bilateral pneumonia.

He recovered well enough to appear on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica yesterday to give the traditional Easter blessing to delighted crowds, in what turned out to be his last public appearance.

Basahin ang detalye!

At 9:45am Rome time (3:45pm in Hong Kong), Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced that the Holy Father, who had been head prelate for 12 years, had died.

“At 7:35 this morning (1:35pm HK time), the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father,” said Cardinal Farrell.

“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized.”

In the Philippines which remains a predominantly Roman Catholic country, many people took to social media to express sorrow over the Pope’s passing. 

Many remembered him for his humility and efforts to reach out to people of disparate backgrounds and faith.

One remembered in particular how the Pope had washed the feet of Muslim refugees and jailed women, how he gave solace and comfort to LGBTQI people, and called for unequivocal peace in the Middle East.

In his last Easter homily, he called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and for hostages to be released and access granted to humanitarian aid.

Pope Francis visited the Philippines once in 2015, just over a year after Typhoon Yolanda devastated the country, and left more than 6,000 people dead. He prayed for the victims, and for the healing of   survivors of the tragedy.

The Pope and Cardinal Tagle share light moment with migrants at the Vatican in Sept 2017
(photo by Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters]

The Pope appointed four of the 10 Filipino cardinals in Church history, including Cardinal Luis Tagle, who is heavily favored to be the next head of the Roman Catholic church.

The new pontiff is expected to be chosen in about two to three weeks, in a conclave of cardinals from all over the world that will convene after a nine-day mourning for the Pope.

In Hong Kong, the Catholic Diocese headed by Cardinal Stephen Chow, S.J., expressed its “profound sorrow” over the Pope’s death, and extended “heartfelt condolences.”

The diocese recalled that the Argentinian-born Pope Francis was elected as the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned in February of the same year.

Pope Francis became the first Jesuit pope and the first to come from Latin America.

He assumed the papacy after serving as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires starting in 1998, and was made a cardinal in 2001.

The diocese remembered Pope Francis for his advocacy for interreligious dialogue and global peace, and for initiating significant reforms within the Holy See through the promotion of women participation in decision-making processes.

In September 2023, Pope Francis visited Mongolia, highlighting the significant relations between the Vatican and China.