DMW reminds agencies and employers not to take OFW passports

 

Philippine passports are the property of the government, says the advisory

A directive issued by the Department of Migrant Workers recently reiterated the government’s long-standing policy against overseas Filipino works (OFWs) being deprived of their passports.

The advisory, reposted by the Migrant Workers Office in Hong Kong on August 14, reminded recruitment agencies, principals or foreign employers, and any third party that they must not withhold or confiscate an OFW’s passport “for deployment, employment, accommodation of as collateral for loans.”

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There are only two exceptions to this rule: (1) when the passport is withheld for visa stamping and required documentation by embassies or consulates; or (2) for immigration-related processing, when official procedures mandate temporary surrender.

OFWs are reminded they must always be in possession of their passports 

OFWs in turn are advised to retain custody of their passports at all times, except under the situations described above. When a passport is temporarily withheld from them, the OFWs must ensure it is returned to them immediately upon completion of the transaction.

Any agency or employer found to withhold OFWs passport as a policy or practice may be subjected to disciplinary action, including disqualification, suspension or cancellation of accreditation, said the DMW.

The Labor advisory is pursuant to the Philippine Passport Act of 1996, which states that the passport  is  “the property of the Philippine government and should remain in the possession of its holder at all times, including OFWs, particularly prior to departure and during the deployment period.”

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In Hong Kong, many OFWs use their passports as security or collateral for loans they contract with private individuals or groups that charge usurious rates.

Once the OFW is found to have voluntarily surrendered her passport to a loan shark, the Consulate will issue a replacement document only after the worker undertakes not to hock it again.

 

Podul begins to dissipate; more rains, thunderstorms seen

 

Podul as tracked by the HK Observatory

Tropical Storm Podul has begun dissipating as it moves deeper into central China, but the southwest monsoon rains it brought will continue to be felt in Hong Kong well into next week, according to forecasts from the Hong Kong Observatory.

“Tropical Storm Podul has weakened into a tropical depression,” the Observatory reported this afternoon.

The Observatory also hauled down both Storm Signal 1 and the Black Rainstorm Warning, which today closed most government and private offices, as well as schools.

Aside from localized flooding in low areas, the rains and thunderstorms brought by Podul resulted in five flights being cancelled and 145 others delayed. The canceled flights were destined for Manila, Beijing, Miyako, Osaka and Taipei.

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The storm also disrupted events such as the the 35th edition of the Food Expo and several other trade shows at the HK Convention Center in Wanchai.

 “Locally, showers in the afternoon brought around 30 millimeters of rainfall to many places, and rainfall even exceeded 50 millimeters over Lantau Island and Kwai Tsing District,” the Observatory said.

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Overall, however, the storm barely caused damage as it passed to within 300 kilometers north of the city at about 2pm.

 “At 4 p.m., Podul was centered about 220 kilometers north-northeast of Guangzhou. It is forecast to move west-northwest at about 28 kilometers per hour across the northern part of Guangdong, moving into central China and weakening further,” it added.

The Observatory forecast that Podul will dissipate gradually over central China tomorrow.

China-bound DHs among 38 Pinoys rescued from boat off Zamboanga

 

The rescued Filipinos were found inside this cramped boat headed out to sea

Four Filipinos recruited to work illegally in China as domestic helpers were among 38 Filipinos rescued by anti-human trafficking operatives aboard a wooden-hulled cargo vessel off Zamboanga City on August 8.

According to a Department of Migrant Workers’ Facebook post, eight of those rescued were all females, and were in possession of valid Philippine passports with tourist visas to China.\

Four of them said they were recruited to work as domestic helpers in China, with a promise that they would be paid 10,000 RMB (Php79,000) each monthly. They all had been previously offloaded or barred from leaving by Philippine immigration authorities.

The four others said they were bound for Malaysia, and were meant to travel using undocumented sea routes.

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The other passengers on the cramped boat who were identified as victims of suspected human trafficking and illegal recruitment were 14 males (12 adults and 2 minors) and 16 females (22 adults and 2 minors).

The DMW statement did not disclose where the other passengers were headed.

The wooden boat at the wharf where 3 facilitators of the human trafficking were arrested

Three individuals arrested on the wharf were identified by the victims as the facilitators of the illegal recruitment and transport. They remain in custody while appropriate charges are being readied against them.

Further investigation is being carried out to identify and arrest other possible co-conspirators.

At least four of the rescued individuals have reportedly expressed willingness to testify against the recruiters and facilitators with support from the Women and Children Protection Center.

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Following the rescue, all victims were transported to the PDCP Facility in Barangay Mampang, Zamboanga City, where they were given temporary shelter, food and medical attention with psychological intervention through the efforts of the Department of Social Welfare in the region.

The victims were also given orientation on safe migration practices and on the government assistance programs they can avail of moving forward.

The boat they were on was identified as ML  J-Sayang. It was boarded by law enforcers at Taha Wharf in Baliwasan, Zamboanga City and was said to be bound for Taganak Island, from where the victims were to be moved through unauthorized channels for overseas employment.

The rescue operation was carried out through the combined efforts of the Zamboanga Sea-based Anti-Trafficking Task Force, of which the Department of Migrant Workers Regional Office IX is a member.

Several other government agencies including the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and the Philippine Coast Guard had a hand in the operation.

Signal 1 up; Podul nearing HK but weakening

 

Podul tracking by HK Observatory

The Hong Kong Observatory raised Signal No. 1 today as Typhoon Podul (known as Typhoon Gorio when it was in the Philippines until this morning) slammed into Southern Taiwan and is due to hit the shores of Fujian tonight.

The typhoon would have weakened considerably by noon tomorrow, when it would be nearest to Hong Kong at less than 250 kilometers north northeast, as it continues its northwesterly sweep through Fujian and Guangdong.

After its landfall in southern Fujian tonight, the present forecast track sees Podul moving across Guangdong and weakening progressively.

The observatory said it will reassess the situation by tomorrow morning.

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“The Standby Signal will remain in force at least until 6 a.m. tomorrow. Depending on the weakening rate of Podul, its distance from the Pearl River Estuary and the change in local winds, the Observatory will assess the need to issue the Strong Wind Signal, No. 3 later tomorrow morning,” the Observatpry said

“Locally, there will be heavy squally showers and thunderstorms tomorrow. Showers will be more frequent in some areas at first.” the Observatory said.

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“Members of the public are advised to take note of the latest weather information and warnings issued by the Observatory tomorrow morning, consider road conditions before leaving home, and be on the alert for possible danger brought by heavy rain.” it added.

The Observatory forecast heavy squally showers and thunderstorms tomorrow. Showers will be more frequent in some areas at first.

“Members of the public are advised to take note of the latest weather information and warnings issued by the Observatory tomorrow morning, consider road conditions before leaving home, and be on the alert for possible danger brought by heavy rain,” it said.

 

Philippines takes part in HK Food Expo

 

Four companies, along with a university and a government agency based in the Philippines are taking part in the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Food Expo PRO, to be held from tomorrow, Aug 14 to 16, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).\

Each will be provided a booth at the Philippine Pavilion, located at 5E‑B20 & B22 in Hall 5E of the HKCEC, where they will showcase a variety of Philippine products, including coffee, tropical fruits, craft beer, and calamansi‑based processed foods.

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Their participation is made possible by the Philippine Trade and Investment Center representative at the Philippine Consulate, Vice Consul Robert Mabalot.

The participating Philippine companies and groups are: Engkanto Beer, a craft beer brand known for its award-winning beers; Empereur Farms PC, a small-scale Arabica coffee farm based in Tuba, Benguet; Raspina Tropical Fruits Inc, a company engaged in the export of fresh tropical fruits grown in Mindanao; McNester Food Products, a company based in Guimaras, Iloilo which produces mango and calamansi-based processed foods; Mountain Province State University and the Department of Trade and Industry in Baguio, Benguet.

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If you are based in Hong Kong and wish to visit the Philippine Pavilion in person, please register for your badge here: https://shorturl.at/CS784.

 

2 Pinay DHs get jail sentences for theft

 

Filipina admitted stealing jewelry and cash (Photo for illustration only)

Two Filipina domestic helpers today pleaded guilty to stealing money and jewelry from their employers, and were jailed for 12 months and two months, respectively.

Jovy Santiago, 32 years old, received  the one-year  sentence from a Acting Principal Magistrate Daniel Tang Siu-hung after she pleaded guilty at Tuen Mun Court to stealing $211,800 worth of jewelry and cash from her employer’s home in Shek Wu Ting in Pat Heung, Yuen Long.

The stolen items consisted of a pair of gold bracelets worth $85,000, two gold bracelets worth $20,000, two diamond rings worth $58,800, one baby gold bracelet worth $8,000, one gold ring worth $18,000, HK$5,000 in cash, 10,000 renminbi in cash, and one necklace worth $7,000.

The thefts were committed between Feb. 1 and March 3 this year, according to the brief facts filed in court by the Yuen Long Police.

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In a separate case, Aubrey Canusa, 37 years old, was jailed for two months by Magistrate Li Chi-ho, after she pleaded guilty in West Kowloon Court to stealing a wallet containing $25,000 from her employer who lived at Banyan Garden on Lai Chi Kok Road in Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon.

The theft took place on an unknown date between Jan. 22 and May 1 this year, according to information filed by the Sham Shui Po Police.

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Meanwhile, a third Filipina accused of theft was remanded in jail after her case was adjourned by Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung at Eastern Court.

Magistrate Cheung set a hearing for Mylyn Masajo, 34 years old, on September 23 for plea.

She is accused of eight counts of theft allegedly committed between Feb. 15 and June 5 this year at her employer’s home in Harbour Heights in North Point.

 

 

 

New chikungunya case brings HK total to 6

 

Graphic from Centre for Health Protection

A new case of chikungunya fever (CF) was reported today, bringing the total number of cases in Hong Kong to six, all of them imported, and one probable case, according to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP).

The report came with a reminder for the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene and to take personal protective measures against mosquito bites, both locally and when travelling outside Hong Kong.

“Those who suspect they may be infected with CF should seek medical advice promptly and avoid self-testing, which can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment,” the CHP said.

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The CHP controller, Dr. Edwin Tsui, urged the public not to self-medicate, particularly with aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen), as these drugs may cause serious side effects, for example, increasing the risk of hemorrhage or internal bleeding.

“In general, children should not take medications containing aspirin to relieve fever or other symptoms because it may lead to ‘Reye's syndrome’, a serious and potentially fatal complication,” he added.

The CHP said the new case involves a 31-year-old male with good past health who lives in Kwai Tsing District. Preliminary investigations revealed that he travelled to Foshan in Guangdong Province from August 1 to 3. He could not confirm whether he had a history of mosquito bites.

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“Upon returning to Hong Kong, he developed a fever, rash and joint pain on August 8. He travelled to Shenzhen on August 9 and attended a hospital there the next day. He was not admitted and returned to Hong Kong on the same day. He attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Yan Chai Hospital yesterday (August 11) and was admitted for treatment in a mosquito-free environment. He is currently in stable condition. His blood sample tested positive for the CF virus,” the CHP report said.

"According to information from the Guangdong Provincial Disease Control and Prevention Administration, in the past week (August 3 to 9), there were 1 387 new CF cases in Guangdong, a significant decrease compared to the previous two weeks, which reported 2 892 cases (July 27 to August 2) and 2 940 cases (July 20 to 26) respectively. All the cases were mild, with no severe or fatal cases reported. However, we must remain vigilant and continue to adopt a multipronged approach to prevent local transmission," said the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui.

To strengthen support for ethnic minority communities, essential information on CF has also been translated into 10 ethnic minority languages (including Hindi, Nepali, Urdu, Thai, Bahasa Indonesia, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Sinhala and Bengali) and uploaded to the CHP website (https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/static/104022.html).

The public should call 1823 in case of mosquito problems.

Shops pull out sodas from shelves following urine contamination case

 

Police brief the press on case (The Standard photo)

If you can’t find Coca Cola Plus and 7-Up in Wellcome or ParkNShop these days, no need to worry. They were pulled out as an offshoot of a nasty vendetta but will be back soon.

The two brands of softdrinks were pulled from their shelves as a precaution following a case in West Kowloon where a 63-year-old man surnamed Law refilled bottles of the two soda brands with his own urine and then returned them to a supermarket’s shelves as retaliation for its staff being rude.

The offense came to light after a nine-year-old boy purchased a contaminated bottle of Coke Plus, felt unwell after drinking it and was taken to hospital. It was found later that the Coke Plus he drank was contaminated with urine.

His mother complained to police, who traced the contaminated bottle to Law.

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Alerted by police, supermarket staff inspected their shelves and found more tampered bottles, which they removed from shelves.

Wellcome said it takes the incident very seriously and has pulled the two soda brands from its stores to inspect the bottles if they had been contaminated. 

ParkNShop said all branches have been instructed to remove these two items from shelves and step up store inspections, although it has yet to receive customer complaints about contaminated products.

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Police have arrested the unemployed suspect who lived alone in Sham Shui Po. Seized from him were clothes, a backpack, a bottle of urine, and several unopened soda bottles.

In a statement, the police condemned the suspect’s actions as "not only a food safety violation but also a vile crime" as it poses a serious public health risk.

He is expected to face criminal charges at the West Kowloon Court.

PBBM bares list of top contractors for P545 billion flood control projects

 

Marcos vows to go after anyone who misused govt funds for flood control

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr held a rare press conference Monday to announce the top 15 construction firms awarded flood control contracts worth a total of P545 billion during his first three years in office, and hinted at repercussions for those found to have performed shoddy work or committed anomalies.

He pointed out that the 15 construction firms collectively received 20% of the entire budget for 10,000 projects from 2022 to 2025, or Php109 billion. That meant each company received roughly P7.27 billion each

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The remaining Php436 billion was distributed among 2,391 othe winning contractors, for an average of Php182 million for each company.

The 15 top constructions firms based on the amount of contracts they bagged from the government were:

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1.     Legacy Construction Corporation

2.     Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp

3.     St Timothy Construction Corporation

4.     QM Builders

5.     EGB Construction Corporation

6.     Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc

7.     Centerways Construction and Development Inc

8.     Sunwest, Inc

9.     Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp

10.  Triple B Construction & Supply Inc

11.  Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies Corp

12.  Wawao Builders

13.  MG Samidan Construction

14.  L.R. Tiqui Builders, Inc

15.  Road Edge Trading & Development Services

Marcos however, begged off from disclosing the names of people behind the firms and their possible connections to people in government, for now.

“We are going to keep going. This is something that is, I think, absolutely necessary. We have to clean our ranks. It might be a little painful. Some people close to us might get dragged into this. But if they are close to me, the people are closer to my heart and we will prioritize them,” Marcos said during his press conference.

However, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto was quick to point out that the two firms that occupy the no 2 and no 3 slots in the list were owned by the family of Sarah Discaya, who failed to unseat him in last May’s general elections.

Both were named among five construction firms that were awarded projects all over the country.

Sotto boldly enumerated what he called “the six stages of corruption”, insinuating that the two companies had engaged in irregularities to win the multi-billion government projects.

He claimed Sarah and her husband Curlee also owned or controlled six other construction companies based in Pasig, including St Gerrard General Contractor and Development Corp. which was suspended by the Department of Public Works and Highways in 2020 due to project delays.

Meanwhile, multi-media platform Rappler said the no 8 in the list, Sunwest, Inc. is a conglomerate based in Albay which was co-founded by Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co.

The report said the company had been lucrative from the time former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was in power, and between 2016 and 2024 along, won government projects worth a total of more than Php38 billion.

President Marcos’ list is part of the initial findings of an ongoing probe into flood control projects which followed his Statement of the Nation address, in which he vowed to go after substandard works that led to extensive flooding throughout the country last month.

 

New storm expected to be felt Thursday

 

Forecast track of storm (HKO graphic)

A tropical storm veering westwards to Taiwan and on to either Guangdong and Fujian after missing northern Philippines by 1,000 kilometers, is expected to be felt in Hong Kong by Thursday as the territory falls within its 280-kilometer radius.

With winds of 100 kilometers per-hour, Tropical Storm Podul was expected to intensify at it moves west at 25 KPH through extreme northern Philippines, according to a forecast from Pagasa in the Philippines.

The Hong Kong Observatory, on the other hand, expects the storm to slow down to 22kph as it continues across the western North Pacific, over Taiwan and to either Guangdong or Fujian province, depending on how it will be affected by a high pressure area coming from the north.

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“Showers associated with the area of low pressure over the northern part of the South China Sea will edge closer to the coast of Guangdong,” the Observatory said.

Weather during the first three days of the week in Hong Kong will be cloudy to hot due to an anticyclone over southern China.

With Podul intensifying gradually as it approaches north of the territory, the weather is expected to turn, with heavy rains and gusts expected Thursday and Friday.

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“However, its subsequent movement and intensity remain uncertain, with a higher chance of moving towards the vicinity of the coast of Fujian and eastern Guangdong,” the Observatory said. 

17 people rescued after Ocean Park ride stalls in mid-air

 

The Wild Twister in operation (Ocean Park photo)

Firefighters rescued 17 people trapped for  an hour and 45 minutes after Ocean Park’s “Wild Twister” ride suddenly stopped earlier this evening.

Ocean Park said the thrill ride experienced a fault signal at 6:20pm, triggering a safety brake system.

Everyone aboard was left suspended in mid-air while the park’s staff frantically called police for help. Fire engines and ambulances were immediately sent to the scene.

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Firemen began getting people off the ride at 7:37pm. It took them another 30 minutes, or until 8:07pm, to pluck all 17 people aboard to safety.

Reports on site said the trapped people remained calm throughout their ordeal and no one was injured.

Ocean Park said the ride will undergo tests and an overhaul.

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The “Wild Twister” has six extended arms where passengers are seated, and they each swing and spin on separate axes during the ride.

MWO looking for Filipina helper who identified suicide victim

 

The Filipina's employer jumped off his posh flat on Kennedy Road 

It is bad enough to be asked to identify a recently deceased person, worse if that individual was your employer and he was found headless after an apparent suicide.

This is the reason why the Migrant Workers Office at the Consulate is seeking a Filipina domestic worker who was asked to identify her lawyer-employer after he apparently jumped off his high-rise flat at posh Monticello on Kennedy Road, Wan Chai at about 7am last Tuesday.

Press reports said that initially, it was thought that the impact from the fall had severed the victim’s head, but it turned out that it got embedded into his body, and both his legs were torn off.

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The Filipina helper ended up identifying the victim as her 54-year-old American employer who was working with a top law firm, as she rushed down after seeing their terrace door wide open, and police officers swarming the ground below.

MWO staff said they managed to confirm with the police that the helper is a Filipino, but have yet to get her name and address. They want to check on her and if needed, provide her with counseling or refer her to a specialist who could help her deal with the trauma.

They are appealing to the Filipino community to reach out to them if they know her, even if only to say that the helper is fine and does not need immediate intervention.

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Several reports later indicated that the suicide victim with the initials BS was a partner at one of Hong Kong’s top law firms specializing in cross-border transactions. He reportedly left a suicide note saying he was grappling with problems and wanted to go to “a peaceful place.”

In a statement, his law firm expressed profound grief over his death, and said his "extraordinary lawyer and beloved colleague" whose contributions were immeasurable.

His family has requested privacy in their time of grief and suggested donations to mental health or suicide prevention organizations in lieu of flowers.

Those who are feeling depressed are advised to seek professional help immediately, either through the Philippine Consulate or NGOs like the Mission for Migrant Workers. They can also call the 24-hour multi-lingual hotline of the Samaritans at 28960000.