OEC to be linked to e-Travel Pass

 

The Philippine government will soon integrate the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), the document that OFWs sometimes need to line up for so they could return to their places of work after a vacation - with the e-Travel Pass, which all Filipinos need to present before leaving the country.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said that with the linking, a returning OFW will only need to present the e-Travel Pass at the Immigration counters before being allowed to fly out of the country.

“Right now, we're piloting the merger of the OEC and the e-Travel Pass,” Secretary Cacdac said. “The e-Travel Pass will serve as the primary departure document.”

Right now, a departing OFW is required to present both the OEC and the eTravel Pass before being cleared to fly out of the country.

PINDUTIN DITO

He said the Department of Migrant Workers is working with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to merge the two documents. He expects the new system to be in place by early next year, or even earlier.

Speaking during the 45th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (PASEI) held recently in Manila, Cacdac said the new system will require agencies to register their  workers through the DMW app.

“Once cleared and processed, doon pa lang kayo magkakaroon ng access sa (that’s the only time we will have access to the) e-Travel Pass,” he said.

“Mas simple, mas mabilis, pero may safeguards pa rin (Simple, faster but still with safeguards),” Cacdac added. 

Basahin ang detalye!

In other words, the OFW will still need to present all the documents necessary to get the OEC or a similar exit clearance, before being able to complete the registration for e-Travel.

Under Republic Act No 8042 (Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995) as amended by Republic Act No 10022, the OEC is mandatory for all departing OFWs, including those renewing their contracts or returning to the same employer after a vacation in the Philippines.

In Hong Kong, Migrant Workers Office Officer-in-Charge Antonio Villafuerte said they have yet to get a memorandum on the new system, which is part of the newly-launched OFW e-Services.

DMW e-Services includes the online contract verification in Dubai, where more than 13,000 contracts have reported been verified purely online, significantly reducing daily foot traffic at the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) from 400–500 visits per day to just 150–200.

“We’ve saved OFWs in Dubai an estimated 400,000 dirhams in transportation and related costs, thanks to this online system,” Cacdac said. “That’s what happens when we remove the need to physically go to the office just to get documents processed.”

 

T8 not likely as Typhoon Matmo nears

 

Matmo's path is tracked as it left the northern Philippines, on to southwest Guangdong

The Hong Kong Observatory has released an advisory at 9:45pm on Saturday at the Strong Wind Signal Number 3 will be in place until at least midday today, Sunday, with the approach of Typhoon Matmo.

A statement issued by the Observatory just an hour earlier said it was not ruling out a higher signal as the typhoon which packs winds of up to 110 km an hour, skirts more than 300 kilometres southwest of Hong Kong.

The strong wind signal no 3 was issued at 12:20pm on Saturday.

PINDUTIN DITO

According to the earlier bulletin, Matmo intensified as it moved steadily towards Leizhou Peninsula, in the southmost part of Guangdong.

But the forecaster said that unless the storm comes closer to the Pearl River Estuary than expected, the chance of sustained gale-force winds over Hong Kong is relatively low.

Basahin ang detalye!

However, it warned of occasional squally showers, thunderstorms and violent gusts, with rough swells near the harbor.

Everyone is advised to stay clear of the shores and not to engage in water sports

Pinay charged with laundering $4M in crime money

 

File photo

A domestic helper was sent back to jail after appearing at Fan Ling court, accused of dealing with more than $4 million in crime proceeds, in a case more popularly known as money laundering.

Daisy Pueyo, 43 years old, was not asked to enter a plea when she appeared on Friday (Oct. 3) before Acting Principal Magistrate Veronica Heung, who adjourned the case to Nov. 25.

The case -- dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence, in violation of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance, is likely to be elevated to the District Court because the amount involved exceeds the limit set for magistrate courts.

PINDUTIN DITO

A police complaint accused Pueyo of handling $4,002,483.22 that “directly and indirectly represented any person’s proceeds of an indictable crime” because of deposits and withdrawals made between Jan. 15 and March 31, 2024 on her Standard Chartered Bank account.

In a separate case at Eastern Court, two Filipina sisters were charged along with an Indonesian, with money laundering or conspiracy to commit the crime, when they appeared before Magistrate Minnie Wat on Thursday (Oct. 2).

Jojie Carpiz, 49 years old, was charged with conspiracy to deal with proceeds of an indictable offence; Marly Carpiz, 51 years old was charged with money laundering; and Purwati, 34 years old, was also charged with conspiracy.

Basahin ang detalye!

Their case was adjourned to Nov. 24. They were set free on bail of $10,000 each.

Jojie Carpiz was accused of conspiring with her sister in handling $600,750 of crime proceeds in her Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp. account between Dec. 24 and 27, 2019.

Marly Carpiz, on the other hand, was charged with money laundering for the $600,000 that flowed in and out of her HSBC account on Dec. 17, 2019.

Purwati was accused of conspiring with a person known as Ratna for handling $200,000 in her HSBC account on Dec. 17, 2019.

In still another case, Maylen Macabangon, 47 years old, pleaded not guilty to two counts of money laundering at Shatin Court on Thursday (Oct. 2).

Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong scheduled a pre-trial review for Dec. 12 and trial for Dec. 19, and set her bail at $500.

Macabangon is accused of dealing with $67,500 in crime money because of deposits and withdrawals in her Bank of China account between April 22 and 27, 2022.

She faced as similar case for the $217,573.31 that passed through her HSBC account between March 26 and June 18, 2022.

Plea for help for victims of Cebu’s 6.9 quake

 By Atty Jalilo dela Torre

 

The Santa Rosa de Lima church in Daan Bantayan in ruins (CDN photo)

At 9:59 pm on September 30, 2025, just as the people of Cebu were looking forward to a good night's sleep, a long-dormant fault line 19 km off the coast of Bogo City in northern Cebu, activated and moved the earth and the waters, rumbling across the province and into other islands.

The temblor registered 6.9 on the scale, and in a few minutes, the horrible toll was known. The San Remigio Sports Center collapsed, killing three Coast Guard and one Bureau of Fire Protection employees who were participating in a basketball tournament.

A hundred-year old church in Daan Bantayan, the Santa Rosa de Lima, crumpled down. A pension house in Bogo fell down on its residents.

PINDUTIN DITO

At least seven houses in Yolanda Village in Bogo built for the relocation of the homeless after the super typhoon Yolanda 2013, buried seven people in its rubble. Bridges and roads were rendered inoperable.

The latest count of fatalities was 69, but rescue teams are still digging for bodies and survivors.

Basahin ang detalye!

I was at home with my wife, Jane, just watching TV when our home shook and swayed for several seconds. Power went out but came back a few minutes later.

Over at the University of San Jose-Recoleto's brand-new 17-story building on Colon St., dozens of students and student assistants scrambled down the stairs from the topmost floor.

A Daan Bantayan resident posted photos of collapsed houses, saying relief has yet to come

For most of Cebu City, the damage was minimal, but over at Bogo, Daan Bantayan and Medellin, the horror that the quake brought to the people there is still fresh in their minds, many reeling from the thousands of aftershocks. Most of them would sleep out in the open, afraid to return to their homes.

(The University of San Jose - Recoletos School of Law in Cebu City where the author currently teaches, has more than a dozen students from the affected areas, and several student assistants. A group from the college has started a fund drive, acutely aware that some places like Daan Bantayan  have yet to receive help from the government and private groups. Cash donations may be sent directly to GCash number 09192594799 under the name of Jessney Sontousidad, who is from Daan Bantayan, and can distribute whatever goods will be donated to their unserved community there. Residents would also welcome donations of bottled water, canned goods, sanitary items, battery-powered flashlights and batteries, and maybe plastic sheets to protect them from the rain when sleeping out

DH gets 16 months' jail for stealing $250k in jewelry

 

The theft took place in a flat at Tregunther Path in Mid-Levels (Google Maps photo)

A Filipina domestic helper has been sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment for each of the five counts of theft she was charged with for stealing jewelry worth more than $250,000 from her employer, after pleading guilty at Eastern Court yesterday, Oct. 2.

But Bernadette Gantioque, 45 years old,  ended up with a jail term of just 16 months after Magistrate Minnie Wat ordered that the five sentences run at the same time, following the principle of totality of charges. This after Magistrate Wat deducted one-third from the initial sentence of 24 months for each charge.

Gantioque, who had served the family at Tavistock II on Tregunter Path in Mid-Levels since 2023, was arrested after her employer noticed some of her jewelry missing and found pawnshop receipts among her belongings, and called the police.

The helper readily confessed to stealing the items during the police investigation that followed.

Basahin ang detalye!

Her lawyer said she stole because her family was in financial distress. But he added that she would not be able to pay even just the $7,350 compensation demanded by her employer.

“This is a breach of trust case,” Magistrate Wat told Gantioque, who noted that some of the items could no longer be recovered. “This is serious.”

The first charge arose from Gantioque stealing a ring last Feb. 16. The second case occurred the next day when she stole one pair of earrings.

On April 12, she stole another another ring. Later the same day, she took two pairs of earrings and one pendant.

Finally, she was charged with stealing one earring on an unknown date between Jan. 1 and June 9.

Filipino cleaner in Macau held for jobs scam involving 1.14M patacas

 

Macau police lead suspect away (still photo from TDM Macau)

Macau Police have arrested a 30-year-old Filipino cleaner for his alleged involvement in a job scam, in which 55 other Filipinos lost a total of 1.14 million patacas (roughly the same in HK dollars).

In a press conference held Monday, a Judiciary Police (JP) spokesman identified the suspect as a non-resident worker surnamed Regamit. A second suspect is believed to have fled to the Philippines and is being sought.

Philippine Consul General to Macau Edna Lazaro told The SUN that they had received a consular notification about the case, and have already coordinated with the Interpol. However, Interpol is unable to provide the name of the suspect now believed to be in the Philippines.

The JP said the 55 Filipino victims went to its headquarters and complained about being defrauded by Reganit, who allegedly collected betweem 15,000 and 28,000 patacas from each of them, for a total of 1.14 million patacas.

Reganit had allegedly posted on social media starting in June that he could assist fellow Filipinos in obtaining jobs as cleaners or security personnel in Macau. No interviews or medical examinations were required.

The victims said they were convinced by Reganit’s claim that he and his missing partner, said to be also a non-resident worker, were acting for a recruitment agency in Macau in securing the posts.

The victims agreed to fly to Macau and meet with Reganit. During the meetings, Reganit collected between 15,000 and 28,000 from each applicant, along with their identification documents. He then issued them receipts, and told them to wait patiently.

But when he stopped communicating with them, or ignored their pleas to give back their money, the victims decided to report to the police.

Police arrested Reganit in Areia Preta in northeastern Macau, but learned that the second suspect had fled Macau last week. Seized from Reganit were a number of receipts and a laptop with the applicants’ personal details.

The recruitment agency they used in convincing the victims told police the two suspects never worked for it. 

If convicted for fraud, the suspects face a maximum of 10 years in prison.

The Judicial Police said another Filipino suspect had fled to the Philippines last week

In July a similar scam was uncovered after 26 Filipinos reported to the police after being made to work for months in a Japanese restaurant but never got paid.

The Filipina resident who managed the restaurant allegedly collected 22,000 patacas from each of them for the jobs, resulting in a total amount of about 500,000 patacas.

Police investigation revealed that the employment visas they held were fake, and that the restaurant did not have the quota necessary to hire imported workers.

The Filipina recruiter was arrested, and the police said then that they could not rule out other arrests, as at least two companies appeared to be involved in the scam. 

The PCG in Macau reportedly said they were aware that more than 50 Filipinos had been victimized in the scam.

DMW repeats warning against job scams

 

One of the many warnings against jobs scams posted on the DMW Facebook page

Is that overseas job being offered you, either through social media or in-person “orientation”, the real deal or it is too good to be true, therefore, fake?

If you are careful enough and do not easily latch on to promises of good pay and other amazing benefits, then you may have just saved yourself from falling victim to a job scam.

But if you’re not so tech smart or are too desperate to go abroad for work at all costs, then you may just become the next victim of syndicates behind these scams.

Basahin ang detalye!

According to the Department of Migrant Workers, the syndicates behind such scams continue to thrive despite its efforts to shame them, shut them down or get them kicked out of social media, due to the large amounts they could potentially make.

Many are said to still proliferate on social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok and others, despite DMW’s efforts to get them kicked out for deception.

So far, 73,000 accounts used by the scammers have been taken down by the platform administrators at the request of the DMW.

So what does an aspiring overseas Filipino worker do to avoid falling prey to them?

“Kilatisin bago magtiwala,” In short, know the people behind the job offer well before giving them your trust. Thoroughly check the page, the agency and the people behind the offer.

This is the DMW’s first advice, seeing that many job applicants are fooled by the mere promise of a high pay. According to the DMW, applicants should first ask themselves these questions: Is the agency registered, meaning, they are operating legally? Are they offering a contract that sets out clearly what is in the job offer?

To make sure they are dealing only with legal entities, applicants should first consult this list of accredited recruitment agencies: https://dmw.gov.ph/licensed-recruitment-agencies.

Second, be alert for red flags, such as salaries that are too high, processing time that are too short, and the lack of an employment contract. “If it sounds too good and overpromising, it’s likely a trap,” said the DMW.

Thirdly, think thoroughly before handing money and your documents to the recruiters. DMW said it’s not only your future that is at stake if you lose a huge amount to scammers, but also your family’s.

“Kaya bantayan mo, dahil pag naloko ka, pati sila’y madadamay.” (So guard them at all cost because if you are defrauded, even your family will suffer).

DMW added that those who become victims of illegal recruitment can go to them for help in obtaining a Php75,000 assistance from its Aksyon Fund.

Anyone who is offered what appears to be a fraudulent employment abroad may report to the DMW-OWWA Hotline 1348 (24/7) or the National Anti-Scam Hotline 1326 (DICT)

 

Filipina hangs self at employer’s house in Tai Hang

 

Kan Oke House in Tai Hang where the Filipina's lifeless body was found

A 34-year-old Filipina domestic helper was found dead inside a flat at 28 Tai Hang Road, after apparently hanging herself with a nylon rope.

Staff at the Migrant Workers Office confirmed being told by the police about the apparent suicide, but are still awaiting further information.

According to police, the Filipina’s employer called at 7:14am today, after finding the lifeless helper.

The victim reportedly used a 4-meter plastic rope to hang herself.

Emergency personnel who rushed to the flat immediately cut the rope but were too late. They declared the victim dead at the scene.

No suicide note was found but initial investigations revealed the helper was under some emotional distress because of family debt problems.

Police said the exact cause of death will be determined after an autopsy.

Filipino migrant workers who are undergoing mental stress may call the MWO hotline at 6345 9324 or the Assistance to Nationals Section of the Philippine Consulate at 9155 4023.

Alternatively, they can call any non-government organization assisting MDWs like the Mission for Migrant Workers at their hotline: 9529 2326.

Free health & wellness checks for OFWs on Oct 5 and 29

Flyer for the Sandigan Eagles' free health tests

Two medical missions aimed at providing health and wellness checks to overseas Filipino workers will be held by separate groups on Oct 5 and 29.

The first includes free tests for blood glucose (sugar), blood pressure, uric acid levels; as well as naturopathic eye examination to be held on Oct 5, 1-5pm at the OWWA OFW Global Centre in Admiralty on a first-come, first-served basis.

Basahin ang detalye!

The services are offered free by the Bagong Bayani Hong Kong Sandigan Eagles Club, which says healthcare professionals, volunteers and community leaders will conduct the wellness screenings.

The group says it aims to provide essential health care services to OFWs, as part of its commitment to help improve the lives of Filipinos in Hong Kong.

Those interested to avail of any of the services may go to the OFW Global Centre before between 1-5pm, or earlier, to register.

The La Salle group will have medical professionals from among its alumni to conduct the tests

Separately, Forza La Salle will provide a wider range of health checks, including blood pressure, eye and HPV (for cervical cancer detection), and fat analysis on Oct 20, 1:30-4:30pm at the Lasallian Youth Centre, Kam Tsin Village, Sheung Shui.

All health checks will be conducted by La Salle medical alumni.

The event called “Tagpuan 9.0” will start with a Holy Mass at 9am, followed by a lecture by Louis Vas on the basics of yoga at 11am. The free health checks will start after the lunch break.

The event is free of charge but only a maximum of 100 participants will be admitted. Prior registration is required. For details, contact Dennis Magbanua at 6730 2214.

The project is joinly organized by the De La Salle Alumni Association Hong Kong and the De La Salle Brothers in Hong Kong.

Cebu quake toll hits 61; relief operations underway

 

Photo from the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima

Relief, search and rescue operations swung into gear today as the Philipines woke up to the damage left by a 6.9 magnitude earthquake that shook northern Cebu for more than 10 seconds from 9:59 last night.

An official toll has recorded 61 dead and 147 injured, and officials are expecting more.

Reports from Bogo City, about 10 kilometers from the offshore quake’s epicenter, indicated that 22 people had been found dead during search and retrieval operations. Mayor Mayel Martinez told reporters that majority of the dead were found in a hospital whose walls had collapsed.

The earthquake, which was triggered from 10 kilometers deep, toppled or damaged at least 22 buildings across the Visayas, including a mall in Consolacion, Cebu, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Location of quake's epicenter

As in the earthquake that devastated Bohol in 2013, centuries-old churches bore the most serious damage.

In Bantayan Island, a video from residents captured the collapse of the façade of Parroquia de San Pedro Apostol Bantayan, bringing with it lights strung around the church. (Here is a video showing the tragedy:facebook.com/reel/1317610906512512/?)fs=e&s=TIeQ9V&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=NhhBxDtAaVfuSCmQ&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2Fr%2F19pe2FGqM3%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr#

The 139-year-old Archdiocesan Shrine of Sta. Rosa de Lima in Daanbantayan, built in 1886 and declared the first archdiocesan shrine in the Philippines dedicated to St. Rose of Lima in 2022, suffered extensve damage, with its front collapsng into the cortyard.

Basahin ang detalye!

In response, the Cebu Archdiocese released an advisory asking all parishes and rectories to undergo structural assessment to ensure they were safe after the earthquake.

Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy has asked parishes in northern Cebu to refrain from holding the Holy Mass in their churches until experts have certified they were safe.

The Cebu provincial government also reported a commercial building and a school in Bantayan had collapsed, while a fast food restaurant in Bogo was heavily damaged.

In San Remigio, Cebu, parts of the San Remigio Sports Complex and Evacuation Center collapsed during a basketball tournament, resulting in an unspecified number of deaths.

"This sports complex doubles as an evacuation center. Its design, in theory, should be able to withstand natural calamities, including earthquakes given that it serves as an evacuation center during disasters. The sports complex is a three year-old structure," according to netizen Gerry Cacanindin.

Meanwhile, the NDRRMC reported that relief operations are underway in affected towns.

Philippine Army’s 53rd Engineer Brigade has initially deployed 158 troops to conduct search and rescue missions in Medellin, Cebu City, Lapulapu, Cebu City, Brgy. Caradio-an, Himamaylan, NOC, Sabang II, Allen, Northern Samar, Kuta Kankabato, San Jose, Tacloban City, and Dingle, Iloilo..

The teams also deployed an ambulance and mission-essential equipment to administer immediate medical care to the injured.

The Philippine Red Cross has sent ambulances stationed in Cebu, Cebu-Bogo, and Masbate to the affected areas to provide first aid and welfare services to the injured.  PRC urged victims to call its hotline 143 for immediate help.

The Department of Social welfare and Development’s Central Visayas office has shipped to Cebu 1,000 boxes of Ready-to-Eat Food (RTEF) and family food packs, through a Philippine Coast Guard ship.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa has deployed emergency medical response teams from Cebu City and medical teams from the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (DOH-VSMMC). The teams includded general surgeons, emergency medicine doctors and orthopedic specialists, who brought medical supplies they need to treat the injured.

"There could be people trapped beneath collapsed buildings," provincial rescue official Wilson Ramos told the Agence France Presse, citing rescue efforts underway in San Remigio and Bogo. He said he did not know how many people were missing.

Free rides, fireworks and lantern shows among National Day treats

 

One of the spectacular lanterns on display at Victoria Park

An array of treats including half-price movie tickets and free rides on the tram and select ferry routes will be on offer tomorrow, Oct. 1, in celebration of China’s National Day.

The festivities will also include the Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival 2025 which opened tonight at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay.

But the highlight of the day-long celebrations will be a grand fireworks display over the harbor, which goes by the theme “Victoria Harbour Fireworks Shine Across the Motherland.

Basahin ang detalye!

More than 30,000 fireworks will be set off at exactly 8pm, which can be viewed for free on both sides of the harbor.

The celebrations will begin with the traditional flag-raising ceremony at 8am at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai, followed by a helicopter flypast by the Government Flying Service.

Throughout the day, anybody can hop-on and hop-off trams on Hong Kong island for free, and take rides on major ferry routes. Children travel free on some daytime routes operated by KMB, Long Win Bus, Citybus and New Lantao Bus.

The MTR will also raffle off 76,000 free single-journey tickets on local, cross-border and Airport Express routes.

Most facilities operated by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will also open to the public for free, like sports venues and museums, as well as the Hong Kong Wetland Park.

The public areas at the Sha Tin and Happy Valley Racecourses which are usually open only to punters, will also be opened to everyone. Discounted snacks will be available.

Discounts will also be offered by various recreational places like Ocean Park which is offering a 15% discount on general admission from Oct. 1 to5. Over at Ngong Ping 360, children will be given a 24% discount on cable car rides.

Special souvenirs will be distributed to visitors on a first-come, first-served basis at Tai Kwun on Hollywood Road, The Peak Tram, and Madame Tussauds Hong Kong.

Varying discounts will also be offered by more than 1,000 participating restaurants as well as hotels and malls, apart from the West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong International Airport, and Science Park.

HK's beloved pandas are featured in another lantern at the Victoria Park carnival

Meanwhile, the Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival which opened today and will run until October 7 at Victoria Park, showcases a series of entertainments and festivities, apart from the spectacular lanterns that celebrate not just the changing of the seasons, but also National Day and the upcoming National Games.

The lantern carnival is themed "Joy to the City - Passing on the Joy, Welcoming the National Games" to mark the 15th National Games (NG), the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG).

One of the highlights is a 12-meter-high lantern that resembles an ornate crown, symbolizing the unity and integration of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau.

The lanterns are lit from 6:30pm to 11pm daily, and extended to midnight on Oct.6, which is Mid-Autumn Day.

This lighting installation at the Cultural Centre Piazza also draws crowds

Separately, a lighting installation entitled “Fireworks on the Water” is currently on display until Oct. 19 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza.

For more details, call 2591 1340, or visit the event webpage: www.cpo.gov.hk/event/en-mid-autumn-lantern-carnival-2025/.

 

4 suspected illegal workers arrested during covert operations

A mainland woman who provided sale & delivery services was among those arrested

 Four suspected illegal workers were arrested yesterday, Sept. 29, during two separate undercover operations.

In the first case, a mainland resident aged 36 was arrested for allegedly providing cross-boundary purchase and delivery services.

Immigration investigators posing as customers booked such services after checking Mainland social media platforms and identified several suspicious posts. However, only one suspect was arrested for breaching her condition of stay by engaging in illegal work.

Basahin ang detalye!

In a separate operation, immigration officers posed as customers as they targeted 11 massage parlors. A total of three suspected illegal workers comprising one man and two women aged 32 to 49 were arrested.

An investigation is still being conducted into who had employed them.

Tourists found to have engaged in unauthorized work in Hong Kong could be punished for up to two years in prison and fined a maximum of $50,000.

If the illegal worker is an overstayer, illegal immigrant or subject to a deportation order the maximum jail term is three years, plus $50,000 fine.

Employers face up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $50,000.

Shoplifting costs DH 25 days in prison

 

Store where offense took place (Google Maps photo)

Many people may view shoplifting, or taking items from a store and leaving without paying for them, as a minor offense that sometimes go unpunished.

Domestic helper Esther Rosimo, however, learned that the offense would cost her a total of 25 days in prison.

Rosimo, 49 years old, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft in a hearing at Kowloon City Court last Friday (Sept. 26) before Acting Principal Magistrate Peony Wong.

Basahin ang detalye!

Magistrate Wong sentenced her to 20 days after she admitted taking the following from a Wellcome Supermarket on Austin Road, Yau Ma Tei, last August 17: 22 boxes of Eclipse candy, six packs of sliced cuttlefish, two packs of nut, 16 boxes of peanuts,  eight salmon Snackits, one box of 3in1 white coffee, two boxes of 2in1 white coffee, one box of pizza, six boxes of shrimp shaomai, two Fumakilla vape skin mist, two roti paratha, eight packs of Mosquitout patch and three bottles of anti-bug spray.

Rosimo was sentenced another 10 days for stealing two boxes of salmon fillet at the same Wellcome store more than two weeks later, on Sept. 3.

Wong ordered that five days in the second sentence run at the same time as the first, leaving a total of 25 days.

DH pleads guilty to laundering nearly $1M

 

Another domestic helper pleaded guilty to money laundering today at Kwun Tong Court, but her sentencing was put off for two weeks for a background check.

Lea Callo, 32 years old, was accused of handling proceeds from crime amounting to $937,789.50  by allowing the use of her Bank of China account through deposits and withdrawals made between May 24 and Oct, 26, 2022.

She was charged with dealing with property known of believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence, in violation of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

Basahin ang detalye!

Callo was remanded to jail to await her sentencing on Oct 13.

Also remanded was Jeresa Baylon, 44 years old and unemployed, who is facing a similar case which had been adjourned to Nov. 28.

Baylon appeared at Fan Ling Court last Friday (Sept. 26) accused of handling $5,144,27.30  of funds derived from crime through her Standard Chartered Bank account between July 1 and Oct. 25, 2023.

Because of the amount involved, with is beyond what magistracy courts are allowed to penalize, the case is likely to be elevated to the District Court.

Minimum wage for FDHs raised to $5100

 

The new MAW is significantly lower than the $6,712 demanded by migrants' groups

The government has raised the minimum allowable wage for foreign domestic helpers to $5,100 per month, higher by 2.2 percent from the current $4,990.

The food allowance for those not provided free food by their employers will remain at the same rate of $1,236 per month for the second consecutive year.

The new MAW will apply to all FDH contracts signed on or after tomorrow, Sept. 30. Those signed today or earlier will still be processed at the existing MAW of $4,990 provided that the applications reach Immigration Department on or before Monday, October 27.

The biggest alliance of FDH groups, the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body, did not reject the wage increase outright, saying it was the result of relentless campaigning of migrant domestic workers’ groups.

Basahin ang detalye!

However, it is still a far cry from the “living wage” of $6,172 that they had been fighting for.

On the other hand, it came as a relief as well, since a pro-employers' group had asked for a wage freeze, a call vehemently condemned by AMCB.

What AMCB deplored was the government’s decision not to increase the food allowance which they called “seriously unhealthy and insufficient” especially considering the continuing food price increases in Hong Kong.

“Such a move will leave many MDWs (migrant domestic workers) struggling with whatever little finances they have in order to afford decent meals everyday,” said AMCB.

But in its statement, the government said that in coming up with the MAW, it ensures that its level is commensurate with Hong Kong’s economic and labor market conditions.

As before, it considered a “basket of factors” including Hong Kong’s general economic performance and labor market conditions over the past year, near-term economic outlook, affordability of FDH employers, basic living needs of FDHs and views or different stakeholders.

The Philippine government itself has stipulated a minimum wage of US$500 monthly for overseas Filipino workers in its latest advisory, which is far lower than what Hong Kong provides for MDWs.