Two Pinays hunted for hurting compatriot

A night of moon-watching and merrymaking turned ugly on Oct 5 when two Filipinas reportedly assaulted a compatriot during a quarrel at Deepwater Bay Beach on Island Road in southern Hong Kong.

The victim, a 45-year-old domestic worker surnamed Gastillo, was taken by responding police to Ruttonjee Hospital in Wanchai for treatment of injuries to her forehead, right hand and right leg, police told The SUN.

She said police were still searching for the two women who attacked Gastillo.

The case has been classified as assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The officer said the incident took place at a barbecue area in Deepwater Bay Beach at 3am on Oct 5. She said the victim had a spat with the two women that turned physical when the pair assaulted Gastillo.

Local newspaper reports said Gastillo and the attackers belonged to two different groups of Filipinas having a barbecue on the beach while celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The assailants allegedly pushed the victim to the ground, causing her injuries. Her friends called the police but the two assailants had already left when officers arrived. - VBL

Nakulong dahil sa illegal work

Dumating na sa Pilipinas noong gabi ng Okt 11 si Mae, isang Ilongga na taga Passi City, matapos makulong dahil sa pagtatrabaho ng ilegal.

Nasa ikatlong buwan pa lang sa trabaho si Mae nang mahuli ng Immigration sa airport habang nagsusundo ng mga bagong dating na katulong na ni-recruit ng kanyang amo na may-ari ng isang employment agency.

Hindi nalaman ng kanyang mga kamag-anak sa Iloilo kung saan ikinulong si Mae, pero tinawagan sila ng mga awtoridad sa Hong Kong para sabihing “ready for deportation” na daw ito.

Sinabi din sa kanila na ang amo nito ay sinampahan ng kaso ng Immigration para sa pagpapatrabaho ng ilegal ng kanyang katulong.

Ayon sa batas ng Hong Kong, hindi legal ang magtrabaho sa iba, at sa labas ng bahay ng among nakapirma sa kontrata.

Kabilang sa mga bawal ang magtrabaho sa shop, restaurant o opisina, kahit ang mga ito ay pag-aari ng amo. Bawal din ang magtrabaho sa ibang bahay, kahit pa ang may-ari nito ay malapit na kamag-anak ng amo. Naghihintay ngayon ang kanyang mga ka-pamilya para sa paglalahad ni Mae ng buong kuwento kung paano siya nahuli at nakulong. Si Mae ay may asawa at tatlong anak. – Merly T. Bunda

Bawal mag shorts sa bahay

“Don’t wear shorts in front of Sir,” ito ang unang sinabi kay Ana ng kanyang among babae sa unang araw pa lang ng kaniyang paninilbihan sa kanila.

Nagulat si Ana sa tinuran ng amo dahil una ay hindi naman siya talagang mahilig mag shorts at pangalawa ay wala naman siyang balak na pumarada sa harap ng among lalaki na kita ang mga hita at binti.

Hindi man kagandahan ay may hitsura pa rin si Ana at bata, kaya siguro may pangamba ang among babae na maakit ng Pilipina ang kanyang asawa. Hindi kasi mahilig mag-ayos at magbihis ang among babae, at pati ang araw-araw na pagligo ay kinakatamaran kaya malamang na natatakot ito na mabaling ang pagtingin ng asawa.

Gayunpaman ay tanging “Yes, ma’am” ang kanyang isinagot sa amo para hindi na humaba pa ang usapan.

Dahil sa sinabing ito ng among babae ay lalong pinag-ingatan ni Ana na hindi mapalapit sa among lalaki. Sinunod din niya ang mga patakaran ng among babae kaya naging maayos ang kanilang samahan. Ngayon ay malapit nang matapos ang unang kontrata niya sa kanila at sinabihan na siya ng amo na pipirmahan siyang muli. Si Ana ay dalaga at naninilbihan sa mga among Intsik sa Mid-Levels. – Ellen Almacin

Pagod na si Rose

Sumuko si Rose sa dami ng pinagagawa sa kanya ng amo na kadalasan ay hindi na makatwiran.

Gumigising ang amo ng mga alas kuwatro ng hapon at kaagad siyang uutusan ng kung ano-ano, katulad ng pagpapadeposito sa kanya ng tseke mga 20 minuto bago magsara ang bangko ng alas singko ng hapon. Dahil may kalayuan ang bangko ay kailangan niyang tumakbo para makaabot.

Minsan naman ay may pinapa-deliver sa kanya na mga kahong plastic para sa mga files na 2 x 3 feet ang laki at mabigat. Sukat ba namang sabihin na i-push cart na lang niya ang mga ito sa layong dalawang kilometro. Sa galit ni Rose ay sinigawan niya ang amo ng, “Why don’t you just rent a van?”

Mula noon ay hindi na naging maayos ang kanilang relasyon.

Nag-iinit ang ulo ni Rose sa mga ganitong utos dahil pagod na pagod siya sa gawaing bahay. Mula paggising niya ng 8 ng umaga ay kumakayod na siya. Nagpapakain ng alagang matanda, namamalengke, naglilinis, naglalaba at kung ano-ano pang gawain sa bahay.

Kung tutuusin, hindi na niya dapat trabaho ang mga inuutos ng amo, na kadalasan ay kailangan pa niyang gawin nang madalasan. “Pagod na ako maghapon, siya kagigising pa lang, tapos ay kung ano-ano ang inuutos. Hay naku!,” ang sambit ni Rose.

Sa kabila nito ay magiliw at mabait namang makipag-usap sa kanya ang amo, hanggang sabihin ni Rose na hindi na siya pipirma sa panibagong kontrata.

Nagalit bigla ang amo at sinabihan siyang wala siyang makukuha para sa long service dahil siya ang  umayaw sa kanilang kontrata. Sa isip naman ni Rose, di bale nang wala siyang makuhang extra na bayad, basta makakawala lang sa amo. “Sa edad kong 50, hindi ko na kailangan pang mahirapan, uuwi na lang ako ng Pampanga,” ang sabi niya. – George Manalansan

Tinakbuhan ng mangungutang

Sising sisi ngayon si Ruby dahil pinagamit niya ang kanyang pangalan sa isang taong nakasabay lang niyang mag-training sa OWWA at kapareho ng employment agency para ito makapangutang.

Hindi ito nagbayad at kasalukuyang nagtatago kaya si Ruby ang nagbabayad sa pautangan para hindi siya maeskandalo at matanggal sa trabaho, lalo at napakabait pa naman ng kanyang amo.

Hindi kaiba sa ilang nabola ng mga talamak na mangungutang ang nangyari kay Ruby. Dahil sa matamis na dila ng kausap ay ni hindi niya ito pinapirma ng kasulatan nang ibigay niya dito ng buong tiwala ang pera mula sa pautangan.

Ni wala man siyang kopya ng pasaporte o HKID ng nangutang kaya lalo siyang hirap maghabol ngayon. Hindi na niya ito matawagan sa telepono, at naka block na siya sa dalawang Facebook account nito.

Pinayuhan siya ng isa pang kasamahan sa agency na lapitan ang nag recruit sa kanila para makuha ang ilan pang impormasyon tungkol sa balasubas nilang kakilala. Pagkatapos ay pumunta daw siya sa assistance to nationals section ng Konsulado at subukang humingi ng tulong para papanagutin ang nagtatago na ngayong Pilipina.

Naging mapait na karanasan ito kay Ruby, na nagpapayo ngayon sa mga katulad niyang bagong salta na huwag basta-basta magtitiwala kahit kanino, lalo na sa mga nakasabayan lang sa agency. Huwag daw maawa sa kanilang mga drama dahil baka ikaw naman ang maging kawawa sa bandang huli. Si Ruby ay tubong Cagayan Valley, may asawa at anak, at mag-iisang taon na naninilbihan sa mga among taga Ma On Shan. – Marites Palma

Isang ulirang ina

Ganap nang medical technologist ang panganay ni Ate Lenny at computer engineer naman ang kanyang bunso nang makiusap na bumalik sa kanila ang ama ng mga ito na isang baldado na.

Bagamat iniwan sila ng ama noong sila ay mga bata pa kaya ang ina ang mag-isang nagtaguyod sa kanila ay nanaig pa rin ang kabaitan ng dalawang bata. Sila na ang nagkumbinsi kay Ate Lenny na tanggapin muli ang kanilang ama.

Hindi na daw nakapalag si Ate dahil tanggap na tanggap na ng kanyang dalawang anak ang pagbabalik ng kanilang ama kahit na pinabayaan sila nito noon habang siya ang nagsakripisyong malayo para mabigyan sila ng magandang buhay.

Mabuti na lang at kahit naging malas siya sa asawa ay naging napakapalad naman niya sa kanyang mga amo dahil sobrang bait ng mga ito sa kanya. Binigyan siya ng mataas na sahod at trinato na parang kapamilya. Ilang beses nilang ginastusan ang pamamasyal ng mga anak ni Ate sa Hong Kong, at tuwing magkakaroon sila ng problema sa pera ay agad silang tinutulungan.

Maayos, masipag at mapagkakatiwalaan daw kasi si Ate, lalo na sa pag-aalaga sa kanilang nag-iisang anak. Natuwa pa daw ang mga amo nang malaman na ang kanilang anak ay nasanay sa pagkain ng mga lutong Pinoy katulad ng adobo at sinigang na hipon.

Hanggang ngayon na nasa Europa na ang alaga ay hinihiling pa rin na lutuan siya ng pagkaing Pinoy ng yaya kapag nagbabakasyon ito sa Hong Kong.

Ang mga sarili niyang anak ay maganda na rin ang takbo ng buhay. Kamakailan lang ay napili ang bunso niya ng kumpanyang kanyang pinagtatrabahuan sa Pilipinas na ipadala sa New Zealand para doon na magtrabaho.

Walang pagsidlan sa tuwa si Ate tuwing ikinukuwento sa mga kaibigan ang pagiging suwerte niya sa mga anak. Baka daw ang mangyari ay sa New Zealand na siya mag for good at hindi sa Pilipinas. Si Ate Lenny ay tubong Nueva Ecija, 55 taong gulang at kasalukuyan paring naninilbihan sa mga mababait niyang among Intsik sa Shatin. – Marites Palma

Manindigan sa tamang kabayaran

Madalas na mapikon si Leony, 45 at taga Zambales, tuwing nag-uusap sila ng kanyang mga kaibigan tungkol sa suweldo, lalo na nang dagdagan ng $100 kamakailan ang suweldo ng mga dayuhang katulong na pipirma ng kontrata pagkatapos ng Set. 29.

Kasi, kahit 10 taon na na siya sa Hong Kong ay ang minimum na $4,310 pa rin ang kanyang sahod, samantalang ang isang bago nilang kakilala na tatlong buwan pa lang dito ay mas mataas pa ng $100 ang sahod sa kanya.

Lalong nagngingitngit si Leony dahil mas marami nang di hamak ang gawain niya kaysa sa bagong salta. May alaga siyang bata, at bukod sa pamamalengke at pagluluto ay kailangan pa niyang maglinis ng dalawang kotse at mag-alaga ng isang rabbit. Ang mas nakakainis ay malaki ang bahay ng kanyang amo, samantalang maliit lang ang kailangang linisin ng bagito, at ang alaga ay isang matanda na aktibo pa.

“Nasaan ang hustisya?” ang nasambit niya sa kanilang umpukan minsan.

Sumagot naman ang isa niyang kaibigan ng, “Magsabi ka kasi, wala kang laban kapag hindi mo ipinarating ang sa akala mo ay tama. Baka lampas pa sa $100 ang idagdag sa sahod mo,” sabi nito.

Sa muli nilang pagkikita sa kanilang day off, masayang ibinalita ni Leony na nangako ang kanyang amo na itataas ang kanyang sahod ng higit pa sa isang baguhan. “Tama ka, friend, kailangan mo lang magsalita, lalo kung patas ang pagtingin ng iyong amo. Salamat.” – George Manalansan

Saudi, Britain open doors to DH nurses; Japan next

By Vir B. Lumicao
A Saudi military hospital is seeking 250 care assistants while Britain is in need of 40,000 nurses, opportunities that could allow hundreds of Filipino nurses-turned- helpers in Hong Kong to return to their profession.

Japan, meanwhile, could soon open its doors to Filipino caregivers, given its rapidly ageing population.

These bits of information were relayed by two recruiters from Manila who provided new career options to Filipinos nursing graduates and caregivers who attended the whole-day Nurses Forum III on Oct. 4 at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Admiralty Centre.

FredPalmiery of Concorde and SHARP discuss job opportunities for RNs and BSN graduates in the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. (Photo from Labor Attache Jalilo de la Torre).

Saudi specialist and former nurse Alma Culala from LBS Recruitment Solutions Corp and Alfredo Palmiery, an employment agency owner in Manila and president of the Society of Hong Kong Accredited Recruiters of the Philippines, took turns briefing the 207 nurse-helpers who came for the orientation.

Labor Attaché Jalilo dela Torre, who organized the forum in cooperation with the Philippine Nurses in Hong Kong, said the seminar would open the way for nurses doing domestic work in Hong Kong to return to their profession.

“I think it’s a serious deskilling problem when nurses and other women of professions leave the country for work not suited for their professional backgrounds,” Labatt Dela Torre said.

“I have nothing against domestic work. It’s a decent way of earning money, but our nurses, midwives and teachers need to take up their professions and pursue their dreams working in jobs they have studied and spent a lot of money for.

The various fora we have organized for nurses, midwives and teachers are designed to open new opportunities for them.”

This was the first time that LBS, a supplier of nurses, paramedical and support staff to 16 government hospitals in Saudi Arabia and a private hospital in Brunei, came to Hong Kong to recruit staff for a Saudi hospital, said Culala.

“We are here to give you the opportunity to go back to nursing. King Faisal Hospital in Jeddah is in need of 250 care assistants,” Culala told the 102 participants who included two males.

She said BS Nursing graduates not younger than 22 years but not older than 44 are needed for the position, whether with experience or not. 

Practical nursing graduates without experience are also accepted, Culala said.

The recruiter offered a tax-free salary of Php32,000 to Php33,000 a month, air tickets, free board and lodging, yearly paid vacation of 40 days. The only cost for applicants is the Php12,000 medical checkup fee refundable upon arrival in Jeddah.

Culala told The SUN the care assistants would get three days off a week but would have longer work days as they will be required to be on duty for 48 hours a week.

Palmiery, meanwhile, said British hospitals prefer Filipino nurses to other Asians because of their English proficiency, neatness and caring service.
He said the three- to five-year contract pays a starting salary of £22,128 a year, equivalent to Php1.5 million at the current exchange rate, but it’s not tax-free and the worker will have to rent her own room after three months.

He warned that Britain requires applicants to be very proficient in English, as they will have to score no less than 7.0 in the language testing system for migrants who want to work in that country.

He said interested OFWs should first enroll in an IELTS review class before taking the test.

Applicants could enroll in online IELTS review classes, but the fee is a bit steep at about US$390 for a 40-hour course. The IELTS English proficiency test evaluates a candidate’s reading, writing, listening and skilling (understanding) skills.

Japan is also a potential market for caregivers given the long life expectancy of its citizens, but it requires foreign workers to be able to speak and understand Nihongo, Palmiery said.

The audience cheered when Palmiery said he would set up a Nihongo school in Hong Kong so that OFWs who plan to apply for caregiver positions in Japan do not have to go home and enroll in language schools there.

He said he is just waiting for the signing of a bilateral agreement between the Philippines and Japan that would open this new opportunity for Filipino caregivers.

Second autopsy rules out foul play in Pinay’s fatal fall in Shenzhen

Lorain Asuncion

By Vir B. Lumicao

A forensics report on the comprehensive second autopsy on the remains of a Filipina maid who died in a fall from a residential tower in Shenzhen in July suggested no foul play, supporting a similar finding by the police on the mainland.

Relatives of the deceased expressed hope the findings would not adversely affect Hong Kong police investigation of the maid’s employers in connection with the tragedy.

The autopsy findings by the Center of Forensic Science Guangdong Medical University indicated the deceased, Lorain Escorial Asuncion, 28 and single, died from multiple organ injury and massive blood loss.

The findings appeared to support an earlier conclusion by the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau that the Filipina died from falling.

The English translation of the five-page forensic report was handed by the Department of Foreign Affairs to Jenevieve A. Javier, the elder sibling of Asuncion, on Oct 13. 

Javier said a DFA officer who turned over the findings said Asuncion’s remains might be released and repatriated before the end of October.

“Sana lumabas ang katotohanan…ang sa amin lang, magbigay sila ng ebidensiya na ginawa talaga niya yung sinasabi ng amo na nag-commit siya ng suicide,” Javier told The SUN in an online message.

The report said that while Asuncion’s face was intact with no deformity of the skull and face, her chest had collapsed and was deformed with several broken ribs that pierced her left lung, causing it to rupture and bleed. Her upper left arm also broke and her right foot was deformed, possibly on impact.

The report also said that no foreign matter was found in her uterine cavity, indicating no sexual assault.

An initial Shenzhen police autopsy of the victim’s body in August also ruled out foul play and classified Asuncion’s case as “death by falling”.

But her relatives doubted the initial report because Asuncion’s face was intact, which they thought was inconsistent with her having fallen from the 22^nd storey flat of her female employer’s father in Longgang District.

The Filipina had traveled to Shenzhen on July 22 this year on her employers’ instructions to join them in their summer vacation there. But when she got there, her employers Gu Huaiyi, his wife Ms Liu their children had gone to other parts of China and the helper was forced to stay in the house Liu Heping, her employer’s father.

The next morning, the elder Liu called the police to report that the Filipina had gone missing but her belongings were in his flat. A day later, Liu again called the police to say he had found Asuncion’s body in the garden below his flat.

The maid’s employers were arrested by Hong Kong police in August and were being investigated allegedly for violation of immigration rules in connection with taking their helper to work across the border.

They were released on police bail but were due to report to the police headquarters any day now for further investigation. 

Sources at the Consulate told The SUN Hong Kong investigators were also awaiting the result of the second autopsy.  

HK Filcom supports divorce in PHL

Members of the Committee on Population and Family Relations listen to the views of Filipinos in Hong Kong.

By Daisy CL Mandap

It’s been a long time coming.

This was the overwhelming response from Filipino community leaders in Hong Kong, as they expressed support for a divorce law during a public hearing conducted by the Philippine House of Representatives at the Consulate on Oct. 1.

Of about a dozen leaders who spoke at the hearing led by Rep. Sol Aragones, chair of the Committee on Population and Family Relations, only two spoke out against allowing divorce.

Everyone else, from those representing militant organizations like Unifil-Migrante HK to non government organizations Mission for Migrant Workers, sectoral groups like Hong Kong Musicians Union, and media companies like The SUN, openly supported a divorce law.

Joining Aragones at the public hearing were House deputy speakers Pia Cayetano and Raneo Abu, committee vice chairperson Ma. Lourdes R. Aggabao, and representatives Teddy Baguilat, Jr., Emmi de Jesus and Aniceto Bertiz III.

Consul General Bernardita Catalla expressed gratitude that the first public consultation on divorce outside of the Philippines, was held in Hong Kong.

“Ibig sabihin ay binibigyan tayo ng importansiya ng ating gobyerno, lalo na sa napaka importanteng issue na ito, lalong lalo na sa mga OFWs, lalo na sa Hong Kong,” she said.

Congen Catalla said there’s a growing number of overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong who are seeking an annulment of their marriage. For the past two years at least, she said between three and five OFWs submit documents for notarization by the Consulate, to support such applications.

Another indication was that the legal issues often brought up by OFWs during outreach consultations in Hong Kong by lawyers of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines pertain to annulment, legal separation, property dissolution and custody over children.

Seven House bills were presented to the Filipino community for consideration, but only two provided for absolute divorce.

The first, authored by Rep. Edcel C. Lagman, proposed adopting the current grounds for legal separation under art 55, and annulment of marriage under art 45 of the Family Code, as grounds for absolute divorce.

His bill also points out that the Philippines has a long history of divorce, and it was outlawed only in 1950 when the Family Code was introduced.

The other divorce bill filed jointly by Gabriela representatives Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas is more liberal, in that it also allows for a no-fault divorce, when the spouses have been legally separated for at least five years.

This writer said in her submission that the Gabriela bill appeared to be the best solution to ending a marriage without much difficulty and expense, as it avoids the ticklish question of ascertaining who between the spouses is at fault.

However, a three-year separation instead of five might be enough for a married couple to know if they really want out of their union.

This author also called for having a divorce law that is inexpensive and fast, to better serve OFWs who are hard-pressed for money, and do not have a lot of time to spend attending court hearings and talking to lawyers.

Cynthia Abdon, who represented the Mission for Migrant Workers, attested to the big number of OFWs with family problems. Of the 2,000 cases referred to them each year, she said between 8 and 10% pertain to family relationships.

She also spoke of women OFWs who are forced to endure years of abuse or infidelity because divorce is out of their reach.

“This is an issue dear to women migrants as it seriously affects their ability to be productive members of society. This is an issue that will instill in women migrants that there is hope after a terrible marriage. This an issue that will uphold what is just and right,” she said.

The most vocal opposition to divorce came from the representative of Chaplaincy for Filipinos in
Hong Kong. 

She said divorce would encourage couples to be lax in their commitment to their marriage, that it would lead to abuses, especially of women, and it would encourage infidelity and affect the emotional and moral formation of the children.

At the end of the three-hour hearing, Rep. Cayetano said they will consider conducting another public consultation overseas to have a better idea of what overseas Filipinos think about divorce.