Ayaw magsayang ng oras sa pag-tambay

Dahil sa isang seminar ay nagkakilala sina Lena at Lei, at naging matalik na magkaibigan. Si Lena ay apat na taon na sa Hong Kong at laging dumadalo ng mga seminar ng iba't ibang organisasyon upang maging kapaki-pakinabang ang kanyang day off. Naengganyo nya si Lei na sumama sa kanyang mga lakad upang matuto rin.

Ayon kay  Lei sa unang pagkakataon na dumalo siya sa isang seminar na itinatag ng The SUN at nakilala niya si Lena ay saka lang naging kapaki-pakinabang ang araw ng kanyang pahinga.

Dati ay marami siyang hindi alam sa nangyayari sa kanyang paligid at laging lakwatsa lang ang ginagawa kapag araw ng linggo. Lagi siyang nasa Central at kung minsan ay nakikipag-inuman sa mga kaibigan kaya lumasing kung umuwi sa bahay ng amo sa Discovery Bay.

Ngunit ang lahat ng ito ay nabago nang maging kaibigan si Lena. Tuwing araw ng Linggo ay dumadalo na rin siya sa seminar at hindi na nakikipag-inuman.

Dahil sa mga natutunan sa seminar ay may naitatabi  na siya mula sa kanyang suweldo dahil hindi na siya gumagastos ng malaki o bumibili ng alak at pulutan. Masaya siya dahil sa nadadagdagan na ang kanyang kaalaman ay nakakatipid pa siya.

Si Lei ay tubong Pangasinan, edad 38 at may dalawang anak sa Pilipinas samantalang si Lena ay dalaga at naninilbihan sa Mid-Levels. Kadarating pa lang niya sa Hong Kong nang mapasama sa mga Pinay na aktibo sa pag volunteer sa Konsulado. Dahil dito ay marami na siyang nadaluhan na mga pagsasanay at pagtitipon na kinapupulutan ng aral. – Ellen Asis

Taga Pangasinan, hinandugan ng libreng pagsasanay

Ni George Manalansan

Sa kabila ng maraming lakad sa araw ng dayoff ay naisingit ng grupo ng mga taga Mapandan, Pangasinan ang isang importanteng pagsasanay, ang libreng Financial Literacy na isinagawa ng Mobile Outreach Team ng Card Hong Kong Foundation.

Ang pagsasanay ay ginawa sa paanan ng footbridge katabi ng Wanchai Police station.

Ginanap ang mabungang talakayan sa isang kalsada sa paanan ng footbridge katabi ng Wanchai Police station noong Mayo 6.

Natutunan ng mga nagsanay ang pagsusulat ng adhikain para sa tamang paghawak ng kanilang kinita, paraan ng pag-iipon, at pagharap sa hindi inaasahang pangyayari, sa kanilang unang sesyon.

Isinalarawan ng founder ng Card HK na si Edna Aquino ang ganitong uri ng pagsasanay sa mensaheng ito sa Facebook: “Humans on the streets. Classrooms without borders. These are Filipino  migrant workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong mentoring their “kapwa”  OFWs to become financially literate as a first step towards attaining economic freedom. Spaces for learning on a weekend especially for people like them are very restrictive and expensive.  Truly heroic.”

Ayon pa kay Aquino, aabot na sa 3,000 OFW ang dumaan sa ganitong uri ng pagsasanay sa tulong ng mga volunteer ng Card.

Laking pasasalamat naman ni Marilou de Vera, presidente ng Mapandan sampu ng mga miyembro, dahil sa kaalamang ipinaabot sa kanila, sa mismong istambayan nila. 

Ang sabi niya, “Maraming salamat  po sa mga trainors at marami kaming natutunan  mula sa Card HongKong Foundation. See you  next session po, excited na po lahat kami, salamat sa time na binigay niyo sa amin..”

Ang mga bagong nagtapos (itaas) na taga Mapandan, Pangasinan , kasama ang kanilang mga trainor.

Tunay nga na sa isang lider na katulad niya, napakahalaga na mahanapan ang mga  miyembro ng iyong grupo ng dagdag kaalaman.

Ang ikalawang sesyon ay gaganapin sa susunod na buwan na binubuo ng apat na malalaking usapin tungkol sa pagpapalago ng perang pinaghirapan.

Para sa mga grupo at asosasyon na nais ding sumailalim sa pagsasanay na dulot ng mobile outreach group na ito, magpadala lang ng mensahe sa Facebook Page: Card Hongkong Foundation o tumawag lang sa 9529 6392/ 5423 8196/ 9606 6810.

Mga migrante, hinikayat na sumali sa mga pagsasanay

Consul General Antonio A. Morales (inset) congratulates the graduates for their perseverance and determination to undergo training courses such as those offered free by CARD Hong Kong. He served as guest of honor and speaker during the graduation rites of CARD Hong Kong Foundation’s financial literacy course held on 29 April 2018 at Bayanihan Center in Kennedy Town.

Ni George Manalansan

Halos 200 migranteng manggagawa mula sa tatlong grupo ng mga nagsipagtapos ng Financial Literacy Program ng Card OFW Foundation ang nagtipon-tipon sa isang parangal na isinagawa sa Bayanihan Centre sa Kennedy Town noong Abr 29.

Naging panauhing pandangal si Consul  General Antonio Morales, na nagsabing iyon ang una niyang pagpunta sa Bayanihan Centre magmula nang dumating siya sa Hong Kong ilang buwan na ang nakakaraan.  Ikinuwento niya na nasa 180,000 ang mga OFW sa Singapore na karamihan ay mga skilled at professional worker, hindi katulad sa Hong Kong na higit na nakakalamang ang mga kasambahay sa tinatayang bilang ng mga Pilipino na 220, 000.

Kamakailan ay nagkaroon daw siya ng pakikipagpulong kay Chief Executive Carrie Lam at Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung. Kanila daw pinasalamatan ang mga Pilipino dahil sa naging ambag nila sa paglago ng ekonomiya ng Hong Kong. Datapwat may mga abusadong employer ay isa na daw ang Hong Kong sa mga lugar sa buong mundo kung saan mas protektado ang mga manggagawa. Sa kabila nito, hindi pa rin ganap na kinikilala ng Hong Kong ang serbisyo ng mga manggagawang dayuhan dahil hindi sila binibigyan ng karapatan na maging residente.

Dagdag pa ng ConGen Morales, hindi polisiya ng gobyerno ang magpadala ng trabahador sa ibang bansa, lalo na sa lugar na mataas ang bilang ng mga minamaltrato. Ngunit dahil sa kakulangan ng oportunidad sa ating bayan kaya hindi maiwasan ng mga Pilipino ang maghanap ng trabaho sa labas ng bansa.

Naikuwento din niya na napansin niya na sa gusali ng Konsulado ay may isang pautangan na mas mahaba pa ang pila minsan kaysa sa kanilang opisina. Talaga daw na malaking problema ang utangan sa Hong Kong kaya dapat na maghanda ang mga manggagawa para sa kanilang kinabukasan sa pamamagitan ng pag-iipon at pagdadagdag kaalaman, gaya ng ibinibigay ng Card.

Payo niya, “Bigyan ng aksiyon ang inyong mga pangarap at maghikayat pa sa kapwa na sumali sa Card Financial Literacy Program.” Dagdag payo pa niya, “knowledge is power”, “invest in your future,’  “make your dreams come true,” bago sinabi ang “Congratulations.”

Ayon naman sa sugo ng Card MRI sa Pilipinas na si Pauline Landicho, mayroon nang apat na milyon na kliyente ang grupo sa 82 probinsiya sa bansa, kung saan naabot na nila ang 95% ng lahat ng  mga munisipyo, at 96% ng mga barangay.

Ayon pa sa kanya, umabot na sa 2,514 ang nagtapos ng Financial Literacy at 1,578 naman ang nakinabang na sa mga produkto at serbisyo ng Card MRI. Pangarap daw ng Card na magkaroon ng marangal na buhay  ang bawat Pilipino kaya’t patuloy silang nagsisikap para tulungan ang mga komunidad na matupad ang kanilang mga pangarap.

Naging bisita rin si Fr. Jim Mulroney na sa simula’t sapul ay sumusuporta sa mga programa ng Card.

“Congratulations, this is the beginning of your success,” mensahe niya sa mga nagtapos.

Si Maria Ragasa, isa sa mga kliyente ng Card, ang nagsabi na mas pinili niya ang maging negosyante kaysa magtrabaho bilang nars sa Amerika. Dahil daw sa pinahiram na puhunan sa kanya ng Card ay napalago niya ang kanyang negosyo na buy ang sell. Kamakailan ay isa siya sa mga sumali sa product expo na ginanap sa Convention and Exhibition Centre sa Wanchai.

Nagbigay naman ng testimonya si Marcelino Bate ng batch 45 sa positibong pagbabago na idinulot sa kanya ng fin-lit program. Ayon sa kanya mahalaga na matuto din ang mga kapamilya ng OFW sa paghawak ng pera para maging katuwang sila sa pagsusulong nga kanilang kabuhayan.

Payo pa niya, maging totoo sa sarili at ipaalam sa pamilya ang hirap ng nangngamuhan sa ibayong dagat.

Para naman kay Sylvia Basilio na isa rin sa mga nagtapos mula sa batch 47, inabot na siya ng pitong taon sa Hong Kong na walang ipon para sa sarili dahil nauubos ang sahod para sa kapamilya. Ngayon ay nag-iba na ang kanyang pananaw, salamat sa mga natutunan niya mula sa Card.

Lahat ng mga nagbigay ng testimonya ay naghikayat sa mga kapwa nila migranteng mangagagawa na lumahok din sa pagsasanay ng Card.

Para sa susunod na libreng pagsasanay sa ika-23 ng Hunyo at ika-22 ng Hulyo, tumawag lamang sa 9529 8196  o  9606  6810 para magparehistro.

HK millionaire talks to OFWs on starting business

Jared King 

A group of Filipino domestic helpers had the rare treat of listening to a talk by one of Hong Kong’s successful young entrepreneurs, Jared King, on Apr 29 at the Consulate.

King, a Canadian who built a million-dollar media agency, E3 Reloaded, in just two years after arriving in Hong Kong in 2010 at age 26, spoke to the migrant workers on the topic of “How to start
a business”.

But he went beyond this, telling his listeners on how to choose the right business, beat the competition, and get customers.


King, who also founded Lender Friend, which advertisers itself as “an ethical money lender that will soon provide low-interest loans to domestic workers in Hong Kong, told the participants that before they can start a business, they must really believe in themselves first, then take action. It is a must, he said, that you are fully committed to what you want to do, and you make sure you get it done one step at a time.

Running a business requires focus and a proper mindset, he said.

He also said it is okay to make a mistake, but you must learn from the mistake to improve yourself and then do your best because 99% of the obstacles in setting up a business can be overcome.

He listed down four stages of a business, from forming an idea, experimenting, keeping your customers happy, and then growth. To succeed, he said you have to go out and experiment, try to do things differently and better. While doing the business, one should continue making friends and building a strong relationship with your customers. This you can do by talking to them a lot and asking them what they want, or what would make them happy.

Jared King, a Canadian who built a million-dollar media agency, joins the seminar participants in a group photo.

On hand to welcome King and the 91 participants in the seminar was Deputy Consul General Roderico Atienza who said starting a business will enable migrant workers to make a living and continue feeding and supporting their family when they return home.

Atienza told the participants to take the chance at every opportunity to ask questions, learn and pick up ideas from the speaker that will help them to establish a good business.

The seminar was a collaborative effort between the Consulate and Wimler Foundation. – Ellen Asis

Pinoy bowlers in HK feed children of Subic Aetas

More than 200 Aeta children flocked on Apr 30 to an ecological park in Subic, Zambales, to partake of a feeding program organized by members of the Filipino Bowling Club Hong Kong.

Members of FBCGK led by founder/chairman Jenny Gafate undertook the mission as part of the group’s annual charity works, funded by money raised from its bowling tournaments.

Gafate said the team travelled to Subic right after the awarding of trophies and medals on the last night of the Australasian-Filipino Bowling Friendship Games on Apr 29 at the Makati Superbowl  Bowling Center 42 Tenpin Lanes.

“We travelled to Subic even though it was already late and without any sleep because our feeding mission was scheduled for Apr 30,” Gafate said.

The feeding mission was held at the Pamulaklakin Tribus Aetas Trail on the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

The FBCHK members helped each other prepare the food for the day’s event.
Gafate said the group also handed out clothes and cash to the recipients.   

Children line up to be served food distributed by members of Filipino Bowling Club Hong Kong at an ecological park in Subic, Zambales.

Employers’ support help Fate win KO championship

By Daisy CL Mandap and Emz Frial

The all-Filipino softball team, Fate, has won the championship of the knock-out tournament, Festival of Sports, despite being made to play on a Saturday when most, if not all, of its players were supposed to be at work.

The game held at Shek Kip Mei field on May 12 ended with Fate emerging with another unblemished record, beating local team Astro, 8-0, in five innings.

Team members and their supporters celebrate after winning the championship.

First to score were Myra Japitana and Eunice Locop, who each contributed a point in the first inning.
In the second inning, Editha Hidalgo made the score 3-0, in Fate’s favor. Outfielders Bambee
Abadilla and Maribel Sitchon both caught a flyball by an Astro hitter, preventing their rivals from scoring.

Astro tightened its defense on the third and fourth inning, preventing Fate from adding to its score. But the all-Filipina team bounced back with five scores on the fifth inning, to seal the game. Those who scored were: Sherlyn Gamata,  Japitana,  Locop,  Don Gaborno and Bambee Abadilla.

Tension simmered when Gaborno was hit on the side of her knee by an Astro hitter when she tried to slide onto homebase in the fifth inning. Fate’s captain could not get up at first, but managed to do so eventually with help from her teammates.

The big win left Fate manager Law Wai Ho teary eyed as the team thanked him for his consistent and valuable support.

Gaborno said it was almost a miracle that all of the team’s 17 players, all working as domestic helpers in Hong Kong, managed to obtain permission to swap their usual Sunday off with a Saturday, so they could play in the championship.

Their mostly Chinese employers reportedly came around to support them when they learned that the organizers had insisted on holding the finals on a Saturday.  “Pati yung mga among mga Intsik nagalit dahil pakiramdam nila ay dinadaya kami,” she said.

But up until Friday evening, Gaborno said she was not sure if the team would have enough players on the day.

It was the first time since they started playing in either the FOS or the regular league, that they were called to play on a Saturday.

Gaborno had earlier pleaded with organizers through Law to reschedule the final game but Astro reportedly refused to give way.

“Sabi ni Mr Law, manalo matalo, pilitin naming magpakita sa laro kasi kung hindi ay talo agad kami”, she said.

Up until Friday night, Gaborno said she wasn’t sure how many of the players would show up, but luckily, all came through the next day, along with some of their regular supporters.

It was the fourth straight victory by Fate in the league, and as in the past games, they managed to prevent their rival from scoring a single point.

Fate did even better in the regular league, when it outclassed rival Celsius in spectacular fashion,  scoring 20-nil in a game on Apr 29 that lasted four innings.

The same pattern was recorded in Fate’s six previous matches in the B league of the HK Softball Championships, which it all won handily.

The tournament is expected to last until August this year, before resuming for the new season in October

Gaborno said the team has been performing better than before because of the players’ wonderful teamwork.

Fate is now said to be made up of seven former players, and 10 new recruits, who somehow have managed to work well together.

“Maganda ang teamwork ngayon kasi kapag training, puspusan talaga. Lahat sila ay nakikiisa kaya magaan lagi ang panalo,” Gaborno said.

Fate is next scheduled to play against the local team, SCAA-WSC, on May 20, 3pm,  in the regular league.

Pinay in Fortress MTR incident now in hospital

The patient was photographed near the
turnstiles of the MTR station in Fortress Hill.

A Filipina domestic worker who had a mental breakdown on May 1 at Fortress Hill MTR Station is now recovering in hospital, and her condition is said to be “improving”.

Lorna Obedoza of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administation said the worker’s employer who regularly visits her at the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan, had reported that the patient looks much better now, and could recover soon.

Footages of the worker showing her acting abnormally went viral on Facebook, and were seen by a relative and townmate in Hinundayan, Southern Leyte, who immediately informed the patient’s parents and siblings.

But the patient, said to be 44 years old, was taken to Ruttonjee Hospital by the police who responded to calls for assistance, and later transferred to the psychiatric ward of Eastern Hospital.

The relative told The SUN the patient was single and an introvert, so her relatives and friends who are also working in Hong Kong did not know what could have led to her breakdown. 

The incident was reported to the police at about 9:00 am on May 1, as case of someone obstructing pedestrians at the MTR station. Police later classified it as ‘suspected mentally disordered person found.”

The Filipina was shown on the videos standing in front of the turnstiles with upraised hands, before prostrating herself on the floor, unmindful of people around her. One of those who took shots said the worker had said at one point, “Ako ang tagapagligtas ninyong lahat!”.

HK police drop case vs employers of Pinay who fell to her death in Shenzhen

By Vir B. Lumicao

Lorain Asuncion’s death: “... there was 

insufficient evidence to charge any person. “

Hong Kong police have released the former employers of Lorain Asuncion, the Filipina domestic worker who fell to her death on July 24 last year while in Shenzhen for a supposed holiday with the couple and their children.

A spokesman of the Police Public Relations Branch said in a message to The SUN that there was a lack of evidence to charge the couple, Gu Huaiyu and Ms Liu.

“After enquiry and investigation, police had sought legal advice and it was concluded that there was insufficient evidence to charge any person. The arrested 47-year-old man and the 32-year-old woman were released,” the PPRB spokesman said.
But the spokesman said that “police are still investigating the case.”

When contacted online on May 11, Asuncion’s sister Jenevieve Javier expressed surprise at how soon the police managed to close their investigation of the employers.

“Bakit ganun naman yata kabilis nilang tinapos. Lilinawin ko ulit sa kanila,” she said.

The police statement confirmed information from Javier, who came to Hong Kong for a four-day visit on May 7. She said an investigator called her up on the same day telling her the case against Gu and Liu was being dropped.

Javier said the officer told her Hong Kong police would now turn their attention to the circumstances of her sister’s death in Shenzhen.

She also said the police asked Asuncion’s family to submit documents pertaining to her beneficiaries. Javier said the documents required were copies of the very same documents that she had attached to the application for employee compensation that she had submitted to the Labour Department.

Danilo Baldon of the Philippine Consulate’s assistance to nationals section, who had been liaising with the police about the Asuncion case, also confirmed the dropping of the case against the employers.

Asuncion was 28 years old when she reportedly plunged to her death from the 22nd floor flat of Liu’s father in Longgang District, Shenzhen on July 23 or 24 last year.

Three autopsies were conducted on her remains but the findings were all the same – that there was nothing suspicious in her death.

Forensic experts from the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau and from a local university who examined Asuncion’s remains separately shortly after the tragedy had both ruled out foul play. A third autopsy by Hong Kong police on Nov 14 made the same findings.

The remains were brought to Hong Kong on Nov 14 for the standard autopsy before the deceased OFW made her final voyage home in a coffin the next day.

Maling date

Nataranta nang husto si Flora, 40, isang Ilokana, nang dumating ang kanyang mga amo mula sa paglalaro ng golf na pagod at gutom na gutom. Pagsabi ng kanyang among babae na maghanda na siya ng hapunan ay ganoon na lang ang gulat ni Flora dahil wala siyang niluto.

Tinandaan niya kasi na iyon ang petsa sa kalendaryo kung saan sinulat ng amo niyang lalaki na hindi sila kakain sa bahay ng gabing iyon. Nang sabihin niya ito sa mga amo ay sinabihan siya ng lalaki na basahing maigi ang petsa kung saan iyon nakasulat, at noon lang napansin na sa buwan ng Mayo pala siya tumitingin, e Abril pa lang noon.

Nang malaman ng amo ang dahilan ng kanyang pagkakamali ay sinabihan siya sa banayad na salita na ipagluto na lang sila ng simpleng noodles, kahit udon o mifan na may sahog na balls o dumplings at gulay.

Pinagpawisan ng husto si Flora kahit medyo nawala na ang kanyang kaba. Hindi kasi iyon ang unang pagkakataon na pumalpak siya sa pagbabasa ng memo sa kalendaryo na sinulat ng kanyang mga amo. Mula noon ay itinaon niya sa isip na ilang beses na niyang sisiguraduhin ang mga petsang hindi siya kailangang magluto ng hapunan. – George Manalansan

Nanibago sa bagong amo

Nahirapan mag-adjust si Joe, 38, taga Bataan, nang lumipat sa bagong among Intsik amo. Dati kasi siyang stay-out at tagapag-alaga ng isang matanda kaya hindi niya kinailangang makisalamuha sa maraming tao.

Lumipat siya sa bagong amo matapos mag-aral mag-drive, at na-offeran ng mas malaking suweldo. Mababait naman ang kanyang mga bagong amo.

Sa unang gabi niya sa kanila ay sinabihan siyang umupo sa hapag-kainan kasama ang isang kababayang babae. Dahil asiwang-asiwa siya sa pagkilos ay nakiusap siya na sa kusina na lang kumain sa susunod, at pumayag naman sila. Agad namang sumama sa kanya ang kasamang Pinay na hindi rin pala komportable na kasama ang mga amo sa hapag-kainan.

Hindi rin madamot ang mga amo sa pagkain. Isang araw ay may nakita siyang mangga sa kusina, at tinanong niya ang kasambahay kung puwedeng kumain nito. Ang sagot naman ng Pinay, “Ang sabi ni boss ay ganito, you can eat but do not finish it.” Tawanan silang pareho sa sinabi nito.

Sa pagdaan ng mga araw ay nagpatuloy ang pagkailang ni Joe sa mga ginagawa sa loob ng bahay ng amo. Minsan kasi ay sinita siya ni paupau dahil nakita siyang nagkakamay sa pagkain. “Oh ow wu cho, um kon cheng,”sabi ni paupau, na ang ibig sabihin ay madumi.

Napahiya si Joe kaya mula noon ay nagkakamay na lang siya ulit kapag sa labas nag-dinner ang mga amo. Ang isa pang pinuna ng mabait na matanda ay iyong paggamit niya ng malaking bowl sa pagkain. Medyo bitin daw kasi siya sa bowl na maliit, na siyang ginagamit ng mga Intsik sa pagkain.

Pagkakita sa kanya ng matanda ay sinabi ang “Whoa, sik kam to” na ang ibig sabihin ay ang takaw naman niya. Dahil medyo sanay na sa kantyaw ng matanda ay tinawanan na lang niya ito, at pagtalikod ay bumalik sa kanyang malaking kainan.

Bagamat naninibago pa rin ay natuto na ring sakyan ni Joe ang mga kaugalian ng mga amo, katulad halimbawa ng kapag may inabot sa iyo ay dapat dalawang kamay ang iyong gagamitin sa pagtanggap. Sinusunod din niya ang pamahiin nila na maligo ng may dahong pinakulo, sa kaisipang nakakatulong ito para mapaalis ang mga masasamang espiritu.

Sabi ni Joe, madami siyang natutunan sa kulturang Intsik ng dahil sa pagtira sa bahay ng amo. Hindi naman daw masama ang makibagay kung hindi naman makakasama sa iyo. Ang pinakaimportante, mababait ang kanyang mga pinagsisilbihan at hindi marunong magtanim ng galit. Maaaring sitahin ka ngayon sa ginawa mo, pero kinabukasan ay ok na ulit sila. – George Manalansan