The SUN HK

Number of migrant workers remains steady despite protests

Posted on 27 August 2019 No comments

By Daisy CL Mandap

More Filipino domestic workers are coming to HK despite the uncertainty over the protests

Fears that the extradition bill protests could result to many migrant domestic workers losing their jobs appear to be unfounded – at least for now.

Latest figures from Hong Kong Immigration show that the number of foreign domestic helpers has risen steadily, even after the first outbreak of clashes between protesters and the police in early June this year.

At the end of July, a total of 394,869 FDHs were recorded to be in Hong Kong, up by more than 1,500 from the previous month.

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Filipinos made up more than half of the total figure, at 216,373. That’s about a third more than the Indonesians, the second most dominant ethnic minority group of FDHs, who numbered 169,134 in the same period.

The latest data also show that the number of Filipino DHs has risen steadily each month, with more than 6,000 new arrivals since December last year.

The steady increase appears to indicate that while many Hong Kong residents have voiced skepticism about their future because of the continuing protests that have at times turned violent, they are still staying put, and keeping their helpers.

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The upward trend is also reflected in the number of contracts submitted for processing at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office.

According to Polo’s Officer-in-Charge, Antonio Villafuerte, his office is still processing about 700 contracts per day, but this nearly doubles whenever they close for a holiday, like on Monday, Aug 26.

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Around 100 newcomers pack Polo's post-arrival orientation seminar each day

Another way for them to monitor newcomers is through the post-arrival orientations seminars that they conduct on a daily basis for some 100 newly-arrived FDHs each time. Again, this number doubles after each holiday.

But Villafuerte says the Consulate remains vigilant in case the continuing unrest causes a knock-down effect on Filipinos, especially the migrant workers. Many say it is too early to see the effect of the prolonged unrest.

He himself is paying particular attention to the financial sector, thinking that any economic fallout from the tense situation could lead to many people leaving Hong Kong, and as a consequence, cost Filipinos their jobs.

Meantime, Polo has implemented measures to ensure the safety of newly arrived Filipino workers, like requiring their recruitment agencies to provide them with phone SIM cards even before they fly out of the

Philippines

This, plus the requirement for agencies to supply Polo with 24-hour hotlines, are meant to ensure that there are people on standby in case a worker runs into trouble, especially now that strict security measures are enforced at HK Airport.

Villafuerte says all the more than 500 agencies accredited with Polo have become fully compliant with these new requirements. The ones who did not comply initially, and were warned with a two-day suspension for failing to meet the Aug 15 deadline, reportedly did not see Polo’s advisory immediately as it landed in their “spam” mail.

Foreign Domestic Helpers (FDHs) Population in Hong Kong

As at the end of Month/Year

Philippines

Indonesia

India

Other nationalities

Total number for all nationalities

Dec 2018	210,897	165,907	4,502	4,769	386,075
Jan 2019	213,110	167,480	4,515	4,766	389,871
Feb 2019	214,018	167,623	4,570	4,758	390,969
Mar 2019	214,211	168,060	4,557	4,758	391,586
Apr 2019	214,358	168,377	4,564	4,737	392,036
May 2019	215,586	168,644	4,625	4,732	393,587
Jun 2019	216,052	167,937	4,621	4,734	393,344
Jul 2019	216,375	169,134	4,652	4,708	394,869

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'Why is labor sec taking up cudgels for anonymous agencies?'

Posted on 26 August 2019 No comments

By Daisy CL Mandap

This is the question asked by former Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre, who continues to face controversy more than a month since being yanked out unceremoniously from his Hong Kong post.

This time, his name is being dragged into an alleged anomalous deal to upgrade the Philippine Overseas Labor Office’s 13-year online system, with no less than his boss, Philippine Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, questioning the transaction.

In a press statement issued on Aug 25, the Department of Labor and Employment said Secretary Bello has ordered a probe into the “haste” with which Polo, then headed by Dela Torre, had replaced the old service provider for the online system, EmployEasy Ltd.

Bello questions 'haste', lack
of transparency'in new deal

The statement also said a fact-finding team had already been formed to look into alleged “improprieties” in choosing the new system provider, Polaris Tools Ltd.

The move was apparently in reaction to a letter sent by an anonymous group to Bello and circulated in Hong Kong a few days after Dela Torre was told to vacate his office by Jul 7, and move to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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The letter supposedly signed on behalf of “Group of HK agencies seeking for justice” alleged that no fair public bidding was conducted and that there was a conflict of interest on Polaris’ part because it was closely identified with an employment agency.

Asked to comment on the move, Dela Torre, who is on vacation leave in the Philippines, said via messenger: “Why is the Secretary taking up the cudgels for a group of agencies that have not identified themselves?”

Dela Torre urges, study the new system first

He said Polaris was chosen because it gives better protection to workers and makes Polo more efficient. The allegations that the contract was awarded in haste and without transparency was without basis.

He suggested that Secretary Bello should first find out the capabilities of the new system, and why the old system was replaced.

“There is a clear conflict of interest on the part of the old provider. The complaint is by a group of anonymous agencies trying to protect the old provider,” he said.

Dole’s statement noted that Polo terminated the services of EmployEasy on Dec. 5, 2018, and after soliciting proposals for a new service provider the following month, chose Polaris.

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The contract was signed on Mar 7 this year between Dela Torre for Polo and Polaris director Lindsay Ernst. Polaris’ chief executive officer, Jaime Deverall, was then in the United States. Two other Polo officials, Marivic Clarin and Joszua Villa, signed as witnesses.

The statement did not mention that Polo or Dole will not pay anything for the new system, and that whatever Polaris charges to agencies for maintaining the system will have prior approval from Polo.

Neither did it say when the investigation will begin.

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Polo’s officer-in-charge Antonio Villafuerte says he only learned about the investigation from published reports on the statement, and has not received any information directly from Manila.

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Deverall surprised by allegations

Polaris’ Deverall, who is in Manila as of this writing, said via email that he was also surprised by the allegations as his company had gone through a regular bidding process along with three other groups, including EmployEasy.

“We were told that the contract had been awarded to us because we were the only bidding team that actually presented a fully operational system,” he said.

“In addition, we were told that our team and our experience uniquely positioned us to build the system. We are a group of Stanford University computer scientists with Filipino roots hoping to do our part to serve OFWs,” he said.

But he said he was confident the Dole investigation will show the transparent nature of the bidding process, and the big advantages to be gained from the new system that his company will introduce.

He says once they get the go signal to release their new digital system for the project, they can save Polo 80 man-hours per week, and each employment agency over 40 man-hours per week.

The waiting times faced by overseas Filipino workers at Polo will also be drastically cut, and their safety better assured.

“Our system increases safety for OFWs because it digitizes the currently paper-based agency and employer watchlists. Our digital watchlists will be used to keep employers and employment agencies accountable for their actions,” Deverall said.

As part of the deal, Polaris has already installed 10 new computers in Polo, and three new routers to speed up its connection. It had hoped to be fully operational by next month.

Earlier, Dela Torre said he decided to upgrade Polo’s system because of complaints that the previous system, introduced in 2006 by then Labor Attache Bernardino Julve, was slow and susceptible to security breaches.

EmployEasy, which had operated the system for 13 years, was said to have ignored repeated requests for improvement in its service. Thus, instead of helping Polo gather important data on the workers and employers, the system only served largely to facilitate contract processing by agencies.

In addition, EmployEasy’s owner appeared to have also operated an employment agency, HelperDB, and this fact was known to many of the agencies which did nothing about it.

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DH jailed 4 months for using invalid contract to get $35k loan

Posted on No comments

By Vir B. Lumicao

A Filipina former helper was jailed for four months by a Kowloon Court magistrate on Aug 26 after she admitted using a terminated work contract to secure a loan of $35,700 from Prime Credit in Hong Kong, then left for the Philippines.

Magistrate rejected plea for clemency,
pointing out to Buena Cosa's use of fraud

Ranie Lou Buena Cosa, 31, was arrested at Hong Kong International Airport on Jul 26 when she arrived as a tourist to visit a sister who is working here.

She did not know that she was on Immigration’s wanted list for having fled Hong Kong after taking out the loan.

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In court, she pleaded guilty to a charge of “obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception.”

Magistrate Ada Yim rejected her lawyer’s plea for leniency, saying the offense was serious because Buena Cosa had fraudulently used an invalid contract, then fled after collecting the loan.

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Buena Cosa was found to have taken out the loan from Prime Credit’s branch in Carnarvon Plaza, Tsimshatsui, on Apr 23 this year, 10 days after she was terminated by her employer.

Her counsel said Buena Cosa came to work as a domestic helper in Hong Kong on Mar 23, 2018 but was fired more than a year later, on Apr 13 this year.

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After failing to find a new employer and needing money badly, she went to the financing company to take out a loan using her contract.

The lawyer appealed for leniency, saying the defendant was remorseful and admitted the crime at the first instance.

Buena Cosa had been in police custody since her arrest.

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Cancer suspected in case of Filipina found dead in bed

Posted on 25 August 2019 No comments

By Vir B. Lumicao

A third Filipino domestic worker is reported to have died within this month, apparently of cancer.

Mylin Delizo, 48, from San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, was found dead by her employer in Lai Chi Kok in the morning of Aug 19, according to the deceased’s nephew Jonathan.

Delizo during happier (and healthier) days

“Kutob lang po ng amo niya (na cancer ang ikinamatay) kasi biglaan daw po ang pagpayat ng Tita ko, medyo naglagas daw po kasi ang buhok niya,” said the nephew, who had been in touch by phone with the employer.

It was not immediately clear if she had been diagnosed of having cancer, and if she did, if she received treatment for the disease.

The coroner’s report on the cause of death is still being awaited by Delizo’s family.

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She was the third Filipina domestic worker to have died in Hong Kong within 10 days this month.

On Aug 12, Milagrosa M. Aligaen, 63, who had worked in Hong Kong for 29 years, was found dead on her bed in her employer’s house in Shaukeiwan, apparently due to heatstroke.

On Aug 22, Imelda Bartolome, 50, who worked in Mei Foo, died in hospital of a heart attack. She came from Naguilian, Isabela.

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Delizo, who worked for a family on Lai Chi Kok Road, Kowloon, came to Hong Kong in 1998 and had been supporting her mother, said her nephew. She was married but had no children.

Her family learned only about her death when Hong Kong police used her cellphone to call the last telephone number that she had dialed. It turned out to belong to Jonathan's younger sister who lives in Singapore.

Jonathan said that on hearing the tragic news, he went to the Department of Foreign Affairs regional office in San Fernando, Pampanga, to report the death and file a claim for his aunt’s remains. The DFA relayed the request to the Consulate in Hong Kong.

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On hearing of her daughter’s death, Delizo’s 79-year-old mother has reportedly been crying frequently.

“Nadudurog ang puso ko na makitang umiiyak si Lola dahil gustong-gusto nang maiuwi rito ang bangkay ni Tita,” the nephew said.

Delizo’s family is working with her employer to get her remains sent home as soon as possible.

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