Second instalment of consumption voucher set for Jul 16

 

Additional e-vouchers of between $1k and $2k will be distributed on Jul 16

Residents who have previously registered for the consumption voucher scheme will receive their second and last instalment for the year on July 16.

This was announced by the government yesterday, May 29.

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Eligible registrants, those who are permanent residents or new arrivals from the Mainland aged 18 years old and above, received the first instalment of $3,000 on April 16 this year.

They will receive the full second instalment of $2,000 if their cumulative total “eligible spending” for the previous month has reached $3,000. Otherwise the second instalment will be disbursed depending on their cumulative spending.

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Those who registered for the first time, including students and other non-permanent residents who are eligible for a total of $2,500 consumption vouchers will only receive the 2^nd instalment of $1,000 on the 16^th of the following month if they spent a total of $1,500 within the specified period.

Existing registrants can change the stored value facility account for receiving the second instalment vouchers while those who do not wish to shift to other platforms need not do anything.

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The government will make use of their existing registration records to conduct eligibility checking and notify them of the result through SMS notification in early July.

If they want to change the stored value facility account, they should complete the relevant procedures through the electronic registration portal in the Scheme website (www.consumptionvoucher.gov.hk) or in person at any of the temporary service centres (nine in total) during the registration period from June 5 (Monday) to June 27 (Tuesday).

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They will receive the relevant results through SMS notifications after about one to two weeks. The addresses and opening hours of the service centres are here:  https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202305/29/P2023052900610_420577_1_1685361500104.pdf

People may call the hotline 18 5000 to make appointments.

According to Financial Secretary Paul Chan, about 6.4 million people received the first instalment voucher in April this year, helping prop up businesses still recovering from the effects of the pandemic.

The second consumption disbursement is expected to further inject about $13 billion of purchasing power into the market.

 

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OFW na nag mental breakdown sa airport, nakauwi na

 

Nasa may departure gates na si Jane nang magpakita ng kakaibang kilos

Kung nakakaranas ng matinding pagkalungkot, takot o iba pang kakaibang pakiramdam, sumangguni agad sa doktor, o kung di naman, sa isang grupong tumutulong sa mga migrante para matulungan kang humanap ng lunas.

Kung may kaibigan ka namang nagpapakita ng kakaibang kilos, ikaw na ang lumapit para tulungan siyang sumangguni sa mga eksperto.

Ito ang payo ng mga tauhan ng Overseas Workers Welfare Administration na agad na kumilos matapos sabihan ni Consul General Raly Tejada na hanapin ang isang overseas Filipino worker (OFW) na mistulang wala sa sarili na nasa loob ng Hong Kong International Airport noong May 22.

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Ayon sa isa sa mga kaibigan ni Jane (hindi tunay na pangalan), dinala ito ng kanyang amo sa airport noong gabi ng May 21 at iniwan doon matapos mai check-in at makapasok sa departure area.

Tinawagan daw sila ni Jane pagkatapos at sinabing nawawala ang kanyang ticket kaya hindi nakasakay sa eroplano pauwi. Pagkatapos noon ay hindi na nila makausap nang maayos dahil laging pinapatay ang kanyang telepono pagkatapos ng ilang sandal.

Dahil sa pag-aalala ay isa sa kanilang magkakaibigan ang sumugod sa airport at nakiusap na papasukin sa departure area para mahanap si Jane pero hindi pinayagan ng mga opisyal doon.

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Walang magawa ang magkakaibigan kundi humanap ng ibang makakatulong.

Bandang 4:30pm ng May 22 ay nagpadala ng mensahe ang isa sa kanila sa The SUN.

“Hingi sana kami ng tulong. Yung kaibigan namin doon sa airport hinatid ng amo, wala sa tamang pag-iisip simula pa kagabi,” sabi nito.

Nagawa naman ng OFW na maki-chat sa isang kaibigan habang pagala-gala sa airport

Matapos malaman ang tungkol kay Jane ay agad inutusan ni Consul General Tejada ang mga taga OWWA na hanapin si Jane para matulungan. Tiyempo namang nasa airport noon ang isa sa kanilang tauhan na si Joszoa Villa kaya ilang minuto pa lang ay nakita na si Jane.

Sa unang tingin pa lang ay halata na daw na may pinagdadaanan ito, pero may mga sandali namang nakakausap nang maayos. Mukhang problema sa pamilya daw ang sanhi ng kanyang mental breakdown at hindi dahil sa trabaho.

Pinatotohanan naman ito ng kanyang mga kaibigan, na nagsabing walang nirereklamo sa kanila si Jane tungkol sa kanyang amo. Gayunman, masyado daw itong malihim at tahimik kaya hindi nila agad napansin na may iba na itong dinaramdam.

Dahil sinabi ni Jane na gusto na niyang umuwi ay kinontak ng mga taga Konsulado ang kanyang asawa at iba pang kaanak, at nagkasundo ang lahat na pauwiin na lang siya.

Napakiusapan daw nila ang Philippine Airlines na irebook na lang si Jane, at antabayanan sakaling magpakita ito ng kakaibang kilos. Para makasiguro ay nilagay daw ito sa isang lugar na walang katabi para hindi magambala.

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Nakalipad naman pauwi si Jane nang walang malaking problema pero pagdating sa Maynila ay bigla na lang itong nagwala kaya napilitan ang mga tauhan ng OWWA doon na dalhin ito sa National Center for Mental Health sa Mandaluyong City.

Pero ilang araw pa lang siya sa ospital ay nakiusap ang asawa ni Jane na palabasin na ito para makauwi na sa kanila sa Butuan City. Pumirma ang pamilya ng OFW ng waiver at dinala agad ito sa airport para sa kanyang paglipad pauwi.

Sa pangalawang pagkakataon ay hindi nakasakay sa eroplano si Jane dahil nawala sa domestic airport. Pero muli ay nagawan ng paraan ng kanyang mga kaanak na maisakay ito sa eroplano at maiuwi.

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Sa isang nakakalungkot na pangyayari, mukhang hindi nakatulong kay Jane na nasa sarili na siyang bahay muli, at kapiling ang kanyang asawa at anak. Hindi daw ito makausap at nananatiling nasa sariling mundo.

Sabi ng OWWA, may kaunting tulong pa ring makukuha ang pamilya para sa patuloy na paggamot kay Jane. Kaya lang, mas maigi daw sana na habang maaga pa, at nasa Hong Kong pa siya, ay napatingnan na siya para hindi na lumala ang kanyang kundisyon.

Ayon naman sa kaibigan ng maysakit, sana ay ipatawag din nila ang employer ni Jane dahil dapat panagutin nito ang pagdadala sa kanya sa airport gayong wala na ito sa sariling pag-iisip. May malinaw na obligasyon ito sa ilalim ng batas na ipagamot ang kasambahay sa halip na pilitin itong umuwi sa kanyang kalagayan.

"Baka nga hindi pa siya nabayaran," sabi ng kaibigan..

 

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Extended sa Jun 11 ang ‘Thankful Week’ para sa mga pamilyang may FDH

 

Ang masayang samahan ng employer at FDH ay isa rin sa mithiin ng Mission for Migrant Workers

May dalawang linggo pa para magpadala ng maiksing video ang isang foreign domestic helper kasama ang kanyang employer para sa “Thankful Week” o Araw ng Pasasalamat ng mga pamilyang may FDH na ang layon ay panatilihin ang maayos nilang pagsasama sa iisang kabahayan.

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Ito ang ipinahayag ng Labour Department ngayong Lunes, May 29.

Imbes May 28 ay June 11 na ang bagong deadline para sa pagpapadala ng video na may habang mga 20 segundo, at kung saan ang FDH at ang kanyang employer ay nagbibigay ng pasasalamat at pagpupugay sa isa’t isa..

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Bibigyan ng 4 na libreng tiket sa Ocean Park ang employer at FDH sa video na mapipili. Hindi ilalabas sa publiko ang mga video, ayon sa LD. 

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Maaring ipadala ang video sa pamamagitan ng link sa cloud storage, video sharing platform o social media at ipadala sa event webpage ng Labour Department (www.fdh.labour.gov.hk/thankfulweek ) o sa pamamagitan ng WhatsApp, nang hindi lalampas sa June 11.

Hindi ilalabas sa publiko ang mga video, ayon sa LD.

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Kasalukuyan nang pinag-aaralan ng LD ang mga naipadala nang video. Ang mga tiket para sa Ocean Park ay ipapadala sa kanila pagkatapos makumpirma ang kanilang relasyon bilang FDH at employer.

Para sa karagdagang impormasyon, bisitahin lang ang event page ng LD dito: www.fdh.labour.gov.hk/thankfulweek  o tumawag sa tel no 3582 8976.

 

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Temperatures forecast to hit 38 degrees on Tue & Wed

Filipinas dance on Chater Road on Sunday, unmindful of the heat (Photo from Satur Tiamson)

The Observatory has forecast temperatures rising to as high as 38 degrees in some parts of the New Territories on Tuesday and Wednesday as Severe Typhoon Mawar nears northern Philippines.

Previously, the weather forecaster said the heat generated by the powerful typhoon would cause temperatures to hit a high of 36 degrees in Sheung Shui and other areas, while it would be two degrees lower in the urban areas.

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The New Territories often get the brunt of extreme weather conditions, getting much colder than the rest of the city during the winter, and much hotter during the summer.

In July last year, Sheung Shui baked in 39-degree temperature in one of the hottest summers ever recorded in Hong Kong  

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Earlier on Sunday, the mercury tipped above 32 degrees at around 2pm.

It is forecast to go up slightly on Monday, with the maximum temperature rising to 33 degrees in the urban areas and a couple of degrees higher in the New Territories.

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The Observatory has issued a reminder to residents to stay alert and drink more water as the days progressively get warmer.

Meanwhile, Severe Typhoon Mawar, which is the Malaysian word for rose, was last centred 750 kilometers northeast of Manila is forecast to move northwest or west-northwest at the weakened speed of about 12 kilometres per hour across the seas east of Luzon.

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The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the typhoon, locally named “Betty,” has weakened as it moved towards the Philippine sea east of Northern Luzon.

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However, it said flash floods and landslides “will likely occur across the country” especially over the western portions of Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central and Southern Luzon due to southwest monsoon, starting on Monday.

The typhoon is expected to drop speed in the next 38 hours and will become “slow-moving to almost stationary” by Tuesday.

It is forecast to move towards the sea east of Taiwan by mid-Wednesday.

 

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Bethune House in early-morning rescue of FDW

 

Fe with her rescuer from Unifil-Migrante (Bethune's FB post)

Early on Sunday, May 28, the Bethune House Migrant Women’s Refuge posted on Facebook about rescuing and taking in a Filipina domestic worker who had to call 999 because her employer did not want to allow her back into the house unless she took a bath outside.

According to the post, the helper named “Fe” took her usual day-off earlier on Saturday, and got back to the employer’s house at about 9pm.

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The employer reportedly refused to let Fe in, and said she should take a bath in the estate’s club house. When Fe said the clubhouse was already closed, the employer insisted on her finding a public toilet where she could shower. Fe said she could not be sent out as it was already too late and as a live-in worker she should be allowed to use the employer’s toilet and bath.

Instead of giving in, the employer “told Fe to pack up and go,” said the Bethune post.

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After Fe called 999 an officer of United Filipinos in Hong Kong rushed to her employer’s house in Tuen Mun to pick her up and take her to Bethune House where she was assisted by two of its clients with pending labor cases.

The post says Fe is from Bacolod and is a mother of a nine-year-old child. She had been with her employer for less than seven months.

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“I did not expect this sudden dismissal from my work,” Fe was quoted as saying.

However, no additional details were given as to why her employer had suddenly demanded that she took a shower first before returning to their home.

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Rescuing domestic workers in distress is nothing new to Bethune House, which has given shelter to hundreds of migrants in the nearly 40 years of its existence.

At the height of the pandemic and amid a typhoon signal no 8 warning about two years ago, Bethune staff also had to rescue another Filipina who was being made to sleep inside a toilet by her male employer. Bethune managed to secure a substantial settlement for "Grace' who has since gone home.

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Apart from providing them with a roof over their heads, the shelter also assists its clients with their court cases, taking them to the police or other government authorities as necessary, and helping them cope with their problems through rights empowerment and wellness programs.

Migrant workers who need help may contact Bethune House through their hotline, 9338 0035.

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Booklet tungkol sa cancer, inilathala ng grupong Social Justice

 Isang mahalagang babasahin tungkol sa breast at cervical cancer ang inilathala kamakailan ng Social Justice for Migrant Workers.

Makakakuha sa kanila ng kopya ng inimprentang booklet na may pamagat na “Breast and Cervical Cancer: Things You Should Know” o sa pamamagitan ng pag download nito mula sa link na ito: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13bBUv429a9xrzLFodEdFi64DYpZz7Y4e/view?fbclid=IwAR2qDvYtqAXgZQsffN0XFZ-cEka7fuY80ejhtpdddW6HxxzujxVfTAfr6YE

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Ang booklet ay nagbibigay ng impormasyon tungkol sa dalawang sakit na karaniwan nang nakikita ngayon sa maraming mga Pilipinang migrante sa Hong Kong. Mababasa dito ang mga sintomas ng dalawang sakit, paano sila maiiwasan, o saan at paano kukuha ng tulong ang mga makitaan ng mga ito.

Inilunsad ang serbisyong pampublikong ito ng Social Justice dahil sa matagal na nilang pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga grupong tumutulong sa mga migranteng nakikitaan ng cancer habang nagtatrabaho sa Hong Kong, kabilang ang Filipino Migrant Cancer Support Society o Filmcass.

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Ayon sa founder ng Social Justice na si Marites Palma, itinuturing niyang “life saving” ang booklet dahil inaalis nito ang takot sa mga nakikitaan ng cancer sa dibdib o cervix.

“It’s not the end of the world kung nagkaroon ka ng mga ito,” sabi ni Palma, “pero kailangan nating magkunsulta sa doktor kung may nararamdaman tayong kakaiba.”

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Dagdag pa niya, mas lalong ma- stress ang isang tao kung hindi nila nalalaman ang mga kakaibang nangyayari sa kanilang katawan.

Sa mga gusto ng libreng kopya ng booklet, maari silang tawagan sa tel no 6872 0498, o makipag-ugnayan sa mga opisyal ng Social Justice for Migrant Workers sa pamamagitan ng kanilang Facebook page.

 

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