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32
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BOARD EXAMS.
Labatt Nenita Garcia
says 565 OFWs will
take the PRC board
exams for teachers on
September 27.
SUSPENDED. ABS-CBN
Channel 2 suspends
Aiza Seguerra from
ASAP 20 after she
made a teleserye with
rival GMA Channel 7.
The No.1 Filipino Newspaper
26
Vol.VI No.332
October 1, 2015
‘No tax hike
on OFW boxes’
WAGE INCREASE. Foreign domestic helpers trooped to the Labour Department on September 13 to demand a minimum wage of $4,500. The Labour
Department is expected to come out with its decision before the end of September or in early October. (Philip C. Tubeza)
By Cristy Kasilag
CALL it a peace offering.
Christmas might still be three months
away, but the Bureau of Customs (BOC)
may have just given the millions of overseas
Filipino workers (OFW) an early Christmas
gift – no tax increase for balikbayan boxes.
After being pummeled by criticisms from
various sectors, Bureau of Customs chief
Alberto Lina said that the bureau did not intend to increase taxes on balikbayan boxes.
“To our overseas Filipino workers, the
Bureau of Customs is not increasing taxes
on the balikbayan boxes nor do we want to
impede in existing processes,” Lina said in
a statement.
“What the BOC wants is to stop the system that has allowed smugglers to take advantage of our OFWs,” he added.
BOC Deputy Commissioner for Revenue Collection Monitoring Group (RCMG)
Arturo Lachica also told member-groups
of the OFWs Advocates Coalition during a
PUBLISHED BY HK PUBLICATIONS LTD. TEL: 2851 1766
dialogue on Sept. 14 at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) main
office in Pasay City that there would be no
tax increase.
“Any increase that we will impose with
the freight forwarder, if there would be
Turn to page 18
WEBSITE : WWW.HONGKONGNEWS.COM.HK
19
WINNERS. Filipino
and Indian students
win in a recent
social enterprise
competition by
proposing to set up
an events company
that would promote
ethnic festivals.
Nine FDHs
fined for
illegal
gambling
By Philip C. Tubeza
A judge in Sai Wan Ho has ordered nine
Filipino domestic workers to pay a fine
after they were arrested for illegal gambling in North Point.
Deputy Magistrate Peter Hui ordered
the nine Filipinos—seven women and
two men--to pay a fine of $300 after
they pleaded guilty to the charge of illegal gambling.
Besides paying the fine, the nine domestic workers now have a criminal
record in Hong Kong.
Their penalty is in contrast to that
given to the first batch of four domestic workers who were caught earlier in
Central, also for illegal gambling.
Those four domestic workers were
just bound over for $1,000 for 12
months, after they were told to pay
$500 in legal costs.
This means that, besides having no
criminal record, if the four women
behaved and obeyed the law for 12
months, they would not have to pay the
$1,000.
The second batch of nine Filipinos
was arrested during the special holiday
on September 3 after they were caught
playing cards and making monetary
bets near the City Garden Road in
North Point.
Of those arrested, seven were women, and three were men (including the
Indian national).
“They were arrested because they
were gambling in a place not operated by a gambling establishment. They
were playing cards,” a police spokeswoman said.
The Philippine Consulate General
(PCG) had warned Filipinos against
illegal gambling activities, especialTurn to page 18
2
NEWS
October 1, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
Pinay ‘falls’ into Victoria Harbour
By Philip C. Tubeza
TALK about falling in love.
Onlookers were surprised at a North
Point pier when a Filipina “fell” into Victoria Harbour after quarreling with her
boyfriend.
A spokesman for the Hong Kong police
said the incident happened at around 8:30
p.m. at the Tong Shui Road Pier, at the
back of the Java Road Municipal Services
Building, on September 16.
“She had an argument with her boyfriend... We cannot say for sure if she
jumped or if she fell but we are treating it
as a case of a person who fell into the sea,”
the police spokesman said.
But after the woman “fell,” her boyfriend did not jump after her into the harbour’s murky waters.
“She came back to the shore by herself,”
the police spokesman said.
Witnesses said the woman was “distraught” and appeared to be crying when
she sat on the ground, her clothes wet,
while her boyfriend was talking to her in
Tagalog.
A Chinese man tried to talk to her but
the boyfriend waved him away.
A few minutes later, police cars, a fire
truck, and two police patrol boats, their
search lights blazing, arrived at the scene.
The police spokesman said the 30-yearold woman was brought to the Eastern
Hospital where she was treated for some
minor injuries.
One of the responding patrol boats
“She was conscious when she was
It was not known if the two were still
brought to the hospital,” the police
spokesman said.
lovers after the incident.
HONG KONG NEWS
October 1, 2015
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4
October 1, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
HONG KONG NEWS
October 1, 2015
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NEWS
October 1, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
FDHs expect wage
hike by early October
By Philip C. Tubeza
WAGE increase now!
Foreign domestic workers trooped to
the Labour Department on September 13
to press the government to increase their
minimum allowable wage (MAW) to
$4,500.
Dolores Balladares, chair of the United
Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-HK),
told the protesters that an increase was
timely since the cost of living in Hong
Kong had also increased.
“With the situation in Hong Kong, with
the living condition in Hong Kong, we
think, we believe, that it’s about time that
the Hong Kong government will listen
to our demand to increase our wages to
$4,500,” Balladares said.
“No one can deny that, today, the prices
of food in Hong kong are increasing. No
one can deny that the transportation fares
are also increasing. And even (the prices
of) our basic needs in Hong Kong, they are
also increasing,” she added.
UNIFIL and other member organizations of the Asian Migrants Coordinating
Body (AMCB) are asking the government
to increase the MAW for foreign domestic
workers from the current $4,110 to $4,500
and also increase their food allowance to
$1,600.
“We are reasonable, we are just demanding a wage increase that can be afforded
by the employers. We are not asking for
too much. In fact, in the past three years,
we have been campaigning to increase our
wages to $4,500. We believe it’s about
time,” Balladares said.
“For the past 17 years, and every year,
if we are going to compute the wage increase that we are receiving, it’s only
amounting to $14 every year,” she added.
Balladares said they expected the Labour Department to come out with its decision whether to order a wage increase,
The protest action at the Labour Department on September 13
a wage freeze, or a wage cut for foreign
domestic workers by early October.
“We are very optimistic that, because
of the situation in Hong Kong, the Hong
Kong government, the Labour Department, will grant our demand to increase
our wages,” Balladares said.
“It is just fair. It is just that the Hong
Kong government will increase our wages
to $4,500 and increase our food allowance
of every domestic worker who haven’t
received any food from their employer to
$1,600,” she added.
Doris Lee, co-founder of Open Door, a
coalition of employers who advocate the
rights of foreign domestic helpers, also
spoke at the rally and said a salary of
$4,110 was “not decent” since foreign domestic helpers work six days a week.
“I want to say that I’m also a working
mom like all of you. A lot of working
mothers in Hong Kong and also just ordinary local people really think that Hong
Kong needs to be a decent place.
“And if you pay workers who are working six days a week only $4,110 a month,
this is not decent,” she said.
“So, there are some employers who
do understand that we need to be fair.
We need to give enough wages to every
body,” she added.
However, she also noted that some employer organizations are opposed to any
wage hike for foreign domestic helpers
because they are already bearing the brunt
of increases in the costs of food and rent.
“So, what they’re telling the government is, ‘You need to help us. You need to
help us.’ I’m also an employer and what
I think is they’re too focused on lowering
their costs,” Lee said.
“They’re too willing to take away from
someone for their own benefit. But we
should tell the government there are many
things they can do,” she added.
Lee said that instead of freezing or cutting the MAW for foreign domestic helpers, the government should instead provide a subsidy for child care, give some
benefits for elderly care, and give more
programs for students so that employers
do not suffer.
“There are so many things they can do
without keeping the wages of 300,000
workers at such a low wage,” Lee said.
“So, please keep fighting,” she added.
Nanay Marie’s family in the dark about her fate
By Philip C. Tubeza
TWO weeks after her arrest, the family in the Philippines of the 58-year-old
domestic worker who stole from her employer of 22 years in Kornhill was still in
the dark about her fate.
A friend of Marie L.M. called up Hong
Kong News to ask for help because the
Filipina’s son was calling them and asking about what happened to his mother.
“Tumatawag yung anak sa amin kasi
hindi pa nila alam kung ano ang nangyari. Nasa ospital pa raw ang tatay nila,”
the friend said.
“Hindi pa namin sinasabi na naaresto
siya (Marie). Gusto naming malaman
muna kung paano siya ma-contact at
kung ano ang gagawin,” she added.
Hong Kong News has referred the
case to the Philippine Consulate Gen-
eral-Assistance to Nationals (ATN)
Section since Marie is expected to be
released from prison soon after she was
sentenced to three weeks in prison on
September 9.
“We might have already covered her
case since we are now doing prison visits. We will see how we can assist her,”
said ATN officer Junie Cayabyab.
Marie had pleaded guilty to stealing
and then pawning two gold pendants, a
gold necklace, and a gold ring from her
89-year-old employer.
Marie pawned them in July and August to save her ailing husband, who recently suffered a stroke.
According to the prosecution, the police discovered the crime after a random
check of pawnshops.
When they called up the family of Marie’s employer, they learned that the jew-
elry that the Filipina had pawned were
all stolen.
“She’s in a terrible situation to be in,”
Marie’s lawyer said.
According to the lawyer, Marie arrived in Hong Kong in 1993 and since
then had served the family of her employer in Kornhill.
To support their medical needs of her
husband and sister, Marie borrowed
money from her employer’s daughterin-law since she was the one who also
gave her salary.
The daughter-in-law loaned her
$20,000 on the condition that Marie pay
$2,000 out of her monthly salary.
But then tragedy struck. In August,
Marie’s husband suffered a stroke.
“He had to be hospitalized and a down
payment of $10,000 was required,” Marie’s lawyer said.
HONG KONG NEWS
October 1, 2015
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8
NEWS
October 1, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
PCG looks into ‘arrest’ of FDH couple
By Cheryl Arcibal
AN official of the Philippine Consulate
General is verifying a report about a Filipino couple who were reportedly arrested
here after the Hong Kong Immigration
Department purportedly discovered that
the couple’s four-year-old son was unreg-
istered here in the territory.
Vice Consul Fatima Guzman Quintin
told Hong Kong News said they will look
into the case to help the Filipino couple
and their child if the report is true.
“Maganda na i-confirm ang story or not
para matulungan ang bata at ang couple.
Kasi straightforward naman ang regis-
tration, kumabaga parang kailangan lang
i-assist sila,” Guzman Quintin said.
A report by ejinisght.com said that the
ImmD has recently discovered 55 undocumented children in the territory.
One the cases involves a Filipino couple with their undocumented four-year-old
boy.
Under the territory’s Births and Deaths
Registration Ordinance, a child has to be
registered within 42 days of birth.
Beyond that period, Guzman Quintin
said a late registration could still be allowed as long as the parents have a compelling reason for such.
“Siguro may mga issues doon. Siyempre kukuwestiyunin, pero hindi naman
immediately aarestuhin ka,” she said.
Alan Kwok of the Communications and
Public Affairs Section of the Immigration
Department neither confirmed nor denied
to Hong Kong News the reported arrest of
the Filipino couple.
“These cases are confidential in nature,”
he said in a telephone interview.
In a statement dated September 16, the
ImmD said it has recently reviewed relevant arrangements and conducted investigations regarding parents who have not
registered births of children within the
prescribed time limit.
“Given the circumstances, ImmD has
retrieved case records and 55 cases require
further investigation. ImmD has attempted to contact the parents by phone and
through home visits. In 22 of these cases,
ImmD has been able to locate the parents
and is arranging for the post-registrations
of birth for their children.
“Investigations on 10 cases have been
completed and ImmD is seeking legal advice on prosecution matters. The remaining 12 cases are still under investigation.
As for the other 33 cases, ImmD will continue its efforts to contact the parents and
investigate the cases,” the statement said.
It added that deliberately failing to register the birth of a child as required by the
law is an offense.
“Offenders are liable to a maximum
penalty of a $2,000 fine or up to six
months’ imprisonment,” it said.
Guzman Quintin also reminded Filipinos in the territory to register vital events
with the ImmD which are births, deaths,
marriages, and even divorce.
“We encourage resgistration kasi para
mabigyan ng proper documents, citizenship documents like their Philippine passport,” she said.
The PCG, she added. does not accept
any birth certificate issued by a hospital
here in Hong Kong, but only the registration paper with the Hong Kong government.
“Ang basis for registration, if a child
is born here, is the document from the
civil registry here in Hong Kong, so hindi pwede diretso nila i-register ang bata
dito sa PCG. Hindi hospital birth certificate ang tatanggapin namin. Kalangan it
should be the virth certificate by the civil
registry, birth registry of Hong Kong, saka
ireregister dito sa PCG,” Guzman Quintin
said.
The ImmD has conducted the investigation following the suicide in April of
15-year-old Blanca Cousins, the daughter
of British banker Nick Cousins and his
partner Filipina Herminia Garcia.
Garcia, 53, was found to have been
overstaying in Hong Kong for 20 years.
Guzman Quintin
HONG KONG NEWS
October 1, 2015
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NEWS
October 1, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
40 IBP lawyers to offer free legal advice
By Cheryl Arcibal
THIRTY to 40 lawyers from the Philippines are set to conduct a free legal consultation for Filipinos living and working
in Hong Kong.
Vice Consul Fatima Guzman Quintin
said the two-day “Idulog mo sa IBP 2”
will be able to accommodate as many as
300 persons who want to ask questions
and consult lawyers about legal matters on
Nov. 14-15 (Saturday and Sunday) at the
Conference Room of the Philippine Consulate General in Admiralty.
“Successful kasi ang IBP activity dito
last year. Sabi nila madami palang may
kailangan dito at noon may eight to 10
lawyers lang. Kinaya naman pero sabi nga
nila na kailangan pala mas mahaba ang
oras,” Guzman Quntin said.
Guzman Quntin said those who want to
schedule their free legal consulation may
call Ninni at 2823-8511 or Cholo at 28238537 of the Civil Registry and Legal Sec-
tion of the PCG.
The lawyers will also hold a legal forum
on Nov. 15 at 4:30- 6 p.m. at the Public
Area of the PCG..
In 2014, she said the lawyers were from
Pampanga, but this year they are from the
Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ Central
Luzon chapter, including lawyers from
Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, and Bulacan.
“Dahil nga ang demographics ng mga
Pilipino dito sa Hong Kong ay madami sa
kanila ay household service workers, hindi karamihan ay may capacity sila to pay
for lawyers. So iyong legal advice lang ay
ang laki na ng tulong sa kanila dito.
“Sabi ng mga lawyer last year na mas
fulfilling pala sa Hong Kong na magbigay
ng outreach, kasi siguro na-compare nila
sa ibang countries [kung saan madami
ding Pilipino]. Iyon lang steps para sa
legal issues na binibigay nila, talagang
nakakatulong na sa mga kababayan natin
dito,” she added.
Last year, Filipinos who went to the
consultation mostly asked about legal issues involving marriage, annulment, legal
separation, child custody, and property,
Guzman Quintin said.
The IBP is the “official organization
of all Philippine lawyers whose names
appear in the Roll of Attorneys of the Supreme Court.”
The IBP team in 2014 with Consul General Bernardita Catalla.
Club supervisor
convicted of fraud
By Philip C. Tubeza
The tampered credit card was issued
to Olly Arthey in 2007 but he lost it in
March 2013, Kelly said.
“Prior to discovering the loss of his
card, he had visited the Play Club in On
Hing Terrace, Central,” he added.
When he was showed the Whatsapp
conversation, the Filipino said another
person might have sent the encoded
credit data.
But Judge Casewell pointed out that
the sender in the recorded Whatsapp
conversation included the Tagalog sentence “Ano pala?”
“(S.A.T.) is a Tagalog speaker and
this shows that he was a participant in
the conversation,” he said.
The police also found in the flat of
one of the Filipino’s co-conspirators his
S.C.B. credit which was tampered, like
other credit cards found in the flat.
Judge Casewelll set his sentencing on
October 3 after asking for a background
report on the Filipino, who is a resident
of Hong Kong with two young children.
A District Court judge has convicted a
Filipino senior supervisor of a club in
Lan Kwai Fong of being part of a conspiracy to commit credit card fraud.
Judge Timothy Casewell on September 22 found S.A.T., 32, a senior supervisor at the Play Club on On Hing
Terrace in Central, guilty of conspiracy
to defraud.
The Filipino’s co-conspirators included the club’s two former assistant
public relations managers and a chef.
The judge said the prosecution was
able to show that S.A.T. sent, through
Whatsapp, encoded credit card data to
one of his co-conspirators which was
used in a false card transaction.
It was used to buy a computer at the
Apple Store in Hysan Place, Causeway
Bay on July 15, 2014.
“The card bore the name and American Express card number of Olly
Arthey but, unknown to the staff of the
Apple Store, the data on the card magnetic strip belonged to an overseas card
holder,” said Shaun Kelly, the government lawyer in the case.
“The Apple computer valued at
HK$19,998 was purchased using false
data,” he added.
Kelly said CCTV footage also
showed that S.A.T. was inside the Apple Store at the same time the illegal
transaction was conducted.
District Court
HONG KONG NEWS
October 1, 2015
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NEWS
October 1, 2015
HK groups protest vs
Lumad killings
By Cheryl Arcibal
A GROUP of migrant domestic workers
here in Hong Kong has held a picket on
September 16 at the Philippine Consulate
General in Admiralty to protest the killings of Lumads (indigenous people) in
Mindanao.
The protest led by BAYAN Hong Kong
& Macau and the Hong Kong Campaign
for the Advancement of Human Rights and
Peace in the Philippines (HKCAHRPP)
was intended to show their support to the
struggle of the Lumads.
Eman Villanueva, chairperson of Bayan
HKM, said they were joined by Jackie
Hung of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese,
and the League of Social Democrats and
the Asian Human Rights Commission
(AHRC).
Father Dwight dela Torre read the
statement of the Philippine Independent
Church and the National Churches of the
Philippines, which denounced the killings
and urged the pullout of military presence
in the Lumad communities.
“HKCAHRPP is extremely alarmed
over the recent spate of killings, harassments,… and other grave human rights
violations against unarmed civilians in
Lumad areas in Mindanao, particularly
the northeastern part,” the statement from
the group said.
Meanwhile, a joint statement from various groups supporting the Lumads also
condemned the recent murders of Emerito
Samarca, Dionel Campos, and Bello Sin-
Human rights advocates hold a picket at the consulate
zo in Surigao del Sur by the paramilitray
group “Mahagat/Bagani”, which allegedly
enjoys the support of the Armed Forces of
the Philippines .
Samarca was the Executive Director of
the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development
(ALCADEV) that provides education
to Lumad children, while Campos and
Sinzo were leaders of the Lumad group
MAPASU.
Samarca was found dead inside in a
classroom of ALCADEV with a stab
wound and slashed neck while Campos
and Sinzo were allegedly gunned down
by alleged Mahagat/Banai members.
“The indigenous peoples of Mindanao
are being terrorized by military and paramilitary forces that are under the responsibility of President Aquino as Commander-In-Chief. They need to be reined
in from committing more human rights
abuses and be held accountable for grave
crimes that occurred in furtherance of the
counterinsurgency plan Oplan Bayanihan
that is conducted to support the administration’s policy of opening up ancestral
domains to large-scale mining operations,” the statement said.
Consul Charles Macaspac received the
joint statement from the group.
The Army, meanwhile, denied any involvement in the deaths of Lumad leaders.
Army spokesman Col. Benjamin Hao
said a Board of Inquiry created to investigate the deaths of Samarca, Campos and
Sinzo concluded that the “incident in Sitio
Han-ayan was a tribal conflict within the
context of insurgency, that is, one tribal
group affiliated with the New People’s
Army while the other is an anti-NPA tribal
group.”
HONG KONG NEWS
Overstayer for 20 years
appeals to High Court
By Philip C. Tubeza
A Filipino who overstayed in Hong Kong
for 20 years asked the High Court to reduce his sentence so that he could go home
to the Philippines in time for Christmas.
Marlon P. Ramos, 58, appeared before
Deputy High Court Judge S. D’Almada
Remedios on September 21 and asked that
his jail sentence of 12 months be reduced.
“I wish to go home so that I could attend
a grand reunion of our family as well,”
Ramos told the judge.
Ramos surrendered to immigration authorities in Kowloon Bay on January 5
after overstaying in Hong Kong for 20
years.
A lower court eventually sentenced him
to 12 months in prison after reducing his
sentence by four months because he voluntarily surrendered to the authorities.
However, Judge D’Almada Remedios
grilled him as to why he wanted to go
home when he had sought asylum in Hong
Kong on the same day that he surrendered
to Immigration.
In his asylum claim, Ramos said he was
afraid that he would be killed, due to a
land dispute, if he was brought back to the
Philippines.
“You said you would be killed or murdered if you returned home. In that letter,
you said you wanted to remain in Hong
Kong,” the judge said.
Ramos answered that he did not actually
want to file the asylum petition and was
only egged on by an interpreter. The petition was eventually withdrawn on May 29.
“I was the last guy being processed that
day (January 5) and they were rushing and
High Court
so I just signed and signed,” Ramos said.
“I was told that if there was a misunderstanding, I can alter or say it in court,” the
appellant added.
However, the government lawyer opposed Ramos petition that his jail sentence
be reduced, adding that the 20-year period
that the Filipino overstayed in Hong Kong
was among the longest recorded in the territory.
“The learned magistrate (who convicted
Ramos) has handled many similar cases
and he said this is the longest…20 years,”
the lawyer said.
He noted that other overstaying cases
that had gone through the Hong Kong
judicial system involved foreigners who
overstayed for 13 years or 10 years.
“(An overstay of) 20 years is very, very
long….If anything, (Ramos’ sentence) is a
lenient one,” the lawyer said.
Judge D’Almada Remedios agreed that
it was “very long.”
She said Ramos would again be brought
to the High Court once her ruling on his
appeal is ready.
HONG KONG NEWS
October 1, 2015
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NEWS
October 1, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
Anti-Discrimination laws under review
By Cheryl Arcibal
THE Equal Opportunities Commission
(EOC) is reviewing Anti-Discrimination
laws in an attempt to plug loopholes that
allow the Hong Kong government agencies to practice discrimination in certain
circumstances.
Devi Novianti, Equal Opportunities Officer at the Ethnic Minorities Unit of the
EOC, told participants of the Philippine
Consulate General’s Gender and Development Project “Babae, Migrante: Alamin
ang mga Karapatan bilang Babaeng OFW
sa Hong Kong” on Sept. 13 that the statutory body is in the process of reviewing
the Discrimination Law here.
“This is the funny part about the government here in Hong Kong. It does not totally bound itself to the anti-discrimination
laws. This means the police can do racist
things and the Immigration Department
enjoy some exemptions.
“This is why the EOC is trying to revise
the law because how come the government
is exempted from this,” Novianti said.
Pressed for more details about this effort, Sam Ho, Senior Corporate Commu-
nications Manager of the EOC, told Hong
Kong News that the Discrimination Law
Review would be ready for presentation
either by the end of the year or the first
quarter of 2016.
The EOC is a “statutory body established in 1996 under the Sex Discrimination Ordinance (SDO)” and is funded by
the government.
The agency’s chairperson and 16 members are appointed by the Chief Executive
of the Hong Kong SAR and its main task
is to implement anti-discrimination ordinances of the territory.
Hong Kong had legislated four laws betthat prohibit discrimination owing to sex,
disability, family status, and race.
Under the Sexual Discrimination Ordinance, discrimination on the grounds of
sex, marital status and pregnancy is unlawful.
Under the Disability Discrimination
Ordinance, it is unlawful to discriminate
owing to a disability such as loss of bodily
or mental functions; disease or illness; disorder or malfunction that affects learning,
among others.
The Family Status Discrimination Ordi-
It is important, therefore, for domestic
workers to keep a diary and take note of
instances when their employers show little things or make comments that indicate
their resentment over the maternity leave
granted to the helper and make the latter
uncomfortable.
As for sexual harassment cases, Novianti said the criminal law in the territory
requires a minimum age of 10 years for
a respondent to be liable, but the anti-discrimination law has no such requirement.
The participants of the EOC forum on September 13
nance bars discrimination on the ground
of family status, while the Race Discrimination Ordinance declares it unlawful to
discriminate on the grounds of race, color,
descent, national and ethnic origin.
These laws declare that it is unlawful to
commit direct and indirect discrimination.
victimization, sexual harassment, disability harassment, disability vilification, and
serious disability vilification, as well as
racial harassment, racial vilification, and
serious racial vilification.
Novianti told foreign domestic workers
that should they get pregnant, Hong Kong
law protects them from being terminated.
“If you suspect that you are pregnant,
you should go see a doctor, and then if it is
confirmed that you are pregnant and once
you get that certificate, you should notify
your employer and give a medical certificate to your employer and always, always
keep a copy,” Novianti said.
However, she added that once the maternity leave is finished and the domestic
worker returns to work, the protection of
the law ends with it too.
Another difference between a criminal
complaint and a complaint filed with the
EOC is that sexual harassment or assault
as a criminal case requires that the assailant has touched the victim, but sexual
harassment complaint with the latter only
requires that the victims is made uncomfortable by any act of the respondent that
has sexual connotation.
“The criminal case requires touching [if
it is inside the house). If the act is committed outside the house and still no touching,
the assailant will be caught under the anti-loitering law, but here at the EOC, the
complaint can be made based on physical,
verbal, or visual grounds,” said Novianti.
Overstaying
FDH eludes
prison
By Philip C. Tubeza
MISSING her two sons in the Philippines,
a former domestic helper decided to surrender to immigration authorities after
overstaying in Hong Kong for nearly two
years.
Rosa M., 37, pleaded guilty to the
charge of breach of condition of stay on
September 17 at the Shatin Magistrates’
Courts after overstaying for one year and
seven and a half months.
Magistrate Cheung Kit-yee sentenced
her to two months in prison but suspended
it for three years.
“You are convicted as charged and sentenced to two months suspended for three
years,” Magistrate Cheung said.
“You do not have to serve the two
months in prison now but if you commit
any breach of the law, you will serve it
plus the sentence for the new crime,” she
added.
Rosa came to Hong Kong to work as a
domestic helper in September 2013 but
she was terminated from work in June
2014.
But instead of going home, the Filipina
decided to stay in Hong Kong because she
was afraid of her husband, who was abusive.
But after nearly two years, the Filipina
decided to turn herself in because she already missed her two sons, aged 7 and 13.
“She is very remorseful,” her lawyer
said. Rosa was glad after being told that
she was given a suspended sentence,
which means she can go home without
going to jail.
HONG KONG NEWS
October 1, 2015
15
16
NEWS
October 1, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
On Martial Law anniversary, migrants
warn of attempts to distort PH history
By Cheryl Arcibal
ALARMED by the proliferation of social
media posts and pages which paint the
Marcos regime as idyllic and a time when
the Philippines was peaceful and prosperous, activist migrant workers here in Hong
Kong held a picket to commemorate the
43rd anniversary of Ferdinand Marcos’
proclamation of Martial Law.
Around 20 members of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan - Hong Kong and Macau and the Hong Kong Campaign for the
Advancement of Human Rights and Peace
in the Philippines trooped to the Philippine Consulate General in Admiralty to
say “Never Again” to military rule in the
Philippines.
“Sa panahong iyon ay hindi totoo na mas
mabuti ang kalagayang pang-ekonomiya
sapagkat ang katotohanan po ay dumami
ang disempleyo, dumami ang walang trabaho. Noon din po ay ibinuhos ang programa para ibenta ang mga Pilipino sa la-
bas ng bansa upang hindi lamang maibsan
ang disempleyo kundi para maiwasan din
ang ang napipintong pag-aaklas ng mga
mamamayan dahil sa malawakang kagutuman at kawalan ng kabuhayan
“Sa panahon din pong iyon ang halaga ng piso ay bumagsak laban sa dolyar.
Hindi totoo na one dollar is to one peso.
Pagkaupo pa lamang ni Marcos ito ay higit
tatlong piso kada isang dolyar. Sa kanyang
panunungkulan, lumampas ang palitan sa
anim na piso kada isang dolyar. Ang utang
ng Pilipinas ay lumobo mula sa US$3
billion to US$28 billion,” said Eman Villanueva, Bayan-HKM chairperson, during
the short program at the PCG lobby.
He added that the peace and order situation then was also bad as the military and
police were ordered to carry out violence
against activists, student leaders, and other
citizens.
In an interview, Villanueva said political interests are attempting to rewrite
history as the Marcos family and their ilk
The picket at the consulate on September 21.
are seeking to regain greater influence and
power in the Philippines.
Former First Lady Imelda Marcos is an
Ilocos Norte representative, son Bongbong Marcos is a senator, while daughter
Imee Marcos is Ilocos Norte governor.
Bongbong is said to be seeking a higher
post.
Villanueva said the attempt to rewrite
history is becoming possible owing to incomplete history lessons in the Philippine
education curriculum.
“Isang major weakness naman din diyan ay hindi dahil sa walang masyadong
nagkukuwento sa [ating mga kabataan],
but rather iyong atin ding educational system, ang ating textbooks ay hindi naman
actively tinuturo ang history in its proper
and actual na pangyayari. Kaya sa totoo
lang, madali, magiging madali for others
to distort the truth,” Villanueva said.
He warned that if Filipinos remain complacent about learning their history and
finding out the truth about it, it would be
easy for the family of the late strongman
to claim that they did no wrong.
“Kung hindi magiging aktibo ang mga
mamayan at hindi maarmasan ng tamang pagbasa at pag-alam ng kasaysayan
ay maging madali lao para sa kanila na
makabalik at lalong hindi magagawaran
ng hustisya ang mga biktima. Mismong si
Bongbong Marcos na ang nagsabi na wala
daw silang dapat i-apologize,” he said.
The Marcoses fled the country in 1986
during the peaceful People Power Revolution that ousted them from Malacanang
after more than two decades in power.
Pinoy
charged in
‘Ramada
rumble’
By Philip C. Tubeza
A Filipino was charged in court after he
was allegedly involved in a ruckus outside
the Ramada hotel in Sai Ying Pun that left
two Chinese taxi drivers severely injured.
Francis M. was charged with two counts
of wounding at the Eastern Magistrates’
Courts after he allegedly participated in
beating up the two drivers outside the hotel on July 17, 2014. The defendant pleaded not guilty.
Francis and three female friends had just
gone out of a videoke bar near the hotel
when the incident happened.
While they were walking down Water
Street, looking for a taxi, Francis saw a
parked cab on the other side of the street
and approached it to check.
But when he saw that it had no driver,
the Filipino slammed it with his bag before walking back to his friends.
Unknown to him, the taxi driver was
eating in an eatery along the street, and he
ran after the Filipino.
“We told him to just say sorry and apologize but the driver collared him,” one of
Francis’ female friends told the court on
September 18.
At that point, a group of around six other Filipinos who had just left the videoke
bar, saw what happened and came to Francis’ rescue, she added.
They ganged up on the driver and another Chinese driver who also joined the fray.
HONG KONG NEWS
October 1, 2015
17
18
TRAVEL
October 1, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
POLO issues warning
By Philip C. Tubeza
THE Labour Department is investigating
the hiring of Filipinos in Hong Kong for
work in Turkey, Labor Attache Nenita
Garcia said.
Garcia said that she asked the Labour
Department to look into the matter after a
Filipina domestic worker paid HK$19,000
for a job in Turkey but she was fired after
only 45 days with her new employer.
“Ni-report lang namin and they said
they will look into it---kung licensed ba
talaga yung agency; ano ang kanilang ginagawa; at magkano ang kanilang placement fee,” Garcia said.
She said the Philippine Overseas Labor
Office in Hong Kong had not verified any
job order for Turkey. Garcia said they had
also raised the issue during a meeting with
officials from the Turkish consulate.
“Aware na rin sila. Actually, merong
agency sa Turkey na counterpart yung
dito. Licensed din naman. Kaya nga lang,
di natin alam yung proteksyon ng worker
doon,” she said.
“Doon tayo hindi nakasisiguro. Parang
Nine..
From page 1
ly during their days off on Sundays and
public holidays.
“Iminungkahi ng Konsulado ng Pilipinas dito sa Hong Kong sa lahat ng
Pilipino na naglalaro ng baraha sa mga
walkway, daan at parke na umiwas sa
anumang uri ng pagsusugal,” the PCG
said in an advisory.
“Sinumang mahatulan ng korte sa ikalawang beses ay magbabayad ng multa ng
No tax..
From page 1
any, we would have consultations…There
is nothing to fear from taxes. It will go
through consultative process,” Lachica said.
Susan “Toots” Ople, an OFW rights advocate and the moderator of the two-hour
dialogue, said that they appreciated Lachica’s assurance.
“We appreciate the message that they
would not increase the taxes of balikbayan
boxes and that our kababayans can be assured that, in the future, if there would be
increases (in taxes) the OFWs would be
among those consulted,” Ople said.
The BOC was severely criticized earlier in the social media for saying that there
would be a random inspection of balikbayan boxes.
It was also reported that, in some countries, they have already implemented a
P80,000 to P120,000 increase in the shipment cost of consolidated cargoes, such as
those from the United States.
Joel Longares, president of Atlas Shippers International Inc., one of the freight
forwarders operating in the US, said they
already adjusted their rates but they are willing to revert back to their old rates.
ang trabaho doon ay janitorial services
style. Tapos six months, six months,” she
added.
With no verified job orders, Garcia discouraged Filipinos in Hong Kong from
applying for work in Turkey.
“Hindi ko ini-encourage yan. Walang
labor agreements at di naveverify yung
job orders.
Baka sa dami ng nag-aapply, isa lang
pala ang bakante, di ba? Pera lang (ang
habol),” Garcia said.
“At saka nga, yung welfare and protection ng ating mga migrant workers ang
dapat nating isipin. Hindi tayo sigurado
doon kasi wala tayong standard contract
(sa Turkey), she said.
“Pwede kang materminate after six
months. Paano gagawin mo? Walang kang
hospitalization benefit. Wala kang medical. Saan ka pupunta pag ganun?” she
added.
Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) chief Hans Leo J.
Cacdac earlier said that his office received
a report from the Philippine Embassy in
Turkey about a household worker who is
now jobless in Ankara, after leaving her
previous employer in Hong Kong.
In her written statement, the household
worker said she was recruited by a recruitment agency in Hong Kong, whose owner
promised her a better job in Turkey. She
was charged HK$19,000 for the supposed
new job.
She arrived in Turkey on May 2015 and
was employed for a while but was terminated after 45 days. She is currently looking for a new employer who will be able to
give her awork permit.
According to the household worker, the
recruitment agency has an office in Ankara
and started sending Filipino workers from
Hong Kong to Turkey in November 2014.
Applicants are made to pay US$3,000
each as placement fee.
Cacdac said third-country recruitment is
illegal because the recruiter and the employer have no license or authority from
the POEA.
“And most probably, the conditions of
employment are not what one had in mind;
worse, the offered job is non-existent,”
Cacdac said.
HK$20,000 at pagkabilanggo ng anim
na buwan. Sa ikatlo at sa mga susunod
na pagkakahatol, ang parusa ay aabot
sa pagbayad ng multa ng HK$30,000 at
pagkabilanggo ng siyam ng buwan, the
PCG added.
It said the police continued to receive
reports that Filipino workers were openly
gambling in various parts of Hong Kong.
“Ang pulisya ng Hong Kong ay patuloy
na nakakatanggap ng mga ulat galing sa
publiko ukol sa paglaganap ng pagsusug-
al sa hanay ng mga Pilipino sa iba’t-ibang
parte ng Hong Kong,” the PCG said.
“Ang pulisya ng Hong Kong ay kasalukuyang gumagawa ng aksyon laban sa
mga gawaing ito, kaugnay na rito ang
pag-aresto sa mga Pilipinong matatagpuang nakikilahok sa pagsusugal,” the
consulate said.
“Pinapakiusap ng pulisya sa publiko
na maging mapagmatyag at magbigay
ng impormasyon sa anumang ilegal na
pagsusugal,” it added.
It turned out that that the rise in shipment
costs implemented on Aug. 10 “without
consulting other stakeholders.”
The BOC and OFW groups would also
be pushing for the passage of the Customs
Modernization and Tariffs Act (CMTA),
which would increase the limit of tax-free
and duty-free items in accompanied balikbayan items from P10,000 to “a more reasonable amount.”
Currently, a balikbayan box accompanied
by an OFW returning or visiting the Philippines should have items that are worth not
more than P10,000.
Unaccompanied balikbayan boxes, or
those sent through cargo companies, should
only have items whose total worth do not
exceed US$500 (around P23,000).
Ople, the president of the Blas F. Ople
Policy Center and Training Institute, said
that they recognized that some of the laws
governing the balikbayan boxes are already
outdated.
“At present, by default, no one is following the law because it is no longer reasonable. So we are going to work together
so that the law would be reflective of the
current times, the current situation of the
OFWs,” Ople said.
Lachica assured OFWs that their balikbayan boxes “would be treated differently.”
“I mean they would be treated sensitively
and with much care,” he said.
Aside from the mandatory x-ray inspection of balikbayan boxes, instead of the
random physical inspection, the BOC has
asked the OWWA and the OFWs to have a
representative detailed at the BOC office to
assist them in opening boxes that are suspected to have smuggled goods.
They would also be asking the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration
(POEA) to provide them with “a list of legitimate OFWs.”
The BOC has also created accounts in the
social networking sites such as Facebook
to give the public, including the OFWs, a
venue to air their grievances or post their
inquiries.
Ople lauded this effort of the BOC because the Filipinos based overseas would be
able to ask if the items they are bringing in
are taxable or not even before they return
home.
“We would monitor these sites because
it is easy to make a Facebook account, but
it might be difficult for BOC to give answers,” Ople said. Maia Lopez
HONG KONG NEWS
FEATURE
October 1, 2015
Pinoy studes want to sell ‘happiness’
By Cheryl Arcibal
A GROUP of ethnic minority students,
composed of two Filipinos and three Indians who want to sell “happiness” and
introduce the cultures of the minorities
to the local people in Hong Kong, won in
the recently-concluded social enterprise
competition sponsored by Hysan Development Co. Ltd., Hong Kong University
of Science and Technology, and the Hong
Kong Christian Service (HKCS).
Calling themselves “Plannr”, the team,
composed of Filipino students Jona Marie
Puentespina and Ken Jeremy Cudia, and
Indian students Simranpeet Kaur, Hetvi Pravin Dobariya, and Ritika Sukhani,
from St. Margaret’s Co-Educational English Secondary and Primary School beat
out five other teams to receive $30,000
prize money, and trophies and certificates.
“Exploration for Hope” is a social enterprise competition, whereby competing
teams explored different social issues and
received training in social enterprise development as well as business knowledge.
More than 50 participants joined the
competition, but only six groups were
chosen to be finalists. Each team is composed of three to six students.
The competing ethnic minority students
were mentored by HKUST undergraduate
business school students.
Besides being named as champion,
Plannr also won the “Best Presentation”
award.
Meanwhile, another team “The Octagon”, composed of Filipino students Luiza
Xyra Asperin Sace, Angelo Carlo Letran
Anico, Rockford Blue Asercion, Macx
Jigger Delfino Camarillo, and Cristian
Arvin Flores Lagaso, from Delia Memorial School (Hip Wo) won the “Audience
Choice” award.
Plannr’s business plan said it will be the
“first ever ethnic minority event planning
company organizing ethnic festivals and
events.”
“Plannr’s main service is connecting
ethnic minority customers to caterers, decorators, entertainers, and event venues in
Hong Kong with ease so that they will be
more encouraged to celebrate their traditional festivals and events in Hong Kong,”
the group’s business plan said.
Kaur said she originally wanted to focus on education, but many government
departments and non-government organizations “are already handling the issue and
it was improving drastically.”
“Then I thought of what I wanted to
achieve, I thought about happiness. I
want ethnic minorities to be happy, and
what do you do to make them happy? You
celebrate. So I thought why not have an
ethnic minorities’ planning company that
will help them feel at home here in Hong
Kong,” she said.
Puentespina also thought of Sinulog, an
annual cultural and religious festival held
on the third Sunday of January in Cebu
City, when pitching ideas during their
group discussion. Puentespina was born
in the Philippines but her family moved to
Hong Kong.
“I kept thinking about it and I thought
we should have more of that Sinulog
here,” she said.
Kaur added that helping ethnic minorities celebrate their festivals in Hong Kong
seeks to achieve two things: introducing
their culture to the local people and helping the children of ethnic minorities learn
more about their cultural identity.
“Since I was a child, I go back to India
every year to celebrate my festival...Some
of my friends don’t know anything about
our culture. They know more about Chinese culture than their own culture,” she
said.
Cudia, who was born here in Hong Kong
to Filipino parents, said their business plan
focuses on giving ethnic minorities a platform to express themselves.
“After all we are the minority in Hong
Kong and we just want to be heard a little
bit more,” he said.
Dobariya said as an ethnic minority, she
sometimes gets discriminated, but hopes
that if they are able to put up their events
planning company, it would be a way to
foster better understanding between the
The members of
winning team
“Plannr” Sukhani
(2nd from left),
Dobariya (3rd
from left),
Puentespina
(middle), Tan (3rd
from right), Kaur
(2nd from right)
receive an award.
Team “The
Octagon” receives
their Audience
Choice Award.
local people and the ethnic minorities.
“I do get discriminated sometimes,. but
we believe that thru Plannr, the locals will
know more about ethnic minorities’ culture and they can understand them and, in
a way, get to know each other,” she said.
Sukhani said the group wants to instill
among ethnic minorities a sense of be-
longing, and also help them preserve their
cultural backgrounds.
The Octagon group, on the other hand,
plans to offer a three-in-one service,
namely Chinese language lessons, resource classes, and career consultancy
services.
The first runner up team “Ed Provision”
19
wants to be a tutorial “middleman” agency
to arrange older ethnic minority students
to provide teaching services for younger
students, while the team that came third,
“A4s” is keen to get ethnic minority ladies
to run a fusion restaurant to boost their
employment and confidence.
20
BALITANG PH
Grace undergoes DNA test
BY Maia Lopez
SENATOR Grace Poe is undergoing
DNA testing to identify her biological
parents and end, once and for all, questions on her nationality and remove any
possible stumbling block to her 2016
presidential bid.
Rizalito David, who ran and lost for
senator in 2013, filed a disqualification
case against Poe, a foundling, before
the Senate Electoral Tribunal.
“We are already in the process of conducting DNA test for probable parents
of the senator,” Poe’s lawyer, Alexander Poblador, told members of the SET
during the oral arguments on the disqualification case.
Poblador, however, insisted that the
presumption of nationality applies in
the case of Poe, who was abandoned
and found in the Jaro Cathedral in 1968.
Her lawyer stressed that generally
acceptable principles of international
law, treaties and conventions show that
a foundling found in the Philippines
is presumed to have Filipino biological parents, making him or her a natural-born Filipino citizen.
Poblador’s argument ran counter to
the opinion of Supreme Court Associate
Justice Antonio Carpio, the SET chair,
that foundlings can be naturalized citi-
zens, but not natural-born.
Poblador also noted that Article 14 of
the 1930 Hague Convention provides
that “a child whose parents are both unknown shall have the nationality of the
country of birth.”
Poe’s camp also cited the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention
on the Reduction of Statelessness,
which held that a foundling is presumptively citizen of the country where he or
she is found and presumed to be born of
parents who are citizens of that country.
The senator, who is seeking the presidency in the 2016 polls, earlier said
she had been trying for years to find out
who her biological parents were even if
they chose to abandon her.
In June, Poe went to Iloilo and met
with family friends whom, she said,
gave her more information about the
possible identify of her biological parents.
She was told about stories that her
biological father was one Edgardo Militar, a brother-in-law of Sayong Militar
who was said to have found her inside
the cathedral nearly five decades ago.
Edgardo was in fact the signatory
in her foundling certificate, indicating
he was the one who found her in the
church.
October 1, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
Roxas overtakes Binay
in SWS survey results
By Maia Lopez
SENATOR Grace Poe remains the top
preferred candidate to replace President
Benigno Aquino III in the 2016 elections
but former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II is catching up, a Sept. 2 - 5 survey by
pollster Social Weather Stations showed.
Roxas II, the standard bearer of the ruling Liberal Party, overtook Vice President
Jejomar Binay for the second spot.
“From the bottom of my heart, I thank
the Filipino people for their support and
trust,” said Poe, whose rating rose to 47
percent, five points higher than her second
quarter SWS rating.
Roxas said the jump in his ratings
showed that Filipinos appreciate the gains
of President Aquino’s Daang Matuwid.
“I am thankful for the support of our
countrymen. We at the Daang Matuwid
coalition are overjoyed. For me, this is
POE
ROXAS
proof that our countrymen are seeing the
clear benefits of our principles,” Roxas
said.
The LP standard bearer, who was
anointed by the President as his preferred
successor on July 31, saw his rating increase to 39 percent from 21 percent in the
second quarter survey.
“We believe that this is just the beginning. Over time, there will be increasing
issues that will be presented to the candidates. We are confident that more and
more of our people will be able to discern
true election issues from mere mudsling-
ing,” Roxas added.
Binay, for his part,
admitted that the recent survey results
served as a wake-up
call for him to work
harder.
BINAY
“We will evaluate
our strategy. This is a
challenge for us to work further, to work
harder,” the Vice President said.
Binay, however, pointed to Roxas’ several television and radio advertisements as
having contributed to the improved ratings
of the administration candidate.
While ranked third, Binay’s 35 percent
rating was actually still a point higher than
his June rating.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte,
who has already announced that he will no
longer seek the presidency in 2016, placed
fourth with 16 percent.
Ex-Palawan guv and bro arrested in Thailand for broadcaster’s slay
AFTER more than three years on the run, former
Palawan governor Joel Reyes and his brother
Mario were arrested in Thailand over the murder of journalist and environment activist Gerry
Ortega.
According to Presidential Communications
Operations Office Secretary Sonny Coloma, the
Reyes brothers were detained by Thai authorities
in Phuket.
The brothers went missing in early 2012 after
an arrest warrant was issued against them.
“The arrest of the long-wanted Reyes brothers
provides an opportunity for pursuing the ends of
justice,” Coloma said.
The Philippine government has thanked the
Interpol and Thai police for their help in arresting
the brothers who have been tagged as the masterminds in the killing of Ortega.
Ortega was shot in the head at point-blank
range while shopping in Puerto Princesa.
The gunman was caught trying to flee the
scene and police said his weapon was owned by
one of Joel Reyes’ lawyers.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines welcomed the arrest of the two suspects
even as it raised concern over how the brothers
were able to evade arrest and flee the country.
The Reyes’ brothers passports had been re-
voked by the Philippines’ Department of Foreign
Affairs as early as September 2012.
“We all remember the circumstances in which
they were able to flee the country in March 2012,
just before warrants for their arrest were issued,
and apparently with false travel papers and the
help of crooked immigration officials after what
can only be assumed was a tip-off from even
more crooked officials higher up in government,”
the NUJP said.
In 2012, President Benigno Aquino III offered
a P2 million reward for the arrest of each of the
“Big Five” fugitives that include the Reyes brothers.
Maia Lopez
HONG KONG NEWS
October 1, 2015
21
22
BALITANG PH
DOF eyes VAT hike
THE Department of Finance is pushing for a
two-percent increase in Value Added Tax even as
the Aquino administration remained lukewarm
to proposals to reduce the income tax.
In a memorandum, the DoF sought the support
of President Benigno Aquino III for its proposed
“Comprehensive Tax Reform Package.”
The package is pushing for an all-in income
tax exemption of P1 million for all wage earners
while increasing the VAT to 14 percent and expanding the VAT base.
Lawmakers have been pushing for a cut in
income tax, which is at a rate of 32 percent for
those earning P500,000 and higher annually.
The President however said the proposal to
reduce the income tax was not necessary.
“If we lower income tax rates, revenues will
be smaller while the deficit will be wider. The
widening deficit will be a negative factor when
credit ratings agencies rate us,” Aquino said.
The DoF earlier projected that the government
will lose P29 billion in revenues if the tax rate is
adjusted, but Sen. Ralph Recto argued that the
potential losses would not even make a dent in
the national government’s P3 trillion budget.
“Next year the budget will be P3 trillion. Will
P30 billion make a dent? No, it will not,” Recto
said, adding that in 2014 the national government even failed to spend P500 billion.
In the proposed tax reform bill submitted by
Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo, those who are
earning P180,000 and below annually are exempted from paying taxes while those who earn
from P180,000 to P500,000 would pay nine percent.
Individuals who earn from P500,000 to P10
million a year would pay 17 percent, while those
exceeding the P10 million mark will pay 30 percent.
Under Senator Juan Edgardo Angara’s version, those whose annual income are up to
P500,000 will be exempted from paying tax.
For his part, Socio-economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the country’s
tax system is regressive, and that middle- and
low-income groups bear the brunt of the cost of
government.
“It is the low income groups paying higher
taxes proportional to their income,” Balisacan
said.
Balisacan, however, admitted that a higher
VAT rate would not be enough to offset losses
from lowering income taxes.
“That is not going to be sufficient,” he said.
In the House of Representatives, Valenzuela
Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian said hiking the VAT
would defeat the purpose of providing relief to
the ordinary workers by cutting the individual
income taxes.
Maia Lopez
October 1, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
3 foreigners kidnapped
By Maia Lopez
ARMED men have kidnapped two Canadian tourists, a Norwegian resort manager
and a Filipina in Samal Island in Davao
del Norte.
According to Supt. Antonio Rivera,
about 11 armed men seized the four victims from their yachts in the marina of
luxury resort Holiday Ocean View.
“They appeared to target the foreigners.
They went straight for the yachts,” Rivera
said. “But no group has taken responsibility and there is no demand for ransom.”
The Canadian tourists were identified as
John Ridsdel, 68, and Robert Hall, 50. The
Norwegian, 56 year old Kjartan Sekkingstad, was the manager of the resort.
Another Canadian, Steven Tripp, and
his Japanese wife, Kazuka, were able to
escape and were rushed to the Davao del
Norte Hospital-Samal Zone for treatment
due to head injuries.
Malacañang said the Philippine National Police was leading the hunt for the kid-
Samal Island
nappers in coordination with the Eastern
Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces
and other agencies of the government.
Communications Secretary Herminio
Coloma Jr. said the families of the victims
have been informed.
The kidnapping prompted the Department of Foreign Affairs to issue a statement assuring delegates to the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation of their safety dur-
ing the Leaders’ Meeting in November.
“The Philippines is committed to hosting a successful APEC Economic Leaders’
Meeting (AELM) by implementing security
measures that would ensure the safety of all
APEC Leaders, delegates and guests. The
incident in Samal Island is being addressed
by our concerned authorities to resolve the
issue and ensure that the hosting of the
AELM is not affected,” the DFA said.
afternoon.
OTS spokesperson Jonathan Maliwat
said the complaint has come to the agency’s attention and that the x-ray operator
and the body frisker have been relieved
pending the result of the investigation.
Maliwat did not identify the OTS personnel, but said the persons under investigation are a male and a female.
“We will do our best to uncover the truth
and put the offenders where they should
belong,” he said, adding that the OTS will
coordinate with the Manila International
Airport Authority to review security footage of the incident.
In her Facebook post, the California-based passenger said that she was at
the NAIA terminal 2 around 6:30 pm of
September 18, bound for Los Angeles,
when the three pieces of luggage she carried went through the x-ray scanner.
After her baggage went through the
x-ray, her attention was called by an airport employee who whispered that she
might have a “charm” hidden in her bag.
She wrote in Filipino, “I told them that
the bag might not even be mine because
the passengers’ luggage being screened
were all piled up. They again ran my baggage through the scanner and a NAIA lady
staff member told me that I was carrying
something ‘odd’ in my baggage.”
The passenger said she noticed a NAIA
male employee placing his hand inside
the pocket of her luggage while his back
was turned on her. “When he faced me, he
already had two bullets in his hand,” she
said.
The NAIA employees, who were apparently with the OTS, asked for her passport
and greencard and said that the discovery
of the bullets will be put on record and
will affect her future travels.
“I reiterated that those bullets were not
mine and that I have no idea where they
came from,” she said but the OTS security
personnel ignored her.
A porter who was pushing her wheelchair whispered to her that she could just
pay P500 so she could be cleared to travel.
On the porter’s suggestion, the passenger said that she again spoke with the female OTS security screener and asked for
help to which the latter allegedly replied,
“Ok. Give it to me discreetly. The supervisor might catch me.” The OTS employee
was apparently referring to the money.
She claimed that she secretly handed
P500 when she was frisked a second time
by the OTS security officer who asked for
the money.
2 NAIA security men relieved for extortion
By Bing R. Jabadan
TWO security personnel from the Office
for Transportation Security (OTS) assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International
Airport (NAIA) were relieved pending
an investigation after a wheelchair-bound
passenger accused them of planting a bullet and extorting P500 from her.
The Filipino-American passenger’s
narration of her alleged experience at
the NAIA on a Facebook post went viral,
getting over 60,000 shares as of Monday
HONG KONG NEWS
WORLD
October 1, 2015
Pinoy in SG jailed for seditious posts
By Maia Lopez
A Filipino nurse was sentenced to four
months imprisonment for posting status
messages that were deemed as seditious
by Singaporean authorities.
Ello Mundsel Bello, 29, posted comments insulting Singaporeans and calling BELLO
for the takeover of the city-state in Janu-
ary.
He was a former
employee of the government-run Tan Tock
Seng Hospital.
State Courts Judge
Siva Shanmugam sentenced Bello to three
months in jail for sedi-
Two Filipino nurses recover
from MERS-Cov
By Maia Lopez
TWO of four Filipino nurses in Saudi
Arabia who have contracted the deadly
Middle East Coronavirus (MERS-Cov)
have already recovered, the Department
of Foreign Affairs said.
The nurses – one male and one female
– have been discharged from the hospital,
DFA spokesman Charles Jose said.
The remaining two female nurses are
still in the intensive care unit, but have
shown signs of “improvement,” according
to Jose.
“They can already communicate,” the
DFA official said.
“The embassy is monitoring their situation and making sure they are getting
proper treatment and they are in close
coordination with their employers,” the
official added.
Since 2013, a total of 10 Filipinos eight from Saudi Arabia and two from the
United Arab Emirates - have died from the
virus.
The Philippines, however, is not imposing a travel ban to the Middle East even as
it called on Filipino workers in the region
to practice health precautions.
“Healthcare sector workers are advised
to follow the infection prevention protocol
in their hospital and to seek medical attention in case they experience any of the
disease’s symptoms,” Jose said.
Earlier this year, a 32-year old Filipino
nurse from Saudi Arabia also tested positive for the respiratory disease upon arriving in Manila.
But the Department of Health said there
was a “low risk of infection” as the nurse
showed no symptoms while on board the
plane.
About 30 percent of the victims that
contracted MERS-CoV, which was first
reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012, have
died.
MERS virus
25 OFWs return home from Syria
AT least 25 overseas Filipino workers have returned from war-torn Syria, availing of the government’s mandatory repatriation program.
Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said
the OFWs previously worked in various companies in Aleppo and Damascus.
The Philippines has already raised Alert Level
4 over Syria which paves the way for the mandatory repatriation of OFWs working in the strifetorn country.
Since the unrest began in 2011, a total of 5,697
Filipinos have already been repatriated, half of
whom were through Lebanon.
As this developed, the Department of Foreign
Affairs renewed its call to all remaining Filipinos in Yemen to leave the country, after only 21
of the more than 200 Filipinos still in the Middle
Eastern country have evacuated to safety.
The DFA has issued a call for a mandatory re-
patriation in February.
“With the security situation in Yemen remains
volatile and dangerous, we hope that our people
will prioritize their safety and take advantage of
the Philippine government’s repatriation offer,”
Jose said.
Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the
department is studying a redeployment scheme
for overseas Filipino workers who were affected
by the mandatory repatriation in Yemen, Syria
and Libya.
“Our repatriation to redeployment for re-employment plan guarantees the security as well as
the economic welfare of our OFWs. We need to
quickly respond,” Baldoz said.
She said Filipino workers affected by the
crises can find work in alternative foreign job
markets identified by the Philippine Overseas
Employment Administration. Maia Lopez
tion in relation to his social media posts,
and another month for lying to police who
investigated him following complaints
from the public.
In a Facebook post on January 2, Bello
wrote: “Singaporeans are loosers (sic) in
their own country, we take their jobs, their
future, their women and soon we will evict
all SG loosers (sic) out of their own country hahaha.”
In a subsequent comment, Bello said,
“we will kick out all the Singaporeans and
SG will be the new Filipino state.”
The OFW took down his posts after
causing uproar from offended Singaporeans.
23
He told police investigators that his account had been hacked by an unknown
person, but he eventually admitted posting
the comments.
Its sedition law has been used to clamp
down on locals and foreigners alike found
to have incited ethnic tensions.
24
FORUM
October 1, 2015
Editorial
HONG KONG NEWS
As We See it
Lessons
ANG kontrobersya ukol sa nagaping plano
ng Bureau of Customs na maging mas mahigpit sa pag-eksamen ng mga balikbayan
boxes ay nagpatingkad sa dalawang katotohanan ukol sa mga Pilipino at sa Pilipinas sa
ngayon. Ang dalawang katotohanang ito ay
parehong nakalulungkot.
Una ay ang kawalan ng tiwala ng mga Pilipino sa mga opisyal at empleyado ng gobyerno.
Sa kainitan ng kampanya sa social media
para pigilan ang Customs na ipatupad ang
plano nito ay hayag na walang tiwala ang
mga OFW sa ating mga opisyal, lalo na sa
mga opisyal ng Customs.
Ang iba’t-ibang social media posts ay nagpatunay na kahit anong paliwanag o tangkang
pagpapakalma ng mga opisyal ng pamahalaan ay hindi natahimik ang mga OFW.
Medyo natahimik lamang ang madami nang
sabihin ng Malakanyang na hindi na muna
magkakaroon ng random inspection sa balik-
bayan boxes.
Nakalulungkot ito. Hindi natin maipagkakaila na may mga tiwaling opsiyal ng ating
pamahalaan.
.Sa pamamagitan ng social media ay nagkaroon ng mabilis at madaling access ang
mga Pilipino upang ipaaabot ang kanilang
mga opinyon sa ating pamahalaan.
Pero dapat maging matalino ang mga
Pilipino sa paggamit ng kapangyarihan ng
social media. Mas makabubuti rin para sa
lahat kung magiging mapili tayo sa kung
ano ang ipinopost natin sa social media.
Magbasa ukol sa isyu at alamin ang
buong katotohanan. Siyempre, malaya
tayo na mag-share at mag-post ng kahit
ano sa social media, ito ay ating personal
na account.
Ngunit kailangan nating maging responsable upang tiyakin na hindi tayo
magagamit upang magkalat ng maling
impormasyon.
Health Alert_
Organ Donation
DESPITE medical advancement, organ
transplant has become the only hope for
some patients with organ failure to live
on. However, the limited supply from donation of transplantable organs has made
about 3,000 local patients and their families waiting desperately, as the patients
count their days in fighting against death. It
is more regretful that many patients would
die before the right organ match comes.
To shorten patients’ waiting time for organ transplant and to bring new life, active
support for organ donation by members of
the public is critically important. Due to
family members’ uncertainity of the wish
on organ donation of the deceased relatives,
very often they would decline in organ donation. To faciliatate people’s wish to donate organ after their death, the Department
of Health (DH) has promulgated organ donation to encourage more people expressing their wish of organ donation when
they are alive.
The Centralised Organ Donation Register (CODR) was established in Novem-
ber 2008 by the DH, which enables organ
donation coordinators of the Hospital
Authority to effectively know upon the
deceased patients’ wish to donate organs,
and the bereaved family to acknowledge
the deceased’s wish to rekindle lives of
other people. As at 31 August 2015, the
number of registered donors in the CODR
was about 174,000. The achievement owes
much to the community who increasingly
accepts and supports organ donation.
It is easy to register as an organ donor.
Members of the public can simply register
online (https://www.codr.gov.hk/codr/Internet.do). Registration forms are also available from public and private hospitals, Hong
Kong Red Cross Blood Donation Centres,
Health Centres of DH, the Hong Kong
Medical Association, tertiary academic
institutions, various non-government organisations and some private companies.
Completed forms can be returned to the DH
(21/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road
East, Wan Chai) by post free of charge or by
fax (2127 4926).
Currents
Norman Uy
Carnay
Ang pagbabalik ng APEC
HALOS dalawang dekada na ang nakakaraan nang unang sumalta sa Pilipinas
ang noo’y bagong silang na APEC. 1996
nang nagpulong ang mga lider ng Asia
Pacific Economic Coperation sa ating
bansa. Sa Nobyembre 2015, muli itong
magbabalik at iho-host ng ating pamahalaan.
Ano ba itong APEC? Iyan ay isang
organisasyon ng 21 bansa sa Asya-Pasipiko na kumakatawan sa 40 porsyento
ng populasyon ng mundo at 50 porsyento
ng kalakalan (trade) sa daigdig. Bagamat
“Asya-Pasipiko” ang saklaw, heto at kasama sa listahan ang US, Canada at Russia.
Kailangan nilang sabihin sila’y kasali rin
sa rehiyong itong dahil hindi naman sila
papayag na solohin ng China, Japan at
Australia ang kalakalan sa APEC.
Nang ito ay itinatag noong 1989,
nagmayabang ito na maghahatid daw
ng ibang antas ng “kooperasyon” para
“lumago” ang mga ekonomiya. Sa pan-
ahong ito ay unang sumikat ang salitang
“globalisasyon” na nangako ng integrasyon ng mga ekonomiya, paghahatid ng
pag-unlad at pagpapaliit ng agwat ng
mayayaman at mahihirap na bansa. Marami pa noon ang nasilaw sa pangako na
ito ng kaakit-akit na “globalisasyon” na
iyon pala’y isang halimaw na nagdadamit
anghel.
Dahil mahigit 20 taon ng “globalisasyon” ay may naihatid na bang pag-unlad sa mga mamamayan at bansa ng
daigdig? Hindi pa nagtatagal nang nasaksihan natin ang pagputok ng malawakang
diskuntento ng mga naghihirap na mamamayan – hindi lamang sa mga tradisyunal na mahihirap na bansa – kungdi
maging sa mga malalaki’t makapangyarihan. Naalala niyo pa ba ang Occupy Wall
Street? O ang Arab spring? Lahat ng mga
protesta na ito ay pumutok dahil sumagad
na ang pasensya ng mga tao sa nalantad
na pagnanakaw ng mga malalaking bang-
ko at korporasyon lalo na sa panahon ng
mga pandaigdigang krisis pampinansya.
Nalantad ang katotohanang hawak ng 1
porsyento ng populasyon ng daigdig ang
lagpas sa 50 porsyento ng yaman sa buong
mundo. Ang kabuuang yaman ng nakabababang 50 prsyento ng populasyon ay
katumbas lamang ng yaman ng 80 pinakamayayamang tao sa mundo. Ganyan kalawak ang agwat ng mayaman at mahirap
sa mundo!
Hindi lumiliit kungdi lalong lumalaki
ang problem sa kahirapan. 200 milyon ang
walang trabaho sa mundo. 2.7 bilyon ang
naghihirap. 808 milyon ang nagugutom.
At pareho lang ang kwento nito sa Pilipinas. Ang mga patakaran ng globalisasyon –
na tinatawag na neoliberal – ay nagpalalim
lalo ng kahirapan sa ating bayan.
Ngayon, kung hindi pala nakakabuti sa
atin ang APEC, di ba dapat lang na hindi
natin ito i-welcome? Mainam pa nga, kabayan, ay ito’y protestahan!
Dear Editor
Dear Hong Kong News,
BAGONG salta ako dito sa Hong Kong. Kahit
na mahirap ang mapalayo sa pamilya, kailangan
kong magtrabaho dahil kapos kami.
Kung tutuusin, mababait naman ang mga amo
ko. Isa lang talaga ang reklamo ko sa kanila.
Tinitipid nila ang pagkain para sa akin. Tayo
kasing mga Pilipino, sanay tayo na kumakain tayo
ng kanin tatlong beses - sa agahan, tanghalian, at
hapunan.
Pero dito, madalas na tinapay o kaya ay noodles
NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS
lang ang pinapakain sa akin.
Sa dami ng trabahong kailangan kong gawin at
sa mga dagdag utos pa nila sa akin, talagang hindi
sapat ang nutrisyon na natatanggap ko.
Madalas ay napipilitan akong gamitin ang sarili
kong pera upang bumili ng dagdag na pagkain. Siyempre, sa tingin ko ay hindi ito tama dahil nababawasan pa ang kita ko na sana lang ay ipadala ko
na sa aking pamilya sa Pilipinas o maitabi ko sana
para sa aking sarili.
Mabuti na lamang at mababait ang mga kasa-
mahan kong Filipino domestic worker dito. Tuwing
Linggo at day off namin, at dahil sa alam nila ang
kalagayan ko ay nagbibigay sila ng pagkain sa
akin kahit paano.
Sana magkaroon ng pagbabago sa kontrata
namin dito sa Hong Kong at gawing mandatory na
ibigay sa amin ang food allowance kaysa hayaang
ang mga amo namin ang siyang magbigay na lang
ng pagkain namin.
Umaasa, Alma S.
Advertisers are responsible for the content and accuracy of their advertisements.
Hong Kong News will not be liable for inaccurate advertising and / or legal disputes involving third parties.
Jeneth P. Julve
Philip C. Tubeza Cheryl Arcibal
Managing Editor
Editor
Associate Editor
Corelene B. Cruz Sales & Marketing Executive
Joko Harjanto
Nin Tang
Assistant Sales Manager
Senior Designer
All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced
without the written permission of
the publisher.
Published by HK Publications Ltd.
Unit 3-9, 10/F, Fook Hong Industrial Building, No.19
Sheung Yuet Road, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon
Telephone: 2851 1766 Fax: 2858 8979
E-mail: hongkongnews@hkpub.com
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Printed By: Superflag Printing and Communication Limited
1/F., 8 Chun Ying Street, Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories, Hong Kong
HONG KONG NEWS
BARRIO PINOY
October 1, 2015
‘Mano Po’ to
launch Filipino
film fest in HK
By Cheryl Arcibal
“MANO Po”, the hit movie about the travails of a Tsinoy family that spawned a series of other similar-themed films, will be
the opening salvo of a film festival organized by the Philippine Consulate General
here in the territory.
Vice Consul Alex Vallespin said “Mano
Po 1: My Family” will launch the film fest
at a showing on October 16 at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center. Five other Filipino movies will be featured in the festival.
“Ang ila-launch dito iyong medyo
makakarelate sila, iyong may Chinese culture,” Vallespin said in an interview.
According to Wikipedia, “Mano Po” is
Regal Entertainment’s entry for the 2002
Metro Manila Film Festival. The movie
has an all-star cast led by Maricel Soriano,
Richard Gomez, Kris Aquino, Ara Mina,
Eddie Garcia, and Boots Anson Roa.
The film was given most of the major awards of the film-fest award-giving
body, including Best Picture; Best Actor
for Garcia; Best Actress for Mina, Best
Supporting Actress for Aquino; and Best
Director for Joel Lamangan.
The movie was also among the
top-grossing movies during the festival.
The showing at Asia Society will be a
one-time event and the film fest will run
in schools in various locations in Hong
Kong.
Mano Po 1
In a previous interview, Vallespin said
the festival’s target audiences are students
from primary schools, secondary schools,
and the universities as well as professionals.
“The main target is parang cultural exchange so Hong Kongers will know about
our culture. We’ll be introducing them to
Philippine culture, and our medium is motion pictures,” Vallespin had added.
Meanwhile, the planned performance of
Ballet Philippines in the territory has been
temporarily shelved owing to scheduling
and venue requirements of the group.
“We are still hoping to get an appropriate venue for Ballet Philippines, maybe
next year,” Vallespin said.
25
PCG: More Pinoys in HK registering for
2016 overseas absentee voting
By Cheryl Arcibal
WITH only a month more to go before
the closing of the Overseas Voting Registration (OVR), more Filipinos here in
the territory are rushing to register.
Vice Consul Alex Vallespin said that
from the 80 to 90 average of new registrants every week that the Philippine
Consul General previously processed,
the number of average new registrants
in the recent weeks is between 150 and
160.
The last day for registration is October
31.
“We’re averaging close to 120 new registrants dito sa Konsulado. [Kung kasama
ang PNB s World-Wide House), ngayon
siguro ang average 150 to 160 new registrants every week,” Vallespin said.
The registration at the Consulate is
from Sunday to Thursday, while registration at the Philippine National Bank
in World Wide House is open seven days
a week.
Voters choose their
candidates at the
Bayanihan Centre
(File photo)
“Dahil sa pumapasok na ngayon, siguro easily nasa 19,000 [na ang new registrants] and with our schedule na siksik
hanggang October 25, we’re confident
talaga na malalagpasan natin ito [target
20,000 new registrants],” said Vallespin.
Besides the regular registration schedule at the PCG and at World-Wide
House, Vallespin said the PCG has
scheduled mobile registration visits to
various locations in Hong Kong.
On September 20, a mobile registration visit was scheduled to be in the
Jesus is Lord Church in Tuen Mun, and
then on September 27 at Chater Road in
Central.
Meanwhile, Vallespin also said the
PCG has received two applications for
the Special Board of Election Inspectors
(SBEI) members and two more have expressed their intent to submit their application.
He said the PCG is still awaiting instructions from the Commission on
Elections in Manila about the number of
SBEIs for the presidential polls in May.
“Mukhang hindi aaprubahan ang hinihingi naming 20 SBEIs. Baka mas mababa, we’re still waiting for the guidance
of Comelec, pero ang sa amin lang dapat
hindi bababa sa siyam noong mid-term
elections. Presidential elections ito sa
May, so it should not go lower than nine
[SBEIs],” Vallespin said.
In July, Vallespin told leaders of the
Filipino community that the PCG was
firming up the terms of reference for the
hiring of 40 members of SBEIs.
To qualify as SBEI members, one
must be at least 18 years old, able to
speak English or Filipino, of good moral
character and has never been convicted of any election offense or any other crime punishable by more than six
months in prison.
As of September 18, Vice-President
Jejomar Binay, Senator Grace Poe, and
Interior Secretary Mar Roxas have declared their intention to seek the presidency next year.
26
BARRIO PINOY
Emergency Hotlines
Numbers To Remember
EMERGENCY
Hong Kong Observatory
(Weather)
2835 1473
Police, Fire Services, Hospitals999
Police Report Hotline
2527 7177
PHILIPPINE CONSULATE
For emergency cases, call or text:
Assistance to Nationals
9155 4023
Labor 6080 8323
OWWA
6345 9324
SSS
2823 8552
Pag-Ibig
2823 8561
Consulate Trunkline
2823 8500
Office Fax: 2866 9885
Email: hongkongpc@philcongen-hk.com
Website: http://philcongen-hk.com/
Facebook: Philippine Consulate General
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong GOVERNMENT
Independent Commission Against
Corruption
2526 6366
Central Government
2835 2500
Complaint Against Police 2866 7700
2200 4460 to 62
Consumer Rights Hotline 2929 2222
Department of Health
2961 8989
Equal Opportunities Commission
2511 8211
Immigration
2824 6111
Labour Department
2717 1771
Legal Aid 2537 7677
Race Relations Unit
2810 3203
Social Welfare
2343 2255
Transport
2804 2600
Postal Hotline
2921 2222
October 1, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
Nearly 600 OFWs take BLEPT
By Philip C. Tubeza
NEARLY 600 Filipinos in Hong Kong
are set to take the Professional Regulation
Commission (PRC) exam for teachers on
September 27, Labor Attache Nenita Garcia said.
Garcia said 565 Filipinos signed up for
the PRC-Board Licensure Examination
for Professional Teachers (BLEPT) that
would be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).
“We checked the schools but they said
they could not accommodate more than
500 examinees and so we chose HKCEC,”
Garcia said in an interview.
“This is part of our government’s reintegration program which helps OFWs
who plan to go back to the Philippines for
good. In this case, they will be going back
to teach,” she added.
Garcia said around 300 overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong took the BLEPT
when it was last held in the territory.
“We’re still checking if those who
passed that test would be able to take their
oath when the PRC officials arrive,” Garcia said.
She urged examinees to bring along
their notice of admission and two passport
size pictures when they
go to the HKCEC.
They should also
bring the official receipt of payment of
application for examination, one window
GARCIA
envelope with metered
postage stamps, one
long transparent white plastic envelope,
one long size brown envelope, two or
more pencils, one ball pen “with black ink
only”, and a non-programmable calculator.
“The registration will begin at 6:30
a.m. because we have to accommodate so
many examinees,” Garcia said.
“They should attend to their personal needs before the start of the exams in
every subject,” she said.
No examinee will be allowed to go out
of the exam area while the exam is in progress,” she added.
Examinees are also prohibited from
bringing food and eating inside the exam
area.
“Accepting or receiving anything, including food from any person while the
exam is ongoing is strictly prohibited,”
Garcia said.
CARD OFW HK Kaalamang Pangkabuhayan inilunsad
By Victoria Reyes Munar
MAY 159 overseas Filipino workers ang
dumalo sa dalawang session ng kauna-unahang actual livelihood skills’ training na
ginanap noong ika-20 ng Septyembre sa
Bayanihan Centre.
Bilang tugon sa hiling ng karamihan,
bukod sa Financial Literacy at Entrepreneurship seminar na dating ibinibigay ng
grupo, sinimulan na din ang pagbibigay
ng actual skills training. Ang nasabing
bagong programa ay magbibigay din
ng pagkakataon para sa mga trainors na
OFW na ibahagi ang kanilang kahusayan
at talento sa mga kapwa OFWs.
Longganisa-making at Basic Fruit
Carving ang naging sentro ng unang
pagsasanay na pinangunahan ng mga
Livelihood Trainors na sina Ching Baltazar, Lufrecia Ruiz, Siony Medina para
sa Longganisa Making kung saan itinuro
ang paggawa ng karaniwang longganisa
at skinless at Elpie Abel sa Basic Fruit
Carving. Sa Fruit Carving, natutunan
ng mga dumalo ang pagdisenyo ng apple
duck, swan at iba pa. mula sa mansanas.
Nagsilbi ring inspirasyon at hamon ang
mga ipinakitang iba pang gawa ng nasabing trainor mula sa ibang uri ng prutas
na nagpapakita ng ibat-ibang disenyo.
Ang mga nabanggit na trainors ay mga
eksperto sa kani-kanilang linya ng livelihood.
Umani ng positibong reaksyon at
masayang pagtanggap ang nasabing
training. “Mahalaga na natuto ako ng
mga ito, sa aking pag-uwi sa hinaharap
maari kong magamit ito sa pagtupad ng
minimithi kong munting negosyo”, turan ni Corazon Villanueva na isa sa mga
dumalo. “Hilig ko ito kaya tuwang- tuwa
ako ng mabasa ko ang anunsyo, agadagad akong nagparehistro”, sambit na-
man ni Elizabeth Junio.
Ayon naman kay Ching Baltazar na isa
sa mga trainors, “Nakaka- touch ang mga
sinabi nila at nakakataba ng puso ang
kanilang ‘words of appreciation,’ tunay
ngang damang-dama ang kagustuhan
nilang matuto hindi lang para sa self-development kundi nakikita na rin nila
itong potential source of livelihood pag
nag- for good.”
Sa pagtatapos ng training, umuwing
punong-puno ng tuwa at inspirasyon ang
mga dumalo sa bagong kaalamang natamo.
Sa mga hindi pa nakadalo sa CARD
OFW HK Financial Literacy, makipag-ugnayan sa 95296392 / 54238196
for reservation and inquiries para sa
susunod na seminar sa October 18 sa
Bayanihan Centre at abangan din ang
mga susunod pang pagsasanay na hatid
Ang ilang dumalo sa training
ng nasabing grupo.
NON-GOVERNMENT
ORGANIZATIONS
Asia-Pacific Mission for Migrants
2723 7536
Asian Migrant Center
2312 0031
Christian Action - Shine Center
3188 4555
Diocesan Pastoral Center for Filipinos
(and other Asian Migrants and Ethnic
Minorities)
2526 4249
Alliance of Progressive Labor 2770 0411
Bayanihan Trust Centre
2817 8928
Filipino Migrant Workers Union
9104-1411; 9758-5935
Hong Kong Christian Service - CHEER Ce
nter
3755 6811
International Social Services 2836 3598
Mission for Migrant Workers 2522 8264
The Bethune House
2721 3119
2522 8264
Helpers for Domestic Helpers 2523 4020
United Filipinos in Hong Kong 3156 2447
AIRPORT AND AIRLINES
Airport Inquiry
Cathay Pacific Airways
Cebu Pacific Air
Philippine Airlines
2181 8888
2747 5000
2722 0609
2301 9300
GALLERY
Mommy Sonia with students of Culinary Arts Centre taking up Asian and
Western cooking. For enquiries, please call 2850 7724 or 2850 7714
Owtel staff and the lucky winners of the Kata Raffle Draw show
off their prizes last September 13 at Owtel Shop 218 in World Wide
House. For more information about our upcoming raffle draws, like
our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OwtelShopHK
The LA Union Federation of Hong Kong (LUFOH) held its
15th Anniversary and Search for Mutya & Reyna ng LA Union
HK 2015 last September 20 at Chater Road in Central. The
event was attended by members and leaders of the Filipino
community as well as guests from the Philippines.
HONG KONG NEWS
BUHAY OFW
October 1, 2015
27
Modelong Anak ng OFW:
‘Thank you, Lord’
By Vilma Ramos
Name:
BLESSING GALANO
AGUIRRE
DOB:
Dec. 7, 1993
PLACE: Brgy. Paul, Mangatarem,
Pangasinan
PARENTS:Rogelio Gallardo Aguirre
(deceased) & Fenina
Galano Aguirre
Country where her Mom works as
OFW: Hong Kong
Hello my co-OFW kids...Gaya ninyo we
all share the same feelings but different
life stories, being anak ng mga tinaguriang “Modern day Heroes.”
I’m Blessing Galano Aguirre. I grew
up without my parents-my father died
of heart disease; I was 8 years old lang
noong mamatay siya. Since my father
passed away, my mother had to stay and
work in Hong Kong to secure our future.
All my years, I was living alone without
my parents but I did not give up reaching
my dream. I graduated with a degree of
Bachelor of Science in Education major
in Music from the Philippine Normal
University in Manila.
Noong student pa po ako, naging Rondalla Musician Scholar po at naging Vice
Pres. ng Society of Young Music Educators at trainer/conductress ng Aniweng na
Cuerdas Society.
Studying hard is one of the best gifts I
can give in return for the sacrifices of the
woman who worked hard for my future,
my mother. I don’t want to let her sacrifices be disregarded and so I studied
hard. I graduated on time, I passed the
LET after I graduated and I immediately
got a job.
To enhance my passion in music at
para maibsan ang aking loneliness being
Balasubas na kapitbahay
By Imelda Mae Bustinera
NAIIYAK na nagkukwento si Anna, 38,
may asawa at anak, tubong Batangas, sa
mga kasamahan at sa pagsundo sa mga
alaga nila dahil ang dating kapitbahay sa
Euston Court sa Park Road Sai Ying Pun
na si F. ay hindi na bumalik matapos magpaalam sa amo.
Ang sabi kasi ng dati niyang kapitbahay
ay uuwi muna ito kahit isang linggo lang
at may problema sa pamilya na kailangang
ayusin.
Mag-iisang buwan na ang lumipas nang
makita ni Anna ang amo ng kapitbahay at
naitanong kung kailan ba babalik si F.
Parang binuhusan daw siya ng malamig
na tubig ng sabihin ng among dapat daw
matagal ng nakabalik kung babalik pa dahil isang linggo lang naman yung paalam
ni F.
Kaya ipina blotter na raw niya. Napansin daw siya ng among kapitbahay na
Damihan ang pagkain
NAGAGALIT ang among lalake ni Rizza, 43,
may asawa at dalawang anak, tubong Pampanga, kapag ang ihahain na pagkain sa hapag ay
kakaunti at mga dalawang putahe lang kaya
tinandaan na niya na dapat mga tatlo o apat na
putahe lagi ang ihain.
Hindi naman niya problema ang perang
pamalengke dahil tinatanong lang siya kung
magkano ang kailangan o kaya sinasabihan
lang siya na kumuha na lang sa lugar kung saan
ilinalagay ang perang nakalaan para sa gastusin
at para sa pang biglaang pangangailangan.
Sa loob ng mahigit 10 taon ay hindi na
kailangan pang ulit-ulitin kaya sinisiguro ni
Rizza na sapat at magugustuhan ng amo ang
pagkaing ihahain niya sa hapag kainan.
Minsan ng kumukuha na si Rizza ng pagkain
niya ay sinabihan siyang damihan ang pagkain na kukunin niya dahil tumataba na raw ang
among lalake dahil sinisikap ubusin.
Sumagot naman si Rizza ng “Yes, sir” at
napasalamat. Pero ganun pa rin naman ang dating dami na kinuha ni Rizza.Kung ang ibang
kasambahay ay tinitipid sa pagkain, siya naman daw niya ay pinapadamihan.
IMB
namumutla kaya tinanong daw siya kung
bakit at ano ang nangyayayari sa kanya.
Sinabi naman daw ni Anna ang totoo na
humiram daw kasi sa kanya si F. ng pera.
Ang sabi naman daw ng amo, bakit naman
daw manghihiram pa rin si F. sa kanya
samantalang dalawang bangko raw ang
tumatawag sa bahay nila.
Halos lahat na nasa paligid niya ay napatanong kung totoo ang sinabi niya dahil
hindi lang pala si Anna ang inutangan. Pati
raw pala luggage bag na bago pa at nagkakahalaga ng mahigit isang libong dolyar
ay hiniram din sa isang kakilala.
Naisip tuloy nila na pinagplanuhan ni
F. yung pag-uwi na hindi na babalik dahil
bakit siya maglalakas ng loob mangungutang sa dalawang bangko bukod pa sa mga
kakilala.
Papaano niya raw babayaran yun sa sahod niya. Kaya raw pala may mga amo na
hinahawakan ang passport ay dahil na rin sa
kagagawan ng mga kasambahay.
away from my mom, I indulged myself sa
mga musical activities. Modesty aside I
participated in many activities:
• Rondalla Trainer/Conductor: sa ‘My
City , My SM My Craft” at SM City
Rosales,Pangasinan May 15, 2015
* PASINAYA Open House Festival 2015
Rondalla Trainer/Conductor at Cultural Center of the Philippines February
15, 2015.
* Ethnomusicology Seminar Participant
at Philippine Normal University Manila February 28, 2014
• Lute and Zither Festival Participant at
Centro Escolar University, September
2013
• Pangarap sa Gabi ng Gitnang TagAraw (Musical Show) Assistant Production Manager Philam Life Theater,
UN Avenue, Manila October 2013
• 2nd International Rondalla Festival
Musician at University of the Philippines, Diliman February 12-19, 2011
• Orchestra Sin Arco (Workshop for
Plucked Instruments –Musician St.
Scholastica’s College, Manila August
2-5, 2010
I am what I am today because of my
mom and I firmly believe that the secret
to becoming successful in life , is to put
God first and to be hankful sa ating mga
parents o ina na nagsa-sacrifice para sa ating mga pangarap.
AGUIRRE
28
ENTERTAINMENT
October 1, 2015
AlDub, hindi
mangangampanya
By Cristy Kasilag
MALAPIT na ang eleksyon kaya malapit
nang mangampanya ang mga kakandidato
para sa iba’t-ibang posisyon sa gobyerno.
At tulad ng nakasanayan sa Bansang
Pilipinas, parte na rin ng mga pangangampanya ang pag-imbita o pagkuha ng mga
artista para pang hakot sa mga manunuod
at makapagbigay saya o aliw.
Sa mga panahon na ito, ang pinakasikat
na love team ay ang “AlDub” na kinabibilangan ng Pambansang Bae na si Alden
Richards---Richard Reyes Faulkerson
Jr. sa tunay na buhay---at ang Dubsmash
Queen na si Yaya Dub---Nicomaine Dei
“Maine” Capili Mendoza sa tunay na buhay.
Sumikat ang AlDub sa “Kalyeserye” ng
longest noontime show na “Eat Bulaga!”
Dahil sa kanilang kasikatan, may napabalita na merong mga basketball teams na
gustong kumuha kay Maine para maging
muse nila. Meron ding commercial ng
McDo ang “AlDub” dahil sa phenomenal
nilang kasikatan na abot na sa iba’t-ibang
bansa.
Ang tanong ngayon ng marami ay: Sinong pulitiko ang ikakampanya ng AlDub?
Ang sagot naman ni Senator Tito Sotto,
isa sa tatlong haligi ng “Eat Bulaga!” ay
“wala.”
Sinabi ni Tito Sen, ang minsan tawag sa
senador, na hindi pumayag ang pamunuan ng “Eat Bulaga” na mangampanya o
mag-endorso ng isang kandidato para sa
darating na eleksyon ang popular na tambalan.
Ang dahilan ay ayaw nilang mabahiran
HONG KONG NEWS
Mga artista ng ASAP nag-away
By Cristy Kasilag
ng kulay pulitika ang AlDub.
Inamin ni Tito Sen na meron ng dalawang nagbabalak tumakbo bilang president ang lumapit na kila Alden at Maine
para kunin silang endorsers. Pero tumanggi ang AlDub kahit na malaki ang
inaalok na bayad sa kanila.
Nuon lamang Sabado sa episode ng
Kalyeserye, kung saan ang na-abduct na
sila Alden at Maine ay nakapiring ang
mga mata at magkahiwalay na dinala sa
isang parking lot, ay umani ng panibagong
record breaking tweets.
Ang hashtag na #ALDUBTheAbduction ay nakalikom ng mahigit na 6.35 million tweets sa loob lamang ng 24 oras.
Si Alden ay lubos na nagpapasalamat
sa mga bumubuo ng AlDub Nation o mga
AlDub fans.
ALDEN at YAYA DUB
ANG isa sanang masayang “A.S.A.P.
Live in London” ay nauwi sa sagutan, sigawan at tampuhan, ng ilan sa mga host
ng palabas.
Ninanis ng mga kasali sa kontrobersiya manahimik na lamang at huwag nang
palakihin ang isyu kaya naman merong
naglalabasan na mga iba’t-ibang bersyon
ng istorya kung ano talaga ang nangyari
sa loob ng isang commercial flight patungong London nuong ika-4 ng Setyembre.
Meron nagsabi na nag-inuman ng alak
ang ilang artista sa loob ng eroplano, tulad nila Paulo Avelino, Jake Cuenca, at
Enrique Gil.
Pero ang sabi ni Jake ay tulog daw siya
nung mga pangyayari na yun. Samantala,
si Paolo naman ay tikom ang bibig at ang
sinasabi lamang ay tanungin nila yung
mga tao na kasali sa isyu at huwag siya.
Ngunit sinabi din ni Paolo sa 23-anyos
na si Enrique na, “Live life and learn
from your mistakes.”
Puro papuri naman si Jake kay Enrique
at sinabing may “pure heart” ito ngunit
sa mga ganitong pagkakataon ay kailangan niyang akuin ang responsiblidad
para sa mga nagawa niya.
Ang nangyari raw sa eroplano ay ay
nalasing si Enrique at diumano ay nabastos nito si Jessy Mendiola, isa pang
artista sa ASAP.
Nagkataon naman na si Luis Manzano ay katabi ni Jessy at hindi raw nagustuhan nito ang kilos ni Enrique kaya
pinagsabihan niya ang kapwa aktor na
magkontrol ito at huwag ilagay ang alak
sa utak. May punto din daw na nagalit
umano si Enrique at pati ang kanyang
on-screen partner na si Liza Soberano ay
sinigawan at minura niya.
ENRIQUE
Humingi ng patawad si Enrique kay
Jessy, pati na sa boyfriend nito na si JM
De Guzman.
Pero ang kinaiinis ng ina ni Jessy na si
Didith Garvida ay ang anak niya ang inaaway ng mga fans nila Liza at Enrique.
Ang bintang ng mga bashers ay kumukuha lang daw ng atensyon si Jessy
dahil hindi siya sikat. Dahil dito ay naguguluhan at lalo lang nasasaktan si Jessy.
Ang banta ni Didith ay maaari silang
magsampa ng kaso ng paglabag sa Anti-Cyber-Bullying law sa mga fans ni
Enrique na ayaw tigilan ang anak niya.
Si Jessy naman ay nagpost sa kanyang
Instagram account nang kataga ni Budda
na “Three things in life cannot be hidden:
the sun, the moon and the truth.”
Kalakip ang caption na: “The truth
will always come out no matter how you
lie about it. You know what you did, so
don’t try to squeeze yourself out by fabricating stories. Even trying to ruin other
people’s relationship with your twisted mind. Someone heard and saw what
you did. What goes around comes back
around, brother.”
HONG KONG NEWS
October 1, 2015
29
30
ENTERTAINMENT
October 1, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
Cristine Reyes engaged na
By Cristy Kasilag
MALAPIT nang tawagin si Cristine Reyes
na Mrs. Ali Khatibi.
Ito ay matapos ipaaalam nila Cristine,
sa pamamagitan ng kanyang account sa
Instagram, ang balita na engaged na sila
ni Ali. Sinamahan pa niya ito ng caption
na “Engaged!”
Kung naiintindihan lamang ng pitong
buwan nilang anak na si Amarah ang
pangyayari na ito, malamang siya ang
magiging pinakamasaya sa lahat dahil
magiging legal na ang pagsasama ng kanyang mga magulang na si Cristine at Ali,
na isang mix martial arts (MMA) athlete.
Madami ang kaagad na nagpaabot ng
congratulations. Napasok ni Cristine ang
showbiz nuong siya ay sumali sa talent
search show ng GMA7 na StarStruck.
Pagkatapos ay unti-unti siyang naging
pantasya ng maraming kalalakihan.
Nuon lamang Marso ng nakaraang taon
nang nagkakilala si Cristine, na nakababatang kapatid ng aktres na si Ara Mina,
at si Ali. Pagkatapos ng walong buwan o
noong Nobyembre ay ipinagtapat na ng
artista na buntis siya.
ALI at CRISTINE
Nanganak si Cristine, na ang tunay na
pangalan ay Ara Marie Cristine Reyes,
nuong ika-8 ng Pebrero, tatlong araw pagkatapos niya ipinagdiwang ang kanyang
ika-26 na kaarawan.
Kaagad na ipinakita ni Cristine sa kanyang Instagram account ang litrato ng
kanyang munting anghel. Tinuturing niyang isang biyaya ang anak sa kanyang
buhay.
Pero hindi naging madali ang kanyang
pagbubuntis dahil pitong buwan lamang
niya dinala sa kanyang sinapupunan si
Amarah. Kinailangan na iwan ang sanggol
sa Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
ng ospital para mabantayan siyang maigi
ng mga duktor at nurses.
Sa ilang araw nito sa NICU, tila narinig ng Diyos ang kanilang mga dasal na
maging maayos ang lahat dahil napansin
na lumalakas ang sanggol. Naniniwala si
Cristine na namana ng bata ang pagiging
palaban ng kanyang ama at makakalabas
din ito ng ospital.
Baron Geisler, naaksidente
By Cristy Kasilag
DALAWANG buwan pa lamang ang nakalilipas at muli na namang nasama ang
magaling pero tila pilyong aktor na si
Baron Geisler sa isang di kanais-nais na
balita.
Nuon lamang ika-15 ng Setyembre,
pasado alas tres ng madaling araw, ay nasangkot ang 33-anyos na aktor sa isang
vehicular incident kung saan ang kanyang
minamanehong SUV---isang kulay itim na
Toyota Fortuner---ay binangga ng isang
truck na nasa kanyang likuran.
Si Baron ay may kasamang isang babae
na nagngangalang Eurie, na nakasakay sa
harap na passenger seat, nang mangyari
ang banggaan.
Ayon sa mga naunang balita, kakatapos
lang magshooting nila Baron at binabagtas nila ang kahabaan ng Felix Avenue sa
Pasig City nang mangyari ang aksidente.
Dapat ay mag uu-turn Si Baron nang binangga siya ng isang diumano ay mabilis
BARON
na truck, na may plaka na RJA-151, na
pag-aari raw ng FTAT Cargo Movers.
Nayupi ang malaking kanang bahagi ng
kotse ni Baron. Kaagad nilinaw ni Baron
na hindi siya lasing nung nabangga siya.
Laking pasalamat ni Baron sa Diyos at
hindi siya nasaktan at si Eurie ay meron
lamang tinamo na minor injuries mula sa
aksidente. Balak niya dalhin si Eurie sa
hospital para mas lalong masuri ng mga
doktor.
Nagreklamo naman si Baron sa bagal na pagresponde ng Pasig City police
dahil mga alas-singko na ng umaga siya
nakarating sa Traffic Division ng himpilan
ng pulisya.
Base sa unang pag-iimbestiga ng
pulisya, mag uu-turn dapat ang aktor sa
Gate 3 ng Karangalan Village nung nabangga siya. Nasabi ng mga imbestigador
na meron silang nakita na skid marks mula
sa truck na nagbibigay hinala na mabilis
ang takbo ng truck.
Pero ayon sa truck driver, di niya napansin ang kotse ni Baron dahil sa mabilis na
pag u-turn nito.
Ilang buwan pa lamang ang lumipas
nang meron amateur video na lumabas
na nagpapakita na nagwawala sa labas ng
isang bar sa Pampanga si Baron. Ayaw
siya papasukin sa loob ng bar ng dalawang
bantay nito dahil lasing na siya.
Minumura at hinahamon ni Baron ng
suntukan ang dalawang bouncers, pero
hindi siya pinatulan ng mga ito.
Mocha Girls ikinulong sa KL
By Cristy Kasilag
HINULI sa Kuala Lumpur kamakailan
ang all-female group na Mocha Girls
dahil nagtrabaho sila duon na walang
kinaukulang working permit mula sa
gobyerno ng Malaysia.
Limang araw nakulong ang mga Filipina entertainers na pinangungunahan ni
Mocha Uson.
Ang Mocha Girls ay binubuo ng anim
na magagandang babae na marunong kumanta at sumayaw.
Nakwento ni Byron Monfero Cristobal,
ang manager ng Mocha Girls, sa kanyang
Facebook account na dumating ang mga
female entertainers sa Kuala Lumpur
nuong ika-4 ng Setyembre bilang parte
ng kanilang Asian tour.
Sa isang hotel nila isinagawa ang kanilang concert. Habang nasa pangalawang kanta pa lamang sila ay nagkaroon
ng raid sa hotel at hinanapan sila ng
passport at mga kaukulang permit para
sa palabas.
Mukhang may pagkukulang umano
ang producer ng concert na siyang dapat
kumuha ng working permits para sa mga
miyembro ng grupo. Nung nahuli sila,
ang hawak lang ng Mocha Girls ay “social visit pass.”
Pero pinakawalan din sila pagkali-
pas ng limang araw matapos na mapatunayang hindi malaswa ang kanilang
palabas. Pinagbayad lamang sila ng fine.
Pagdating sa Pilipinas, inamin ng
Mocha Girls na natrauma sila sa mga
pangyayari at hindi makakalimutan ang
kanilang karanasan habang nakapiit sa
kulungan.
Habang nasa kulungan, hindi raw sila
pinayagan magsuot ng tsinelas at napilitan matulog sa sahig kasama pa ang 40
ibang nakakulong duon.
Nabigla sila sa pangyayari dahil hindi
nila alam na sa ganun sila dadalhin. Wala
dinsilang pagkakataon na makapagpalit
ng damit.
HONG KONG NEWS
ENTERTAINMENT
October 1, 2015
‘Heneral Luna’ umani ng papuri
By Cristy Kasilag
UMAANI ngayon ng papuri ang pelikulang “Heneral Luna” na gawa ng Artikulo
Uno Productions.
Pero nanganganib na kakaunti lamang
ang makakapanuod ng nasabing pelikula
dahil kaunti na lamang na sinehan ang
LJ Reyes
nanalong best
actress
By Cristy Kasilag
NAKAMIT ni LJ Reyes ang Best Actress
Award sa kakatapos lamang na 13th Pacific Meridian International Film Festival
na ginawa sa Vladivostok, Russia para sa
pagganap niya sa pelikula na “Anino sa
Likod ng Buwan” (Shadow Behind the
Moon).
Ang film festival ay itinanghal mula
ika-12 hanggang ika-18 ng Setyembre.
Wala ang 27 anyos na si Lourna Jane
“LJ” Pujeda Reyes sa Russia para kunin
ang award. Nalaman lamang niya na
nasungkit niya ang Best Actress Award
mula kay Jun Robles Lana na nagdirect ng
pelikula.
Nagpadala ng text message is Direk Jun
kay LJ na nagsasabi na siya ang itinghal
na best actress. Nung nabasa daw niya ang
mensahe ay naiyak na lang siya.
Ito ang kauna-unahang international best
actress award na nakuha ni LJ. Nagsimula
ang showbiz career niya nung sumali siya
at naging isa sa final four ng talent search
an StarStruck nuong taong 2004.
Lubos ang pasasalamat ng magaling na
aktres sa Diyos na nagbigay ng biyaya na
ito sa kanya.
“Nung nabasa ko, naiyak na lang ako.
God knows how hard I worked for that
film kaya sobrang sarap ng feeling. It is
such a good blessing from God. He is so
kind to me,” ang sabi ni LJ.
Hindi raw siya nanghihinayang na hindi
siya nakapunta sa Russia.
Para sa kanya malaking bagay na malaman na nagustuhan ng mga manunuod ang
pelikula na pinaghirapan nilang gawin.
Ang manalo ng award para sa best actress
ay isang dagdag biyaya, parang icing sa
cake.
Itinuturing din na big winner ang pelikula dahil liban sa best actress award ay
napanalunan din nila ang tatlo pang kategorya, kabilang na ang best director para
kay Direk Jun.
LJ
nagpapalabas nito. Napabalita kamakailan
na nung nagsimula ipalabas ang pelikula,
merong 101 na sinehan ang nagdala nito.
Pero nung ikalawang linggo niya sa takilya ay mapapanuod na lamang ito sa 41
na sinehan.
Ang karamihan daw ng sinehan na nagtanggal ng pelikulang “Heneral Luna” ay
iyong mga sa probinsya.
Ang magaling at beteranong artista
na si John Arcilla ang gumanap bilang si
Heneral Antonio Luna. Marami ang pumuri sa mahusay na pagganap ni Arcilla.
Gamit ang social media, inilabas ng
ilang mga kilalang personalidad ang kanilang saloobin sa pangyayari na ito.
Ang sabi ng mamamahayag na si Atom
Araullo ay, “Watch Heneral Luna before it
disappears from theaters, please. Superb.
Arcilla, as Luna, is one of the finest performances I’ve ever seen.”
Si Direk Laurenti Dyogi naman ay humikayat sa publiko na suportahan ang
pelikula dahil isa raw itong magandang
31
pagpapakita ng kasaysayan ng bansa. Samantala si Direk Jose Javier Reyes naman
ay nagsabi na, “Celebrating the grandeur
of Tarog’s HENERAL LUNA as cinema: shattered by the truth in its statement
about Filipinos & our leaders.”
Ayon sa balita ay ang “Heneral Luna”
ang unang bahagi ng tatlong pelikula.
32
ENTERTAINMENT
October 1, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
Aiza suspendido sa ASAP
By Cristy Kasilag
TILA hindi muna maririnig ng mga taga-hanga ni Aiza Seguerra ang malamig
nitong boses sa “ASAP 20” matapos siyang suspindihin sa palabas.
Hindi malinaw kung bakit siya sinabihan ng management ng “ASAP 20” na
magpahinga muna o magtake ng leave of
absence mula sa “Sessionistas” segment
ng pangtanghaling palabas tuwing Linggo
ng ABS-CBN Channel 2.
Pero ang kutob ng 32-anyos na singer
at aktor ay ang kanyang suspension ay
may kinalaman sa pagiging parte niya ng
bagong pang-umaga na teleserye ng karibal na istasyon sa telebisyon GMA-7 na
ang pamagat ay “The Ryzza Mae Show
Presents… Princess In The Palace” na
magsisimula sa ika-21 ng Setyembre.
Siya ay maaaring naipit sa network war
ng ABS-CBN at GMA-7.
Ang bagong palabas ay produkto ng
TAPE at APT Entertainment. Si Aiza ay
produkto ng “Eat Bulaga!” at sa edad na
tatlong taong gulang ay sumikat siya nung
sumali siya sa contest nito na “Little Miss
Philippines” nuong taong 1987.
Ang TAPE din ang producer ng longest
running noontime variety show na “Eat
Bulaga!” na may dalawang buwan nang
AIZA
lumalampaso sa pangtanghalian na palabas ng ABS-CBN na “It’s Showtime!”
Ang “Eat Bulaga!”, na 36 taon nang
nagbibigay saya sa kanilang manonood,
ay merong segment na tawag ay KalyeSerye kung saan mapapanuod ang “AlDub” na pumapalo ng 28 million tweets
sa buong mundo.
Pero sinabi ni Aiza na kahit na ganyan
ang nangyari sa kanya sa ABS-CBN ay
hindi daw siya galit sa nasabing network
dahil naiintindihan niya na ang showbiz
ay isang negosyo at marahil ay pinangangalagaan lamang nila ang kanilang nego-
syo.
Mamimiss daw ni Aiza ang mga kasama
niya sa “Sessionistas.”
Ang akala lang niya ay hindi ito magdudulot ng problema dahil hindi naman
magbabangga sa oras ang palabas ng
“ASAP 20” sa “Princess In The Palace”.
Pero pinunto ng manager ni Aiza na si
Annabelle Borja na wala itong exclusive
contract sa ABS-CBN. Sinabihan din daw
nila si Lauren Dyogi, ang pinuno ng ABSCBN Head of TV Production, tungkol sa
palabas sa kabilang istasyon.
John Prats at Isabel Oli, magkakababy na
By Cristy Kasilag
BABY Dynamite, inaantay ka na ng Mommy Isabel Oli at Daddy John Prats mo.
Isang bibiyaya ang kaagad na ibinigay
sa bagong mag-asawa na sila Isabel at
John, apat na buwan matapos ang kanilang
kasal.
Ipinaalam sa publiko ng mag-asawa sa
pamamagitan ng kanilang Instagram accounts na nagdadalang-tao na ang 33 anyos na si Isabel, na ang tunay na pangalan
ay Maria Olivia Daytia.
Ang sabi ng Cebuana morena beauty:
“Even though my birthday is still a month
from now, God already gave me [one] of
His best gifts. We are happy to know that
there will be a sweet addition to our lovely
family. I’m so already in love with you,
my little precious one.”
Ang ginamit nilang hashtag para pagtukoy sa magiging sanggol ay “#BabyDynamite”.
ISABEL at JOHN
Pinahayag din niya ang pagmamahal sa
kanyang asawa, na sigurado raw niyang
magiging “best Dad in the whole wide
world.”
Ang 31-year-old na si John naman ay
sinabihan si Isabel na, “Can’t wait to meet
our #BabyDynamite. Thank you, God, for
this wonderful blessing. #ExcitedParents
#Speechless I love you @missisabeloli,
I’m sure you’ll be a great mom
#TheDynamiteFam.”
Tuwang-tuwa ang magiging ama sa
pagkabuntis ng kanyang misis at kaagad
ipinost ang ultrasound results nito.
Inulan naman sila ng mga congratulatory messages ng kanilang mga fans.
Matagal na magkakilala si John at si
Isabel pero mga ilang taon pa lang ang
nakakalipas nung lakas loob niyang niligawan si Isabel. Nagkasama ang dalawa
sa pelikulang “It Might Be You” nuong
taong 2004.
Nuong lamang ika-16 ng Mayo ay ikinasal sila John at Isabel, hindi lamang
isang beses kundi dalawang beses.
Bago mag alas-dose ng tanghali ng
ika-16 ng Mayo ay humarap sa altar ng
Nuestra Señora De La Soledad Parish in
Tanauan, Batangas para sa isang Catholic
wedding. At pagkatapos ay nagkaroon naman sila ng garden Christian wedding na
ginanap sa Nayomi Sanctuary Resort sa
Balete, Batangas farm.
Heart, hindi sasayaw o kakanta para kay Chiz
By Cristy Kasilag
MAY hangganan ang suporta ni Heart
Evangelista sa kanyang asawa na si Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero na nag-aambisyong maging bise presidente ng bansa.
Sinabi ni Heart, o si Love Marie Ongpauco-Escudero, na 100 percent niyang
susuportahan si Chiz pero hindi daw siya
handang sumayaw o kumanta para sa kanyang mister.
Parte na mga campaign sorties kapag eleksyon ang meron mga naiimbita na mga
personalidad na taga-showbiz, na karaniwan na sumayaw or kumanta, para mag-
bigay aliw sa mga tao dumalo sa sortie.
“I definitely won’t be doing those
things. I have to be careful because I’m
a celebrity. And we don’t see ourselves
being that kind of couple,” ang sagot ng
30-anyos na si Heart.
Nandun si Heart sa Club Filipino sa San
Juan nuong pormal na inanunsyo ni Chiz
ang kanyang plano na tumakbong bise
presidente ni Senator Grace Poe na nauna
nang nagpahayag ng kanyang intensyon
para tumakbo ng pagkapangulo.
Tatakbo ang dalawang senador sa ilalim
ng banner na “Partido Pilipinas” pero nilinaw nila na hindi ito political party kundi
isang ideolohiya at prinsipyo na nagpapaalala na lahat ng Pilipino ay kasapi ng
isang bansa.
Nakita din sa Club Filipino ang nanay ni
Heart na si Cecille Ongpauco nung nagpahayag si Chiz ng kanyang intensyon.
Hindi naman nakarating ang tatay ni
Heart na si Reynaldo Ongpauco dahil nagpapagaling siya sa isang karamdaman.
Maalala na nuong una ay matindi ang
pagtutol ng mga magulang ni Heart kay
Chiz dahil oportunista raw ito, pero nanindigan ang aktres at hindi iniwan ang senador. Kahit sa kasal nina Heart at Chiz sa
Balesin ay hindi sila nakadalo.
HONG KONG NEWS
October 1, 2015
33
34 ATPB
Horoscope
Capricorn December 22 to January 19
Magpakatotoo. Ipakita ang tunay mong nararamdaman at
iwasan ang panlilinlang sa iba.
Aquarius January 20 to February 18
Hindi kasalanan ang mamangha sa mga bagay na dumarating sa
iyo ngayon. Namnamin ang mga panahong umaapaw ang mga
pagpapala sa iyo.
Pisces February 19 to March 20
Marami ka mang problema ay tandaan na lagi mong
matatakbuhan ang Maykapal. Magdasal at humingi ng gabay
mula sa Kanya.
Aries March 21 to April 19
October 1, 2015
What’s Cooking?
Running out of kitchen ideas? Then
it’s time to go back to the basics and
everybody’s favorite: seafood and
vegetables. For this issue, we present you
Sauteed Seafood Vegetables that’s sure to
satisfy your craving for sweet, spicy, and
simply delicious. Happy cooking!
Ingredients:
¼ c. olive oil
24 pcs. quail eggs
1 head broccoli florets
1 c. seafood stock
2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 head cauliflower florets
1 carrot cut into rings
350 g. shrimps
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
½ c. fish cakes strips
2 Tbsp. chicken powder
1 big squid cut into
strips
4 cloves garlic
½ cup sliced onion
Procedure:
Peel and devein
shrimps and then cut
fish cake and squids
into strips.
Sautee with olive
oil, garlic and onion.
Add in all seafood with oyster sauce and
chicken powder.
Pour in broccoli florets and cauliflower
florets and carrots for 2-3 minutes.
By Chef Jay
Dator
4. Pour over seafood stock with cornstarch
until well blended. Serve hot.
Room 502, 5/F, Winfull Commercial Bldg., # 172For more recipes, enroll at Culinary Arts Centre
Kailangan mong ipaglaban kung ano ang tama. Huwag mahiyang
sabihin ang opinyon mo sa mga iba’t-ibang isyu.
Taurus April 20 to May 20
Minsan mas mainam na tuluyan nang kalimutan ang mga
nagdaang pangyayari lalo na’t kung wala itong mabuting
maidudulot sa iyo.
Gemini May 21 to June 20
May mga bagay kang hindi mo naiintindihan sa ngayon, ngunit
hindi ibig sabihin ay hindi maganda ang mga bagay na ito.
Magtiwala lang na may mabuting kahihinatnan ang mga ito.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
Kailangan mong magmadali. May mga oportunidad na maaring
hindi na bumalik pang muli.
Leo July 23 to August 22
Walang masama sa pangangarap. Ngunit mas maigi din na
nagsisikap ka upang maabot ang mga pangarap na ito.
Apo: Lolo kumain ho kayo kahit dalawang
kutsara lang.
Lolo: Dyaskeng bata ito, lugaw nga hindi ko
malunok, kutsara pa kaya!
Juan: Heto na po ang mga libro ninyo, puro
sulat pero walang istorya!
Librarian: Aha! Kayo pala kumukuha ng
telephone directory namin!
Sa isang mental hospital...
Sabi ng doktor sa mga pasyente, “Kung sino
ang unang makakalabas diyan sa pinto,
makakalabas na rito sa ospital!”
Nag-unahan ang mga pasyente. Isa lang ang
hindi nakigulo, si Brenda.
Doktor: Brenda, aba mukhang magaling ka
na! Bakit hindi ka tumakbo?
Brenda: Paano sila makakalabas sa pinto eh,
nasa akin yung susi!
Pasyente: Dok, ninenerbyos po ako! First
operation ko po ito...
Dok: Alam ko ang nararamdaman mo. Kasi,
ikaw ang una kong pasyente!
Mag-expect ng magandang darating sa buhay mo.
Libra September 23 to October 22
Malapit mo nang makamit ang tagumpay. Huwag lang mawalan
ng pag-asa.
Scorpio October 23 to November 21
Pag-aralan nang maigi kung paano gagawin nang tama at
maayos ang iyong trabaho. Dito mo makukuha ang pabor ng
iyong amo o boss.
Sagittarius November 22 to December 21
Tatagan mo ang iyong loob. Matatapos din ang iyong
kalungkutan.
Mang Kune: Simula ngayon, ayaw ko ng
kumain sa bahay namin.
Mang Berting: Bakit naman?
Mang Kune: Kasi pinalayas ng asawa ko yung
alaga naming pusa kagabi.
Mang Berting: Eh, ano namang koneksyon ng
pusa sa pagkain mo?
Mang Kune: Ang pusa namin kasi ang una
kong pinatitikim sa hinahain niyang pagkain
sa akin!
Sa isang hospital...
Jerry: Anong nangyari sa iyo at nagkabali-bali
ang buto mo?
Tom: Hinagisan po ako ng kaaway ko ng tubig.
Jerry: Tubig lang pala eh. Bakit nagkaganyan
ka na?
Tom: Bago pa ihagis ang tubig sa akin, inilagay
pala muna niya sa freezer!
Doray: Bakit iniwan ninyong walang takip
176 Wing Lok St. Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. For
enquiries, please call at 2850 7714 / 2850 7724
itong adobo natin? Baka nadapuan na ito ng
mga langaw .
Tiko: Huwag kang mag-alala ate, hindi
dadapuan ng langaw iyan.
Doray: Paano mo naman nasigurado?
Tiko: Inisprayan ko iyan ng insecticide!
Driver: Ale! Gising! Pakiayos naman para
makaupo ang ibang pasahero. Bakit
naman kasi mag-isa lang kayo sa upuan eh,
nakapamaywang pa kayo?!
Felicidad: Naku po! Ninakaw ‘yung dalawa
kong pakwan!
Usapan ng tatlong tambay…
Marvin: Ang tatay ko, sikat! Pag lumabas ng
bahay, kinakawayan ng mga tao!
Tony: Mas sikat ang tatay ko! Paglabas niya ng
bahay, naglalapitan ang mga tao at nagpapaautograph sa kanya.
Lester: Ang tatay ko, pag lumabas ng
bahay, naglalapitan ang mga tao. Tapos,
nagpapalitrato sila!
Marvin at Tony: Ang galing nga tatay mo!
Sikat nga siya!
Lester: Hindi sikat ang tatay ko. Trabaho niya
iyon. Photographer siya!
Crossword Puzzle
PAHALANG
Virgo August 23 to September 22
HONG KONG NEWS
1 Pagkain ng baboy
6Pasal
11Ilahok
12 Damit ng pari
13Baryo
14 Pagtakas ng
magkasintahan
15Rangya
16Pangatnig
18Mamay
19 Long Island
20Hukay
22Gapas
24 Mall sa Cubao
25 Mr. Taulava
28 Tanong ng
naghahanap
30Hulapi
31Dabog
33Ikaw
34 ____ mode
35Tadtad
37Punit
39Ilista
40 Bango ng pagkain
41Ginagawang
tsokolate
42 Pangkinis ng bakal
PABABA
1Binitbit
2Buskahin
3Ubaya
4Suyo
5Tinanggal
ang buhol
6 Paniki: Ingles
7Pagbibigay-daan
8Nilinang
9Lamanloob
10Tolda
17Salya
21Pinlano
23Nilikom
Answer to last puzzle
26 Kauri ng ham
27Inugali
29Sapantaha
31 Pera: pabalbal
32Puna
34Himok
36Diumano
38Yaman
HONG KONG NEWS
October 1, 2015
35
36
October 1, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS