1. business and industrial

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GET RICH. Finance
guru Randell Tiongson
reveals the “secret
formula” on how to
become a millionaire
in a talk at the PCG.
COMING OVER.
Lawmakers led by
Rep. Walden Bello are
visiting to look into
the concerns of OFWs
in Hong Kong.
The No.1 Filipino Newspaper
8
Vol.VI No.321
March 15, 2015
THE RULING. The
Supreme Court tells
judges to avoid
being too strict in
annulment cases.
‘Extremely lucky’
Court acquits domestic worker accused in $1.1 million money laundering scam
By Philip C. Tubeza
BECAUSE of her employer’s support and
the lack of vital evidence, a Filipina domestic worker who got entangled in a $1.1
million money laundering scam was able
to avoid imprisonment.
Eastern Magistrate So Wai-tak on March
3 acquitted Susei W.S. of two charges of
“conspiracy to deal with property known
to represent or having reasonable grounds
to believe such represent proceeds of an
indictable offence.”
So said the prosecution failed to provide
enough evidence to prove her guilt beyond
reasonable doubt. He also noted that her
employer, Madame Ching, had insisted in
court that Susei is an honest person.
“I find the defendant not guilty…You
are really extremely lucky that you have
Madame Ching as your employer and you
have (her and her family’s) support and
trust,” Judge So told Susei on March 3.
“You can repay them by serving with
honesty and integrity in the years to
come,” he added.
Susei and her employer cried as they
embraced each other after the judge announced his verdict.
The scammers had used Susei’s accounts
in the Bank of China and Hang Seng Bank
to transfer a total of $1,112,125 to a man
who introduced himself to be an American
Turn to page 12
UNDER A RED BANNER. Migrant workers mark International Women’s Day with a protest march to demand the resignation of President Aquino
and for Manila airport authorities to stop collecting terminal fees from overseas Filipino workers. (Philip C. Tubeza)
POLO stops issuing OECs at the Bayanihan
By Philip C. Tubeza
LABOR Attaché Nenita Garcia asked for
understanding after confusion and long
lines marred the transfer of the Philippine
Overseas Labor Office (POLO) to its new
premises in Admiralty.
Garcia said the situation was expected
to normalize later this month as 10 new
POLO counters were scheduled to open
at its new office on the 16th floor of the
Admiralty Centre building.
She added that she had also written Manila to send at least nine more additional
personnel because the POLO is currently
undermanned.
“Nakikiusap naman kami na it’s only a
transition period. Later on naman pagnatapos na yung sa taas (sa 16th floor),
talagang malaki. Improved talaga yung
services. Ang aim naman namin ay maimprove yung delivery of services,” Garcia
said in an interview.
“Ako, aminado ako na masikip ngayon
PUBLISHED BY HK PUBLICATIONS LTD. TEL: 2851 1766
pero eventually naman maluwag na. Meron din namang nagsasabi na comfortable
sila ngayon dito at may upuan na,” she
added.
The POLO transferred to its new office
on the 11th floor of Admiralty Centre on
March 1, resulting in long lines and confusion as many did not know about the
WEBSITE : WWW.HONGKONGNEWS.COM.HK
transfer. The construction on the offices
on the 16th floor was expected to be finished by April 21.
The renewal of employment contracts,
application for agency accreditation, filing of complaints against employers and
Turn to page 12
2
NEWS
March 15, 2015
Lawmakers to look into ‘labor
abuses’ and Roldan case in HK
By Cheryl Arcibal
SIX members of the House of Representatives are set to visit Hong Kong to investigate “labor-related abuses” of Filipinos
working in the territory.
Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello, chairman of the House committee on overseas
workers’ affairs, told Hong Kong News
that he and his five colleagues are meeting
with Philippine and Hong Kong officials
in the territory as well as various overseas
Filipino workers’ groups to discuss various labor concerns from March 13-15.
“We want to assess the labor situation of
migrant Filipinos in Hong Kong, especially after the case of Indonesian [household
service worker] Erwiana [Sulistyaningsih], and we heard that cases of abuse are
not unusual,” Bello said.
In February, district court judge Amanda Woodcock handed a six-year prison
term to 45-year-old Law Wan-tung after
previously convicting the latter on eight
charges of assault, grievous bodily harm,
and criminal intimidation against 24-yearold Sulistyaningsih.
Carlo Vargas, Bello’s Political Affairs
Officer, disclosed to Hong Kong News
that the House delegation, which would
include three staff members, would be arriving in Hong Kong on March13 between
10-11 a.m.
A luncheon with officials of the Philippine Consulate general and other Philippine officials is scheduled on the same
day. They will also hold meeting with
Hong Kong labor officials and Hong
Kong-based employment agencies.
On March 14, the lawmakers are set to
meet again with officials from the PCG,
the Philippine Overseas Labor Office, and
Hong Kong labor unions.
On March 15, a dialogue with OFWs
will be held from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. at
the consulate.
“We would like to invite and urge OFWs
and OFW groups’ members who would
like to share their experiences on Sunday.
We want to know how we can serve better our OFWs. We want to look into the
alleged high placement fees imposed by
labor recruiters,” Bello said.
He added that they also want to look
‘Labor reforms needed’
By Peter Castillo
ERWIANA Sulistyaningsih called for
reforms in Hong Kong’s policies on migrant workers after her former employer was sentenced to six years in prison.
Erwiana said she felt justice was done
after Judge Amanda Woodcock “gave
almost the full sentence” to Law Wantung, who was previously convicted of
abusing Erwiana.
“While I have mentioned before that
the sentence should be life imprisonment because of she has done to me, I
accept the verdict and sentence given
by the District Court,” Erwiana said.
She called on Hong Kong to change
policies like the Two-Week Rule and
the Mandatory Live-In Arrangements.
“I hope that the government will treat
domestic workers as workers. We can
only have justice if no one is treated
badly or like a slave,” Erwiana added.
Erwiana later met with lawmakers
while government has promised to meet
with officials of countries that send domestic workers in the special administrative region.
Bello
into the case of former Labor Attache to
Hong Kong Manuel Roldan who is being
investigated by the Legal Service of the
Department of Labor and Employment
for alleged grave misconduct and conduct
prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
“We want a whole picture of the condition of our migrant workers,” Bello said.
Roldan is now the officer-in-charge of
the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP)
on a temporary basis.
DOLE’s investigation is based on a
complaint filed by the Coalition of Service
Providers for Ethnic Minorities in Hong
Kong, which alleged that Roldan breached
conflict of interest rules for allegedly approving the accreditation of an employment agency owned by the daughter of
Donald Retirado, a former staff member
at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in
Hong Kong, among others.
Meanwhile, Romeo Montefalco Jr., director of the DOLE’s Legal Service, told
Hong Kong News that Roldan opted to
undergo a formal investigation instead of
merely submitting a position paper.
“On March 4, we received Mr. Roldan’s
answer and so we will have a formal investigation, which means we have 60 days
to resolve the case and submit a recommendation to Labor Secretary Rosalinda
Baldoz,” Montefalco said.
However, Roldan and his counsel could
ask for “reasonable” extension which
could delay the resolution of the case,
Montefalco said.
The Labor official said he has designated DOLE Lawyer Aissa Recayos to be the
hearing officer, and DOLE Mediator-Arbiter Abby Dela Rosa as the prosecutor.
Cacdac requires PH agencies to have FB accounts
THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has ordered licensed recruitment agencies deploying domestic workers to
have Facebook (FB) accounts.
POEA Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac
issued Memorandum Circular No. 1, series of
2015, requiring recruitment agencies to put up
FB accounts to help domestic workers.
He said the FB accounts were as a communication platform for deployed domestic workers;
for dispute prevention; endorsement of complaints; and submission of reports to the POEA.
Cacdac emphasized that the requirement to
have FB accounts is imposed upon recruitment
agencies deploying household service workers
(HSWs), and is not a requirement for HSWs to
have FB accounts.
Cacdac reiterated the mandate of Labor Sec-
retary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz to make
licensed recruitment agencies responsible for
ensuring that their deployed workers’ interests
are amply protected, and that their well-being
and welfare are promoted pursuant to the POEA
rules and regulations.
Recruitment agencies also mandated to submit reports on the status and condition of their
deployed workers.
Cacdac enjoined recruitment and placement
agencies to share their Facebook accounts to the
POEA and their deployed HSWs.
The recruitment agency’s Facebook account
shall be required for POEA processing of documents of recruited household service workers.
The memorandum circular took effect on March
13.
Peter Castillo
HONG KONG NEWS
Satisfactory
guilty of
overcharging
By Peter Castillo
THE Shatin Magistrates Courts convicted
an employment agency in Tai Wai of overcharging its Filipino jobseekers.
The court found Satisfactory Employment & Travel Centre Limited guilty of
overcharging on March 2, ordered it to
pay a total fine of $8,400 and refund the
excessive placement fees it collected.
“The LD reminds employment agencies
to operate in full compliance with the law.
Failure to do so may lead to prosecution
and possible revocation of licenses,” the
Labour Department (LD) said in a statement.
“According to the law, employment
agencies are not allowed to collect from
job seekers any fees or charges other than
the prescribed commission, which is set at
10 per cent of the latter’s first month’s salary upon successful placement,” it added.
The LD noted that Satisfactory was the
second employment agency that has been
convicted of overcharging this year.
The other agency was Bagus Employment Agency in Central. Bagus no longer
holds a valid licence for operating an employment agency.
“In March 2014, the Employment Agencies Administration (EAA) received complaints against Satisfactory Employment
& Travel Centre Limited for overcharging
of commissions from job seekers,” the LD
said.
“Investigation revealed that the agency
had collected placement fees of an amount
higher than the prescribed level from a
number of foreign domestic helpers.”
The LD added that the license of Satisfactory was cancelled in November.
On the other hand, the licensee of Bagus Employment Agency was convicted
and fined $7,000 at Eastern Magistrates’
Courts on February 23 for overcharging a
job seeker.
“The LD had already refused to renew
the license of Bagus Employment Agency
in September 2014 after its licensee was
earlier convicted of doing an act tending
and intended to pervert the course of public justice,” the department said.
The LD also revoked or refused to renew the licenses of three other employment agencies in 2014, namely Joins Employment Agency (located at Hung Hom),
Hopemay Limited (located at To Kwa
Wan, Causeway Bay and Hung Hom) and
Foreign Domestic Workers Association
of America Limited(located at Tsim Sha
Tsui).
“The LD reminds employment agencies
to operate in full compliance with the law.
Failure to do so may lead to prosecution
and possible revocation of licenses,” he
said.
For enquiries or complaints about unlicensed operations or overcharging of
commission by employment agencies,
please call the EAA at 2852 3535 or visit
its office on 12/F, Harbour Building, 38
Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong.
HONG KONG NEWS
March 15, 2015
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March 15, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
HONG KONG NEWS
March 15, 2015
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NEWS
March 15, 2015
‘Don’t be rigid on annulments’
By Cheryl Arcibal
THE Supreme Court has reversed its earlier decision that threw out a petition of a
man who was seeking annulment from his
wife over her alleged excessive gambling.
In a January 24, 2015 ruling written by
Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin, the
court’s First Division said that its previous
interpretation of Article 36 of the Family
Code in a September 2011 “have turned
out to be rigid, such that their application
to every instance practicality condemned
the petitions for declaration of nullity to
the fate of certain rejection.”
Under Article 36, a marriage may be declared void if “any party who, at the time
of the celebration, was psychologically
incapacitated to comply with the essential marital obligations of marriage...even
if such incapacity becomes manifest only
after its solemnization.”
The present case stemmed from the petition for declaration of nullity of marriage
filed by Valerio E. Kalaw against his then
The Philippine Supreme Court in Manila
wife Ma. Elena Fernandez. He claimed
that Fernandez had become addicted to
gambling and neglected her duties.
Although a trial court granted his petition, the Court of Appeals reversed it. Kalaw appealed the case before the high court
but it upheld the appellate court decision.
In its January 2015 decision, the Supreme Court said that the “Article 36 of
the Family Code must not be so strictly
and too literally read and applied.”
It also reminded judges hearing annulment cases to approach the issue “not on
the basis of a priori assumptions, predilections or generalizations, but according
to its own fact in recognition of the verity
that no case would be on ‘all fours’ with
the next one in the field of psychological
incapacity as a ground for the nullity of
marriage.”
“Hence, every trial judge must take
pains in examining the factual milieu and
the appellate court must, as much as possible, avoid substituting its own judgment
for that of the trial court.”
Theodore Te, the tribunal’s spokesman,
said that the ruling did not mean that the
guidelines it had previously issued for the
evaluation of psychological incapacity as
a ground to void a marriage should be disregarded.
“Hindi naman pinaluwag ang batas. Sinabi lang na hindi pare-pareho ang mga
kaso. Judges are reminded not to be too
rigid in applying the rules,” said Marjorie
De Castro, managing partner at the law
firm De Castro Naredo and Associates.
“Sinabi din na ang RTC judges..sila
ang nakaka-observe ng demanor ng witnesses at ‘yung transcript, minsan lost in
translation na kapag nasa English na, kaya
mag-ingat yung higher courts sa pag-reverse ng decision ng RTC.”
Chinoy, FDH convicted of running illegal guesthouse
By Philip C. Tubeza
THE Eastern Magistrates Courts has
convicted a Chinese-Filipino businessman and his Filipina domestic worker
of running an unlicensed guesthouse in
Causeway Bay (CWB).
Magistrate Lee Siu-ho said the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt
that the Filipina managed the guesthouse
while businessman allowed her to violate
her condition of stay.
“The (Filipina) had taken other employment without the approval of the Director of Immigration,” said Judge Lee
on March 5.
“I am also sure that (the businessman)
knew full well about (the domestic worker) and gave instructions to (her) to take
out other employment of managing the
guest house,” he added.
The two were arrested after two un-
dercover agents posed as tourists in June
2014 and rented out a room at the businessman’s flat-turned-guesthouse on the
second floor of Causeway Bay Mansion
along Patterson Street in CWB.
The domestic worker, who is 38 years
old, has a son back in the Philippines
who has a hole in his heart.
On the other hand, her 32-year-old employer came here from the Philippines a
decade ago.
Judge Lee remanded him in jail and
asked for a background report before
he is finally sentenced together with his
helper on March 19.
“Operating an unlicensed guesthouse
poses fire risks. The flat had quite a number of rooms with some of them having
more than one bed inside,” he said.
“This is a serious offense in today’s
Hong Kong when large number of visitors come over,” he added.
HONG KONG NEWS
Xyza now
a full-time
photographer
By Philip C. Tubeza
AFTER nearly a decade of toiling as a domestic worker in Hong Kong, Xyza Cruz
Bacani has finally achieved her dream of
becoming a full-time photographer.
Bacani was set to leave Hong Kong on
March 13 for Dubai, where she will hold
an exhibit, after her Chinese-Australian
employer in Central decided to end her
contract so that she could develop her talent further.
“Sabi niya sasayangin ko daw ang talent
ko pagnagstay ako sa kanya,” Bacani said
in an interview.
“Ok lang naman kame. Sabi niya wag na
daw ako bumalik sa pagiging DH. Follow
your destiny, sabi niya,” she added.
Bacani is also scheduled to go to the
United States later this year to attend the
prestigious six-week Magnum Foundation
scholarship program at the New York University (NYU).
“Buti nga siya nagtanggal sakin. Hindi
ako ang nagresign. Iniisip ko nalang, eto
siguro ang gusto ng universe,” Bacani
said.
“Gusto ko sana bumalik sa kanila. Pero
nauna niyang sinabi na wiz na daw niya
ako mahintay kaya ayun,” she added.
After Dubai, Bacani will go to Macau
to do a project and then leave for the Philippines before coming back here in Hong
Kong to prepare for her US studies.
“Sa April na ako babalik dito (ng matagal) sa Hong Kong pero sa (March) 25,
ime-meet ko yung NYU dean dito,” she
added.
Before leaving Hong Kong, Bacani
thanked those who helped her through a
post on Facebook.
“Tomorrow, I will leave the place that
(had) become my safe haven for almost
a decade. I will leave my mother with a
promise to myself that someday, she won’t
need to work anymore,” Bacani said of her
mother, who is still working as a domestic
worker with her former employer.
“I don’t have (a) college degree to understand some things in life. I feel helpless
when I don’t understand something and I
cope by reading and asking people I respect. Its a daily battle of survival,” she
said.
“The street has taught me and is still
teaching me a lot of stuff. To people I torment, thank you for being patient with me!
All I can do is make you proud that your
time and love for me won’t be wasted!”
Bacani
HONG KONG NEWS
March 15, 2015
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NEWS
March 15, 2015
Finance guru reveals
`formula’ to get rich
By Philip C. Tubeza
DO you want to be a millionaire?
Finance and life coach Randell Tiongson revealed the “secret formula” on how
to get rich during a talk at the Philippine
Consulate General on March 1.
Tiongson, who was invited to hold the
talk by Smart Pinoy, urged overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to save “a third”
of their monthly earnings if they want to
become a millionaire.
“Meron kaming formula na binibigay
na medyo mahirap pero pag nagawa mo
‘to, ito ang secret kung pano ka yayaman,”
Tiongson said.
“Kung kaya mong gumastos ng 70 percent lang ng kinikta mo at 30 percent ay
kaya mong itabi at gagawin mo lang yan
for the next few years na nagtratrabaho ka,
garantisado na yayaman ka at magiging
milyonaryo ka. Gusto niyo bang maging
milyonaryo,” he added.
Tiongson said he was already helping a
domestic worker in Hong Kong who was
able to save and then invest in stocks.
“Last time na nagreport siya sa akin, be-
Tiongson speaks at the consulate on March 1
lieve it or not, umabot na sa P1 million ang
kanyang portfolio,” he said.
“Ang ginawa niya tipid-tipid lang. Hulog-hulog lang. Tapos lumaki na. Sabi
niya hindi siya palaging nandito. Uuwi rin
siya. Ang target ata niya P3 million.”
However, Tiongson also warned OFWs
against falling victim to scams that entice
investors with “get rich quick” schemes.
“Huwag kayong papasok sa scam. Yang
mga Emgoldex. Baka may naniniwala sa
inyo. Huwag kayong maniwala,” he said.
“Ang pagyaman, hindi yan overnight.
There is n such thing as a shortcut to
wealth,” he added.
Tiongson said that scams can be identified because they offer “high return but
low risk” schemes.
“Tandaan na pagmalaki ang kita, malaki
rin ang peligro niyan. Pagmay nagoffer sa
inyo ng malaking kita kaso walang peligro, ang tawag diyan scam,” he said.
“Minsan naman may investment,
malakas ang peligro pero maliit ang kita.
Pagnag-invest ka, ang tawag sayo diyan
tanga,” he added.
Filipino accused of duping HK jobseekers
A Filipino appeared before the Eastern Magistrates Courts after he was accused of defrauding
jobseekers of nearly $42,000 in exchange for
non-existing jobs in the airport.
Alfred J. Estrada was charged with four counts
of fraud but he insisted that he was innocent and
claimed that the money that he got from the Filipino complainants were actually loans.
“Not guilty,” Estrada told Magistrate Winston
Leung when asked for his plea on March 10.
Estrada allegedly told the complainants that he
was an operations executive of Express International Development Limited and he could provide jobs at the Hong Kong International Airport
in exchange for a fee.
One complainant said he paid $7,960, another
gave $10,000, the third complainant said she paid
$21,000 while a couple allegedly paid $3,000 for
their son to secure a job.
“I was the one who gave the money to Alfred.
Sabi niya magbayad daw ng $3,000 para maipasok ang anak naming sa airport,” 68-year-old
stroke victim Mario B. Canavaral told the court.
Peter Castillo
HONG KONG NEWS
SEC denies it issued
advisory clearing Emgoldex
By Cheryl Arcibal
A “FICTITIOUS” advisory supposedly clearing the investment activities of
Emgoldex Philippines has prompted the
Securities and Exchange Commission to
issue another warning.
Gerard Lukban, SEC Commission
Secretary, told Hong Kong News that a
supposed advisory issued by “Director
[Ferdinand] Sales” of the Company Registration & Monitoring Department that
declared investment activities of Emgoldex as valid has been making the rounds
on social media again.
“This fake advisory was brought to our
attention by the media and so this latest
notice from us serves as a disclaimer that
Director Sales has not issued such an advisory,” Lukban added.
SEC’s March 3 advisory said that “the
public is...warned that all other purported
public advisories regarding Emgoldex that
ostensibly carry the name of SEC or any
of its officials are unauthorized, fictitious
and fabricated, especially if these are not
found or posted in sec.gov.ph.”
It also reiterated that Emgoldex Philippines “is not a registered corporation or
partnership in the Philippines...[and] is
not also licensed or authorized to solicit
investments from the public in the Philippines.”
Lukban said the SEC has yet to receive
any complaints from the public against
Emgoldex.
“We still continue to receive emails that
defend Emgoldex Philippines’ activities,”
he added.
In a previous interview, Lukban said a
number of those claiming to be “investors” wrote to the SEC to defend Emgoldex Philippines.
“I think what they’re trying to do is to
lure the public into thinking that Emgoldex’s operation is legit in hopes that they
could withdraw their money once new investment comes in,” Lukban had added.
“We will be here to assist anyone who
was duped by this scheme, but no one is
complaining,” he had said.
Emgoldex Germany, on the other hand,
has denied any involvement in activities
here in the Philippines, Lukban said, citing the entity’s website.
A check on Emgoldex’s website showed
an “important message” posted by the
company saying that “there are people
who try to provide their activity, or activities of their legal entities on behalf of the
only official company and online store of
Emgoldex.
“Using the brand name of the company
for the promotion and distribution of the
goods and services, these unfair persons
mislead other customers and potential clients of the online store.”
According to the website, Emgoldex
sells investments in gold bars, and also
provides “a guarantee of buyback of gold
from its customers with the most profitable prices.”
Customers of the company, it said, can
use the service of certified depositories for
gold and diamonds.
The SEC has reported Emgoldex Philippines’ scheme to law enforcement agencies.
Tourist who pimped Pinays jailed
By Philip C. Tubeza
HE had only been in Hong Kong for one
day when someone approached him in
Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) and offered him
work, as a pimp.
E. Dela Cruz, 31, is now in jail after
pleading guilty at the Kowloon City
Magistrates Courts to charges of breach
of condition of stay and living off the
earnings of prostitution of others.
“I sentence the defendant to 12 weeks
in prison,” Magistrate Eric Cheung
Kwan-ming said in his decision.
Dela Cruz arrived in the city on January 24 and was walking around TST
when someone approached him and offered him work.
“He was approached and asked whether he was interested in taking up the
job,” according to his lawyer.
Dela Cruz took the job, which involved “taking care” of two Filipina sex
workers who also arrived in Hong Kong
as tourists.
He called the two sex workers on his
mobile phone whenever there was a customer “who needed their services.”
From January 24 until January 29,
Dela Cruz allegedly facilitated “40
Tsim Sha Tsui
transactions,” earning $40 to $100 per
transaction.
The police arrested the Filipino after
getting a tip about a “syndicate that supplied foreign sex workers in Kowloon.
The two Filipina sex workers Dela
Cruz was working with were the first to
fall in the police drag net and the information gathered from them led investigators to their pimp.
Dela Cruz was arrested in his flat
along Nathan Road in Yau Ma Tei on
January 29. The police found in his possession a notebook which had a record
of his transactions.
“The defendant expresses remorse
and feels very sorry. He has learned his
lesson,” the defense lawyer told Judge
Cheung.
The lawyer asked for leniency, pointing out that the women were “not under
the control” of Dela Cruz and that they
were “not forced into prostitution.”
“They were all mature ladies. They
took up the work on their own choice.
There was no evidence of control,” said
the lawyer.
“There were no teenagers involved.
There was no threatening,” he added.
Judge Cheung said Dela Cruz should
be jailed for 12 weeks for each of the
two charges he faced but added that he
should serve these two jail terms concurrently or at the same time.
HONG KONG NEWS
March 15, 2015
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NEWS
March 15, 2015
FDH goes `for good’
after daughter’s death
By Cheryl Arcibal
JUDY Padasas, the 49-year-old domestic
worker whose daughter Kristel died in a
freak accident during Pope Francis’ visit
in Tacloban, will soon be learning how to
make pandesal.
Padasas, who used to work in Tai Koo,
told Hong Kong News that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
(OWWA) has offered her a number of
classes that could give her a new skill to
put up her own business.
“Nitong linggo lang, pinapunta ako sa
OWWA, at iyon nga ang sabi nila kung
gusto ko daw magnegosyo, may P10,000
para tulungan ako. Magsisimula din ako
mag-aral ng paggawa ng pandesal, iyon
ang pinili ko,” Judy said in an interview.
The baking school training will last for
two weeks.
She said she has decided to stay here in
the Philippines, but is still unsure whether
to go into business.
“Kinausap din kasi ako ng staff ni Mayor Lani [Cayetano of Taguig] at tinanong
ako kung handa na daw ba ako magtrabaho at may ibibigay daw sila sa akin,” Judy
said.
Judy
She said she was contacted by Cayetano’s staff late February to ask her if she
was ready to find work again.
“Kinuha ko na din yung klase sa baking
school sa Makati para mag-aral ng paggawa ng pandesal pero iniisip ko din na
magtrabaho sa city hall,” Judy said. The
Padasas family lives in Taguig.
She added that, before Kristel’s death,
she had originally planned to come home
to the Philippines for good this April, but
thought that she might extend her contract
until September as Kristel booked a flight
to Hong Kong to visit her on March 31 to
April 7.
Kristel, 27, died during the visit of
Pope Francis in January. A steel scaffolding with speakers toppled and fell on her
after Pope Francis led a Mass on Jan. 18
in Tacloban, one of the cities badly hit by
typhoon Haiyan in 2013. A typhoon was
also approaching Leyte when the accident
occurred.
Kristel served as a volunteer during the
Pope’s mass.
In January, Labor Secretary Rosalinda
Baldoz said the department, through the
OWWA, will provide assistance to Kristel’s family.
Judy had worked in Hong Kong since
1991 and was an active OWWA member,
As such, Baldoz said Judy’s benefits
included job referrals (local and overseas
employment) and business counseling and
financial literacy training if she choose to
engage in business.
She can also avail of a business loan
from the P2-Billion loan facility of the
OWWA being implemented in cooperation with the Land Bank of the Philippines
and the Development Bank of the Philippines.
A member or her/his legal dependent
can avail of between P300,000 and P2
million to finance a business.
HONG KONG NEWS
Not all OFW children are
‘pasaway’—CBCP
By Cheryl Arcibal
THE sacrifices and compassion of Kristel
Mae Padasas continue to inspire people
and organizations even after her death.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the
Philippines- Episcopal Commission for
Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant
People (CBCP-ECMI) gave a post-humous award to Padasas on March 2 at the
National Commission for Culture and the
Arts (NCAA).
Judy Padasas, mother of Kristel and a
former household service worker in Hong
Kong, received the award.
Edmund Ruga, CBCP-ECMI Ten Outstanding Sons and Daughters of OFW
Student Achievers Awards (TOSDOSA
Awards) project officer, told Hong Kong
News that they originally wanted to give
recognition to Kristel right after the tragedy, but decided to defer it and give the
recognition in a more formal event.
“Si Kristel ay isang anak ng OFW at
naisip namin na bigyan siya ng recognition para maging inspirasyon. Gusto naming maipakita sa ibang anak ng OFWs na
hindi masama ang mag-volunteer lalo na
para sa Simbahan at sa Diyos, “ Ruga said.
Kristel, 27, died during the visit of Pope
Francis in January. A steel scaffolding
with speakers toppled and fell on her after
Kristel
Pope Francis led a Mass on Jan. 18 in Tacloban. A typhoon was also approaching
Leyte when the accident occurred.
Judy then went home from Hong Kong
to attend to the wake and burial of her
daughter, her only child.
“Sa pagbibigay ng award sa anak ko,
nakakataba ng puso. Masaya ako na nagiwan siya ng magagandang ala-ala sa mga
tao,” Judy said.
On its Facebook page, CBCP-ECMI
said the TOSDOSA Awards began in 2008
as a Luzon-wide search until it became a
national selection this year.
It added that the Awards “would like to
showcase Anak OFW Achievers in order
to set inspiration and to erase the public...
impression that Anak OFWs are ‘pasaways.’”
HONG KONG NEWS
March 15, 2015
11
12
NEWS
Extremely...
From page 1
in Nigeria in 2013.
“Defendant, by now I think you already
know the risks of lending your account to
another person,” Judge So told Susei.
“You could have spent 18 to 24 months
in jail if convicted,” he added.
Barrister Ian Polson, Susei’s lawyer,
March 15, 2015
said he himself was surprised by the outcome of the case.
“Very lucky. It’s a miracle. I did not
expect that,” said Polson, a former judge
in the now defunct Western Magistrates
Courts.
“I think I was the most nervous person
inside (the court room),” he added.
During the trial, Madame Ching said
she and her family fully supported Susei
and were willing to continue employing
her even after what happened.
“(Susei) is honest and fair. She took care
of my parents, especially my father who
was in a wheel chair. Our family is willing
to employ her further even after this incident,” said Madame Ching, who had twice
renewed Susei contract.
“We unanimously decided to reserve the
position for her in case she can return to
work,” she added.
Susei said she allowed her bank accounts to be used because she believed the
promises of her younger sister’s “Internet
boyfriend.” Susei insisted that she did not
know that she was dealing with “dirty
money.”
She told the court that her younger sister
Grace, who also worked in Hong Kong as
a domestic worker, met the alleged brains
behind the money laundering scheme
through the Internet and they became online lovers.
In his ruling, Judge So said that while
the Bank of China supposedly warned Susei, the prosecution failed to present the
bank’s letter as evidence in court.
“The letter is not before me. I cannot
speculate about the contents of the letter,”
the judge said.
He also noted that after her arrest, Susei
POLO...
From page 1
agencies, and other Overseas Workers
Welfare Administration (OWWA) concerns were transferred to the 11th floor
of Admiralty Centre.
However, the payment of authentication fees, the issuances of overseas
employment certificates (OECs), the
processing of employment contracts for
agencies and for individuals remained
at the 14th floor of the United Centre
Building.
With the transfer, the POLO also
decided to stop issuing OECs at the
Bayanihan Center in Kenedy Town, resulting in even more angry complaints
from those who did not know about the
POLO decision.
Two weeks after the POLO transfer, many Filipinos were still going to
Bayanihan “even on weekdays” thinking
that they could get their OEC there.
“Naghalo ang balat sa tinalupan,” said
one witness as she described angry Filipinos who lined up at the Admiralty
Centre.
The building’s security guards apparently were also not prepared for the onrush of Filipinos, who were required to
register before entering the building.
Garcia said the lines also grew long
due to the start of the “peak season” for
OEC applicants. She said an all-time
high of almost 1,700 OECs were issued
on March 8, a Sunday, when the POLO
on average usually issues only 400 OECs
a day.
HONG KONG NEWS
immediately cooperated with the police
and showed them her Viber conversations
with the American and an alleged copy of
his passport.
Judge So also said that Susei might not
have suspected that there was something
illegal about the money because even
Madame Ching agreed to deposit some
of it.
The female employer told the court that
Susei asked her to deposit $100,000 in
cash because “the boyfriend of Susei’s sister was coming to Hong Kong and needed
to book a hotel room.”
“Because on that day my father was just
out of hospital and she took care of him,
I went to the Hang Seng Bank to handle
the money on her behalf,” Madame Ching
said.
“I remember that…$100,000 because
they requested for my I.D. card. I did not
ever think the money was illegal,” she
added.
“Kung titingnan mo talagang marami
dahil start na ngayon ng peak season
dahil uuwi yung mga kababayan natin
for Holy Week at graduation. More than
1,600 (on March 8) and then (on March
9) 700 OECs naman ang narelease,” Garcia said.
“Pitong counters ang bukas for OECs
(on March 8). Walang kumain ng
tanghalian kasi wala ng papalit,” she
said.
Garcia said that the situation would
start to normalize once the counters
on the 16th floor are opened later this
month.
“Around 300 persons at a time ang
capacity sa 16th floor. Kung dun ka sa
Bayanihan, ang tao namin dun dalawa
lang at ang haba ng pila,” Garcia said.
“Dito, pwede kang pumull-out ng tao
na may ginagawa and say ‘Oh, i-set aside
mo muna yung ginagawa mo. Pumanik
ka muna at mag OEC ka,’” she said.
“So, madali kang pumull-out ng tao.
Ngayon nga, a weekday, lima ang aming
OEC counters e usually ang OEC namin
dalawa lang,” she added.
Because they did not have enough personnel, Garcia said she herself also had
to evaluate contracts.
“Actually, hindi ko trabaho ang mag
evaluate ng contract pero nag-eevaluate
ako. Pag wala akong ginagawa at walang
bisita, o sige akin na yan,” she said.
Garcia said the POLO, which should
process contracts within three days, still
had 1,000 pending contracts to process
as of March 10.
Long lines for OECs at the United Centre on March 10.
HONG KONG NEWS
TRAVEL
March 15, 2015
A 3D art museum for selfie lovers
13
By Cheryl Arcibal
IF you are looking for a new, affordable,
and accessible place to have fun in the
metro besides the ubiquitous malls, there
is a 3,800-square meter museum in the
heart of Cubao that’s waiting for you - the
Art In Island Interactive Art Museum.
The best thing about it? No one would
probably scoff at you if you take selfies
at every turn because the whole place
screams of social media-worthy photos.
You want a bonus? Staff and perhaps
even other visitors will encourage you to
be as creative and as silly as you want in
your poses.
Opening its doors to the public on
Christmas day in 2014, the museum is
owned by a group of Korean investors
who found the Filipinos’ penchant for taking photos and posting them on Facebook
and Instagram as the perfect formula for a
business model of an eye-trick museum.
“Alam naman natin lahat na mahilig
tayo sa pictures, so naisip nila na tayo
iyong talagang mag-eenjoy sa ganitong
klaseng concept. Tayo kasi iyong artistic,
creative at imaginative sa mga poses kaya
naisip nila na tayo talaga ang makakarelate dito,” said Oceani Blyth II Cambaya,
Executive Secretary to Art In Island owner
and sculptor Yun Jae Kyoung.
Yun, she said, first visited “Art in Paradise” in Pattaya, Thailand in 2013 and
then thought that the eye-trick museum
would be a good business idea.
“He was invited by a friend to visit that
museum in Thailand, at doon nakita niya
na ang ganda ng concept na ito,” she said.
Yun and his partners - a group of artists
who create sculpture pieces for hotels in
South Korea- originally scouted for a location in Vietnam, but something did not
feel right and they abandoned the idea.
“Gusto nila na mag-open din ng 3D art
museum. Una naghanap sila sa Vietnam,
pero parang sabi nila na hindi para sa kanila ang Vietnman, hindi tama ang location,” she said.
That was when they went to the Philippines and began looking for a place to
build the museum. The site was a former
bus terminal, she said.
The museum has 11 zones, bu the central hall, where huge art pieces depicting
various scenes such as the splendor of
Egypt and its pharaohs, the pearly gates
of heaven, magic carpet, a dessert somewhere in the Middle East are among those
featured, is the most popular.
“Gusto din nila dito iyong may angel
wings at saka iyong sa may signage na
love sa winter wonderland zone. Parang
lahat yata ng bumibisita dito, may photos
doon,” she said.
Other popular zones include those featuring scenes from under the sea, the
paintings of the European masters, and the
art pieces depicting religious ideas.
Since the opening of the museum about
three months ago, it has become popular
with the media regularly featuring it and
by word of mouth through social media
posts.
Cambaya estimated that more than
10,000 visitors have probably been to the
There are many good angles
The museum has more than 200 artworks.
museum.
“Weekends ang busy days namin. Dati
ang akala namin, ang market namin papatok lang sa teens at college students,
pero sa ngayon nakikita namin na mostly
families ang buimbista at nagpupunta dito.
Mayroon ding ilang schools na sinasama
nila ito sa field trips nila,” she said.
“Nagulat din kami kasi nung Christmas
holidays, kao-open pa lang naming noon,
ang dami na kaagad nagpunta dito.”
With over 200 art pieces housed in two
floors, the museum is planning to expand.
Art In Island is one of the biggest 3D art
museums in the world.
“May plano pang mag-expand, pwede
pang mag-third floor. Nabibitin pa ang
mga tao kaya nag-rerequest pa sila na
madagdagan.” Cambaya disclosed.
And there is more, she said.
If plans push through, the group behind
Art In island is looking to put up two more
museums in the northern and southern
parts of the country within the year.
As a way to thank their visitors and encourage more to visit the museum , Art In
Island has monthly promos that they announce through the museum’s Facebook
account.
Tips in visiting the museum
*Staff members remind visitors to be
mindful of others who are posing and hav-
ing their photos taken.
“Lalo na po kung madaming tao, kailangan patient ka dito. Kung mahaba ang pila
at gusto mo talaga magpakuha ng picture
dun sa piece na iyon, ang recommendation po ay balikan na lang. Wala naman
kasing time limit dito,” one of them said.
*Only socks and bedroom slippers are
There’s no time limit when taking pictures.
allowed inside the museum.
A staff member explained that because
the floor of the museum also contains art
pieces, shoes are not allowed inside it.
Socks are being sold at the entrance for
P150/pair. Discounts may be availed of a
group of at least 20 visitors
The ticket to the museum costs P500
each for adults and P400 for students.
Children below three feet are free. However, a group of least 20 will be granted
a 20-percent discount. Staff members said
there is no need to reserve tickets, but busy
days are during weekends and holidays.
Art In Island is located at 175 15th Ave.,
Barangay Socorro in Cubao, Quezon City
Telephone number:(+632) 421-1356
Operating hours are from 9:30 a.m to
9:30 p.m. and tickets are sold only until
8 p.m.
Good for family trips
14 FEATURE
Made in Manila
By Blanche Rivera-Fernandez
ONCE in a while, we find surprising
things in our own backyards. Digging up
a bit around my own — the Philippines —
I stumbled upon some superb finds that
made me want to dig into my own wallet
and hand over money to these people, who
not only make great products but do good
things for other people. Check them out.
1) The Tannery Manila (www.thetannerymanila.com)
Good, authentic leather is hard to find.
So when you stumble on something like
The Tannery Manila, you start saving up
for a piece.
The leather goods store is owned and
run by the Hermoso family of Meycauayan, Bulacan, which used to be the center of
Philippine leather-making. The Hermosos
tard is making waves among musicians
and earth-lovers by doing all the right
things. Its range of products—from sound
amplifiers to iPhone cases and tablet
stands—are made from bamboo, handcrafted by artisans in Cebu and designed
with inspiration from the island environment of the Philippines.
Since starting in 2012, Loudbasstard
has found its way to the likes of Jason
Mraz and Mick Jagger, who were both impressed by the Bamboo Sound Amplifier.
Its headquarters are located in Cebu and
Los Angeles but its products are available
in Singapore, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, the United States and the United
Kingdom.
Find them: SM Kultura, Nothing but
H20, Common Thread in Greenbelt and
2)loudbasstard (www.loudbasstard. Powerplant malls, SWITCH in Glorietta
com)
and Alabang Town Center
The name speaks for itself. Loudbass3) Tejo (Facebook/Tejo Threads)
Tejo is a Spanish word that means “I
weave,” and this community-based livelihood partnership has done just that—connecting underprivileged Filipino women
March 15, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
were among the pioneers of the industry,
having started in 1901. In 2014, sisters Mariel and Macy Lazaro, fourth-generation
Hermosos, launched The Tannery Manila,
their own brand of beautifully designed,
handcrafted leather products. Their bags
are the bestsellers, easily as good-looking
as the big-brand leather purses Hollywood
celebrities carry around.
The Tannery Manila exports their products to Germany and Japan under different
labels. In the Philippines, their products
can be purchased online and personalized
with a monogram, or customized to a specific length, type of leather and design.
Find them: The Tannery Manila’s newly opened showroom at 2F, Bldg A in
Tiendesitas, Pasig City.
The Tannery Manila’s Mathel bag
Banglos sculpture pieces
loudbasstard amplifier and iPhone cases
with an opportunity to earn an income
from home.
Tejo offers colorful bracelets hand-woven by mothers from Paranaque and
Muntinlupa who couldn’t hold traditional jobs because they needed to look after
their kids. After a month of training with
Tejo founder Gabrielle Cruz, the women
make all the bracelets from home, guided
by Tejo modules. It takes about 30 minutes
to a few hours to finish a bracelet. Designs
are inspired by the colors and patterns of
the season.
Find them: (Resorts) Pangulasian, Lagen, Apulit, Miniloc in El Nido, Palawan;
Anvaya Cove Beach & Nature Club in
Bataan, Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort in Cebu; (Metro Manila) Aura Athlet- warm, fuzzy feeling?
Well, Ricefield Collective is literally
ica, Bungalow 300, Common Thread, The
going to keep you warm with its knitwear
Manila Collectible Co.
as you help the indigenous women of Ifu4) Ricefield Collective (www.ricefieldo- gao. Located in the famous Banaue Rice
Terraces, Ricefield Collective began when
cllective.org)
Doesn’t helping someone give you that Filipino-American Meredith Ramirez
A Rags2Riches wallet
HONG KONG NEWS
FEATURE 15
March 15, 2015
then partnered with European and US designers, and launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund Ricefield Collective. Today, scarves, headwear and gloves
made in the terraces of Ifugao are finding
their way into the high-fashion streets of
New York.
Find them: Most of their products are
sold internationally but you may message
them on Facebook/Ricefield Collective
for inquiries.
A Rags2Riches rug
came over to do research and found that
the Ifugaos were abandoning their ancestral land to work in Manila and find a way
out of poverty.
A passionate knitter, Meredith decided
to teach the women how to knit, and soon
found out how skilled the locals were. She
5) Rags2Riches (www.rags2riches.ph)
One of the pioneers of social enterprises in the Philippines, Rags2Riches has
evolved into a company that offers not just
bags and accessories but well-designed
furniture. After starting out of Payatas,
one of the biggest garbage dumpsites in
the country, in 2007, R2R has grown into
a globally recognized brand collaborating
with top-notch designers such as Rajo
Laurel, Amina Aranaz-Alunan and Olivia d’ Aboville. Today, R2R has its own
store at the Glorietta mall in Makati and
a showroom in San Juan. Its products are
sold in stores across New York, Los Angeles, Belgium, London and Edinburgh.
Anthropologie, a lifestyle brand in the Tejo’s colorful bracelets
United States, also carries its Arja tote and
Arianne foldover clutch. It has also been through their Facebook page.
featured in magazines such as Vogue.
Find them: Aranaz, Firma, SM Kultura, 7) Banglos Sculptures (Facebook/Banglos)
The Ramp at Crossings, House of Laurel,
Ten years ago, the fishermen of General
Shangri-la resorts
Nakar, Quezon were nearly wiped out was
left of their homes and community, save
6) 23060 (Facebook/23060)
Sick of all the Paris-themed notebooks, for a lot of driftwood washed into land.
shirts and accessories? Try some of Manila Nobody knew then that those driftwoods
on Kath Mitra’s sketches of Manila buildings are now on the cover of notebooks
she decided to launch under the brand
23060, partly out of love for paper and
partly in response to the deluge of tacky
Eiffel Tower things. 23060 notebooks are
the secret stash of creative in the know.
Find them: Heima. You may also order
23060 notebooks
would alter the course of these typhoon
survivors, who are now local sculptors
trained by no less than the master, Rey
Paz Contreras.
Banglos, a term coined by joining Bangon + Kilos (Rise and Move), is the result
of a livelihood partnership between Gawad Kalinga and Smart Communications.
Banglos creates driftwood pieces that are
now a proud possession of local museums,
a conversation-starter in the homes of
businessmen like Oscar Lopez and Washington Sycip, and a valuable gift to foreign
collectors.
Find them: Banglos occasionally holds
exhibits and participates in bazaars. For
information, check their Facebook page.
16
FORUM
March 15, 2015
Editorial
HONG KONG NEWS
As We See it
Women
ON March 8, the world marked the International Women’s Day. It is the day when
we recognize women’s value, and contribution to our society.
Indeed, we should celebrate women for
their brilliance, their beauty, and their virtues. But women need much, much more
than celebrating and recognizing their
worth and value.
Women need the world to fight for them,
to respect them, and to treat them as men’s
equal and partner.
There is no doubt that the world needs
a day to remind it of how women make
it a better place to live in. And yes when
we say this, we mean their physical attributes too, because we need to celebrate all
women - those women who join beauty
pageants, those women who value learning and education above anything else,
and those women who choose to raise a
family and devote their time to their husband and their children.
They are all women who try to make the
most out of the cards they’re dealt with.
They are all brave women who try to be
the best in wherever they have been placed
in.
Celebrating women is good, but there is
so much more to be done for them.
Women have been fighting this battle
for a long, long time now, and it is time
for men to step it up for these women their mothers, their sisters, their friends,
their girlfriends, and their wives, and their
daughters.
Men must recognize that this fight is not
just women’s, it is theirs too. After all, it is
said that “the hand that rocks the cradle, is
the hand that rules the world.”
Equal Opportunities Commission
Currents
Chronic Illness and
Disability Discrimination Remember Flor
DISABILITY Discrimination Ordinance
(DDO) is a law that has been legislated
to protect people from discrimination and
harassment under their disability.
A lot of people think that only people
who lost their limb are protected under
the DDO. However, the definition of disability under the DDO is quite wide. It
includes total or partial malfunction of
a person’s body, the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of a
person’s body; the presence in the body
of organisms causing disease or illness.
This definition includes chronic illnesses
such as stroke, epilepsy, glaucoma, asthma, pneumoconiosis, cardiac disease,
haemophilia, thalassaemia, liver failure,
diabetes, psoriasis, cancer and so forth.
Under the DDO, it is unlawful for an
employer to dismiss an employee on the
ground of your chronic illness or the regular treatment for your illness. The DDO
requires employers to know whether an
employee can perform the inherent re-
quirements of a job. If not, the employer
has a duty to provide special services in
helping the employee to perform thejob
unless this would impose unjustifiable
hardship for the employer.
In 2012, the Equal Opportunity Commission conciliated a case lodged by a
foreign domestic worker ( C ) who had an
ovarian tumor. C informed her employer
about her condition shortly after the diagnosis. C continued to work while she
waited for the surgery. C alleged that her
employer started to nitpick on her performance subsequently. Around six months
later and shortly before the Cs surgery,
her employer dismissed her. C alleged
the dismissal was on the ground of her
disability.
C lodged a complaint of disability discrimination with the EOC against the
employer. The case was settled through
fast track conciliation after her employer
agreed to give C a monetary payment of
about nine-month’s salary.
NGAYONG Marso 17 ay ginugunita
natin ang ika-20 taon mula nang bitayin
si Flor Comtemplacion, isang domestic
worker, sa Singapore. Noong 1995, si
Flor ay naging simbolo ng milyong mga
OFWs na naging biktima ng inhustisya sa
mga bansnag kanilang paingatrabahuhan.
Higit pa rito, naging simbolo siya ng mga
OFWs na napabayaan ng sarili niyang
gobyerno.
Kasama ako noon nang ihatid ang
bangkay ni Flor sa kanyang libingan sa
San Pablo. Kasama ako noon ng libu-libong Pilipinong naki-simpatiya at nagprotesta para sa isang kababayang napabayaan. Noon ko unang nakita na ang
migrasyon ay hindi na lamang isyu ng
mga migrante at kanilang pamilya kundi
ng buong lipunan.
Dahil sa buhos ng protesta, napilitang
kilalanin ng estado ang mga OFW bilang
mga “Bagong Bayani” at mabilisang ipinasa ang ngayong tinatawag na Magna
Norman Uy
Carnay
Carta on Migrants.
Subalit dalawampung taon ang makalipas, ngayon nga ay nasa abroad na rin
ako, pero walang pagbabago sa kalagayan. Masasabi pa nga na lumala pa.
At sa ilalim ng kasalukuyang administrasyon, pinka-malala na yata ang pangangalakal at kapabayaan sa mga migranteng
Pilipino.
Sa kasalukuyan, marami mga bagong
Flor na nasa death row. May 123 na OFW
na nakapila para bitayin sa iba’t ibang
bansa. Kabilang sila sa 7,000 OFW na
nasa mga kulungan ngayon. Ang masaklap, sa ilalim ng gobyerno ni BS Aquino,
umabot na sa anim ang nabitay sa nakaraang apat na taon ng panunungkulan
niya. Ito na ang pinakamalaking bilang
ng nabitay simula nang ipatupad ang Labor Export Policy noong 1970s.
Halatang-halata ang pagpapabaya at
pangingikil. Ang hati ng mga migrante
sa kabuuang badyet ng pamahalaan ay
mababa pa sa 1% simula pa noong 2010.
Alam niyo bang 260 pesos lang ang inilalaan ng gobyerno sa bawat isang OFW?
Tapos patuloy pang binabawasan ang
badyet para sa serbisyo sa mga migrante
habang patuloy ang koleksyon sa atin.
Sa pag-aaral ng Migrante International,
kumokolekta ng di bababa sa Php 31,000
sa bawat OFW na dumaan sa POEA.
Bago naging pangulo si BS Aquino, ang
average na koleksyon ng gobyerno ay
Php 18,000.
Kung mahigit 4,800 ang lumalabas
kada araw, ibig sabihi;y kumikita na ang
gobyerno ng Php 146.5 milyon kada araw
mula sa mga bayarin na ito.
Ang patuloy na pangingikil at ang
kakulangan ng serbisyo at tulong sa mga
OFW sa gitna ng balita ng malawakang
korupsyon musa DAP at PDAF ay nagiging matibay na batayan para dumami
ang OFW na nananawagang bumaba na
sa pwesto itong si BS Aquino.
Dear Editor
Dear Hong Kong News,
ALAM kong madami nang sumulat sa inyo katulad ng
kuwento ko.
Gayunman, gusto ko pa ring ipaalaala kung gano
kahirap ang buhay ng mga OFW.
Napilitan akong mangibang-bayan dahil kailangan
namin ng pera. May-sakit ang nanay ko at kailangan
niya ng mahabang gamutan.
Mabigat man sa loob ay kinaya ko lahat dahil wala
kaming ibang aasahan.
Pagdating ko dito sa Hong Kong ay nabatid kong
ibang-iba talaga ang pamumuhay dito. Madaming
bagay akong kailangang matutunan agad at nagawa
ko naman ito.
Ang ikinasasama ko lamang ng loob ay sa matagal
kong pamamalagi dito ay wala pa akong naipon na
pera.
Paano ka naman makakaipon kung ang lahat ng
pangangailangan ng pamilya mo ay inasa sa iyo?
Mahal ko ang pamilya ko pero hindi na ako bumabata at hindi ko din nais na manatili na lamang bilang
isang kasambahay habambuhay.
Binabalak kong magnegiosyo pero paano ko ito
magagawa kung wala akong ipon?
Ito ang masaklap na katotohanan na buhay naming
mga OFW.
Nawa’y maunawaan ng aming mga pamilya na
hindi kami ATM na laging may lamang pera.
Mahirap ang buhay namin dito. Nakikisama kami
sa mga dayuhan at tinitiis ang lungkot upang kumita
lamang.
Nawa’y bigyan naman ng pagpapahalaga ito sa
pamamagitan din ng pagsisikap ng aming mga pamilya sa Pilipinas.
Gumagalang,
Betty D.
Jeneth P. Julve
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HONG KONG NEWS
BALITANG PH
March 15, 2015
Poverty worsens in PH
By Maia Lopez
POVERTY has worsened in the first half
of 2014, the National Economic Development Authority said, citing high food
prices and the lingering effects of super
typhoon Yolanda as reasons.
Data from the Annual Poverty Indicators Survey showed that poverty incidence
among individuals rose to 25.8 percent
from 24.6 percent for the same period in
2013.
Poverty incidence among families also
increased to 20 percent from 18.8 percent
for the first half of 2013.
The poverty figures did not include data
for Batanes, because it had fewer than 100
sample households, and Leyte, as no survey was conducted because of Yolanda.
To make the figures comparable, the
P-Noy aunt
trying to
discredit 2013
election results
By Maia Lopez
THE aunt of President Benigno Aquino
III - former Tarlac Gov. Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco - has been accused of
masterminding a propaganda campaign to
discredit the results of the 2013 mid-term
elections.
Cojuangco’s former executive assistant, Worthy Acosta, accused her of trying
to mislead the public into believing that
there was massive election fraud in 2013
by stealing and tampering with the ballots
from Baguio City.
Worthy, in his affidavit filed before the
Commission on Elections, said Cojuangco
was assisted by former Biliran congressman Glenn Chong.
“I, Tingting, Glenn and the others started making propaganda materials such as
Powerpoint presentations, leaflets, and
video clips exposing election fraud in the
automated elections,” Acosta said in his
sworn statement.
“The intention of this propaganda was
to convince the public to rally behind our
cause and against the automated election
system. The goal in view was to mobilize
supporters and sow dissatisfaction towards the present administration using the
issue of massive election fraud,” he added.
Cojuangco, together with her husband
Peping, recently hogged the news for leading the National Transformation Council
that called for the resignation of the President, following the botched operation in
Mamasapano against international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and his
Filipino cohort Basit Usman.
Acosta said he was instructed by Cojuangco, upon Chong’s suggestion, to go
to Baguio City in June 2013 to secure the
ballots that would prove electoral fraud.
He accused Cojuangco of making arrangements with former Baguio City Rep.
Bernie Vergara, who he said was eager to
prove fraud after placing third in the 2013
polls.
“I put the ballots inside my backpack,
closed the ballot box and carefully placed
the packaging tape back around it. I car-
Cojuangco
ried it back to the corner, where it was
stacked,” Acosta said.
He said Chong instructed him to tamper
with the ballots to make it appear like Vergara was cheated.
“Glenn said it should appear that the actual votes of congressman Nicasio Aliping
as shown in the ballots were significantly
increased in the election return. He said
we had to make Vergara believe that there
was rigging, even though there was none,
to make him join our cause,” he said.
Acosta said he was also instructed by
Chong to increase the votes for Cojuangco, who was then running for senator.
“This was done to boost her votes in the
actual ballots, which, in truth, was very
shamefully low,” Acosta added.
He said they started making propaganda
materials which included a video showing
an anonymous person detailing supposed
fraud in the automated polls and a presentation showing tampered ballots and
other questionable documents that would
support the 60-30-10 pattern of election
rigging.
“It was very evident from discussions
with Tingting, as well as her actions, that
she despises her nephew, President Aquino,” Acosta said.
“As such, Tingting holds interest in any
issue that reflects negatively on the present administration,” he added.
Philippine Statistics Authority also
excluded the poverty statistics for the
two provinces in 2013.
However. per capita income in the first
semester of 2014 was higher by 6.4 percent than in 2013, NEDA director general
Arsenio Balisacan said
“Per capita income data in 2014 show
that economic growth has benefited the
lower income groups, including the poor.
This means that the twin strategies of encouraging investments and production
alongside the implementation of a largescale income redistribution program have
worked,” Balisacan said.
De La Salle University professor Angelo Taningco said the economy did not
grow enough last year to reduce poverty.
To address poverty, Taningco said the
government should ensure price stability
17
through low inflation and sustain robust
economic growth.
Ten out of the 17 regions experienced
double-digit increases in their poverty
thresholds.
The highest was observed in Region
VIII with 14.2 percent, due to the lingering effects of typhoon Yolanda, followed
by Metro Manila with 13.5 percent as it
had to face the highest rice prices.
18
BALITANG PH
March 15, 2015
Military launches allout offensive vs BIFF
By Maia Lopez
THE Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) has launched an all-out offensive
against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom
Fighters (BIFF), a splinter group of the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
According to Capt. Jo-anne Petinglay,
spokesperson of the 6th Infantry Division
in Maguindanao, at least 40 BIFF rebels
have been killed since the operation began.
“Once we have flushed out the armed
bandits and terrorists from the affected areas, we will facilitate the safe return of the
civilians back to their homes,” said newly-appointed military spokesman Brig.
Gen. Joselito Kakilala.
The directive for an all-out offensive
came on the heels of the Jan. 25 Mamasapano clash that left 44 members of the
Special Action Force dead in the hands of
members of the BIFF, the MILF, and private armies in Maguindanao.
The BIFF is believed to be coddling Filipino bomb expert Basit Usman, whoescaped the during the clash and carries a $1
million bounty on his head.
Following the Mamasapano debacle, the
MILF has already re-positioned its troops
to avoid “mis-encounters” with the military during the operation against the BIFF.
“The government coordinated with the
MILF. All MILF units in the area were
given directives to re-position considering that a big mass of government forces
is going inside,” MILF vice chairman for
military affairs Von Al Haq said in an interview.
The International Committee of the Red
Cross said thousands of residents have
fled their homes in the villages of Kalbugan and Buliok in Maguindanao.
“Civilians are forced to flee out of fear.
Displacement, especially when it’s prolonged and repeated, uproots people from
their normal lives and causes untold suffering,” ICRC Philippines head Pascal
Mauchle said.
Laisa Alamia, the executive secretary
of the Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM), also warned that
prolonging the all-out offensive would deplete the local government of resources to
help the displaced residents.
“If this will go on until the end of the
month, we will run out of supplies. The
pre-positioning of goods takes time,” Alamia said.
Data from ARMM’s Humanitarian
Emergency Action and Response Team
showed that at least 8,236 families from
eight towns have fled their homes for fear
of getting caught in the fighting.
Nearly 15,000 students were also affected by the suspension of classes in the area.
Legendary warship found off Romblon
By Maia Lopez
MICROSOFT co-founder Paul Allen
has found the wreck of a long-lost World
War II Japanese battleship in Sibuyan
Sea off the coast of Romblon.
The billionaire philanthropist posted
images on Twitter of the Musashi - one
of two Yamato-class battleships constructed by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
The Musashi sank on October 24,
1994 during the Battle of the Sibuyan
Sea.
“The Musashi is truly an engineering
marvel and, as an engineer at heart, I
have a deep appreciation for the technology and effort that went into its construction. I am honored to play a part in
finding this key vessel in naval history,”
Allen said.
Deputy presidential spokesperson
Abigail Valte, however, reminded the
public and Allen’s group that Philippine
laws will apply in cases of archaeological finds in the country.
“At this point, the National Museum
is at least trying to contact them to coordinate. This is under their jurisdiction,” Valte said. The National Museum stressed that “any further activity
pertaining” to the shipwreck “shall be
governed by established rules and regulations.”
HONG KONG NEWS
Miriam: scrap BBL and
renegotiate peace deal
By Maia Lopez
SENATOR Miriam Defensor Santiago has
pressed the government to scrap the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and
renegotiate instead a new peace deal with
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Santiago, who made the statement in the
wake of the Mamasapano clash on January
25 that left 44 commandos of the Special
Action Force dead, said renegotiating the
agreement will correct the constitutional
and legal flaws of the present proposal.
“In my personal view, it will be best to
start the process all over again. First of all,
let us find out from the Senate whether it is
willing to grant the power to the President
to negotiate a separate form of government,” she said.
“Where is the Senate authorization for
the President to conduct these negotiations
sometimes called peace process?” added Santiago, a former regional trial court
judge and expert on constitutional law.
She said the present form of the BBL
will create a substate, which is unconstitutional.
Santiago also questioned the authority
of the MILF to represent and negotiate on
behalf of the Bangsamoro people.
“Who gave the MILF authority to represent the Bangsamoro among all those
scions of the breakaway groups such as
the MNLF (Moro National Liberation
Front), BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters) and others now screaming
to existence,” Santiago said.
The senator said the BBL, under its
present form, will only result in continuing violence in Mindanao because the
Bangsamoro people are not truly represented.
“The first thing that would happen the
moment that Bangsamoro law is passed
is there will be internal war - another
non-international armed conflict, this time
among those claiming to be leaders,” Santiago said. .
JPE in hospital
SENATOR Juan Ponce Enrile has been rushed to
the Makati Medical Center for pneumonia, but
his family said the 91-year old lawmaker is in a
“fighting mood” and has no intention of seeking
house arrest.
Enrile, who is on trial for plunder, would
rather go back to the Philippine National Police
General Hospital where he was detained, his son
former Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile said.
The younger Enrile said proposals for house
arrest were discussed but his father was not in
favor of the idea.
“He wants to go back and go through the process, face his accusers, face the charges before
him, answer them before the Filipino public and
clear his name. That’s what he wants,” Jack said.
“He wants no doubt about his innocence and
he doesn’t want the public to doubt the strength
of his case,” he added.
Jack said his father’s condition was steadily
improving.
“This is the trial of his life and he has a few
years to clear his name,” he added.
Despite assurances from the Enrile family,
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago cautioned
against any special treatment that may be extended to her nemesis.
Santiago said the law must treat people equally, citing the case of former President and now
Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo. Maia Lopez
Sen. Serge Osmeña III said the proposed
measure will not cost the government
more than P500 million and that the funding would be sourced from Malampaya
funds.
The resolution will also ensure that locators in eco-zones that had been guaranteed by the previous administration of
lower than normal grid rates will continue
to enjoy their privilege.
“We believe that this special measure
would alleviate the impending power
shortage at least cost to the Filipino,” Osmeña said.
“And would enable government to keep
its word that it would not compete with
the investors in the generating sector,” he
added.
The President earlier warned that economic losses may reach up to P23.3 billion, or P9.3 billion at the very least, if the
looming power shortage is not addressed.
“The lower figure assumes power outage of two hours a day on average for
three months. The higher figure assumes a
worse scenario of five hours a day also for
three months,” the President said.
“The economic cost as estimated here
pertains to output foregone, such as GDP
loss from stoppage of economic activities.
The estimate does not include foregone
investment and tourist arrivals,” he added.
ed by the 2014 supplemental budget was a program that would improve the capability of our
country’s law-enforcement agency,” he added.
Aside from new firearms and vehicles, the
budget will also cover upgrades in the PNP’s
communication and firearms identification systems.
“Despite the challenges facing the PNP, the
national government fully supports the police
force in fulfilling their mandate to prevent crime
and maintain peace and order,” Abad said.
“In doing so, we place value not only on the
PNP as an organization but also on the service
and sacrifice of our valiant and fearless policemen,” he added.
The funding for the PNP’s Operational Transformation Plant (OTP) will be charged against
the P22.47-billion supplemental budget for
2014.
The OTP has the biggest allocation out of the
26 items in the supplemental budget.
It is one of 10 projects in the supplemental
budget that were supposed to be funded through
the Disbursement Acceleration Program before
it was stopped by the Supreme Court for being
unconstitutional.
Maia Lopez
P-Noy gets emergency powers
By Maia Lopez
THE Senate has approved on third reading
a resolution granting President Benigno
Aquino III special powers to address the
looming energy crisis, especially during
the summer months.
Under Joint Resolution 12, the executive branch will be given authority to implement the interruptible load program in
Luzon, among other measures, instead of
leasing 300- megawatt generator sets at a
cost of P6 billion for two years.
The House of Representatives approved
its version of Aquino’s request for special
powers in December 2014.
PNP receives P1.04 B to buy guns
THE Department of Budget and Management
has released P2.83 billion to the Philippine National Police for the improvement of the police
force’s infrastructure, facilities, and equipment.
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the
amount will cover the purchase of 218,790 firearms worth P1.04 billion and 945 motor vehicles
worth P944.5 million.
“We recognize that inclusive development
would require a safe and secure environment
where all Filipinos can benefit from the country’s economic growth,” Abad said.
“That’s why one of the priority projects fund-
HONG KONG NEWS
WORLD
March 15, 2015
OFW beheaded in
Saudi Arabia
By Maia Lopez
A Filipino worker who was convicted of
murdering his Saudi boss in 2007 was beheaded in Riyadh.
Joven Esteva, who hails from General
Santos City, was executed after his victim’s family refused to sign an affidavit
of forgiveness, or tanazul, required under
Saudi law to stay his execution.
“It is so painful, why I was not informed, why it happened so fast, I should
have been informed by Philippine authorities,” said Esteva’s wife, Nerlyn.
Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is
also the presidential adviser on OFWs’
concerns, said there are currently 80 cases
of Filipino workers on death row worldwide, 27 of which are in Saudi Arabia.
“Rest assured that all of them are being
given full legal assistance by the Philip-
pine government and efforts are being exerted within the laws of the respective host
nations to save their lives,” Binay said.
Malacañang, for its part, said the government has not been remiss in assisting
Esteva.
“Our Department of Foreign Affairs and
other agencies such as the Department of
Labor and Employment have always monitored the situation of all Filipinos working and living abroad,” Communications
Secretary Sonny Coloma said.
“Assistance to nationals is an important
commitment of our country in recognition
of the important contribution of our OFWs
to our economy,” he said.
“The decision was sudden. We did not
have enough opportunity to make additional representation with the Saudi Arabian government for a possible further
consideration of his situation or a stay of
the execution,” Coloma added.
Esteva’s execution brought to 40 the
number of executions in Saudi Arabia this
year.
The kingdom beheaded another Filipino
worker, Carlito Lana, on December 12 for
shooting a Saudi man and then running
him over with a car.
Amnesty International has already criticized Saudi Arabia for what it described
as “an unprecedented pace of executions”
this year.
Rape, murder, armed robbery and drug
trafficking are all punishable by death
under Saudi Arabia’s version of Islamic
sharia law.
Before a convict can be pardoned by the
king, the victim’s family should forgive
him or her first.
The convict should also pay “blood
money” to the victim’s family.
death sentence,” Jose said.
The Philippine government requested
for the review in a bid to save the 30-yearold Filipina from being executed by firing
squad.
The review was undertaken following a
request from the Philippine government in
a bid to save the unnamed Filipino from
execution by firing squad.
But Jose said there is no word yet as to
how long the judicial review will last.
Veloso entered Indonesia as a tourist
when she was arrested by authorities at the
Yogyakarta Airport on April 25, 2010 for
trafficking 2.6 kilograms of heroin.
Veloso has maintained that she was
asked by a friend to carry the bags containing heroin, and that she was not aware
of the suitcases’ contents.
DFA data showed a total of 805 Filipinos are detained abroad for drug-related
offenses.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has earlier appealed
to Indonesia to refrain from executing
convicted drug smugglers.
Filipina faces execution in Indonesia
By Maia Lopez
A district court in Yogyakarta has begun
a crucial review on the case of a convicted Filipina drug smuggler who is facing
execution in Indonesia, Foreign Affairs
spokesman Charles Jose said.
The review will determine whether
Mary Jane Veloso’s death sentence will be
commuted to life imprisonment or not.
“The process is already under way. We
are hopeful that after completion of review, there will be a commutation of the
4 workers abducted in Libya
FOUR Filipinos and five other foreigners were
abducted in an attack on the southern oilfield of
Al-Ghani in Libya last week, the Department of
Foreign Affairs said.
DFA spokesman Charles Jose said Manila’s
embassy in Tripoli reported that the four Filipinos were kidnapped along with an Austrian, two
Bangladeshis, a Czech national and a Ghanian.
Libyan officials have blamed the assault,
which left eight guards dead, on Islamic State
jihadists.
Jose, however, said the government could not
yet confirm the identity of the kidnappers, adding that no demands had been issued.
“These underscore the escalating threat to the
safety and security of Filipino oil workers in Libyan oil fields which have been targeted by armed
groups in recent weeks,” he said.
Jose said the recent kidnapping brought to
seven the total number of Filipinos abducted in
the North African state this year.
Three other Filipinos were seized in the
Al-Mabruk oilfield early last month.
At least 4,000 Filipinos continue to work in
Libya despite a mandatory repatriation order
imposed by the Philippine government in July
last year.
The number used to be as high as 13,000 before the DFA raised Alert Level 4 in strife-torn
Libya.
Maia Lopez
Pinoy admits to drug
trafficking in UAE
By Maia Lopez
A 38-year old Filipino has pleaded guilty
before a United Arab Emirates court for
trying to smuggle in 6.4 kilos of cocaine
in October.
“Yes, I smuggled the drugs. I was heading to Vietnam (from Brazil) then,” said
the Filipino who entered a guilty plea before Dubai Court of First Instance presiding judge Ezzat Abdul Lat.
According to Gulf News, seven pouches of cocaine were found in the Filipino’s
baggage last year.
Prosecutors are seeking maximum punishment of 15 years imprisonment and a
fine of about P2.4 million. The Dubai court
is expected to make a ruling on March 30.
A policeman who testified against the
Filipino said he became suspicious about
the latter’s movement at the airport transit
terminal.
19
3 Filipino health workers
get infected with MERS
By Maia Lopez
THREE Filipino female healthcare
workers in Saudi Arabia have been
infected with the deadly Middle East
Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus or
MERS-CoV, the Department of Foreign
Affairs said.
DFA spokesman Charles Jose said the
three overseas Filipino workers were
employed in various hospitals in Saudi
and have been exposed to MERS-CoV
patients.
“They have been diagnosed just recently. It was discovered in the early
stage. They are in isolation right now,”
Jose said.
Without releasing their identities,
Jose said two of the Filipinos are nurses
while the third one is a technician.
He said the first one is a 56-year-old
female nurse assigned at the emergency
room who is now under isolation in the
hospital’s staff housing while the second female nurse was assigned at the
Oncology section and has likewise been
placed under quarantine.
Jose said the respiratory technician is
also currently confined and undergoing
medical tests.
“We will get in touch with their next
of kin to inform them of any development,” Jose said, adding that visitation
is still prohibited.
Since 2013, a total of 10 Filipinos
- eight from Saudi and two from the
United Arab Emirates - have died from
contracting the virus.
“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, 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.
Jose
20
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: [email protected]
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
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
March 15, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
Migrant workers mark
International Women’s Day
By Peter Castillo
DOMESTIC workers in Hong Kong
marked International Women’s Day with
protests to demand greater rights and the
resignation of President Aquino.
Members of the groups under the United
Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL) and the
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN)
marched from Chater Road to the Philippine Consulate General before joining domestic workers of other nationalities in a
protest at the Central Government Office.
The Filipino workers also scored the
decision of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) to require the inclusion of airport terminal fees in the cost
of plane tickets.
“Ang taas ng mga bayarin at bilihin sa
Pilipinas. Kaya po ngayong araw isa sa
mga matinding panawagan natin sa konsuladong ito ay tanggalin ang P550 terminal
fee na kinakabit sa ating mga tiket,” said
Domestic workers protest at the consulate
Dolores Balladares, UNIFIL president.
“Pagkat iyan ay dagdag na bayarin sa
atin. Hindi totoo na kahit pa yan ay binabayaran ng mga employer, ang usapin ay
gumagastos ng walang kapararakan ang
mga employer at dadagdag pa yan sa mga
Pinoy a finalist in art tilt
By Peter Castillo
A Filipino artist has made it as a finalist
in one of the most established and prestigious contemporary visual art awards
in the Asia Pacific Region.
Pio Abad is one of the 30 finalists in
the 11th edition of the Sovereign Asian
Art Prize, which now includes sculpture as a medium of artwork entry.
The foundation, founded in 2003 in
Hong Kong, aims to help disadvantaged children across Asia by using the
arts for rehabilitation, education and
therapy.
The 30 shortlisted artworks will be
brought to Hong Kong and exhibited
from March 11 to 13 at Soho 189 Art
Lane located at 189 Queen’s Road West
in Sheung Wan.
The judges then score the artworks
live and pick the winner who will get
a prize of US$30,000, a trophy and the
title.
The remaining 29 finalist artworks
are sold at auction with the proceeds
being split evenly between the artists
and The Sovereign Art Foundation.
To encourage interaction with the
prize and to increase exposure for the
artists, the public are invited to cast
their vote online or in person for their
favourite artwork displayed in the exhibition.
This artist is awarded The Schoeni
Prize and US$1,000.
marami pang binabayad nila,” she said.
Balaldares noted that domestic workers
already pay huge amounts to recruitment
agencies to land a job in Hong Kong.
“Hindi pa nga natutugunan ang libo-libong kaso ng mga kababayan natin na nag-
samapa ng illegal collection sa konsulado, sa (Philippine Overseas Labor Office).
Hanggang ngayon nananatili ang iligal na
koleksyon ng mga recruitment agencies,”
she said.
Balladares also said that former Labor
Attaché Manuel Roldan had yet to be punished for his alleged crimes while he was
still in Hong Kong.
“Kaya mga kabbayan, napapanahon at
nararapat lamang na kasabay ng paniningil natin sa kapabayaan ng konsulado,
sa kapabayaan ng POLO sa migranteng
pilipuino, higit pa rito, nararapat at napapanahon na tayo ng pagpapatalsoik kay BS
Aquino,” she said.
“Sapagkat kung ano ang pinapakita ng
gobyerno ni BS Aquino, ganyan din ang
isasagawa ng kanyang mga departamento kagaya ng POLO dito sa Hong Kong.
Kaya ngayong araw po, itatak ng migranteng kababaihan, anakpawis ang ating
mga panawagan,” she added.
GALLERY
Aim Dragon Hong Kong celebrated its 2nd Anniversary and Awarding
Ceremony on March 8 at the Star Pisces in Tsim Sha Tsui.
A group from Besao, Mountain Province, led by Marcela Besley, sings a
Besao hymn during the 8th Lang-ay HK Festival on March 8.
AIRPORT AND AIRLINES
Airport Inquiry
Cathay Pacific Airways
Cebu Pacific Air
Philippine Airlines
2181 8888
2747 5000
2722 0609
2301 9300
Members of the Ilagan City Association of Hong Kong pose with
Isabela governor Faustino Dy III during their 2nd anniversary at the Sai
Ying Pun Community Complex on March 8. They also held the Search
for Ms. Ilagan City 2015, Dance Showdown and Singing Contest.
HONG KONG NEWS
BARRIO PINOY
March 15, 2015
21
Youth group welcomes new members
IT was not your typical Hong Kong Sunday.
Both board members and members of
Section Juan, a pioneer peer support group
for Filipino youths in Hong Kong, held a
get-together at the Hong Kong Musicians’
Union office in Mirador Mansion, Tsim
Sha Tsui, on March 1.
It was the first time the group had called
on all its now 20 plus members since it
was recognised as a society by the Hong
Kong government in March 4th, 2014,
and also as a registered association with
the Philippine Consulate since July 2014.
Section Juan President and Founder Jan
Yumul, welcomed the newest members,
which comprised of Filipino students now
in Form 6, a Filipino scholar from Bicol,
and a returning Hong Kong resident from
the United States.
The two-hour meeting served as an opportunity for a sharing session of getting
to know one another and a brief introduction on the group’s past activities and
plans.
“Thank you for coming to our meeting. It gives us renewed hope and hope
renewed. During the past few months, I
want to be honest in sharing with you that
we have met internal and external challenges, both of which have also been the
reasons that inspire us to just keep going,”
said Yumul.
“We see a greater need to have a support group for our youths who are often
caught in a dilemma with education and
career-related concerns and issues, including an apparent lack of knowledge regarding Filipino roots, history and culture
in Hong Kong that need to be shared out
there,” she added.
One of Section Juan’s more senior
members in attendance was Hong Kongborn Paul Moreno, whose family came to
the territory in the 1960s.
Moreno, an alumnus of the Diocesan
Boys’s School and whose parents hail
from Mindanao, shared how he would
make regular visits to the Philippines with
is family and memories of having his first
“jeepney” and “pedicab” riHe also encouraged the younger members to “always
think of options.”
“If you study French in school, that’s
useful, too,” said Moreno.
One of the latest additions to the group,
Candice Tomale-Adams, a returning Hong
Kong resident and an alumna of Sir Ellis
Kadoorie Primary and Secondary School,
spoke about her experience completing
her university in Seattle and compared the
culture and sense of identity of being a Filipino in the US.
“Ironically, it was stronger there. So, I
Google ties up with Enrich
to help FDHs in HK
By Peter Castillo
GOOGLE Hong Kong has thrown its support behind Enrich to boost the economic
empowerment of migrant women in the
special administrative region.
“Google has given a boost to Hong
Kong’s domestic worker population by
providing support for the economic empowerment program run by local charity,
Enrich,” the group said in a statement.
Established in 2007, Enrich provides Financial Education and Empowerment Program that offer migrant women practical
education in financial literacy, business
development, and confidence building.
With the year-long support from Google, Enrich will empower 450 migrant
women working as domestic workers with
vital life skills and tools to enable them to
budget, plan and save for their future.
“It is estimated the support will impact
an additional 2,250 family members back
in home countries as the program empowers migrant women to take control of their
finances and their future,” the group said.
Enrich said it has helped over 5,000 migrant women, with 85 percent of program
participants now saving regularly while
60 percent were able to pay off their debts
within two years of graduating from the
course.
“Before Enrich I was feeling very depressed, I felt lost. I didn’t know what
was going to happen in my future. I didn’t
know how to budget. I now have goals and
I’m looking forward to my dreams coming true,” said Virgie, an Enrich program
graduate.
“It’s still only a picture but I am planning for it now. It’s good to know that one
day I will be secure and stable when I go
back to the Philippines,” she added.
Enrich describes itself as the leading
charity promoting the economic empowerment of migrant women living in Hong
Kong.
Established in 2007, Enrich provides
Financial Education and Empowerment
Programmes that offer migrant women
practical education in financial literacy,
business development, and confidence
building.
“Enrich’s mission is to empower migrant women with vital life skills and tools
that enable them to budget, plan and save
for their future - ending the cycle of poverty for themselves and their families,” it
said.
At the end of 2014, Enrich had educated
5,586 migrant women in 318 workshops,
impacting an estimated 20,000 family
members in home countries.
After attending Enrich workshops, 93
percent of attendees say they are more
confident in managing debt, 85 percent
now save regularly, 60 percent are able
to get out of debt within two years, and
85 percent now talk with their family on
spending.
Enrich educates migrant women in 7
languages, with 15 program partners, at 20
training venues across Hong Kong.
There are currently 320,000 migrant
women working as domestic workers in
Hong Kong.
Section Juan members and board members
wanted to share it here. Plus, Hong Kong
and the Philippines are near each other. I
feel like we’re doing a disservice to our
youths and, well, the country, if we’re not
sharing the richness of our heritage and
roots enough,” said Adams.
Perhaps giving a twist to the local meet
was Philippine-born and raised Ferna
Simbulan, currently in Hong Kong as a
scholar at the Li Po Chun United World
College, who told the group she came to
know of Section Juan through a friend in
school.
“My experience is different from everybody else in this room. I grew up thinking
(reaching) Manila would be a dream, but
wow, it’s nice to hear all your experiences
and stories here. I look forward to learning
more about Hong Kong,” said Simbulan.
Since its recognition as an association,
Section Juan has co-organised a workshop
on Sex and Race Discrimination with the
Equal Opportunities Commission, the
Hong Kong Musicians’ Union and Enrich
HK.
To prepare its founding board of directors, it has also conducted immersion
activities that involved a visit to the Kowloon Mosque, non-governmental organisations such as the Mission for Migrant
Workers’, the Bethune House Migrant
Women’s Refuge, a shelter for distressed
women migrants in Hong Kong, and the
Christian Action Chungking Mansions
Services Centre for a peek into the lives
of refugees, asylum seekers and their children.
Some of the other activities by the pioneer Filipino peer support group included
supporting the education of ‘ethnic minority children,’ both in the Philippines and in
Hong Kong, as well as providing immediate relief to typhoon survivors mostly in
the Visayas region.
In December, Section Juan also became
the first group of its kind to join “PaSTARan 2014” an annual parol-making
contest organised by the Philippine Consulate, with their theme “Ang kabataan ay
pag-asa ng bayan.”
It also carried out its first educational
event---a historical walking tour---in cooperation with Lakbay Dangal.
It was dubbed “A Rizal Day Activity:
Filipino Heroes and the Hong Kong Connection” to commemorate the death of
Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.
“We have decided to suspend our
planned mobile mural painting for the
Sentro Rizal room at the Philippine Consulate, as well as collaborating with other
groups to do some workshop. We will now
focus our energies on doing more outreach
to the Filipino families and youths in places like Lantau Island, Discovery Bay and
Lamma Island,” said Yumul.
Five Pinoy artists featured in exhibit
A major art gallery in Hong Kong is featuring the
artwork of five Filipinos as part of an exhibit that
will run until May.
The Osage Gallery in Kwun Tong has included
the works of Filipino artists Pio Abad, Jon Cuyson, Eisa Jocson, Mark Salvatus, and Dex Fernandez in its exhibit dubbed
“South by Southeast”
“`South by Southeast’ aims at broadening the
context of the relations of art between Southeast
Asia and Southeast Europe,” the gallery said in
a statement.
“The exhibition will examine the connection
between these two regions and attempt to take
the interaction between the two sites and their art
worlds as the basis for discourse,” it added.
The exhibit is curated in part by Patrick D.
Flores, the curator of the Vargas Museum and a
professor of Art Studies at the Department of Art
Studies of the University of the Philippines and
Curator. The gallery---located at 4/F, 20 Hing
Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong---is open
from Monday to Saturday from 10:30 am – 6:30
pm and on Sundays from 2:30 p.m.- 6:30 p.m.
22
BUHAY OFW
March 15, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS
Hindi graduation kundi binyag
By Imelda Mae Bustinera
SANA raw hindi mangyari sa mga ina na
magsisi-uwi ngayon para sa pagtatapos ng
kanilang anak ang nangyari at naranasan
niya noong isang taon.
Mababakas pa rin ang naramdamang
lungkot at sakit sa mukha ni Vilma habang
ikinukwento ang kabiguan ng kanyang
pangarap.
Tatlong buwan pa raw bago ng araw ng
pag-uwi para magbakasyon ni Vilma, 43,
may asawa at isang anak na babae, tubong
Laguna, ay paunti-unti at paisa-isa na siyang namimili ng mga gamit na ipapadala
niya sa pamilya at pampasalubong sa mga
kaibigan at kapitbahay.
Gumagawa si Vilma ng paraan sa araw
ng kanyang day-off na madagdagan ang
pambili nya at para medyo malaki ang
madala nyang pera.
Naka ilang kahon na syang naipa doorto-door dahil nataon na sa petsa rin ng
Iyak ng bata ang bumulaga
pagtatapos ang pag-uwi niya kaya kailangan ng malaking handaan. Iyon daw ang
kinasanayan sa kanila.
Halos hilahin na raw ni Vilma ang pagdaan ng mga araw dahil sabik na syang
makapiling ang kaniyang mag-ama.
Hanggang dumating ang araw ng kanyang
Mas mahalaga ang anak
By Imelda Mae Bustinera
PATAPOS na sana sa Mayo ang kontrata
ni Sharon, 39, may asawa at dalawang
anak, tubong Masbate, sa pinaglilingkuran nyang mga amo kaya lang gusto nyang
umuwi ngayong Marso dahil magtatapos
ang kanyang panganay na anak sa high
school.
Subalit nang magpaalam sya sa amo na
uuwi siya kahit isang Linggo lang ay hindi
sya pinayagan. Sa halip, pinapili si Sharon
kung trabaho o tuluyan na syang uuwi.
Pinili ni Sharon ang tuluyan na syang
uuwi kaya pinaimpake sya agad-agad at
ibinigay ang halagang bayad ng kabuuang
isang buwan, ang mga araw na pinagtrabahuhan nya ng kasalukuyan buwan at ang
para sa pambili ng tiket.
Sa halip na malungkot ay lihim pang
nagpasalamat si Sharon. Matagal na sana
nyang pinutol ang kontrata dahil sa sama
ng pag-uugali ng among babae na taga
probinsya sa Tsina.
Siya ang napangasawa ng amo ni Sharon na matandang mayamang biyudo. Ang
dami raw ipinagbabawal ng among babae
kay Sharon, lalo na ang makipag-usap sa
kapwa o sa mga kababayan ni Sharon.
At hindi pa raw si Sharon binibigyan ng
pagkain kaya bumibili raw siiya gamit ang
sariling pera.
Nang bumaba si Sharon ay tumuloy sya
sa ahensya para sa mga naghahanap ng
katulong. Sabi nga, kapag may nagsara
ng pinto ay may magbubukas naman ng
bintana.
Nakahanap naman siya ng bago kaya
pumirma sya ng kontrata bago umuwi at
makapagpahinga man lang habang hinihintay nya ang visa.
Halos wala raw kasi syang pahinga kasi
stay-in siya dun sa dati nyang amo.
Gusto ni Sharon na pagbalik nya rito ay
may baon syang lakas para sa panibagong
pakikipagsapalaran sa bago nyang amo.
pag-uwi ay hindi na raw sya nakatulog
magdamag dahil sa pag-iimpake ng mga
dadalhin nya.
Pagdating nya raw sa kanila, nagpasalamat siya sa mga nadatnan nya dahil halos
lahat sila ay kumikilos sa pag-aasikaso ng
mga lulutuing panghanda. Maya-maya
raw may narinig syang umiiyak na sanggol.
Nagtanong raw sya kung kaninong anak
ang umiiyak at itigil daw muna ang ginagawa at asikasuhin muna yung bata. Nagtinginan daw yung mga tao dun sa kanila,
nakahalata raw si Vilma na parang may
ibig sabihin ang mga ikinilos nila.
Dali-dali raw syang pumasok sa kabahayan at tumuloy sa kuwarto ng kanyang
anak at doon nya nakita ang mag-ina nya.
Sa sobrang pagod at pagkabigla raw yata
ay hindi na nya namalayan kung paano sya
napahiga sa sarili nyang kama.
Saka nya naalala ang tagpo bago sya
hinimatay at napahagulgol na lang daw
sya at natanong ang sarili kung bakit at
paano nangyari na hindi nya nalaman ang
kalagayan ng kanyang anak. Paano ito nailihim ng mag-ama sa kanya?
Bumalik raw sya ng maubos ang araw
ng bakasyon nya na parang pagod na pagod at walang siglang magtrabaho.
Ayaw bumangon ng mga alaga
SA tuwing umaga, problema ng mga amo ni
Judy, 28, dalaga, tubong Catanduanes, ang hirap
gisingin ang mga alaga para pumasok sa elementarya.
Madalas silang maiwanan ng school bus kaya
napipilitan silang magtaksi para hindi mahuli sa
klase. Minsan pinapalo sila ng ama habang nakahiga para bumangon na.
Sa isip naman ni Judy, bakit kasi hindi patulugin ng maaga ang mga bata kung may pasok
kinabukasan para makatulog ng kailangang
tamang oras.
Dapat din daw pagbawalan magbabad sa computer ang mga ito para hindi mahirapang imulat
ang mga mata sa umaga.
Minsan parehong wala ang mga amo ni Judy,
nag-alala siya na baka hindi nya makontrol ang
sarili ay masaktan nya ang mga alaga kapag hindi gumising sa takdang oras.
Ganun nga ang nangyari: nang ginigising na
sila ni Judy ay bumabaliktad lang ang mga ito
ng higa.
Naalala ni Judy na magpapalit na sya ng bed
sheet ng araw na yun kaya naisipan nya na sabuyan ng tubig ang mga mukha sabay sigaw na
there is fire.
Biglang bangon ang mga alaga nagkunwari
naman si Judy na tumakbo sa may pinto at sinabing tumigil na ang fire alarm siguro naapula
na ang apoy.
Palihim na natatawa si Judy habang binibihisan ang mga alaga. Sa loob-loob nya, ganun lang
pala kadali.
Imelda Mae Bustinera
Pampagising
Good
Samaritan
By Imelda Mae Bustinera
ISA lang si Miriam, 53, sa mga kababayan
natin na nawalan o nadukotan ng pitaka na
madalas mangyari sa Worlwide.
Sumigla raw ang araw nya nang tanungin sya kung anong kulay nung
pitakang nawala sa kanya.
Kahit papaano ay parang may hatid raw
ng pag-asa na maibalik pa yung perang
pinagpaguran nya ng isang buwan at
kung tutuusin wala man lang daw yun
pagkakakilanlan tulad ng ID, pangalan o
numero ng telepono.
Naghintay raw sya ng ilang araw simula
noon na may magandang balita man lang
pero lumipas na ang isang linggo ay wala
raw syang natanggap na balita kaya kinalimutan na lang nya.
Pero masaya na rin daw si Miriam dahil
kahit hindi man daw sya, siguro naman
daw ay yung isa sa iba pang nawalan din
ay nagkaroon ng pag-asang naibalik.
Kung may masasama raw ay mayroon
rin daw palang mabubuting tao. Salamat
daw at may Good Samaritan pa rin pala sa
panahon ngayon.
Sana raw ay maawa at makonsensya na
ang taong nagpapasarap sa pera na pinagpaguran ng iba. Sana mawala na o tumigil
na ang mga walang puso at kaluluwang
mandurukot.
Mahal ang
kamote
By Imelda Mae Bustinera
NAGTAKA at napabulalas si Helen nang
makita ang halaga ng ilang piraso ng kamote na binili ng amo nya. Nang maluto
na ay naisipan ni Helen kumain ng isang
piraso.
Bilang pala ng amo nya kung ilang piraso kaya nagtanong kung bakit kulang ng
isa. Sinabi ni Helen na kinain nya. Nagalit
ang amo, hindi raw ba alam ni Helen na
ang mahal ng bili nya dun.
Sa inis ng napahiyang si Helen ay sinagot na kaya nga nya naisipan kumain ng isa
kasi gusto nyang matikman at malaman
kung bakit ang mahal.
Pero wala naman daw palang ipinagkaiba ang kamote sa kinakain ng mga taong
mahirap na walang pambili ng bigas.
Nagalit ang amo pero sinabihan niya
ito na kadalasan ay ipinapakain lang nila
ang kamote sa baboy kapag naubusan ng
darak.
Namula raw ang mukha ng amo ni Helen at tumalikod na lang. Si Helen ay dalaga at taga Pampanga.
HONG KONG NEWS
March 15, 2015
May ginawa raw na
malaswa si Buboy
By Cristy Kasilag
NAGIGING sentro ngayon ng away nina
Cesar Montano at ng kanyang hiwalay na
asawa si Sunshine Cruz ang kanilang tatlong anak.
Nuong ika-3 ng Pebrero ay nag sampa
na naman ng panibagong kaso laban kay
Cesar si Sunshine at hinabla ang actor
ng Violence Against Minor Daughters na
nakasaad sa Republic Act No. 9262 at
Republic Act No. 7610 o child abuse sa
Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.
Inakusahan si Cesar na may ginawa
umano siyang malaswa at ito ay nasaksihan ng kanilang tatlong menor na edad na
babaeng anak. Nagreklamo di umano ang
mga bata kay Sunshine.
Pero ang depensa ng kampo ng 52 anyos na si Cesar ay hindi totoo itong mga
bintang laban sa kanya. Wala daw siyang
maalalang pinakitang malaswa sa kanyang
mga anak pwera dun sa isang pagkakataon
na inaayos niya ang kanyang pantalon.
Sa kanyang Instagram account, nag
Montano
post ang 37 taong gulang na si Sunshine
ng mensahe para sa kanyang mga anak na
tinatawag niyang “Tres Marias.”
“Dear Tres Marias, I’m sorry things are
bad now. Sorry.. I know you girls are hurt.
I promise things will get better real soon.
Please be brave and keep in mind mommy
will be here for you all the time,” sabi ni
Sunshine.
“Thank you for the love and for always
trying your best to get good grades. I ap-
preciate it mga anak. I really do. Mahal
na mahal ko kayo... #mylife #tresmarias
#cantsleep,” aniya.
Sa kanyang official statement, mariing
itinanggi ni Cesar ang mga akusasyong
binato ni Sunshine sa kanya.
Lubos daw siyang nasaktan dahil dinawit ang kanyang mga inosenteng anak
sa isyu na ito.
“I may not have been a perfect husband,
but I am most definitely not a monster father,” sabi ni Cesar.
Nabangit niya na baka gumawa ng ganitong isyu sila Sunshine dahil kasalukuyan
inaayos nila magasawa ang pag hati-hati
ng kanilang ari-arian
“I respectfully appeal to Sunshine, if
you want the property you have been
clamoring, then so be it. I have signed the
compromise agreement giving you what
you want,” sabi ni Cesar.
“But do not and never ever again drag
our innocent daughters to settle our differences just to suit your own personal interest,” aniya.
Inalok ako ng kasal ni Bistek---Kris
By Cristy Kasilag
PAGKATAPOS ng isang taong pananahimik, inamin na presidential sister na
si Kris Aquino na inalok siya ng kasal ni
Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista.
Sinabi ng talk show host nuong Pebrero 24 sa pamamagitan ng isang post, na
pinamagatang “The State of My Heart,”
na gusto na sana siyang pakasalan ni
Bistek.
Sinabi ni Kris na nuong Pebrero 11,
2014 ay hiningi ni Mayor Bautista, na
kilala din sa tawag na Bistek, ang kanyang cellphone number at pagkalipas ng
dalawang buwan ay inalok siya ng kasal.
“This is the first time I’ll publicly acknowledge this, because I can now recall
with absolutely no bitterness or regrets;
on the first Friday of April nearly a year
ago during merienda, he said he was
tired, he didn’t want to play games, he
was tired of chasing and of running away,
and he wanted to feel secure with someone he could grow old with,” sabi ni Kris
“He said, walang romance, walang
lokohan, walang bolahan. Okay na raw
ba ‘ko to marry him kasi nga pagod na
Aquino
siya?,” aniya.
Sinabi ni Kris na napatawa siya at sinabihan si Bistek na iyon ang pinaka
“least romantic proposal” na natanggap
ng isang babae.
“But because we were so similar in
our weirdness, I was in agreement; I
wanted to grow old with him because I
knew we’d never be bored conversing,
and maybe this was where God led two
individuals who deserved a chance at
life-long companionship with maturity,
and full acceptance of equally colorful
pasts,” aniya.
Pero hindi natuloy ang kasal at nagkaroon ng sama ng loob si Kris sa ginawa ni
Herbert sa kanya.
Para makalimutan ang sakit na dinulot nito, iniwasan niya ang mga lugar
na magpapa-alala sa kanya tungkol kay
Herbert at namasyal siya sa iba’t -ibang
lugar.
Pero dagdag ni Kris, dahil naikwento
na niya ang mga bagay na ito at nagawa
pa niyang nakakatawa, hudyat na raw ito
na hindi na ganun kasakit ang “pagtanggi
sa kanya ni Herbert.”
Gamit ang isang sikat na kanta ng
namayapang American singer Whitney
Houston---ang “Where Do Broken Hearts
Go?”---tinanong ni Kris ang sarili kung
ano na ang kinahihinatnan ng kanyang
puso isang taon matapos ang “mapait
na pagtatapos ng kanyang relasyon” kay
Bistek.
Ikiniwento niya na nung nagdaang
Valentine’s Day, kung kalian idinaos din
niya ang kanyang ika-44 taong kaarawan,
sinabi ni Kristeta na kahit single siya
nung araw na iyon ay hindi niya nagawang mag-emote ng todo dahil masyado
siyang abala sa sitwasyon ng kanyang
Kuya Noy.
Si Kuya Noy, na mas kilala sa buong
bansa na si President Benigno Simeon
Aquino III, ay sentro ng batikos ng mga
araw na ito.
Rachelle Anne Go, napili ng Disney
By Cristy Kasilag
HINDI pa nga nakakalimutan ang balita
tungkol sa kanyang pagkapanalo bilang
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical sa
Whatsonstage Awards para sa kanyang
pag ganap na bar girl na si Gigi Van Tranh sa musical show na “Miss Saigon”, ay
namamayagpag na naman ang singer at
stage actress na si Rachelle Ann Go.
Ang 28-anyos na si Rachelle ang napi-
li ng Walt Disney Studios Southeast Asia
para kantahin ang kantang “A Dream is a
Wish Your Heart Makes” para sa pelikulang “Cinderella” na ipapalabas ngayong
buwan.
Ang kanta ay isinulat at komposisyon
nila Mack David, Al Hoffman and Jerry
Livingston.
Unang ipinalabas ang music video ng
“A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes”
nuong Sabado, ika-7 ng Marso, sa Disney
Channel at Disney Channel Asia YouTube
Channel.
Sinabi ng Disney na pinili nila si Rachelle para sa music video dahil isinasakatauhan ng dalaga ang mission ng
kanilang kumpanya at ito ay “to dream,
create and celebrate the most magical stories and adventures, each woven around
a relatable, empowered local idol who
delights everyone and especially inspires
girls to realize their full potential.”
ENTERTAINMENT
Dennis Padilla at anak na
artista, nagbati na
By Cristy Kasilag
PAGKATAPOS ng ilang buwan na hindi
pinapansin ni Julia Baretto ang kanyang
amang si Dennis Padilla, ay nag post kamakailan ang anak ng litrato nilang dalawa
sa kanyang Instagram account na nagpapahiwatig na mukhang naayos na din
ang gusot sa kanilang dalawa.
Bago natapos ang buwan ng Pebrero ay
nag post si Julia ng litrato nilang mag-ama
na kung saan ay parang nagpapatawa pa
si Dennis.
Ang itsura na nagka-ayos na sila ay nag
bigay buhay sa mga tanong kung maiimbita si Dennis sa debut ni Julia. Sa ika-10 ng
Marso ang ika-18th birthday niya.
Iniisip din ng ilan kung kukunin niya si
Dennis bilang kanyang escort, at kung ang
tatay ba niya ang magiging una o huling
kasayaw niya sa okasyon na iyon.
Matatandaan na noong nakaraang taon
ay naging usap-usapan ang relasyon ni Ju-
23
lia sa kanyang ama matapos mag-file ng
petisyon ang dalaga sa Quezon City Family Court para sa pagpapalit ng apelyedo.
Ang buong pangalan niya ay Julia
Francesca Barretto Baldivia, samantala
ang kanyang ama ay si Dennis Baldivia.
Noong una, sinabi ng kampo ni Julia na
hindi na kailangang magkaroon ng kopya
si Dennis ng petisyon dahil hindi siya party sa kaso.
Ngunit naisip ni Dennis na hindi maaring i-etcha-pwera siya dahil siya ang ama
ni Julia. Kinalaunan ay nakatanggap din
siya ng kopya ng petisyon.
May mga kaibigan siya na nagpayo na
dapat ipaglaban niya ang kanyang interes
dahil siya ang tatay ni Julia.
Sinubukan muna ni Dennis na makipag-usap sa Kapamilya star pero busy daw
ito. Ayon kay Dennis, hindi na kailangan
tanggalin ni Julia ang Baldivia bilang
kanyang apelyedo dahil sa kanyang sceen
name ay Barretto na ang gamit niya.
24
ENTERTAINMENT
March 15, 2015
Homecoming ng Mega Star
By Cristy Kasilag
NAGBABALIK ang Mega Star na si Sharon Cuneta sa Kapamilya Network, na
naging tahanan niya sa loob ng 23 na taon.
Pormal na inanunsyo ng ABS-CBN na
si Sharon ay parte na naman ng kanilang
pamilya matapos pumirma ang 49-anyos
na aktres ng panibaong kontrata sa nasabing estasyon.
Mapapansin din na nagpahaba siya ng
buhok at nalagasan din daw siya ng 40
pounds sa kanyang timbang.
Matatandaan na halos apat na taon na
ang nakalilipas mula nang siya ay lumipat
sa Kapatid network, Channel 5.
Napabalita na halos hindi nagpakita si
Sharon sa madla pagkatapos ma pre-terminate ang kanyang kontrata sa Channel
5 nung nakaraang taon.
Kung paano siya nakawala sa kanyang
limang taong kontrata sa Channel 5, tikom
ang bibig ng aktres. Pumirma siya sa Kapatid Network nuong ika-22 ng Nobyembre
taong 2011.
harapan at diretso ang taong pinagkatampuhan niya para maayos na ang di pagkakaintindihan, ay napalaki ang problema.
Nung nagkataon na nagkausap sila ng
ABS-CBN, dun lamang naayos ang gusot
na sana ay na resolbahan na nung taong
2012 pa at hindi na sana siya umalis pa.
Inamin niya na naging mas madasalin
siya nung mga panahon na meron siyang
pinagdadaanan na pagsubok sa kanyang
showbiz career.
Sa kanyang pagbabalik sa ABS-CBN,
sinabi ni Sharon na game daw siya na
makasama sa isang proyekto ang mga
lalaki na minsan ay na link sa kanya.
Andiyan ang kanyang dating asawa na si
Gabby Concepcion at dating nobyo na si
Richard Gomez.
Gusto niya daw sana magkaroon ng
teleserye sa ABS-CBN. Dahil sa tagal na
Sharon
naging bahagi siya nito ay hindi pa siya
Nung inusisa ang dahilan sa kanyang maliit na tampo sa ABS-CBN. Meron daw nakakagawa ng teleserye.
pag alis sa Channel 2, ang sagot ng beter- siyang nadinig at ibang impormasyon ang
Nung siya ay parte pa ng Kapatid Netanang aktres ay “tampo.”
nakarating sa kanya at ang ibang partido. work, ginawa niya ang teleserye “Madam
Inamin niya na nagkaroon siya nang
Pero sa halip na kausapin niya nang Chairman.”
Jolo, nabaril ang sarili
By Cristy Kasilag
NASA Asian Hospital and Medical Center
ang actor at Cavite Vice Governor na si
Jolo Revilla, matapos tamaan siya ng bala
ng baril sa dibdib noong unang araw ng
Marso.
Ayon sa pamilya Revilla, aksidenteng pumutok ang isang Glock .40 pistol
habang ito ay nililinis ng 26 anyos na si
Jolo sa kanyang kwarto sa bahay ng mga
Revilla sa Ayala Alabang, Muntinglupa
City.
Madaming haka-haka ang umusbong
kung bakit, paano nabaril ang panganay na
anak ni Senador Ramon “Bong” Revilla at
Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla.
Ang sabi ng isang tagapagsalita ng pamilya, lubos na nalulungkot si Jolo nung
nang yari ang aksidente dahil ang kanyang
ama, na lubos daw niyang ini-idolo, ay
nakakulong pa rin sa Philippine National
Police (PNP) Camp Crame.
Meron din nagsabi na umabot sa punto na naging malubha ang kalagayan ni
Jolo. Pero kung ganun ang kalagayan ng
batang Vice Governor, bakit siya tinaggal
sa Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ng ospital at
inilipat sa isang private room?
Ayon sa ilan, kung talagang malubha
ang kalagayan ni Jolo, mas mabuti kung
nasa ICU siya para mabantayan siya ng
mabuti ng mga doktor at nurse.
Pero kung siya ay mananatili sa ICU,
limitado lang sa kanyang pamilya at malalapit na kaibigan ang pwedeng dumalaw.
Ang sabi-sabi din daw ay nagkaka-problema si Jolo sa kanyang girlfriend, ang 32
anyos na si Jodi Sta. Maria.
Ang espekulasyon ng ilan ay nagsubok
magpakamatay ni Jolo kaya binaril niya
ang sarili.
Pero ito ay pinabulaanan ng pamilya
Revilla kahit na mag-isa nga lang daw ang
biktima sa kanyang kwarto nung nangyari
ang insidente.
Nagbuo ng task force ang National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) para
mag imbestiga at tunay na malaman kung
ang pagka sugat ni Jolo ay aksidente lamang o may ibang rason.
Ang sagot ng abogado ni Jolo sa ginawang hakbang ng pulis ay “O.A.” o
“overacting” dahil tutulong naman ang
mga Revillas sa imbestigasyon na gagawin nila.
Kapuso network beats rival in the ratings game
GMA Network held on to its unbeaten record in
the important areas of Urban Luzon and Mega
Manila, where it continued to lead across all dayparts, in the month of February.
According to data from the industry’s widely-trusted ratings service provider Nielsen TV
Audience Measurement, GMA outperformed
rival networks from February 1 to 28 (with the
dates of February 22 to 28 based on overnight
data) by substantial margins.
In Urban Luzon, GMA recorded a total day
household audience share of 36.9 percent, 6.9
points higher than ABS-CBN’s 30 percent and
28 points higher than TV5’s 8.9 percent.
The Kapuso Network also retained its dominance in Mega Manila with 38.7 percent average, surpassing ABS-CBN’s 26.7 percent by 12
points and TV5’s 9.2 percent by 29.5 points.
Urban Luzon and Mega Manila account for
77 and 59 percent, respectively, of all urban TV
households in the country.
Meanwhile, GMA came ahead of its counterparts in NUTAM (National Urban TV Audience
Measurement) in the daytime blocks. GMA’s
morning audience share reached 32.8 percent,
up 2.1 points from ABS-CBN’s 30.7 percent and
up 22.9 points from TV5’s 9.9 percent.
In the afternoon block, GMA beat competition
with its 35.8 percent average, ahead of ABSCBN’s 30 percent by 5.8 points as well as TV5’s
10.3 percent by 25.5 points.
Internationally-recognized news magazine
program Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho took the number one spot in Urban Luzon and Mega Manila,
while leading the roster of Kapuso programs in
NUTAM. Compared to its closest competitor,
more entries from GMA also made it to the list
of top 30 regular programs. Cristy Kasilag
HONG KONG NEWS
Julia
Barretto,
nagdebut
kasama ang
kanyang ama
By Cristy Kasilag
NAGING isang ganap ng dalaga si
Julia Barretto nuong ika-10 ng Marso
nang ipinagdiwang niya ang kanyang
ika-18 kaarawan na ginanap sa Makati
Shangri-La Hotel.
Sa kanyang espesyal na araw, pinili
daw niya na tawagin itong “Just Julia”
dahil palagi na lang daw kaakibat niya
ang pagiging miyembro ng pamilya
Barretto na ang panghuhusga sa kanya
ay dahil sa apelyido na kanyang dinadala.
Gusto daw niya mapakita na siya ay
si Julia, kung ano siya kung walang kamerang nakatutok sa kanya. Tulad din
daw siya ng ibang kabataan.
Sa katunayan hindi niya nga sana gusto magkaroon ng magarang party. Ang
nais niya sana ay makapagbakasyon at
bumyahe sa Europa.
Pero naisip din niya na nais din niya
ipagdiwang ang araw na yung kasama
ang kanyang pamilya at iba na malapit
sa kanya.
Kaya nagpadala siya ng mga imbitasyon sa iba’t-ibang tao para makasalo
niya sa kanyang kaarawan.
Ang tema ng debut party niya ay puti,
gray at silver. Ang kanyang gown ay
gawa ni Michael Cinco.
Naiisip din niya dahil Martes gaganapin ang kanyang kaarawan, may
posebilidad na hindi lahat ng kanyang
inimbita ay makakapunta dahil baka
may mga tapings pa at iba pang mga
trabaho.
Para sa kanyang engrandeng selebrasyon, ayaw aminin ni Julia na umabot
nang P5 milyon ang gastos.
Ang isang inabangan ay ang kanyang
first dance kung saan ang kapareho niya
ay ang kanyang ama, si Dennis Padilla. Tunay na nga nagkaayos na silang
dalawa.
Nagsabi din na dadalo ang kanyang
tiyahin, si Claudine Barretto.
Pero wala naman ang Tita Gretchen
niya at ang pinsang si Dominique Cojuangco.
Sa kanyang Instagram account, nag
paliwanag si Dominique kung bakit di
siya makakarating.
“My 2nd term of uni hasn’t ended. I
won’t be at Julia’s 18th. We’ve spoken
& she understands! I’m chasing my
dreams as she has chased hers:),” sabi
niya.
Si La Greta din ay nasa London para
samahan ang kanyang anak.
May ilang buwan na din may tampuhan si Gretchen at mommy ni Julia, na
si Marjorie.
HONG KONG NEWS
Jam Sebastian, pumanaw na
By Cristy Kasilag
MATAPOS ang mahabang pakikipag laban sa sakit na lung cancer, pumanaw na
si Jam Sebastian.
Ang 28 anyos na si Jam ang kalahati
ng Youtube sensation na “Jamich”. Ang
kanyang fiancée ay si Paolinne Michelle
“Mich” Liggayu.
Sinubaybayan ng madla sa social me-
‘Anak muna
bago asawa’
By Cristy Kasilag
ANIM na buwan mang malungkot ang
seksing aktres at modelong si Ellen Adarna dahil sa paghihiwalay nila nang kanyang non-showbiz boyfriend, ang negosyanteng si Raoul Olbes.
At dahil hindi siya sanay na magisa, matapos ang kanilang tatlong taong
relasyon kung saan sila ay napabalitang
nag live-in, inamin ng aktres na para
mapawi ang kalungkutan napapadalas siya
uminom at lumalabas siya kapag gabi.
Dahil duon medyo napabayaan niya ang
kanyang sarili at tumaba siya ng bahagya.
Sinabi niya na walang third party sa kanilang relasyon. Tulad lamang ng ibang
magnobyo, nagkaroon sila ng mga problema na hindi nila naayos kaya naisipan
nila na tapusin na lamang ang kanilang
pagsasama.
Dahil sa kanyang karanasan at mga hindi nagtagumpay na relasyon, tila naiisip
ng magandang aktres na nais niyang magka-anak bago umabot ng edad na 30. Sa
kasalukuyan, si Ellen ay 26 anyos.
Pero nilinaw niya sa isang panayam na
wala pa siyang balak mag pakasal. Maari
raw pumasok ang kasal sa kanyang buhay
pag siya ay 35 anyos na.
Hindi tulad ng karamihang Pilipina na
pipiliin muna ang makasal bago magka-anak, baliktad ang gustong mangyari
ni Ellen – anak muna, saka na ang kasal.
Ipinaliwanag niya na dati na siya nakatakdang ikasal, ngunit ito ay hindi natuloy
dahil kumalas si Ellen sa relasyon na iyon.
Siya ay 19 anyos pa lamang nuon at pitong buwan lang ang naging relasyon nila
nung lalaki.
Ang plano na magka-anak sa labas ng
kasal ni Ellen ay sinusuportahan ng pamilya niya.
Sinabi ni Ellen na gusto niya sana na
hindi malayo ang agwat niya bilang ina sa
kanyang magiging anak, tulad nang naranasan niya sa kanyang ina.
Ellen
ENTERTAINMENT
March 15, 2015
dia at telebisyon ang pagsubok na pinagdaanan ng magkasintahan at ng kanilang
pamilya. Nuong nakaraang taon lang,
buwan ng Mayo, kahit malubha na ang
sakit ni Jam ay nag propose si Michelle
sa kanya.
Nagkaroon sila ng maraming followers
sa Youtube dahil sa mga video post nila
sa Internet.
Sa mga short film videos, kung saan sila
ang sumulat ng script, nag edit at nag direct, nagpanggap sila ng iba’t-ibang karakter na mga couples.
Madami ang natuwa sa kanilang mga
videos at inaantabayanan ang mga iba pa
nilang proyekto.
Pero ang saya na binigay ng ‘Jamich” sa
publiko ay tapos na. Nuong ika-4 ng Marso ay pumanaw na si Jam. Inilibing siya sa
Manila Memorial Park sa Paranaque City.
Sabi ni Michelle na meron pa pala silang hindi natapos na proyekto kung saan
makikita pa din ng mga fans si Jam dahil
meron itong cameo role.
“Meron po kaming pending na short
film, at nakapagcameo si Jam doon. Plano
ko pong ituloy siya kung kaya ko pong
magtrabaho ulit. Opo, iupload ko po siya
sa YouTube namin.”
Sinabi ng nanay ni Jam, na si Maricar
25
Sebastian, na maaring nakuha ng anak
niya ang sakit sa second hand smoke dahil
minsan daw magdamag ito nasa casino.
Ang mensahe ng nanay sa kanyang pumanaw na anak ay, “Ngayon masaya ka
na kasi wala ng pain, wala ng depression,
kasama mo na si Lord…Mami-miss ko
siya ng sobra. Sabi ko nga, ikaw na ang
magiging guardian angel namin. Lagi mo
kaming i-guide.”
26
ATPB
Horoscope
Capricorn December 22 to January 19
Isiping mabuti kung iyan ang nais mong landas na tahakin.
Maaring nag-eenjoy ka ngayon, pero baka naman panandalian
lang iyan?
Aquarius January 20 to February 18
Maging mapanuri. Hindi lahat ng taong pinagkakatiwalaan mo
ay mabuti ang hangarin para sa iyo.
Pisces February 19 to March 20
Huwag kang mapagod. Ang panahon na ginugugol mo sa
pamilya mo ay mahalaga. Magiging bahagi iyan ng kanilang
magagandang alaala.
Aries March 21 to April 19
March 15, 2015
What’s Cooking?
It looks like adobo but this dish also a spicy
zing to it. Try the Spicy Pork Stew with Black
Beans and treat your tastebuds to its tender
pork meat while it adds a dash of spice to
your dinner tables.
Ingredients:
½ kg. pork belly, cut into 1-2 inch chunks
¼ cup garlic, peeled and chopped
1 can black beans
½ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. olive oil
11/2 cup water
2-3 pcs. red chili
For the dressings:
1.In a pan, heat oil over medium heat. Saute
garlic with pork belly until slightly brown
2.
Season with salt,
pepper and chilies.
Add in oyster sauce,
Worcestershire
sauce and soy
sauce.
3.Pour in 1 ½ cup
of water plus the
black beans.
4.
Bring to simmer
and cook for at
least 30-45 minutes
until pork is tender.
5.
Ready to serve
while hot.
For more recipes, enroll at the Culinary
Arts Centre. Room 502, #172-176 Winfull
Commercial Building, Wing Lok Street, Sheung
Wan, Hong Kong
For enquiries, please call at 28507714 and
28507724
Mag-ingat ka sa mga sinasabi mo. Maaaring nakakasakit ka ng
damdamin ng ibang tao dahil hindi ka sensitibo sa emosyon ng
iba.
Taurus April 20 to May 20
Minsan kailangan mong umalis sa iyong kinaroroonan upang
makuha ang mga bagay na para sa iyo. Baka naman kasi masyado
ka nang kumportable kung anong mayroon ka?
Gemini May 21 to June 20
May panahon ang lahat ng bagay at may dahilan ang lahat
ng iyong pinagdaraanan. Tandaan na may mga bagay kang
matutunan sa gitna ng kalungkutan.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
Pag-ingatan ang kalusugan. Kailangan ng pahinga, nutrisyon, at
ang kaunting paglilibang upang maging maayos ang kalusugan.
Leo July 23 to August 22
Tandaan ang mga pangakong binitawan. Matutong tumulong sa
ibang nangangailangan.
Virgo August 23 to September 22
May mga bagay na kailangan kang pagdesisyunan. Ano ba talaga
ang gusto mo sa buhay mo?
Libra September 23 to October 22
Panahon na upang bigayng-pansin ang sarili mo. Maaaring
nakakalimutan mo na kung ano talaga ang mga pangarap mo.
Scorpio October 23 to November 21
Alam mo ang sagot, pero ayaw mo lang itong tanggapin.
Pinahihirapan mo lang ang sarili mo sa ginagawa mong iyan.
Sagittarius November 22 to December 21
May mga taong handang tumulong at umalalay. Hindi ka nagiisa, kailangan lang na humingi ka ng tulong sa kanila.
HONG KONG NEWS
Juan: Nang girlfriend ko pa lang ang misis ko ang
tawag ko sa kanya ay
Darna dahil seksi sya. Ngayon ang tawag ko sa
kanya ay Dorna.
Pedro: Bakit Dorna?
Juan: Kasing lapad na sya ng DOOR NAmin.
------------------------------Mister: (nagbabasa ng diaryo) Ayon dito sa survey,
ang lalaking may
asawa ay mas mahaba ang buhay keysa lalaking
walang asawa.
Misis: Kaya pasalamat ka at napangasawa mo ako.
Mister: Kaya dapat humanap ako ng isa pang asawa
para mas humaba ang buhay ko!
-----------------------------Amo: Inday, dadalaw mamaya ang mga kamag-anak
ko mula probinsya kaya magluto ka ng marami.
Inday: Opo Mam! Anong luto ang gusto nyo, yung
magtatagal sila
dito, o yung uuwi agad sa probinsya?
-----------------------------Mister: Ayon dito sa survey marami sa maganda at
matalinong babae
ang nakakapag-asawa ng tamad na lalaki. Bakit
kaya?
Misis: Matagal ko na nga rin yang tinatanong sa
sarili ko eh!
---------------------------------Juan: Pedro, akyatin mo nga kung hinog na yung
atis.
Pedro: (Umakyat sa puno at pinisil ang bunga) Oo,
hinog na!
Juan: Sige bumaba ka na at susungkitin ko!
----------------------------------Juan: Ano ba at kanina ka pa talon ng talon dyan?
Pedro: Nakalimutan ko kaseng ishake yung bote
ng gamot na ininom ko.
------------------------------------Juan: Para kanino yang isinusulat mo?
Pedro: Para sa pamangkin ko.
Juan: E, bat ang bagal mong magsulat?
Pedro: - Kase mabagal pa siyang magbasa.
----------------------------------Lumindol ng malakas sa Metro Manila.
Nahintakutan si Juan.
Juan: (Sumisigaw) Katapusan na...! Katapusan na...!
Pedro: Hoy, a kinse pa lang!
---------------------------Doc: O, bat nasunog yang tenga mo?
Juan: Kase namamalantsa ako nang magring ang
cell phone ko.
By Chef Jay
Dator
Aksidenteng yung plantsa ang napick-up ko.
Doc: Eh, bat nasunog pati kabilang tenga mo?
Juan: Bwisit na Pedro yan, tumawag ba naman uli!
---------------------------Nagpunta sa bar ang grupo para mag-inuman.
Juan: Lipat tayo sa ibang bar. Di tayo pwede rito!
Pedro: Bakit?
Juan: Nakasulat dun sa bar, “21 and up only.” Eh,
aapat lang tayo.
------------------------Teacher: Find the value of “ X “
Juan: Aysus!! Ma’am hindi na dapat hinahanap ang
value ng X,
X na nga eh! Dapat ang ituturo mo po sa amin,
kung paano
mag MOVE ON!! Hindi kung anu-ano ang
ipinapaalala mo po sa amin!
Past is Past ! No need to discuss..
Tindera: Suki, bili na kayo ng pakwan. mapula at
matamis. (Nabitawan ng tindera ang isang pakwan
at bumagsak ito sa semento at nabiyak)
Mamimili: Sabi mo mapula. Maputla naman pala
ang pakwan na tinda mo.
Tindera: Aba, kayo man ang bumagsak sa semento,
mamumutla rin kayo!
Crossword Puzzle
PAHALANG
1Panulukan
5Sapantaha
9 Inilalagay upang
bumigat
11 Dating PI
13Upak
14 Salitang pambati
15Yaman
17 Monday: daglat
18 Latin: daglat
19Ada
21Panyero
23 ___ Tse Tung
24 ___ Dhabi
25Tinda
27Inangkin
29Ginto
30 Kagawad: daglat
32 Mr. Tatad
33 Savings Account
34 Gapangan ng gulay
36 Nora Aunor
37 Bayan sa Bulacan
39 Parte ng puno
40Esposa
PABABA
1 Banal na aklat
ng Muslim
2 Nacionalista Party
3 Tablet: daglat
4 Presidente ng US
5 Puerto sa Guam
6Kit
7Pangatnig
8 Sinasamba ng
katutubo
10Pansin
12Una
14Himasin
16Iliko
18Kutya
20 Palayok: Ingles
22Din
25Tinig
26Hinuha
27Ilikha
28Ilista
31 Mall sa Cubao
34 Lalagyan ng gamit
35Petrolyo
37 Bert Nievera
38 Gina Alajar
Answer to last puzzle
HONG KONG NEWS
March 15, 2015
27
28
March 15, 2015
HONG KONG NEWS