Health Dept warns against Viagra-like coffee product

 

This instant coffee pack contains the drug found in Viagra

Buyers of a coffee product offered in local online stores may have unwittingly been using a cheaper alternative to Viagra, which is used to treat erectile disfunction among men.

What they may not have realized was that the product, Firstwell Tongkat Ali Premix Coffee, contains an undeclared ingredient -- sildenafil, the same active ingredient as Viagra and a Part 1 poison under Hong Kong law.

Apart from the obvious effect of the drug, people who ingest it could also experience a drop in their blood pressure, headache, dizziness, and a blurring of vision.

The Department of Health has warned against consuming the coffee product after test results from the Government Laboratory have confirmed it contained sildenafil.

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What the advisory did not mention was that mere possession of the substance is an offense under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, which sets the maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and two years' imprisonment.

“Sildenafil is a prescription drug used for treatment of erectile dysfunction, and should only be used under a doctor's advice and be supplied in a pharmacy under the supervision of a registered pharmacist upon a doctor's prescription,” DH said.

It added: “Side effects of sildenafil include low blood pressure, headaches, vomiting, dizziness and transient vision disturbances. It may interact with some drugs (such as nitroglycerin for the treatment of angina) and cause a decrease in blood pressure to dangerous levels. Improper use of sildenafil may pose serious health risks, especially for patients with heart problems.”

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Under the ordinance, a Part 1 poison and products that contain it must be registered as a pharmaceutical product with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be legally sold in the market.

Firstwell Tongkat Ali Premix Coffee is not registered in Hong Kong, the DH said, and investigation is continuing.

DH advised buyers of pharmaceutical products to check that their packaging includes their Hong Kong registration number in the format of "HK-XXXXX". “The safety, quality and efficacy of unregistered pharmaceutical products are not guaranteed,” DH added.

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The DH also urged people who have purchased these products to stop consuming them immediately.

“They should consult healthcare professionals for advice if feeling unwell after consumption,” it added.

The public may submit the products to the DH Drug Office at Room 1804-1806, 18/F, Wing On Kowloon Centre, 345 Nathan Road, Kowloon, during office hours for disposal.

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Migrant support group calls for justice for deceased Indonesian DH

 

AMCB says HK must introduce reforms to better protect migrant domestic workers (File)

A coalition of migrant domestic workers groups has expressed anger and sorrow over the tragic death of a 25-year-old Indonesian domestic worker whose body was found at the foot of a waterfall in Pokfulam early on Monday.

Hong Kong Police have arrested a British man, said to be the worker’s lover, on suspicion of murder in connection with her death. His local wife was also detained on suspicion of assisting him to flee.

In a statement issued yesterday, Oct. 31, the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body called on both the Hong Kong and Indonesian governments to speed up the investigation into the migrant worker’s death and ensure impartiality.

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"She was a domestic worker. She came here to work. She did not deserve this death. Hong Kong and Indonesian governments must investigate this case and bring those accountable to justice,” said AMCB.

The group added that the case involved violence against migrant women in Hong Kong, which the police and the courts are duty-bound to look into, regardless of the immigration status or job of the victim.

It also hit out at the Indonesian Consulate for being “silent and passive” toward the case, indicating its alleged lack of sense of accountability toward its own nationals. The Indonesian government must also provide support to the family of the deceased, said the group.

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AMCB said many migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong often choose not to report any abuse committed against them, for fear of losing their jobs.

The city’s “exploitative” policies such as the live-in requirement for migrant domestic workers and the two-week limit to the stay of terminated workers are said to make the workers vulnerable to abuse, maltreatment and even foul play.

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AMCB called on the Hong Kong government to introduce reforms that will ensure the well-being and safety of the nearly 400,000 MDWs working in the city.

It also demanded a thorough and impartial investigation into the Indonesian worker’s death, and if murder is proved, for the perpetrator to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

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British murder suspect re-enacts scene of Indonesian DH's death

 

Suspect is taken back to where the Indonesian domestic helper was found dead (Ming Pao photo)

Hong Police have taken a 34-year-old British murder suspect back to Waterfall Bay Country Park in Pokfulam where the body of his deceased paramour, a 25-year-old Indonesian domestic worker, was found on Monday morning.

Various media reports have cited an unnamed source as saying that the Indonesian worker had jumped to her death from the top of the waterfall after her married lover told her they should end their affair.

The suspect, who runs a coffee shop in Central, reportedly checked the bottom of the waterfall and saw the woman floating in the water with her face down. Thinking that she was dead, the man fled from the scene aboard a taxi.

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Despite such reports, however, the police are still treating the case as murder.

At a press conference on Tuesday night, a police spokesman said the victim appeared to have drowned after she was hit with a hard object. She was found with injuries on her forehead, the back of her head and limbs.

A police statement released subsequently said an initial post-mortem revealed the cause of death as “asphyxiation by drowning.”

The man was arrested with his 36-year-old local wife, as they arrived at the high-speed rail station in West Kowloon at about 5pm on Tuesday night. Police said the two left for China early on Monday, raising suspicions.

The man was arrested on suspicion of murder, while his wife is accused of helping him flee.

At the reconstruction of events which began at about 3pm yesterday, the man who was hooded and handcuffed, was escorted to the site by investigators carrying a black bag containing a life-sized doll meant to represent the victim.

The reenactment which was filmed on video by the police, lasted for about two hours, during which the park and surrounding areas were cordoned off.

Various reports indicate the suspect and the deceased started an affair after meeting in Central. The helper was said to be in-between work contracts while the man was living with his wife and son in Aberdeen.

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OFW’s photo shortlisted in major art contest in HK

 

Rhenea Diclas' shortlisted photo titled 'The Igorot Courtship Dance'

A migrant domestic worker from Benguet, Rhenea Diclas, has earned the unique distinction of having one of her photos being shortlisted for “Colours of Humanity” Arts Prize 2024, a contest on diversity and inclusion opened to all Hong Kong-based artists.

The photo she titled “The Igorot Courtship Dance” was taken during the Lang-ay Festival held in Hong Kong earlier this year.

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It will be on display at the Goethe and Black Box Gallery at the Hong Kong Arts Centre from Nov. 14, 2024 to Jan. 8, 2025. Winners will be announced at an Awards Night to be held in December.

A letter from the organizers told Diclas in an email, “The jury was impressed by your submission, and we would like to confirm that you agree to exhibit at the Goethe-Institut Gallery, Hong Kong Arts Centre.”

Diclas in action

The "Colours of Humanity" Arts Prize 2024 was opened for entries early this year, with the aim of providing a platform for all artistic expressions that promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

“It invites artists to explore the multifaceted experiences of being human,” said the announcement inviting entries from across Hong Kong.

Entries could take any form of audio-visual art, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations and mixed media.

The winning entry to be chosen based on artistic merit and originality, and relevance to the theme of diversity, equity and inclusion, comes with a HK$20,000 prize. 

Works that show “under-represented groups and experiences, themes of social impact, and the ablity to inspire changes or raise awareness” were particularly welcomed, as well as artists that come from diverse cultural and social backgrounds.

The annual competition and exhibition is organized by European Union Office for Hong Kong and Macau and the Goethe Institut.

The Colours of Humanity Arts Prize is an offshoot of the Hong Kong Human Rights Arts Prize that was launched by Justice Centre Hong Kong in 2013.

In 2015,  Justice Centre launched #Shared Pasts, an exhibition and storytelling project held in collaboration with renowned Filipina photographer Xyza Cruz Bacani, who was herself a former migrant domestic worker in Hong Kong.

The exhibition told the story of 16 individuals, including asylum seekers and their descendants who were brought together by their shared experiences of resilience and survival in the face of persecution and conflict.

Six years later, the Hong Kong Human Rights Arts Prize 2021 was launched, based on the theme “Shared Future,” an offshoot of the previous art project with Bacani.

This time around, the contest looked to the future to complement the previous exploration into the refugees’ past.

The Igorot Filmmakers, which announced Diclas’ accomplishment, made special mention of one of their own, Guhit Kulay founder Cristina Cayat, who encouraged the group to submit an entry to the yearly contest, and guided them through the process.

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Filipina faces 2 charges of selling cream containing poison

 

The product that put Filipina in legal trouble

A Filipina domestic helper ended up in Kowloon City Court today, facing two charges following her arrest at the Argyle Street Playground in Kowloon City while allegedly selling an unregistered beauty product containing poison.

F. Amores, 37 years old, originally faced three charges before Acting Principal Magistrate Ko Wai-hung, but the prosecution withdrew the charge of unlawful sale of Part 1 poison, which was an ingredient of the ‘’88 Total White Underarm Cream” she was allegedly selling.

The complaint filed last Sept. 4 by the Kowloon City Police did not specify the poison in question.

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Amores, who was was arrested last Sept. 3, now faces the charge of selling a product not registered with the Pharmacy & Poisons Board of Hong Kong, as required by the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations.

She is also charged with breach of condition of stay , a violation of the Immigration Ordinance, for allegedly starting a business selling a product through the website Carousell, despite being prohibited by the terms of her stay in Hong Kong as a domestic helper.

Magistrate Ko freed Amores on bail of $3,000. The case resumes on Dec. 18.

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Leon strengthens into Super Typhoon, but HK too far to be affected

 

PAGASA map charts Leon's expected path 

Northern Luzon bore the brunt of gale-force winds and heavy rains as Typhoon Leon (international name: Kong-rey) intensified into a super typhoon this morning, with winds of 185 kilometers per hour and gusts of over 230 kph, prompting weathermen to raise a rare Signal No. 4 over the Batanes islands.

“The situation is potentially very destructive to the community,” according to PAGASA, the Philippines’ weather bureau. “Evacuation to safer shelters should have been completed since it may be too late under this situation.”

Typhoon signals 1 to 3 were also raised over the rest of Luzon.

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Leon’s force pulled together rain-laden clouds that cover most of the country, leaving only Mindanao relatively clear, prompting warnings of floods and landslides especially in areas battered by Storm Kristine which surged through the country earlier this week.

So far, 125 people have been reported dead and 28 missing as a result of both Kristine and Leon, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

NDRRMC said 115 persons were also reported injured.

In Hong Kong, the super typhoon will hardly be felt, as it will be about 800 kilometres away as of tomorrow morning, according to the Hong Kong Observatory.

“Kong-rey will move across the vicinity of the central and southern parts of Taiwan, then turn northwards and edge closer to northern Fujian, maintaining a distance of over 500 kilometres from Hong Kong in the next couple of days,” the Observatory said.

It attributed Hong Kong’s current dry weather until Saturday to a “dry replenishment of the northeast monsoon” over the eastern shore of China, which is also expected to push the typhoon off Fujian province in the next two days.

But the Observatory said it will issue the Strong Monsoon Signal depending on the change in local wind conditions.

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SC stops further transfer of PhilHealth Funds

 

Petitioners say PhilHealth's funds should be spent on providing
 much-needed health care to 'poorest of poor' Filipinos

The Supreme Court (SC) en banc issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) Tuesday on the further transfer of the P89.9-billion excess funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to the national treasury.

So far, PhilHealth has transferred  a total of  Php 60billion in three tranches to the national treasury. The last tranche — worth P29.9 billion — was slated to be transferred next month..

 “The Supreme Court issued a TRO to enjoin the further transfer of PhilHealth funds to the national treasury,” High Court spokesperson Atty. Camille Ting said in a press conference.  “Effective immediately,” she added.

Asked if this meant that the previously transferred funds would be  returned to PhilHealth, Ting said this was not the subject of the TRO.

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Retired SC Associate Justice Antonio Carpio who was among those who filed the petition with the Supreme Court, said he was grateful for the order, as it save the tens of  millions of “poorest of the poor Filipinos” who only rely on PhilHealth for their medical needs.

But, he added, “We hope that the Executive Branch will return all the transferred funds back to Philhealth pending the final decision of the Supreme Court.”

PhilHealth President Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. said the national health insurer respects and will fully abide by the SC’s decision.

“We remain focused on our mission to provide all Filipinos with adequate financial protection against health risks through better and responsive benefit packages and availment policies that ensure greater access to healthcare services whenever and wherever they need them most,” he said in a statement.

In a separate statement, Secretary Ralph Recto also said the Department of Finance will respect the SC’s decision.

“We give our full cooperation to the SC as we look forward to the opportunity to shed light on the issues presented during the oral arguments,” he said.

“With this honorable platform, we trust that all issues will be addressed once and for all,” he said.

At the same time, he reiterated that the DOF’s move was in line with Republic Act 11975 or the GAA 2024, which mandates that all idle, unused and excess funds of government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) must revert to the national treasury.

"We reiterate that before proceeding with the utilization of GOCC idle funds, our agency exercised due diligence and consulted extensively with the government's legal experts,” said Recto.

“These include the Governance Commission for GOCCs, the Government Corporate Counsel, and the Commission on Audit.”

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) which represents the government officials named as respondents in the pleadings also affirmed compliance with the TRO.

Several groups have filed petitions questioning the legality of the transfers, with the first one being made in August by Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III and the Philippine Medical Association, among others.

On Oct. 16,  the day the third tranche of funds was due to be transferred, the 1SAMBAYAN Coalition, headed by Justice Carpio, along with Bayan Muna chairperson Neri Colmenares and other members, filed separate petitions.

A number of former senior government officials who also came out publicly to denounce the fund transfer said PhilHealth funds are desperately needed by Filipinos who do not have access to health care.

They claimed that the real intention of the fund transfers was to fund pork barrel allocations inserted into the 2024 national budget.

The SC  has directed all the respondents in 1SAMBAYAN coalition’s petition to file their comments, and set oral arguments on the petitions in January 2025.

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Couple held for alleged murder of Indonesian domestic helper

 

The victim's body was found at the foot of Waterfall Bay Park yesterday morning

Police have arrested a couple over the suspected murder of a 25-year-old Indonesian domestic helper whose body was found at the bottom of Aberdeen’s Waterfall Bay Park early yesterday, Monday.

A media outlet earlier reported that the victim was a Filipina, but upon checking with the police, Vice Consul George Soriano, head of the Philippine Consulate's assistance to nationals section learned this was not true. 

He was later told the deceased was Indonesian, a fact that a police spokeswoman confirmed to The SUN.

At a press conference held at 9pm tonight, the police said the victim appeared to have drowned after she was hit with a hard object. She was found with injuries on her forehead, the back of her head and limbs.

A statement released subsequently said an initial post-mortem examination conducted on the deceased indicated injuries on her head and the cause of death as asphyxiation by drowning. 

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“The deceased had injuries ranging from 2 to 4 centimetres on her forehead and the back of her head, with minor damage to her limbs. Her belongings were intact, suggesting the assault occurred shortly before she was left in the water,” explained Senior Inspector Sam Sin  Kwok-ming.

The 34-year-old man who is a Hong Kong resident but has a foreign passport, was arrested on suspicion of murder. His 36-year-old wife who is a local, was arrested for aiding and abetting.

The couple left for mainland China after the alleged killing but were arrested at the high-speed railway station at West Kowloon when they returned at around 5pm earlier today.

“Both are currently under custody, and we are thoroughly investigating their relationship with the victim and the motive for this tragic incident,” added Sin.

He said, however, that the man is not the victim’s employer.

Initial investigations reportedly revealed the man went with the victim to the scene at about 11pm on Sunday. After about 30 to 40 minutes the suspect hurriedly left the area in a taxi, alone.

Early the next day, the helper was found floating face down in the pond off a waterfall at the park at about 7:30am. Police declared her dead at the scene at 8:18am.

When found, she was reportedly wearing a black shirt and trousers, but was barefoot. Her Octopus card and a set of keys were with her.

An investigation into the case is  being carried out by the Regional Crime Unit of  Hong Kong island.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers at 2860 7849 or 6892 3082.

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Trial set for DH whose ATM card was used in money laundering

 

Accused DH insists she's innocent of the charge of money laundering

A Filipina domestic helper whose bank account ended up being used to launder more than $1 million in crime proceeds, reasserted her innocence today at Kwun Tong Court, setting the stage for a trial on Dec. 3.

Josephine Calabroso, 58 years old, was appearing in a pre-trial review when prosecutors introduced an amended charge sheet dated Oct. 24. After it was read to her, she declared that she understood it.

When asked how she would plea, she reiterated her not-guilty plea.

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She was then released on $3,000 bail.

Calabroso is accused of “dealing with property known or believed to be proceeds of indictable offense, contrary to section 25 (1) and (3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.”

The charge sheet alleged that between Aug. 26 and Nov. 30 in 2020, a total of $1,025,366.26 flowed in and out of her bank account in Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd.

Details of how Calabroso got embroiled in the case were not discussed during the hearing, but in her police statement she said her newly-acquired ATM card and a bank letter that contained its PIN, were in her wallet when she lost it.

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CebuPac resumes direct flight between Iloilo and HK

 

Flight 5J 242 gets a water cannon salute before leaving Iloilo last night 

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific resumed its direct flights from Iloilo to Hong Kong yesterday night, Oct.27. 

Flight 5J 242 was given a water cannon salute as it left Iloilo airport at 11:06 pm, and arrived in Hong Kong at 1:35am early this morning.

From Hong Kong, Flight 243 of the Philippines’ second flag carrier headed back to Iloilo at 2:20am for the resumption of the return flight, and arrived there at 5am.

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The flights from Iloilo will be four times weekly, every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. 

Flights from Hong Kong to Iloilo will be every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, following the same schedule.

To mark the milestone, CebuPac offered one-way promotional base fares for as low as P1 for direct flights between Iloilo and Hong Kong,  between July 26 and July 31, for flights from Oct 27, 2024 to March 29, 2025.

With the flight resumptions, CebuPac became the only airline to operate international flights from Iloilo.

The airline said the service could make air travel even more affordable and accessible for a wide range of passengers in the Visayas region.

Next month, it is scheduled to also resume direct flights to Singapore from both Iloilo and Davao.

Cebu Pacific currently operates flights to 35 domestic and 25 international destinations across Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

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Filipino convicted of assault jailed pending drug report

 

Neighborhood where the assault happened (Google Maps photo)

A Filipino bartender scheduled to be sentenced at West Kowloon Court to do community service as a penalty for assaulting a local man, was instead detained today after his urine test showed traces of marijuana.

M. Tibio, 33 years old, will be in jail custody while waiting for the report of the Drug Abuse Treatment Center which Magistrate Gary Chu ordered after he adjourned the case to Nov. 11.

“CSO (community service order) is not recommended due to continued drug abuse,” Magistrate Chu said, noting the risks faced by other people who will be working with him.

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He cited the CSO report and the results of four drug tests he ordered after Tibio pleaded guilty during the previous hearing last Sept. 30.

Tibio was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm after he punched a male Chinese last June 23 on South Lantau Road, Pui O, in Lantau island.

Chu blamed his drug abuse for the incident, noting that he was also convicted of drug possession in 2020 and was fined $2,000.

Magistrate Chu also noted that he was living with his three children. “I am concerned that while you are taking drugs, I wonder how you are able to (take care of them),” he told Tibio.

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Terminated DH gets work as receptionist under HK’s ESLS program

 

Robelyn is living her dream, transitioning from domestic worker to receptionist in HK

Dreams do come true.

This is the message that Robelyn Molina Javar wants to relay to foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong, especially those hoping to take on other jobs that would elevate their status, without having to leave the city.

Robelyn knows this only too well, as she used to work in Hong Kong as a domestic helper up until August this year, when she was granted a visa to work as a receptionist under the new Expanded Supplementary Labor Scheme  (ESLS) of the government.

Call it luck or perseverance, but 29-year-old Robelyn was already on the verge of calling it quits in Hong Kong for the second time after being terminated from her job, when she was offered the post of  Filipina receptionist.

Robelyn said she was taken aback by the offer, as it felt too good to be true. She has aunts who have worked in Hong Kong for a long time, and they never came close to having the opportunity to work in an office set-up, and for a much bigger pay.

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In line with Immigration requirements, she was offered a salary of $14,500 a month, with overtime pay and free accommodation. She was also guaranteed extra pay for overtime work. What was even better was she did not have to pay anything to secure the job.

“From being a domestic helper sabi ko imposible na magkaroon ng ganito. Feeling ko noon mataas ang ang expectations nila sa work na ibibigay ko sa kanila,” said Robelyn.

(Being a domestic helper I thought it would be impossible for me to get that kind of an offer. I felt that there would be high expectation of the kind or work that I could deliver).

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Despite getting up to third year of a hotel and restaurant management degree from Panpacific University in Urdaneta, Pangasinan, Robelyn, who is a mother of two, also felt unsure about her qualifications for the job.

“Wala po ako talagang masyadong college credential kaya di po ako nag expect na ma approve noon ang visa ko para sa ganitong trabaho.”

(I did not have enough college credentials so I did not expect that my visa application for this job would be approved).

To the surprise of both Robelyn and her employer, Immigration’s approval for her ESLS application came less than two weeks after she submitted the required documents.

“God is really amazing,” Robelyn is wont to say.

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Labour Department figures show Robelyn is among nearly 29,000 foreign passport holders who have been granted a temporary two-year visa under the ESLS which was formally launched only in September last year.

According to figures furnished to the Legislative Council by Labour Secretary Chris Sun last Thursday, among those granted visas under the scheme as of September this year, 667 were receptionists.

The biggest number were waiters/waitresses, cooks and junior cooks, security guards and sales assistants, reflecting the severe manpower shortages in these fields.

But it would appear that Filipinos accounted for only a tiny fraction of the total ESLS approvals so far. According to Assistant Labour Attache Angelica Sunga at the Philippines’Migrant Workers Office, only 39 Filipinos had been granted work visas through the ESLS as of August this year.

This is what prompts Robelyn to keep encouraging her fellow Filipinos, especially those on foreign domestic helper visas, to aim higher, and look for jobs that will give them better pay and work conditions.

“Maraming mga Pinoy ang deserve ang mas magandang trabaho,” she said. “At Glory to God talaga na merong ganitong program ang Hong Kong para sa mga hindi naman nakatapos at hindi hinihingan ng maraming requirements,” she said.

(There are a lot of Filipinos who deserve a better job. It’s to God’s Glory that Hong Kong has this program for those who did not finish their studies, and are not asked for too many requirements).

But Robelyn is quick to admit that a lot will also depend on luck. She thus advises those on DH visas to start looking around for companies that might need workers with their qualifications and experience, or employment agencies that can connect them with such employers.

It is never too late to aspire for something better, according to her. And now seems to be the time to start doing something about that dream.

The ESLS was formally unveiled by the government in September last year to enhance or expand the coverage and operation of the previous Supplementary Labour Scheme (SLS), to include unskilled or low-skilled posts.

This was apart from previous efforts to address the severe manpower shortage in Hong Kong, including the launch of sector-specified labour importation schemes for such sectors as construction, transport, and residential care homes.

Under both programs, foreign workers are offered two-year contracts with salaries commensurate to those paid local employees, as well as free accommodation.

However, they do not qualify for permanent residency which requires seven years of continuous residency in Hong Kong.

(See related story here: https://www.sunwebhk.com/2024/10/waiters-cooks-cleaners-among-imported.html)

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