IBP agrees to provide legal services, access to OFWs

 

The IBP and DMW officers agreed to sign a MOA after lengthy discussions

In a landmark move, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the Department of Migrant Workers have agreed to collaborate in providing legal protection and expanded access to justice for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

IBP National President Alan G. Panolong and DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac met Tuesday, July 8, to finalize a memorandum of agreement (MOA) that they are set to sign before the end of the month.

The MOA aims to establish mechanisms for sustained knowledge sharing, capacity building, and legal aid initiatives between the IBP and DMW.

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It will enable both organizations to jointly conduct training, seminars, and legal assistance programs to ensure OFWs have substantive and accessible legal support wherever they may be in the world.

Panolong, who assumed his IBP post only this month, led a delegation from the national lawyers’ group and emphasized the importance of providing legal assistance to Filipino migrant workers.

“This partnership is part of our shared commitment to elevate service and empower progress by ensuring that no Filipino is denied access to justice—no matter the distance,” said Panolong. “We are hitting the ground running because our OFWs deserve no less.”

Secretary Cacdac welcomed the initiative and expressed strong support for the collaboration. He also emphasized the need to provide comprehensive protection to OFWs, particularly those who meet legal challenges abroad.

He was joined in the meeting by Undersecretary Bernard Olalia, Asst Secretary Jerome Alcantara, Dir. Geraldine Mendez, Dir. Maria Bernardine Madamba, and their respective teams.

Leaders of the 2 groups pose for photo after the meeting

The IBP delegation also included Governors Elena Go Francisco (Greater Manila Region) and Quirino G. Esguerra, Jr. (Western Mindanao Region) and officers of the National Center for Legal Aid (NCLA) led by its director Pitero M. Reig, overall deputy director Manuel Joseph B. Ibañez III and deputy director for migrant workers Dan Joseph T. Cruz.

 

Pinoy denies hurting Chinese woman

 

Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Google Maps photo)

An unemployed Filipino has denied a charge of assault on a Chinese female in a hospital, setting the stage for his trial next month, during which he is expected to claim that he never had physical contact with the alleged victim.

Arnias Allen Gomez, 51 years old, had been charged by police with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, contrary to Common Law and punishable under section 39 of the Offenses Against the Person Ordinance.

His duty lawyer told a hearing at Kowloon City Court Tuesday (July 8) that their defense will be based on a factual dispute as to whether violence was used in the incident, which took place last April 28 at the Ambulatory Care Centre of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei.

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The prosecutor said four prosecution witnesses will be presented during the one-day trial, scheduled for Aug. 4 by Magistrate Philip Chan.

He was released on $100 bail.

In a separate case, a construction worker was allowed bail of $1,000 in a case where he is charged with wounding a Filipino woman, contrary to section 19 of the Offenses Against the Person Ordinance.

Saudee Tagao, 42 years old, is acused of wounding a certain Maricar at We Hotel Kowloon on Temple Street in Kowloon last March 16.

OWWA scholarship application for OFW dependents to start Jul 16

 

An expanded and more transparent scholarship program for children or sibling of overseas Filipino workers will be rolled out by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) starting next school year.

OWWA today, July 7, announced that applications for the two scholarship categories will be accepted from July 16-31.

OWWA Administrator PY Caunan told The SUN that she has instructed her staff to make more transparent the number of slots that are available as well as the process.

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“We will be working in the long run in increasing the number of slots,” said Administrator Caunan. “Hopefully Congress will support.”

The scholarships on offer fall under two categories, both of which are open to children of OFWs who are active members, or sibling if the OFW member is single or married with no offspring.

Requirements for the higher-category EDSP scholarship which comes with P60k cash benefit

Under the Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP), the applicant must be enrolled in the second to fifth year in a Philippine-based university or college, must not be over 30 years old, and must have a general weighted average of at least 85% with no failing mark.

Only 600 EDSP scholars are chosen each year, and they each get Php60,000 cash subsidy per year until they complete their course, provided they continue to meet the academic requirement.

ODSP applicants must have at least a passing grade to qualify for the P20k annual grant

The other program is the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) which has two sub-categories: one is for incoming freshman students who must be no more than 21 years old, and the second is for those enrolled in the 2^nd to 5^th year in college, who should be no more than 30 years old and single.

In both categories, the applicant should have a passing general weighted average (GWA) which means, at least 75%.  Previously, the required GWA was at least 80%.

Each scholar will get Php20,000 each year until they graduate, for as long as they meet the GWA requirement.

The applicants should have an OFW income of no more than US$1,000 per month or its equivalent. .

The number of ODSP scholars that will be admitted for the next school year is not indicated, but last year, a total of 5,000 grants were awarded under this program.

The requirements for the scholar-applicants include the following:

– PSA Birth Certificate (for applicants whose parent is an OFW)

– Certificate of No Marriage (for applicants whose sibling is an OFW)

- OFW Declaration of no Child Dependent (For Married OFW but childless)

– 2 pcs. 2x2 Picture with name tag and white background

– Copy of OFW Passport ID

Application forms and all inquiries related to the OWWA scholarship program may be secured from the following website: https://scholarship.owwa.gov.ph/.

Please also check the official Facebook page of OWWA regularly for any updated announcements.

 

Pinay jailed 6 months for booking public tennis courts for another

Wong Nai Chung tennis courts (Google Maps photo)

The last of the three Filipinas charged with conspiracy to defraud for booking public tennis courts on behalf of other people, was jailed for six months today after she changed her mind and pleaded guilty at Shatin Court.

D.G. Manaligod, 32 years old, was scheduled to stand trial today after she initially denied the charge on March 15 that she conspired with a certain L. M. Caceres to defraud the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services and his officers by booking tennis courts on his behalf between Sept. 27, 2023 and June 21, 2024.

By “dishonestly and falsely representing” that she was the user of the tennis courts, Manaligod induced the director and his officers “to act contrary to their public duty,“ the charge added.

This was contrary to Common Law and punishable under section 159C(6) of the Crimes Ordinance which prescribes a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail.

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With her conviction, Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong ordered that Manaligod’s bail money of $500 be returned to her.

She had earlier pleaded not guilty and parted ways with co-accused H. Habungan, aged 43, and A. Mendoza, 63, who were sentenced also by Magistrate Cheang last April 7 to jail terms after admitting to the crime last March 15.

Habungan was jailed for six months after she admitted to conspiring with a certain J. Mosqueda in securing permission from the LCSD director and his officers to use public tennis courts “under circumstances which they would not otherwise have granted.”

Mendoza was jailed for four months after she admitted conspiring with a certain G. Foster between Sept. 27 2023 and June 12, 2024 by in committing the same offence.

DH gets 2 months’ jail for stealing $1,200

 

For stealing just $1,200 from her employer, a Filipina domestic helper has lost her freedom, her job, and the opportunity to work in Hong Kong.

Donnalyn Memita, 32 years old, was sentenced today at Eastern Court by Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung to two months in jail for  the theft which she committed at her employer’s home at Wai Wah Mansion on Fort Street in North Point last June 4.

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She had earlier pleaded guilty to the charge of theft filed by North Point Police.

After completing her sentence, Memita will likely be deported and would face no longer be able to get a working visa from Hong Kong Immigration.

Free review for Sept teachers' board gets underway in HK

 

The OFW Center's training hall is packed with teacher-hopefuls at the start of the SPLE review

More than 300 overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong joined the free, whole-day review for those aspiring to take the Special Professional Licensure Examination (SPLE) scheduled to be held in HK and Thailand on Sept. 21.

The review, which was held at the OFW Center on the 18^th floor of United Centre Building, is a joint project of the Carl Balita Review Center (CBRC) and the Filipino Overseas Professional Teachers HK (FOPT) with the support of the Migrant Workers Office.

PRC's official announcement of the SPLE in HK and Thailand on Sept 21

It will be the first time that the licensure examination for OFWs with an education degree, will be held in Hong Kong since 2019, when widespread protests and the pandemic rocked the city.

While the PRC has already set the date, the venue of the test will still have to be arranged, according to MWO officer-in-charge Antonio Villafuerte.

But applications for those who want to take the qualifying examination has now opened, and will last until Aug 11, 2025. Applicants can access the PRC online application system as https://online.prc.gov.ph.

Those with questions or concerns may send an email to sple@prc.gov.ph.

All those who want to join the succeeding review sessions by the CBRC may look for the Facebook page of the Filipino Overseas Professional Teachers – Hong Kong and send them a message.

Alternatively, they can register directly with CBRC at https://forms.gle/4HviTRcx9Z8dnTdP9

In a Facebook post prior to conducting the review sessions, CBRC owner Carl Balita said a total of 369 OFWs in HK will be given a full LET Review Scholarship, through weekly face-to-face lectures and a full online review.

He said CBRC faculty members are giving their services for free, while Senator Bong Go is providing their air fare for the duration of the project.

However, the application fee for taking the examination is not free, and must be paid at any of the following PRC-authorized channels:

1. Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP)

2. Banc Net

3. G-Cash

4. Pay Maya.

After paying the examination fee, all applicants are required to submit via email at sple@prc.qov.ph, a clear scanned copy of their application documents as follows:

1. Transcript of Record (with or without scanned picture and with or without remarks “For Board Examination Purpose Only”);

2. Valid passport; and

3. Two (2) passport-size pictures with a complete name tag in a white background

The list of conditionally approved applicants shall be posted on the PRC Website. No individual response to the emailed applications should be expected, unless certain deficiencies in the submitted documents are noted.

The PRC Delegation shall issue the Notice of Admission (NOA) to the qualified applicants upon presentation of the original documents on September 17-19, 2025, the venue of which will be announced later.

All successful SPLE examinees can opt to return to the Philippines and placed in permanent items or jobs in their hometown, under the SPIMS (Sa Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma'am, Sir) program of the Department of Migrant Workers.

 

CG congratulates HK OFW who placed 2nd in teachers’ board

 

Congen Romulo Israel congratulates Dory Octavio for her outstanding achievement

Consul General Romulo M. Israel met and congratulated Filipino domestic worker Maria Adoracion R. Octavio earlier today, Sunday, for her remarkable feat of placing second in the special licensure examination (SLE) for secondary school teachers in the Philippines held last June.

Congen Israel’s first question to Adoracion or “Dory” to friends was, “Would you like to go home?”. Noticing her hesitation, he added that he fully understood if Dory did not want to, especially if she has better job options in Hong Kong.

However, as the country’s top representative in the HK Special Administrative Region, he said he would like to see Dory go home and use her exemplary knowledge of teaching to help Filipino students, especially those in public schools.

PAANO SUMALI? BASAHIN DITO

During their talk, Congen Israel was even more impressed when he learned that Dory obtained her education degree while doing full-time domestic work in Hong Kong. Initially, she took a two-year course with AMA Computer Learning Center in Hong Kong, and then followed this up with two more years of online lessons with AMA University in Quezon City.

Dory, who is 38, single and a native of Pasacao, Camarines Sur, first went abroad to work as a domestic helper in Singapore in 2009, then moved to Hong Kong in 2014 where she has remained since. She had just finished high school then.

“Wala na po sana talaga akong balak mag-aral, (I no longer had plans of studying), I just wanted to save then go back to the Philippines and start a business,” she said.

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“But my friend Nikki encouraged me to enroll in a two-year programming course so that we could earn 72 units to apply for Canada.”

However, when AMA announced that it was opening a diploma in teaching course, she decided to go for it instead, thinking it would serve her better, whether in the Philippines or Canada.

It helped that there were people around her who made her aspire for more, including AMA HK’s school director, Helen Marcos, whom she credits for pushing her to do two more years of online lessons to complete her degree.

CG Israel and teacher Dory are joined by Labor OIC Tony Villafuerte and AMA HK's Helen Marcos

After graduating last year, Dory thought she should take the board exams immediately while everything that she learned was still fresh in her mind. Thus, when she learned that the SLE would be held in Taiwan last June, she tearfully begged her elderly employer to allow her to go there, even just for two days, so she could take the test.

To her surprise and delight, she not only passed the test, she even got a remarkable grade of 89.20, enabling her to tie with three other examinees, all OFWs, in second place. 

But true to her self-effacing nature, Dory said her grade would probably not be enough to land her in the top 10, if she were to compete with everybody who is taking the test, including those in the Philippines and abroad. That, she added, would be the kind of test that OFWs in Hong Kong will be taking in September this year, along with other examinees in the Philippines.

What she didn't seem to realize was that she was a standout even among those who placed in the top 10, as she was an all-around domestic worker, while the others were either teachers or skilled workers in places such as China and Uzbektistan, which meant that they had more time, energy and resources to focus on their studies.

Dory is looking at all options in both HK and the Philippines

Acting Labor Attache Tony Villafuerte who joined Congen Israel in congratulating Dory said that under the SPIMS (Sa Pinas. Ikaw ang Ma’am, Sir) program of the Department of Migrant Workers, Dory could be given a permanent teaching position in her hometown in the Philippines should she decide to go home for good.

But since she’s a new teacher, she will hired at entry-level, which pays just over Php30,000 each month. That would mean Dory taking a salary cut should she decide to go home, as she is already receiving more than the minimum wage for FDHs which is HK$4,990 (about Php35,700).

Then, there is also the possibility that she could be hired for a teaching job in Hong Kong, which is now no longer as far-fetched, given her outstanding performance in the qualifying examination, and the current dearth of qualified teachers in the city.

Even Helen, who was among the first to publicly share Dory’s remarkable feat, said she’d be happy to take in her mentee as an employee, if Immigration would allow it.

But if there are better offers out there for Dory, Helen said she would be happy enough to ask her to come by on Sundays, just so she could inspire other OFWs to dream as she did, and achieve.

 

 

More than 12k people barred from entering HK this year

 

Those turned away don't even get to see the arrivals hall of the HK Airport

If you’re planning to visit Hong Kong and use the trip to work here illegally, think again.

Hong Kong’s immigration director Benson Kwok said that mere suspicions that a visitor would work illegally here could be enough reason to deny entry to that person.

Kwok said in an interview with RTHK today, July 6,  that more than 12,000 people were denied entry to Hong Kong in the first five months of the year alone.

PAANO SUMALI? BASAHIN DITO

"There were a number of reasons, for example if we were suspicious about their reasons for coming to Hong Kong, like they could be here to work illegally and affect the job opportunities of locals," Kwok said.

The other reasons were the incomplete travel documents presented by the visitor, like not having a visa as required by Hong Kong for citizens of certain countries.

There were also those who were turned away because immigration suspected that they were carrying forged travel documents.

While 12,000 may seem a lot in terms of actual figures, that represents only 0.06 percent of the 20 million visitors to the city for the same period, said Kwok.

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He said young Hongkongers who left the city in the wake of the unrest in 2019 are welcome to return if they are patriotice and love Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong people enjoy the freedom to enter or leave the SAR. So long as the person didn't violate the law, the Immigration Department will not stop him or her, never mind asking the person questions," he said. 

Kwok added that now that more young people in Hong Kong travel to the mainland in their free time, they get to have a better understanding of the importance of safeguarding national security.

Court absence worsens case for Pinoy facing drug charges

 

Sai Kung sitting out area (Google Maps photo by Wai Shing So)

A Filipino who uses a recognizance form as identity document, added more problems to the three charges he faces at the Kwun Tong Court when he failed to show up for a hearing on Friday.

Magistrate Lau Suk-han issued a warrant of arrest against Aldrian Maloles, 36 years old, reserved the forfeiture of his bail and ordered police not to allow him bail once arrested.

PAANO SUMALI? BASAHIN DITO

Maloles was charged with possession of dangerous drug after he was arrested at a sitting out area at Sai Kung Hoi Pong St. in Sai Kung on Nov. 17, 2024.

Seized from him were three plastic bags containing a total of 1.01 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (also known as ice or shabu) and one plastic bag containing 0.20 grams of shabu.

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Also seized from him were drug paraphernalia, resulting in a second charge, possession of apparatus fit for the inhalation of dangerous drugs, consisting of a glass tube with a bulb containing 0.02 gram of shabu and a glass bottle with two openings containing 0.01 gram of shabu.

The third charge, resisting a police office contrary to the Police Force Ordinance, arose after he resisted arrest by four police officers.

7 persons arrested in anti-illegal work raids

 

A man on a bike was among those arrested

 Six suspected illegal workers and one employer were arrested in four days of territory-wide operations by enforcement agents of the Immigration and Labour Departments.

A total of 58 target locations were raided from June 30 to July 3, including premises under renovation, recycling yards, restaurants and retail stoes.

In the first phase of the operation four suspected illegal workers comprising two men and two women, aged 43 to 59, were arrested.

PAANO SUMALI? BASAHIN DITO

Among them, one man was found to hold a recognizance form, meaning he is applying to ward off deportation while another man and a woman were found to possess fake HKID cards.

One woman aged 52, was arrested on suspicion she had employed the illegal workers.

In a separate operation, two men, aged 32 and 34, were arrested for working illegally. Both hold recognizance forms, which prohibit them from taking employment, whether paid or unpaid.

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Torture claimants on recognizance who are found to be working illegally can be jailed for up to three years and fined a maximum of $50,000. The same penalty applies to overstayers and illegal immigrants.

Aiders and abettors will also be prosecuted.

Visitors who violate their condition of stay by working while in Hong Kong face a lesser penalty of up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $50,000.

Those found to possess forged HKID cards can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined a maximum of $100,000.

Employers face the harshest penalty of up to $500,000 in fine and imprisonment for 10 years.

An immediate custodial sentence is prescribed for all those engaged in illegal work. 

DH gets $20K compensation for assault

 

The case was decided at the Labour Tribunal

A domestic helper who left her employer’s house because she no longer felt safe in their house after being assaulted by his mother-in-law, agreed today to a compensation of $20,000 in return for ending her complaint at the Labour Tribunal.

Gemma Mones signed the settlement agreement between her and her employer, Wan Hei-man, with Presiding Officer Isabella Chu as witness, ending her complaint that arose after the mother of Wan’s wife kicked her in the groin on Feb. 20.

PAANO SUMALI? BASAHIN DITO

In an interview, Mones said this was the latest of more than 10 attacks she had endured since she started working for Wan’s family.

But while her labor complaint has been settled, the criminal case filed by police against the unnamed woman, against whom Mones is a prosecution witness, will continue. The first hearing is scheduled at Kowloon City Court on July 26.

Basahin ang detalye!

The settlement amount represents Mones’ personal expenses and loss of income after she left Wan’s house, claiming she was constructively terminated, until the last hearing last June 16 when she agreed to the amount.

Today’s hearing was held because the employer asked for a three-week adjournment so he could have time to consult his family about paying the compensation.

Licensed recruiter, travel agency shut down for illegal recruitment to Poland

 

The 2 companies face illegal recruitment charges 

A long-time licensed recruitment agency in the Philippines has been closed down by the Department of Migrant Workers for allegedly working with a travel agency to illegally recruit workers for Poland.

Reliable Recruitment Corporation, which has been operating for decades and is licensed to operate until June 2026, has been ordered closed by the Department of Migrant Workers along with its “accomplice”, the Reiven Air Travel Tours and Consultancy.

This was according to a statement released by the DMW yesterday, July 3, along with photos and videos of the Manila offices of the two companies being padlocked.

Officers of the Migrant Protection Bureau and Manila Police carried out the closure of Reliable’s office in Ermita and Reiven’s in San Andres, in line with Closure Order Nos. 15 at 16, Series of 2025, which were issued following an in-depth investigation.

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Reliable, which has three other offices across the Philippines, is licensed to recruit and place for overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong and other destinations abroad. But according to DMW, it is not licensed to recruit for jobs in Poland.

The investigation revealed that Reiven was carrying out its illegal recruitment activities inside Reliable’s office, including the orientation seminar for applicants for the jobs of fruit picker, farmer, truck driver and welder in Poland.

The applicants were reportedly promised salaries of about Php90,000 per month, but they must pay at least Php70,000 in processing fee to the company.

Before they could even attend the orientation seminar, they were required to get a referral from Reliable and pay the processing fee.

DMW Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara said two applicants of Reiven and Reliable had complained that they were not able to leave for Poland despite paying the processing fee.

“Reiven acted as a recruiter when travel agencies are strictly not allowed to do so. They worked with Reliable, which misrepresented job opportunities to applicants,” said Alcantara.

He added that although licensed, Reliable only has a job order for mushroom pickers, but not for fruit pickers or any other jobs.

DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia who joined the raids on the two companies said their investigation revealed that while the applicants were promised a salary of Php90,000 their registered contract stated a salary of only Php50,000.

He said the documents seized from the two companies will be studied to see if there were actual job orders for the posts they promised to the applicants.

A staff member of Reiven is shown being led away during a live coverage of the raids

The DMW post drew a number of reactions from various people, including those who claimed they had paid up to Php100,000 for the promised jobs. They were told by DMW staff manning the page to send them a private message if they wanted to get their money back.

According to the DMW, those conducting the orientation were employees of World Bridge Recruitment Spolka Z.O.O., a Poland-based placement agency registered with the DMW.

Reiven is charged with violating Republic Act No 10022, which strictly prohibits travel agencies from engaging in any recruitment activities. 

Reliable, on the other hand, has a job order for only one kind of work in Poland, while World Bridge did not have the required Letter of Authority from DMW to conduct the recruitment.

DMW said that because of these violations, both Reiven and Reliable will be included in its list of recruitment agencies with derogatory record. In addition, the Department will recommend the cancellation of their business registrations with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC_ and business licenses with the City of Manila. 

All victims of Reiven and Reliable are urged to communicate with DMW’s Migrant Workers Protection Bureau through its Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/dmwairtip so they can be extended legal help.

 

 

 

Jail custody for 3 Pinoys in robbery, theft cases

 

Three Filipinos, each gainfully employed as HK residents, have been remanded in jail after being charged with robbery and theft in separate cases before the Eastern Court.

Ryan Malonzo, 38 years old and a bartender, Allevan Arceo, 29 years old and construction worker, and Roderick Prado, 49 years old and a deliveryman and courier, were charged with burglary for allegedly entering a “Green-Kennedy Town” store on Water St. in Sai Ying Pun last March 20 and stealing an iPad worth $3,999.

Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung ordered the three returned to jail on Wednesday (July 2) after he adjourned the case to Aug. 27.

Basahin ang detalye!

In a separate case that same day, Malonzo and Arceo were listed as ready for plea on two charges of theft when the hearing resumes also on Aug. 27.

The two were accused of stealing two backpacks outside a flat in Wing Wah Mansion on Queen’s Road West in Shek Tong Tsui on March 26.

One of the bags contained a wallet with $1,000 cash, Hong Kong and China identity documents, and four bank cards, all worth a total of $1,400.

The other bag contained an iPhone 13, a Huawei laptop, and cash of 5 renminbi, worth a total of $18,205.36.