'Watershow Extravaganza' to light up Wanchai harbour

 

This is how the water show at the Wanchai harbour should look like

Wan Chai harbour will be transformed today and tomorrow (Oct 18 and 19) when it hosts Hong Kong’s first large-scale water show, as part of events commemorating the 75^th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.

The spectacular display, which is organized by Blue Planet Action, will take place at the Water Sports and Recreation Precinct in Wan Chai, from 4:00pm to 8:30pm.

The two-day event, called the Wan Chai Watershow Extravaganza, will feature water fountains, light displays, and music.

It will be highlighted by a scene in which rockets transform into dragons which will then journey through iconic scenes of China and Hong Kong before changing into a phoenix.

Lining the harbour will be more than 10 stalls where family-friendly activities and an opportunity to explore traditional Chinese crafts, will be made available to ticket-holders.

A stage to be set up at the site will feature a variety of entertainment numbers, including performances by notable singers like Karen Kong and Gabriel Hanson at the opening ceremony. The second day will have the singing group Sing’s Power providing entertainment, among others.

To register for tickets, visit the Blue Planet Action Facebook page or collect them  at the Wan Chai Home Affairs Enquiry Centre.  

A total of 3,000 tickets will be distributed for free by the organizer and government departments through online registration, with an additional 600 tickets to be made available on-site

SC asked to rule transfer of P89.9b PhilHealth funds unconstitutional

 

Reyes, Magno,Carpio, Carpio-Morales and Mendoza hold up copies of the SC petition
(PhilStar photo)

Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales have led the latest legal challenge to the transfer of  “excess funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to the national treasury.

The two, along with former Finance Undersecretary Cielo Magno, former Commission on Audit Commissioner Heidi Mendoza and priest Robert Reyes filed a petition with the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Oct. 16, questioning the constitutionality of transferring the P89.9 billion in Philhealth funds.

The move came on the day the third tranche of PhilHealth’s “excess funds” amounting to P30 billion was transferred to the government treasury.

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In all, P89.8 billion of PhilHealth funds from 2021 to 2023 are to be transferred to the national treasury, in line with a special provision in the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) mandating all government owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) to remit their unspent subsidies for the period.

From this cash sweep of the GOCCs will come funding for previously designated priority projects such as infrastructure and salary increases for government workers.

A day earlier, a number of former senior government officials from different administration issued a joint statement to try and stop Finance Secretary Ralph Recto to stop the further transfer of funds from the national health insurance agency.

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The statement said it was “beyond reason” to pit spending on economic growth through infrastructure with that for social programs and public health.

“Every peso diverted from PhilHealth is desperately needed by Filipinos without access to health care,” they said.

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

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Under the 2024 GAA,  the government’s unprogrammed funds ballooned to P731.45 billion, up by a massive 160 percent from the P281.91 billion requested by the executive branch from Congress.

But despite the wide-ranging opposition, Recto said he could only stop the transfer if there was a direct order from the lawmakers or the Supreme Court, arguing that the DOF was only following what Congress had allowed under the 2024 national budget.

Those who questioned the transfer said PhilHealth is mandated to meet the objectives of universal health care of expanding the scope and coverage of health benefits to members, so its allocated funds should be used solely for this reason.

They said the P89.9 billion deemed to have been “unspent funds” had come from the premiums or contributions of members, and are meant to benefit indirect contributors like senior citizens, persons with disabilities, indigents, 4Ps beneficiaries, and those without the capacity to pay..

“Instead of addressing inefficiencies and waste within the budget, the government is accommodating untimely and wasteful public projects, which could only be beneficial to a select few precisely by raiding PhilHealth’s funds,” said the statement.

“By all measures, this policy seriously jeopardizes the mandate to promote universal health care,” the statement said.

Among the signatories were former Secretaries Cielito Habito and Ernesto Pernia of the National Economic and Development Authority, Enrique Ona of the Department of Health, Florencio Abad of the Department of Budget and Management, and ex-PhilHealth president and CEO Alexander Padilla.

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Consulate starts distributing digital IDs for overseas voters in HK

 

Overseas voters must scan the QR code above to start the process of securing their IDs

The Philippine Consulate General  (PCG) has begun distributing through email the digital copy of the voter’s ID of all registered overseas voters in Hong Kong.

To get it, the applicant must be a registered overseas voter in Hong Kong, has a valid ID (Philippine passport or HK ID card) and a working email address.

To start the process,  the applicant must scan the QR code posted in the Consulate’s website (and reposted above) to get to the google form which he/she must fill up.

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The voters will be asked for their last, first and middle names as they appear in their passports, their date of birth, email address and contact number. 

No document such as a passport or HKID card will be asked for uploading by the voter but the personal details he/she is required to provide must match those provided in their Philippine passport.

After the form has been submitted, the voter will have to wait for an email from the Consulate giving instructions on how to proceed to download the digital ID. If the voter has no registered email address, he/she will have to report personally to the OV Secretariat at the Consulate for identity verification.

Once the voter's identity is confirmed through a passport or HKID number, an email address that belongs personally to the voter (not employer, agent or any other person) must be submitted.

It is thus important for voters to provide an email address that they can access as all instructions, including the copy of their voter’s ID, will be sent to them via this route. It will also be used for pre-enrolment as a first-time internet voter, and acquiring the ballot for the actual voting.

For those with problems downloading, filling out or submitting the google form, they can inquire directly at counters 9-12 at the Consulate.

This is the first time that a digital ID is being provided by the Commission on Elections for all registered Philippine voters abroad.

Previously, a printed physical card was provided by the Comelec to registered voters through embassies and consulates abroad. But this was stopped in 2018, after legislators approved the National Identification System, which provides that only one national ID should be used in all government transactions.

Comelec said overseas voters may use the digital ID as an alternative proof of identification when they enrol for internet voting, in case their Philippine passport of seafarer’s identification record book is not available.

A dry-run for pre-enrolment to the digital voting for the 2025 mid-term elections in the Philippines will begin in February next year. The actual overseas voting will take place from April 13 to May 12, 2025. 

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Non-Chinese HK residents can now apply for 5-year visas to China

 

The new visa rule further relaxes entry to the mainland by non-Chinese residents in HK

Both permanent and non-permanent residents in Hong Kong who are not Chinese, can now apply for visas to the Mainland for up to five years, and stay there for up to 180 days.

However, the new visa rule which takes effect immediately, does not apply to foreign domestic workers, who are given visas for the sole purpose of accompanying their employers to China for tourism, family visit and shopping.

But it is  a step up to the five-year travel card issued exclusively to non-Chinese permanent residents in Hong Kong stating in July this year, which allows them stays for up to 90 days and use of the speedier e-gates at immigration.

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Previously, all non-Chinese residents in Hong Kong, whether permanent or not, were required visas to enter like any other tourists. They could apply for visas with single or multiple entries with a validity period of six months or longer, depending on their nationality.

According to the Commissioner’s Office of the Foreign Ministry, the new rule which covers all Hong Kong residents holding foreign passports, applies to applicants going to the mainland for business, travel, family visits, as well as cultural and academic exchanges.

"[This is] to facilitate personnel exchanges between Hong Kong and the mainland, [and] support Hong Kong’s integration into the overall development of the country," the office said in a statement.

Applicants will not need to submit a receipt for return transport tickets and hotel bookings. They also will not have to get their fingerprints recorded again if they underwent the procedure during a previous visa application.

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PHLPost resumes issuance of postal ID

 

Specimen of a Philippine postal ID

The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) announced yesterday, Tuesday, that it will  resume accepting applications for postal IDs.

PHLPost suspended the acceptance of rush and regular postal ID applications on March 10, 2023 due to technical issues.

The postal ID is popular with those seeking a nationally accepted identification document for transacting with government offices and private businesses as it does not require too many proofs of identification and is usually issued within 10 working days.

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But first, applicants must personally apply in several capturing post offices branches nationwide.

First-time applicants must also bring the original and a photocopy of the following documents:

-              -  A proof of identity, such as a birth certificate from the Philippine Statistics Authority or local civil registry, GSIS, SSS UMID Card, driver’s license, or passport

-          -  A proof of address, such as a  barangay clearance, certified true copy of lease, certified true copy of titles, certified true copy of real estate tax receipt, bank statement, credit card statement, school billing statement, or utility bill

-         For renewal, applicants must also bring an original and photocopy of their expired postal ID, any proof of identity, and address. Married women who are renewing under their new surnames must bring their marriage certificates.

The application fee costs P550.

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‘Coins for Bethune’ 2024 nets $41.6k, pushes up shelter’s fund drive

 

Gabriela Chater Road was this year's top fundraiser for 'Coins for Bethune' project

The annual “Coins for Bethune” project has raised a total of $41,609.10 for this year, according to officers of the shelter home.

The donation has helped provide much-needed funds to Bethune House Migrant Women’s Refuge, which provides shelter, food, legal assistance and psychological counselling to distressed migrant women in Hong Kong.

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Last month, Bethune House which relies solely on private donors to sustain its advocacies, issued an urgent appeal for help, saying two big donations had fallen through, leaving it in danger of closing down if it fails to raise $1million by the end of the year.

Various groups, mostly made up of Filipino migrant workers, immediately rushed to the rescue, organizing charity walks, sport tournaments and other fund-raising activities for the shelter, and holding them on their only rest days during the week.

Sai Kung OFWs was among those who organized a charity walk for Bethune House

A private group also stepped up, holding a charity concert for Bethune House recently, featuring prominent musician Wong Hing Yan. The “Raise the Roof –SOS Music Show for Bethune House” was the second mutual aid support initiated by GwoBean.

The good news is, according to Bethune House’s executive director Edwina Antonio, their SOS (Save Our Shelter) campaign has already reached 57% of its target amount within just a month of issuing the call.

“Bit by bit, we’re reaching our goal. Our efforts are paying off, “ said Antonio in a statement. But she said a little bit of push is still needed, as “jobless and homeless migrants are counting on us."

Antonio (in white) receives a coin-filled container from a private donor

In this year’s Coins for Bethune campaign, awarded as the top fundraiser among organizations was Gabriela Chater Road, next was Tropang Angat Hong Kong, and third was Utol Legend-Sai Kung.

For the alliances, the top donor was Cordillera Alliance, and next was Abra Tinguian Ilocano Society.

The United Church of Christ in the Philippines was the top church contributor, followed by Kowloon Union Church.

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HK, Chinese firms eye investment opportunities in PH

 

Trade USec Ceferino S. Rodolfo, (in blue barong) pose after the meeting with Polyard Petroleum International Group Limited along with (from left): Trade Attache to HK  Roberto B. Mabalot, Jr., BOI Director Ernesto C. Delos Reyes, Jr., Polyard representative Iya Chen

Hong Kong and Chinese companies have expressed interest in investing in the country’s logistics, renewable energy, electric vehicle, textile, telecommunication and financial sectors, according to the Philippine Trade and Investment Center – Hong Kong (PTIC-HK), the country’s trade and investment promotion arm in Hong Kong and Macau.

The announcement came after a series of meetings conducted by a Philippine panel led by Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Dr. Ceferino S. Rodolfo, with Hong Kong firms, business organizations, as well as Hong Kong’s commerce and economic officials last Sept 12-13, as part of the (DTI) and Board of Investments (BOI) mission to China in 2024.

Dr. Rodolfo, who also sits as BOI vice chairman, was supported by Trade Attache Roberto B. Mabalot, Jr., trade assistant Wilson Wong, BOI director for investment assistance service Ernesto C. Delos Reyes, Jr..

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PTIC-HK said the panel met with executives of firms such as HGC Global Communications, Polyard Petroleum International Group Limited, SF Express, China Harmony Auto Holding Limited, Luen Thai Group, and the Bank of China.

One of these companies, HGC, has made significant inroads in the Philippines, partnering with major Philippine operators to install underground and overhead fiber optic networks across Luzon, using the advanced Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technology.

HGC is also involved in the deployment of Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) solutions in Mindanao, further expanding its reach and enhancing the telecommunications infrastructure in the region.

Its accomplishments include:

    - Rollout of more than 1,500km fibre optic asset in 1H2024, and still expanding;

    - Installation of over 6,000 strategic access points (manholes), and still expanding;

    - Network covers key corporate and residential areas, as well as unserved and underserved locations.

PTIC-HK said Dr. Rodolfo also met with Algernon Yau, secretary of the HK Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the agency responsible for the territory’s external commercial relations, to discuss investment and trade between Hong Kong SAR and the Philippines.

They also explored the possibility of establishing a Joint Economic Committee which would help strengthen trade and investment relations between Hong Kong and the Philippines.

Dr. Rodolfo further engaged with representatives from the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC), one of the oldest and largest business organizations in Hong Kong.

These meetings aimed to enhance and strengthen the economic ties between the Philippines and Hong Kong, PTIC-HK said.

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Filipino, 58, pleads guilty to exposing himself in public

 

Place where the offense was committed (Google Maps photo)

A Filipino was convicted today at Kowloon City Court of “committing an act outraging public decency” in violation of Common Law, after he pleaded guilty to exposing his sex organ and rubbing it in public.

But Acting Principal Magistrate Ko Wai-hung put off the sentencing of S.F., 58 years old, to Dec. 10 pending a background report, which he ordered to assess factors that may affect his punishment.

Ko then released him on $500 bail.

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A police complaint filed last Sept. 27 accused the defendant of exposing himself last Sept. 6 outside the MUM Veggie Cafe on Yan Oi St. in San Po Kong, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon.

Such an act that outrages public decency is punished under section 101I of the Criminal Procedure Ordinance with imprisonment of up to seven years.

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Filipina DH joins elite swimmers in relay swim around HK

 

Lam (leftmost) and Tolentino (2nd from left) are among 30 'Make Waves' swimmers this year

A Filipina domestic helper is among five relay teams that will take up the unique challenge of swimming 45 kilometers around Hong Kong island on November 8, to raise awareness about the city’s massive “swim illiteracy.”

The 30 swimmers from the five teams in this year's “Make Waves for Hong Kong” will come from diverse backgrounds, and will include Olympians Geoff Cheah and Hannah Wilson, prominent jeweller, Jada Lam, and Filipina migrant domestic worker, Josephine Tolentino.

Tolentino is one of the first graduates of Splash Foundation, a charity dedicated to providing free swimming lessons to disadvantaged children and adults in Hong Kong, and is the beneficiary of the swim fest. 

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 Since learning to swim in 2016, Tolentino has competed in many local swim races, and won awards. “Swimming became the best solution I had to the stress and homesickness that comes with being a migrant worker,” she said.

Cheah, who was part of the Hong Kong team that took part in the Rio Olympics and is currently working on start-ups at Wheelock and Company, says he was shocked to learn that 47% of Hong Kong secondary school students do not know how to swim, and may never have had the opportunity to do so.

“Swimming has opened so many doors for me personally. All my best friends are those who I grew up competing and training with. I’m doing this challenge so we can improve swimming lessons for kids and adults in Hong Kong.”

Altogether, the swimmers in this year's swim fest hope to raise $3.5 million to help Splash Foundation with its advocacy.

The 45-km swim relay will start at Sandy Bay and run clockwise around HK island

Splash says that only about half of Hong Kong people can swim, despite the city having the world’s longest coastline and an abundance of swimming pools. The other half who can’t swim are mostly women and children from low-income families.

Realizing this, Splash has dedicated itself to improving access to swimming for disadvantaged children and adults by providing them with free lessons. Around 90% of the learners have learned how to swim at the end of20 hours of instruction.

Reflecting on her own experience with Splash, Tolentino  said: “I took the first step to learn to swim and found there was so much I could achieve. I want everyone to have the opportunity I had.”

Lam, who turned 50 this year, is joining the swimming relay to mark her life’s milestone.

“Swimming is an incredible exercise that teaches you that nothing is impossible,” she said. “ When I started swimming again in my 40s, I couldn’t even manage two laps of the pool! But I’ve found this incredible sense of fulfilment and camaraderie with other swimmers as I’ve progressed.”

Supporting the event are Simpson Marine, Henderson Land Group, Shanghai Commercial Bank and Kiri Capital  

 

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3 Filipinas in court on separate drug trafficking charges

 

The 3 kilos of herbal cannabis linked to Vanessa Poblacion' case (File)

Three Filipinas, one of them a domestic helper and two asylum seekers, appeared in separate courts today, in the continuation of their drug trafficking cases.

Melene Mogol, 38 years old, appeared with co-accused Sumeet Dadwal at Kowloon City Court, charged with trafficking in a dangerous drug, or violation of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance.

The drug seized from them when they were arrested last Jan. 7 at a room in Tang Fat House on Bedford Road in Mong Kok, was not specified and quantified as it was still being analyzed in government laboratories. 

However, earlier reports said more than half a kilo of methamphetamine or "ice" worth $220,000 was involved.

Pending the results of the government analysis, Acting Principal Magistrate Ko Wai-hung adjourned the case to Dec. 12.

Mogol, a domestic helper, was allowed bail of $10,000 while Dadwal was remanded in jail custody. 

The Indian suspect faces a separate robbery charge for allegedly entering with three others, the Alpha Watch and Jewelry on Granville Road in Tsim Sha Tsui and making off with 24 watches worth $39.2 million.

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Sherlita Guia, 37 years old and holder of a recognizance form used as her identity document, appeared at Eastern Court on two counts of drug trafficking filed by Anti-Triad Police last May 16.

Police said she was arrested on July 14, 2023 in one of the rooms inside the Tsim Sha Tsui Mansion on Nathan Road, and was slapped with the first charge of allegedly trafficking 53.37 grams of a crystalline solid containing 52.17 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (or “ice”) and 416 grams of a solid containing 339.72 grams of cocaine.

Her second charge arose after police also found 33.85 grams of a solid substance containing 26.4 grams of cocaine and 16.11 grams of a solid containing 12.3 grams of 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine in her possession on the same date and place.

Magistrate Jeffrey Sze adjourned the case to Nov. 25 and returned her to jail custody.

Another recognizance form holder, Vanessa Poblacion, 33 years old, also appeared before Magistrate Sze along with her three Indian co-accused – Karnesh Bawa, Aftab Alam and Kalimuddin Mohammed.

Only the Indians were named in the first charge of trafficking in 3,050 grams of cannabis in herbal form (or marijuana leaves) when they were arrested on May 30, 2023 on the highway near the Cheung Tsing Bridge in Tsing Yi, New Territories.

Poblacion was named along with the Indians in the second charge, after they were arrested in one of the rooms of Rambler Oasis Hotel on 1 Tsing Yi Road in the New Territories also on May 30, 2023, trafficking in the following:

• 694.64 grams of cannabis in herbal form.
• 1,718.7 grams of cannabis resin.
• 603 grams of a solid containing cannabis resin.
• 39.6 grams of s crystalline solid containing 39.6 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride.
• 11.9 gams of a solid containing 9.9 grams of ketamine.
• 15.6 grams of a solid containing 8.7 grams of cocaine.
• 15.4 grams of a solid containing 13.5 grams of N,N-dimethylpentylone.
• 2,861 grams of a solid containing 1.71 grams of tetrahydrocannabinol.
• 25.1 grams of a liquid containing 18.11 grams of tetrahydrocannabinol.
• 21.7 grams of a solid containing 16.1 grams of 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine.
• 339 tablets and one tablet fragment containing 21.97 grams of 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine.
• 0.06 grams of  solid containing lysergide.

Magistrate Sze adjourned the case to Dec. 9.

Bawa was allowed bail of of $60,00 plus surety of $30,000, while Alam was allowed bail of $100,000. Poblacion and Mohammed were returned to jail custody.

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Call issued for high-risk people to get flu jabs asap

 

The elderly are among those who should get jabbed ahead of the onset of flu season (File)

An infectious disease expert has called on high-risk individuals, especially seniors, children who never had influenza and those with underlying illnesses to get flu vaccines as soon as possible.

Ivan Hung, a professor in infectious diseases at Hong Kong University, said in a radio interview Sunday that the influenza season may surge in December, and may even peak twice.

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Hung said the first surge will likely be driven by influenza A subtype H3 and the second, by H1.

He said that it takes about two to three weeks after vaccination for the immune response to develop, so it is important for high-risk individuals to get it done now to avoid getting caught in the expected peak in December.

Hung said parents of children who are afraid of injections may opt to use nasal spray vaccines which are equally effective, but are not recommended for pregnant women or those with immune deficiencies.

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Asked about the possibility of the coronavirus peaking at the same time, Hung said that while it remains highly contagious, it is no longer as destructive as it used to be. But he sees it peaking slightly during the winter.

Hung also urged caution amid a spike in the number of dengue cases in Hong Kong lately, which he said could be due to climate change.

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As there is no dengue fever vaccine available in Hong Kong nor are there specific treatments, he said it is important for the public to take preventive measures like avoiding areas with dense vegetation, and dumping stagnant water.

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High Court shoots down asylum seeker's try to use new issue in appeal

 

The High Court, where the Court of First Instance holds it proceedings 

Hong Kong’s High Court has rebuffed a Filipina asylum-seeker’s attempt to raise a new issue in her appeal against earlier decisions that rejected her non-refoulement claim.

M. . Reyes, 51 years old, had applied to the Court of First Instance for leave to apply for judicial review against the decisions of the director of Immigration and the Torture Claims Appeal Board/Non-Refoulement Claims Petition Office that rejected her Form 86 application.

In that application, Reyes said she was seeking protection from being sent back home because of fear she would be killed by her former husband in the Philippines and his girlfriend’s brother, because she witnessed the latter killing a man.

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It was only when she went to the CFI, after her application was rejected because her reason was not among those accepted under the Unified Screening Mechanism (the “USM”) -- torture risk, Bill of Rights (BOR) 3 or ill-treatment risk, persecution risk ; and BOR 2 risk (to life) -- that she invoked her children’s problems and their rights.

Reyes was referring to her three children from a live-in relationship with a Hong Kong permanent resident. She had six children from previous relationships in the Philippines --five fathered by her ex-husband and one by a former boyfriend.

 “The Applicant did not advance any grounds for judicial review in the Form 86.  In her supporting affidavit, she stated that she did not agree with the Board’s Decision because of her children’s problems and their rights,” the court said in a decision ordered by Deputy High Court Judge To and signed by Seline Sze for the registrar of the High Court.

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But "… insofar as her reliance on her children’s problems and their rights are concerned, this basis of claim had never been raised before the Director or the Board.  It is not open to her to seek to review the Decision on this ground as the Board had made no decision in relation to her children’s problems and their rights,” it said. 

Reyes did not question the process she underwent at the Immigration Department and the Board,  but the CFI still weighed her case on merit, noting that she failed to prove her fears and risks, and the earlier decision to reject her claim “is utterly without fault.”

 “Having rigorously examined the Decision, the papers and the evidence with anxious scrutiny, the Court is satisfied that the Board had correctly set out the law and key legal principles applicable to non-refoulement protection under the USM,” it concluded.

“The Court could detect no error of law or procedural unfairness in the Decision,” it stressed. 

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The court also noted that Reyes did not appear before it, even if she requested an oral hearing of her leave application.

Reyes last entered Hong Kong on July 30, 2012 to work as a domestic helper. 

She overstayed in Hong Kong from Dec. 17, 2013 after her employment was prematurely terminated.  She surrendered to the Immigration Department a day later and made a non-refoulement claim on Feb. 17, 2016.

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