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| The agencies plan to talk to President Duterte to recall the ban on OFWS flying out to Hong Kong |
A group of employment agencies is planning to go
directly to President Rodrigo Duterte next week to appeal for reconsideration
of the travel ban that has resulted in thousands of Filipinos being barred from
returning to Hong Kong to work, study, or be
with their families.
Francis So, who operates an employment agency named
after him, said the agencies have been meeting to assess the situation in Hong
Kong and the Philippines, and have suggested that he call on the president or
send him an email to relay their concern, as their representative.
But the ban also prevents So, who said he has been a
friend of Duterte for more than 20 years, from flying to the Philippines
“I want to talk to Duterte personally, but the
problem is (even) if I want to go to the Philippines ,
I cannot go,” he said, citing the Feb. 2 ban on non-Philippine passport holders
coming from Hong Kong, Macau or China from entering the Philippines.
So is now considering settling for a phone call or
an email to the president and his close advisers.
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| So (middle, standing up) with fellow agency owners attend dinner hosted by President Duterte in HK |
“I want to explain everything clearly to (Sen.) Bong
Go, Duterte and (Labor Secretary Silvestre) Bello
After all, he said, the situation in Hong Kong is “not so serious, especially if you don’t go
out to a crowded area.”
He said domestic helpers, who were either caught by
the ban while vacationing during the Chinese New Year or are newly-hired, are
suffering. “They can’t afford to wait two months, three months, without earning
(money),” he said.
The new hires are in worse situation. “They resigned
from their jobs in order to come to Hong Kong
to work, and their visa expires in three months and then they will have
nothing,” he added.
The Philippine government appears well aware of the
impact of the travel ban as it has directed the Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration to distribute Php10,000 each to the stranded workers destined
for Hong Kong, Macau and China
OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac told The SUN that
Php300 million was set aside “kasi we are expecting 20,000 claimants in a span
of two weeks.”
About 1,500 stranded OFWs received the cash handout
in the first two days of distribution alone, which began on Feb. 4. (read full
story: http://www.sunwebhk.com/2020/02/owwa-says-p300m-set-aside-for-ofws.html).
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| Victims of travel ban flock to OWWA's makeshift counters to claim the financial aid |
So warned employers are worried about the
uncertainty and may look elsewhere for help if the Filipino maids don’t arrive
soon. “They may employ local maids, they may put their parents under local
maids’ care for the meantime, or they may back out,” he added.
But he claimed that he was concerned more for the
helpers and their employers, not so much the agencies.
The approach may test So’s friendship with Duterte. So
said he has been a friend of Duterte since he was still the mayor of Davao City ,
and has hosted the president during his visits to Hong
Kong .
The agencies’ call echoes an earlier appeal by the
Hong Kong government to the Philippines to allow its nationals to return to the
city.
Labour Secretary Law Chi-Kwong formally relayed Hong Kong ’s concern to Philippine Consul General Raly
Tejada during a meeting at the Legislative Council on Feb. 4. Tejada said
Secretary Law “made strong representations for the Philippine government to
allow Filipinos to return to HK.” (read full story:http://www.sunwebhk.com/2020/02/allow-filipinos-to-return-hk-asks-phl.html).
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