Rousing performances, happy crowd in Concert in the Park

Big Band Express injects classic jazz into the program.

Concert in the Park, a yearly display of Filipino musical talent on a Hong Kong stage, returned today to a rousing welcome after being silenced by the Covid-19 pandemic for the last three years.

Seven Filipino bands performed on a stage put up by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department in the Piazza of the Hong Kong Cultural Center in Tsam Sha Tsui.

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Consul General Raly Tejada and Hong Kong Musicians Union chairman Lito Castillo cut the red ribbon in a ceremony that signalled the six-hour program that starred seven bands whose members include the newest generation of Filipino musicians, who started arriving in Hong Kong in the 50s.

In his opening remarks, Tejada thanked the organizers, sponsors and the crowd for their support to the yearly project.

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“Pinagtrabahuan natin ito, kasama ang ating mga kasama sa Konsulado, LCSD, mga performers,” he said. “Lahat tayo naka-survive sa pandemic at tayo’y nagkakaisa pa rin. Sana tuloy tuloy na ito at sana maging maligaya din ang inyong Pasko.”

(We all worked on this, along with our colleagues at the consulate, the LCSD, the performers. All of us survived the pandemic still united. I hope this will now continue and that you all have a merry Christmas)

As part of the opening, Tejada and Castillo gave out souvenirs to representatives of bands, sponsors, and others who were involved in the production, including the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong government. 

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H and Others broke the ice with the 1973 song from Grand Funk Railroad, "We’re an American Band." They followed up with several more hits from the 70s and 80s.

The crowd started responding when Thor and Friends sang familiar songs, opening with "Come Together," a Beatles song written by John Lennon and and became the opening track on their 1969 album Abbey Road.

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When they sang "All Out of Love", Air Supply’s 1980 hit, the crowd began singing along. And they did more enthusiastically when the band sang the Whitney Houston medley of "I Have Nothing" and "I Will Always Love You," as well as Michael Jackson’s 1995 hit, "You are Not Alone."

Retro Groovers then took over, opening with the Earth Wind and Fire’s 1978 hit "September" and getting the crowd dancing with Chicago’s 1972 hit Saturday in the Park and the Miami Sound Machine’s 1985 hit, Conga. 

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The band also accompanied Jorbi Gabrillo, winner of Prime Credit’s Superstar Search Season 7 Grand Finals, when he sang the 1977 Hajji Alejandro hit "Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika."

Big Band Express injected classic jazz into the program with "Get Away" and "The Pink Panther," among others. 

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Hybrid Stereo band opened with their original composition, Museum of Memories, and played an all-original collection that included Embrace, Shoegaze, Sun and Underwater.

Rewind Band brought the crowd to their feet again when they sang Unstoppable, a 2016 song by Australian singer-songwriter Sia, followed by more danceable hits.

Organizers seemed to have saved the best for last when a group of hunks mounted the stage.

D’ Hiking Boyz made the crowd dance and jump to their rousing rendition of Filipino rock classics, such as "Tropical Depression’s "Kapayapaan" and "na Naman ang Buwan," and River Maya’s "Kisapmata." 

Even Congen Tejada was seen dancing with the rest of the crowd before taking to the stage to join the  performers for the finale.

ConGen Raly gives the performers a big thumbs up while dancing along with the crowd 

The band even made the crowd finish the Mayonnaise’s song, Jopay, after starting it.

Jun “Tita Kerry” Paragas and Michael Vincent Benares had their own funny exchanges in between performances and offered free t-shirts for winners of their parlor games, to give time for each band time to plug in their instruments. In the process, they discovered an OFW who has been in Hong Kong since 1985. 

Tita Kerry (Jun Paragas) works the crowd 

According to an LCSD announcement, "Concert in the Park 2023 aims to promote cultural exchanges between the Filipino community and local citizens towards building an inclusive society.” 

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Comelec says next overseas voting will be done via internet

 

Commissioner Casquejo gives updates on internet voting for overseas Filipinos

Forget the long lines traditionally seen during overseas voting in Hong Kong, which almost always prompted heavy police presence around Bayanihan Centre on each Sunday of the month-long polling.

Forget, too, the fiesta-like atmosphere that prevailed in the vicinity of the lone voting centre when supporters of various political parties would conduct last-minute campaigning for their candidates, which would at times degenerate into squabbles.

This is because for the upcoming mid-term elections in 2025, all overseas voters will have to cast their ballots exclusively online or via the internet, according to the Commission on Elections.

This was revealed earlier today by Comelec Commissioner Marlon Casquejo, who is in charge of overseas voting, during a briefing and training session for Filipino community leaders held at the Sheraton in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Also at the event was Undersecretary Jesus Gary Domingo and Consul Robert Quintin who is chair and vice chairman, respectively, of the Overseas Voting Secretariat at the Department of Foreign Affairs, as well as Consul General Raly Tejada.

Casquejo said the idea is to allow registered overseas voters to vote anywhere – be it at home, or while traveling to other places abroad. This will be the only mode of voting that will be allowed, meaning personal voting will be totally eliminated, although the Consulate will set up a kiosk during the election period to help with queries.

To ensure that the person casting the ballot is the named voter, there will be a pre-enrolment period 60 days before the start of voting period, which is from Apr 13, 2025 to May 12, 2025. The voter will have to upload his/her document, then wait for verification from the Philippine Consulate.

During verification, the Consulate will determine whether the applicant is a registered voter. If confirmed, a link portal will be sent enabling the voter to vote during the election period. Once done, the voter will receive a digital print of the cast ballot.

Casquejo admitted there is a trust issue with the move to internet voting, but says, “tiwala lang sa process.”

He pointed out that Comelec has a trust rating of 84%, indicating an overwhelming majority of voters believes in its integrity as an institution.

Another change being eyed is to turn voter registration totally online, Right now, overseas voting applicants can either go physically to the Consulate to fill up a form and have their biometrics taken, or fill out the application form online, but still go to the Consulate for the biometrics taking.

But the purely online registration, Casquejo said, will have to wait until the next presidential election in 2028.

Voting during the pandemic: scenes like this could be a thing of the past

Going for internet voting has long been eyed by the Comelec but it has been plagued by doubts on whether it can do this on its own or wait for legislative approval.

But with Comelec chair George Garcia taking over, the poll body has taken the position that since the Overseas Voting Act of 2013 allows it to implement other means of voting overseas, Congress approval is no longer necessary.

Casquejo told the Filcom leaders that the drafting of the Terms of Reference for internet voting and its approval by the Comelec en banc, “is finally concluded.” Thus, the selection of the internet voting system provider has begun, as well as the drafting of general instructions and the preparation of training materials.

ConGen Tejada grins as USec Domingo cracks jokes while addressing FilCom leaders 

Aside from a possible legal challenge, the lack of funding could derail plans to shift to internet voting.

For 2024, Comelec proposed P794.45 million for overseas voting, including the procurement of an internet voting system. But this was slashed to P23.36 million in the National Expenditure Program, which Malacañang submitted to Congress.

Two years earlier, its proposed budget of P831 million was drastically reduced to P111.91 million, resulting in deep cuts in spending, including postage for mailed-in ballots.

Overseas voting has lost its shine for most lawmakers because of the low registration numbers and even lower turnout.

Out of an estimated 11 million Filipinos overseas, only 1,693,813 registered to vote in the 2022 elections. And out of these registered voters, only 663,188 actually voted - or a turnout of 39.15 percent.

Given these numbers, Comelec estimates that it cost at least P400 each for Filipinos overseas to vote in the last election, which comes up to a total cost of  P677.5 million for the month-long political exercise.

Without internet voting the cost could only add up if more overseas Filipinos decide to register and vote. And if no additional funds are forthcoming, there could only be more chaos - and greater hardship for Filipino migrants who were first promised the right to choose their own leaders 20 years ago.

 

Mission’s Cynthia Tellez is first-ever ‘HOPE Hero’

 

Cynthia has been giving hope to migrant domestic workers in HK for the past 42 years

Mission for Migrant Workers’ general manager, Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, has won over 60 strong contenders to win the inaugural HOPE Hero Award, given in recognition of her exceptional commitment to the rights and well-being of migrant workers in Hong Kong.

Cynthia, 70, first came to Hong Kong as a young social worker in 1980, tapped by religious organizations to check on the conditions of domestic helpers and see what kind of assistance they need.

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Acting on her report, the religious groups asked Cynthia to move to Hong Kong the next year with her husband, Jun, and two young children, to set up the MFMW, which was initially dedicated to helping Filipino migrant workers who were trapped in cycles of exploitation and abuse.

She has led the organization since, and despite her age, has continued to lead the organization, which has been expanded to help all 38,000 migrant domestic workers here, 98 percent of whom are women.

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HOPE’s citation reads: “Her profound impact is not only evident in the critical services that MFMW provides, but also in her role as a catalyst to empower migrant women workers to rise above victimhood and become advocates or leaders themselves. Under her leadership, grassroots migrant organizations, crisis centers, and unions have flourished in Hong Kong, creating a united front for asserting rights and advocating for change.”

Cynthia says she is honoured and humbled by the recognition.

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“But this award goes beyond me.  It is a recognition of the hard work that our Filipino women and men, the workers who braved the exile to countries – near and far – have done to save their families and, eventually, our country. I share this with them,” she said.

She also thanked fellow migrant domestic workers’ champion and MFMW board member Eman Villanueva who nominated her for the award, and all those who voted for her through the different social media platforms.

Cynthia with her two runners-up and Hope chief executive Nanette Medved-Po

Two runners-up were named alongside Cynthia, Book for Kids Project Cofounder Zacarias Mansing Jr. and Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation Cofounder, President and Chief Hope Paddler Dr. Anton Mari Lim.

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Mansing, who is a wheelchair-bound motivational speaker, uses his platform to spread awareness about disabilities to advocate for inclusive education, combat bullying, and instill Filipino values in children.

Lim, who is a veterinarian by profession, founded the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation to provide safe transportation for children in the Zamboanga Peninsula. These boats, which are painted yellow, ferry the students to their schools safely, thus, helping increase their attendance and educational opportunities.

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The first batch of HOPE Hero awardees received trophies and cash prizes—P250,000 for Cynthia as grand winner, and P50,000 each for the runners up.

In thanking the three exceptional awardees, Nanette Medved-Po, founder and chief executive  of HOPE Foundation, said: “We began the Hope Hero Awards to celebrate extraordinary individuals who spread hope. Amidst the challenges that face today’s society, we aim for these awards to be a beacon of inspiration. As we share the stories of our 2023 winners, we hope they remind you that there is no act of kindness too small, and no dream too big.”

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This year's HOPE Hero Awards were judged and presented by television host Boy Abunda, broadcast journalist Karen Davila, and documentary photographer Xyza Bacani, who was previously a migrant domestic worker in Hong Kong herself.

(The Hope Hero Awards 'honours the selfless actions of individuals who have taken the initiative to make a difference in the lives of the people in a community. The award recognizes Filipinos who are delivering impact anywhere in the world and individuals, regardless of nationality, impacting Filipinos. These are people who have dedicated time, possible resources, and creativity towards uplifting and enriching the lives of others, earning them well-deserved recognition as true champions for good. By shining a spotlight on these people, we inspire others to follow their footsteps and create a meaningful and lasting change.- from the Hope Hero Awards website)

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Filipino migrants warned against lending HKIDs as 13 arrested for money laundering

 

Lending one's HKID is enough to get one arrested for money laundering

The Philippine Migrant Workers Office has warned Filipino domestic workers against lending their Hong Kong ID cards to avoid falling into the money laundering trap.

The warning posted by the MWO on its Facebook page Friday night came a day after HK Police announced the arrest of 14 domestic helpers, 13 of them Filipinos and one Indonesian; as well as two local men on suspicion of conspiring to commit money laundering.

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The suspects, who are aged between 21 and 54, were arrested as part of the police money laundering operation codenamed “Halobolt” which was carried out on Nov. 27.

Police said the group had offered between $200 and $500 to FDWs  to lend or “rent” out their bank accounts for the purpose of money laundering.

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Members of the criminal group would then enter the account holders’ names and create their own passwords to gain direct control to the account. Then, fraud victims are told to deposit money into the dummy accounts, which are then promptly emptied through multiple bank transfers.

Employers are urged  to warn their FDWs against the money laundering trap

The Police called on all employers to remind their helpers that money laundering is a serious offence and that anyone who provides personal information to anyone to open a bank account for money laundering purposes in their name, may be breaking the law.

Under Hong Kong laws, money laundering is punishable by up to 14 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5 million.

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As a result of the mounting cases related to money laundering, Hong Kong courts have imposed tougher penalties on those who allow their bank accounts to be used for the illicit act.

The highest sentence imposed so far on a Filipina DH whose bank account was used to transfer more than $1.2 million from a romance scam victim was 15 months’ imprisonment after trial.

Another Filipina DH who was tried separately in June this year was  jailed for 12 months after $281,000 was found to have passed through a bank account she just opened. 

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DH assures vaccine supply against seasonal influenza

 

Hong Kong’s Department of Health (DH) today announced that the seasonal influenza vaccine (SIV) will be widely available and urged the public to heighten their vigilance against respiratory tract infection by getting themselves vaccinated.

“The Government has been keeping close contact with vaccines suppliers and will continue to endeavor to ensure an adequate supply of vaccine for the vaccination programs,” the DH said.

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“In view of the vaccine usage and public needs, the Government has increased the procurement amount to over 1 million doses for the free vaccination programmes. Relevant vaccine suppliers have also undertaken to ensure a steady supply of vaccines procured by the Government,” it added.

With the DH announcement, a vaccination team giving jabs to Filipinos on Sundays at the Migrant Workers Office (MWO), may soon resume its operations.

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The MWO announced last Nov. 15 that it had cancelled the vaccinations on Nov. 19, 26 and 28 because it ran out of vaccines. It has yet to issue an update.

Among the targets of the DH reminder are those leaving Hong Kong for the Christmas and New Year holidays, who should receive seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) for their own protection.

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“It is important for individuals planning to travel outside Hong Kong, especially high-risk groups, to take proactive measures to ensure their personal protection,”

“Given that it typically takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop, members of the public should prepare ahead and receive SIV at appropriate times prior to the winter influenza peak,” the DH said.

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Its apparent aim is to ensure that Hong Kong residents will not bring the the ailment when they return.

According to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the DH, the latest surveillance data showed local seasonal influenza activity continued to remain low.

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“The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for seasonal influenza viruses received by the CHP's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch and the Hospital Authority was 3.92 per cent which was below the baseline threshold of 9.21 per cent, and the admission rate with the principal diagnosis of influenza in public hospitals was 0.16 per 10 000 population in the week ending November 25,” the DH reported.

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“For the other respiratory pathogens, the percentages of respiratory specimens testing positive for them in the week ending November 25 were comparable with the preceding week. More active respiratory pathogens included Rhinovirus/enterovirus, parainfluenza viruses and adenovirus,” it added.

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8 Filipinas who passed on passports for loan left empty-handed

 

Runners of the illicit 'passport-for-loan' deals hang out around Statue Square in Central

If you get desperate for money, try going around Statue Square  in Central on a Sunday, and chances are, a runner for loan sharks will approach you with an offer you a loan in exchange for your passport.

This is what MM, a Filipina, revealed, as she, along with seven other fellow domestic helpers asked for help after their passports were taken, but the loan promised them was not handed over by one of three runners they met on Oct. 29.

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Angered by what happened and scared that they could get into trouble for pawning their passports which is forbidden under the law in both the Philippines and Hong Kong, the eight workers are set to go to the Consulate on Sunday to ask for help in recovering them.

They also want sanctions imposed on the runner they identified as Jemalyn and whose HKID copy is with them, who allegedly ran away with their money.

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Their plight was first brought to the attention of the FDW group, Social Justice for Migrant Workers by MM, who shared a copy of the HKID of the alleged fraudster on their Facebook page, saying: “Itong babae na may HKID na ito (ay) kinuha ang passport naming at kinuha ang pera. Isang buwan na ang nakakalipas. Sana matulungan niyo po kami at mga trabaho na naming nakasalalay (dito).”

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(This woman with this HKID took our passports, and also the money. It’s been a month since. I hope someone would help us as this has put our jobs on the line).

MM said they all knew that it was illegal to pawn their passports but they were desperate for money. In her case, she said she could not meet the monthly payment for the loan she took from a financing company and was scared that collectors would pester her with phone calls.

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MM said she agreed to borrow $2,500 from the runner’s financier, said to be a Filipina married to a local Chinese, and pay back $3,500 in less than a month, or a 40% interest.

To secure the loan, she turned over her passport to one of the runners, who assured her that the money would be transferred to her e-wallet. However, no transfer was made to her or to the other seven Filipinas who surrendered their passports at the same time.

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As a consequence, collectors from the loan company they borrowed from started harassing them with phone calls so that one of the borrowers was fired by her employer recently and she was forced to return to the Philippines on a one-way travel document.

Last Sunday, MM said she was set on calling the police to complain against the people who left them with no cash and no passport, but was asked to reconsider by the first runner who in exchange, promised to testify against the one who fled with their money.

The Consulate has repeatedly warned that it is illegal to pawn passports

Their effort to recover their passports could, however, be futile.

According to the Philippines’ Foreign Service Circular No 214-99 issued on Aug 19, 1999 all passports used as guarantee for loans or debts are “automatically cancelled” even if the passport holder reports the document as lost.

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This means that once cancelled, the passport holder will have to apply for a new one, which will not only cost more than a regular renewal, but will also come with a stern warning that a second offence could lead to the person being perpetually barred from acquiring a travel document.

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