UST alumni form HK chapter

 

CG Usudan administers oath to first set of USTAAHK officers led by Yumul (with yellow sash)

More than 100 people gathered on Friday, Jan19, at The Hive in Sheung Wan, to witness the induction of the first set of officers of the University of Santo Tomas Alumni Association Hong Kong (USTAAHK).

It is the first time that the Hong Kong alumni of Asia’s oldest existing university officially formed their own chapter. Prior to this, they joined other alumni groups in various activities in an unofficial capacity.

The newly licensed group aims not just to unite alumni but to also network with Filipino professionals and come up with projects to help empower students and migrant workers in Hong Kong. The group also plans to help promote Philippine arts, education and culture through workshops, exhibits and concerts.

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Guest of honor, Consul General Germinia Aguilar-Usudan who is herself a Thomasian, having acquired her law degree from the university, urged the newly formed group to serve Filipinos in Hong Kong the UST way, that is, with competence, compassion and commitment.

“Let us all serve our kababayans in HK ‘the UST way’ and make our alma mater proud,” she said.

Joining the officers and CG in this photo is USTAAI chair Evelyn Songco

Congen Usudan administered the oath of office to the founding officers, made up of Jan Yumul, president; Nobel Gabasan, vice president; Anna Pendry, public relations officer; Erwin Regalado, secretary; Byron Agarano, treasurer; and Joel Almeda, auditor.

Five of the officers also took their oath as heads of various committees, alongside fellow committee chairs Tanya Sales-Manzano, John Go, Joy Alba, Maureen Pickering, Jenely de Ocampo, Michelle Rea Yongque, and Victorino Baltazar.

The induction ceremony was also supported by guests who flew in from Manila, including Evelyn Songco, chairman of the UST Alumni Association Inc.

In her speech, Songco lauded the founding officers of the new chapter, saying: “Giving birth and sustaining an alumni association is a daunting task. It is a volunteer work for all of us. It is a commitment; a mission; and most importantly, it is an act of giving. As volunteers, we are blessed not with material things but with joy in our hearts. That is our reward.”

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The Manila contingent also included officers from the UST Office Alumni Relations led by Joreen Rocamora, acting director;  Carla Romina, alumni engagement officer and Marlot Ira Coleen Ngo, web data management officer.

In her closing remarks, Yumul, who is a Hongkonger who went to UST for her degree in journalism, thanked everyone who came and said she was in a way glad that the approval of the USTAAHK’s licence was delayed as she and the rest of the officers got to take her oath before a fellow Thomasian.

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Ice forms in HK's highest peak as residents shiver amid cold snap

Frost on plant in Tai Mo Shan (RTHK photo)

Hong Kong people shivered in the coldest day of the year, with temperatures in urban areas hovering between five and eight degrees throughout the day, and about two degrees lower in  the New Territories.

It was even colder in Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong's highest peak, where the mercury plummeted to minus 2.4 degrees, causing ice to form on plants and on the ground.

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The rare prospect of seeing ice and frost caused a number of people to go up the hill, prompting the government to close all lanes of Tai Mo Shan Road for public safety.

But this did not deter some people in surrounding areas from taking a walk up the hill to behold the rare sight, and take pictures.

People bundled up before going to work or school

Others who revelled in the cold also took to social media to show how they geared up for the weather outside, or to take screenshots of temperatures falling to as low as 2 or 3 degrees in their parts of the New Territories.

The Observatory also issued a warning to the public, especially motorists and cyclists, to be wary of slippery roads. It also advised people that they could feel colder than what the temperatures suggest.

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 “As there will be rain and the wind chill effect will be significant, the temperature felt by body will be lower than the actual air temperature,” said the Observatory.

The extreme cold is expected to continue until tomorrow, when there will be more intermittent showers, and temperatures of between 7 and 12 degrees in the urban areas.

The cold spell is expected to last until at least Thursday morning.

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Taga mid-levels na Expat nasabi "smells good" habang nakapila sa Ocean park line

Maria Lezada

Nagkayayaan ang magpinsan na magtungo sa Ocean Park dahil kaarawan ni  Maria Lezada, libre ang ticket niya at sinabi sa pinsan na ililibre niya ito. Sa sunod na holiday sila magpupunta at napagpasyhan nila na mamasyal muna sa central upang mamili ng mga kutkutin na babaunin.

Napansin ni Maria ang kahon na kulay blue, hinawakan at binasa ang nakasulat na “Attract your Man.” naengganyo siyang bumili ng isang bote sa halagang HK$88 lamang.  Pagkabili ay namili sila ng kutkutin na babaunin patungong Ocean park. Nagtungo sila sa banyo at doon binuksan ang nasabing pabango, naibigan nila ang halimuyak nito pati mga katabi nila ay nagkomplimento na mabango ang halimuyak nito. 

Paglabas ay nagtungo na sila sa mtr upang magpunta sa Ocean Park. Pagdating doon nakita na sobrang haba ng pila. Nagtiis sila makipila at saka pa lang napansin na panay ang ngiti ng lalaki sa likuran ni Maria. Ngumiti na din siya at kapagdaka’y lumapit ito saka nagpakilala at sinabing so good smell. Sinabi na na taga mid-levels siya at one year pa lang dito , sinabi pa na kaarawan niya kaya nagtungo dito dahil free entrance. Nagkatawanan ang magpinsan at sinabi sa lalaki na magkaparehas sila ng kaarawan.

Napagkaisahan nila na magsama sama na lang sila pumasok. Nagalok pa ito na magbabayad sa ticket ng pinsan ni Maria kaya lalo silang napaisip na mabait ito.Ang mga sumunod pa ng pangyayari ay naging masaya. Hiningi nito ang viber number ni Maria at sabay sabay silang umuwi saka nagusap na magkita muli sa sunod na day off.

 

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*Naghahanap ka man ng pag-ibig, nang-aakit ka man ng lalaki, o gustong maging tapat ito sa iyo, o gusto mong ikaw ang ikasal sa halip na maging abay lang sa kasal, kung gusto mong may pagbabago ng saloobin ang iyong amo sa kabaitan, at maging kaakit-akit sa paningin ng lahat... 

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Kaseksihan ng katawan at pagputi ng kutis nakamit ng Pinay

Yolanda Romero, before and after.

Matgal nang nagtatrabaho dito si Yolanda Romero at curious sa kung anong dapat gamitin para magkaroon ng flawless, white skin complexion. Gumamit na din siya ng whitening cream para lang mawala ang dark spots. 

Tuwing pagkatapos ng trabaho ay libangan na niya ang magscroll ng Facebook at nakita  niya sa Sun web page ang before at after photos ng mga Pinay na nagkaroon ng magandang kutis at sexy na katawan dahil sa paggamit ng upgraded Dream Love 1000 5 in 1 body essence lotion, gawa sa England na may 3D hologram model image silver seal.

Pagkadating ng Linggo ay pumunta siya sa Victory Supermarket upang bumili nitong produkto sa halagang HK$98 lamang. Pagkauwi ay ginamit niya ang lotion sa paraang pagpahid ng paikot sa mukha at paitaas sa buong katawan ng dalawang beses sa isang araw pagkatapos maligo ng maligamgam na tubig. Nagulat siya sa araw-araw na pagbabago sa kutis at katawan, sa loob ng dalawang buwang tuloy-tuloy na paggamit.  

Naalis ang pekas at dark spots sa kanyang mukha. Lumambot, kuminis, pumuti at naging younger-looking ang kanyang balat. Nabawasan ng 10 lbs. ang kaniyang timbang, ang dating 28 inches na baywang niya ay naging 26 inches na lamang.  Pati sa balakang ay nabawasan siya ng 1 inches at 2 inches naman sa kaniyang mga braso. Hindi masidlan ang tuwa ni Yolanda sa malaking pagbabago sa kanya na dulot ng lotion at  inirekomenda niya ito sa mga kaibigan para maranasan din nila ang kahanga-hangang epekto ng lotion.

Para sa gandang nakaka-akit

Ang iyong Kagandahan ay magiging tunay na kaakit-akit. Mabibili sa Hong Kong ang updated version na

Dream Love 1000 5-in-1 Body Essence Lotion

na gawa sa laboratoryo ng La Cite Parfumer S.A. Paris mula sa mga piniling sangkap galing pa sa England, Germany, Canada at France.

___________________

Tingnan ang libu-libong mga totoong karanasan sa buhay ng mga kababayan, at kung paano nila ginamit ang

Dream Love 1000 5-in-1 Body Lotion

para maging natural na kaputian, hugis, mas batang tingnan at kumikinang na balat, sa ngayon ay lalo nang seksi sa 

http://www.sunwebhk.com

Reading of charge against Filipino linked to $490m cocaine haul put off

Customs displays the liquid cocaine it had seized

A Filipino who has been in jail since he was arrested last Jan. 13 on a charge of attempting to traffic in drugs, will have to wait until April 9 for the case to be read to him at the West Kowloon court in Cheung Sha Wan.

Magistrate Pang Leung-ting granted the prosecutor’s request for an adjournment on Monday to wait for the Government Laboratory to finish the analysis of what was described as dangerous drugs seized from Aster Leo Balucanag, 38 years old, and a local resident.

He was accused of attempting to traffic in a dangerous drug, in violation of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance and the Crime Ordinance; the other man was charged separately.

The original charge sheet filed last Jan. 16, identified the dangerous drug as 444 kilos of cocaine, but this was crossed out pending confirmation by government chemists.

TAWAG NA!

​A press release by Hong Kong Customs, however, described the drug as suspected liquid cocaine with an estimated market value of about $490 million -- a record seizure of liquid cocaine by Customs.

“Acting on intelligence analysis, Customs officers selected a 20-foot seaborne container, declared as carrying wine and grape juice, and arriving in Hong Kong from Brazil, for inspection. Upon examination, 148 packages of suspected liquid cocaine packed in transparent plastic bags were found inside 37 out of 706 carton boxes of wine. The total weight was about 444kg,” the Customs press statement said.

Upon a follow-up investigation, Customs officers conducted controlled delivery operations, and arrested Balucanag who claimed to be unemployed and a 50-year-old man who claimed to be a transportation company owner, on Jan. 13 and 14, respectively.

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An investigation is ongoing and the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out, Customs said.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).

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Filipina avoids criminal record in theft case

 

Fresh store in The Lohas.

A Filipina accused of shoplifting $125.7 worth of groceries, breathed a sigh of relief today after the prosecutor withdrew the charge at Kwun Tong Law Courts today, in return for her being bound over for 18 months.

I. Orpilla, 32 years old, agreed to the bind-over which would leave no criminal record on her stay in Hong Kong if she does not reoffend for 18 months, and paid the court’s costs of $300  ordered by Acting Principal Magistrate Winnie Lau.

Only if she reoffends will a fine of $1,200 be slapped on her, along with the penalty for the new offense, Magistrate Lau explained to her.

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Orpilla was charged with stealing one bottle of mayonnaise, one pack of potato chips, one pack of tortilla chips and one bottle of floor cleaner on Nov. 12, 2023 at the Fresh grocery store in The Lohas, Lohas Park, Tseung Kwan O.

She said after leaving the court that she had forgotten to pay for the items because she was too preoccupied with personal problems.

She also thanked her employer for supporting her.

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In West Kowloon court, Francess Faith Lacaba, 35, was set free with no bail after the hearing of her alleged theft of an Octopus card containing $70 in value, was adjourned for verdict on Feb. 21.

She had been held in jail since her arrest on the early morning of Nov. 23, 2023, when police officers found in her possession a personalized Octopus card in someone else’s name.

Lacaba had earlier pleaded guilty to overstaying, after her employer terminated her domestic worker contract on Sept. 24, 2023, five months after her arrival. She had been sleeping in parks around Sham Shui Po.

But she pleaded not guilty to theft, maintaining that she had just found the card on the sidewalk and was waiting for the MTR station to open so she could return it. The card was never used, its owner later confirmed.

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Filipina jailed 8 months despite denying she stole from 2 employers

 

The first 2 thefts happened in this Happy Valley estate 7 & 10 years ago

A 58-year-old Filipina who had denied stealing from her two employers, saying the items she took were either gifts or given to her for disposal, was today ordered jailed for eight months.

Merlita Batobato was found guilty after trial of three counts of theft by Principal Magistrate Ivy Chui at Eastern Court.

Magistrate Chui said she did not believe Batobato’s testimony and found that her two employers, one of whom she served for 25 years, were more reliable witnesses.

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She mentioned in particular the second charge, which alleged that Batobato had stolen five bags, one mobile phone, two watches, three necklaces, one wallet, one tablet and three cameras from the house of her latest employer, Betty So Wa-man in Homantin Hill Road, Kowloon, on Sept. 11 last year.

The defendant claimed the items were given to her by So for disposal but she decided to keep them without first checking inside the bag that held them.

Chui said she found this claim unreasonable. She also pointed out that the items found in the defendant's possession were “not disposable items”, leading to the conclusion that the defendant had stolen them. 

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The magistrate also found Batobato to have lied about the three other items found in her possession, all belonging to her first employer, Nancy Ku, and were used as bases for charging her with two separate theft charges.

In the first charge, Batobato was accused of stealing a Cartier watch from Ku in 2017 from her house on Village Road in Happy Valley. The third charge was for two branded wallets which Ku claimed was stolen from her in 2014.

All three items were found when So had the helper’s things searched, leading to her arrest.   

In her defense, Batobato said both items were given to her by Ku for her decades of service, and were rewards for her agreeing not to be paid when the employer encountered financial difficulty during the pandemic.

Batobato also claimed that to help her earn a salary during that time, Ku referred her to a “popo,” a friend and sibling of So, the second employer. Shortly afterwards, So signed her up as a domestic helper, on Ku’s recommendation.

Referring to charges one and three, Magistrate Chui said, “I reject (her claim) that those items were given and not stolen.”

In mitigation, Batobato’s counsel, Eric Curlewis, said Batobato had a clear record during her long years of working in Hong Kong as a domestic helper.

“It’s a shame that she has been found guilty of these offences so late in her career,” said Curlewis, who then tried to ask for a lenient sentence, and if possible, a non-custodial one.

But Chui immediately reminded him that a breach of trust was involved, and that a prison term was inevitable.

She set down a prison term of six months for the first charge, four months for the second charge, and one month for the third charge. Applying the totality principle, she ordered that only the two months for the second charge be served consecutive to the 6 months in the first charge.

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Temperatures forecast to dip to 5 degrees tomorrow

 

High visibility over HK island remains despite the cold weather (HK Observatory)

The government has issued a reminder for everyone, especially the elderly and other people with mobility problems, to take note of the very cold weather in Hong Kong at the moment.

According to the Hong Kong Observatory, the temperatures over many places in the city were about six degrees lower than those of yesterday.

Tomorrow will be even colder, with temperatures ranging between 7 and 10 degrees in the urban areas, far lower in the New Territories. The Observatory warned it will feel even colder due to wind chills.

Ta Kwu Ling will be coldest, with the temperature dipping to just 2 degrees, while Tai Po, Lau Fau Shan, Sha Tin, Tseung Kwan O and Cheung Chau will have a 5-degree weather.

It will remain cold throughout the day on Wednesday, with temperatures in the range of 8 and 12 degrees in the urban areas.

The weather will gradually become milder starting on Thursday, when the temperature will rise by about three degrees.

The Centre for Health Protection advised the public, particularly the elderly and those with chronic diseases, to layer on to protect their health, saying the cold weather can easily trigger or exacerbate diseases such as heart ailments or respiratory illnesses.

"Elderly people have less insulating fat beneath their skin to keep them warm and their body temperature control mechanism may be weaker. Their body may not be able to appropriately respond to the cold weather," the spokesman said.

In addition, the impaired mobility among some seniors can impair their ability to generate and conserve body heat. They should thus adopt the following preventive measures:

*Take note of the weather forecast and wear warm clothing, including hats, scarves, gloves and socks accordingly;

* Eat enough to ensure adequate calorie intake;

* Exercise regularly to increase blood circulation and heat production;

* Use heaters as needed, but with care, and maintain adequate ventilation;

* Seek medical attention if unwell.

Parents are also advised to ensure their babies are sufficiently warm, and are placed in well-ventilated rooms at a comfortable temperature.

 

For the general public, the CHP is advising the wearing of surgical masks in public, saying it can prevent the transmission of respiratory viruses from ill people.

Those who are respiratory symptoms must wear masks and refrain from going to crowded places or to work, or attending classes at school. They should also seek medical advice immediately.

For more health information, the public may call the DH's Health Education Infoline (2833 0111) or visit the CHP's website and Facebook Fanpage.

The public may also call Dial-a-Weather (1878 200) or visit the website of the Hong Kong Observatory for the latest weather information and forecast, or its page on Weather Information for Senior Citizens.

 

 

 

13 arrested in raids against illegal workers

 

One of those arrested is escorted by Immigration officers.

Thirteen persons, all suspected to be working illegally in Hong Kong,  were arrested in the latest raids conducted by Immigration and police officers on 107 target locations in various parts of Hong Kong last Jan 15-18,

During the anti-illegal worker operations codenamed "Twilight" on 24 target locations including premises under renovation, restaurants and retail shops, Immigration Department (ImmD) Task Force officers arrested seven suspected illegal workers, comprising five men and two women, aged 22 to 57.

DITO ANG DETALYE

Among them, one woman was suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card.

The joint operations with the Hong Kong Police Force, codenamed "Champion",  involved raids on 83 target locations in Central and Western districts and netted six more suspected illegal workers.

One man and five women, aged 30 to 50, were arrested. Among them, one man was a holder of recognizance form, which prohibits him from taking any employment.

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"Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence,” ImmD said

It specified visitors as prohibited from taking employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration.

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“Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties," it said.

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