Week-long Lunar New Year Fair starts Sunday

FEHD promises a bigger fair this year, compared to this one at Victoria Park in 2021

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today, Feb. 1, that the 2024 Lunar New Year fairs will be held at 15 locations across Hong Kong for a week, from Feb 4 (this Sunday) to 7am on Feb. 10.

The fair will be held at the following sites: Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, Fa Hui Park in Kowloon Tong/Sham Shui Po/Mong Kok, Cheung Sha Wan Playground, Kwun Tong Recreation Ground, Wong Tai Sin Morse Park, Man Yee Playground in Sai Kung, Po Hong Park in Tseung Kwan O, Yuen On Playground in Sha Tin; Tin Hau Temple Fung Shui Square in Tai Po, Kwai Chung Sports Ground, Sha Tsui Road Playground in Tsuen Wan, Tung Tau Industrial Area Playground in Yuen Long, Tin Hau Temple Plaza in Tuen Mun, Shek Wu Hui Playground in Sheung Shui, and Tat Tung Road Garden in Tung Chung, Lantau.

TAWAG NA!

Shoppers can choose from about 1,500 items ranging from festive plants and flowers, food, and decoration such as spring couplets that are posted on doorways to welcome the start of the Year of the Dragon.

This is the first time since the pandemic that a full range of dry goods and fast food stalls will be featured in the annual fair.

The fair kickstarts the celebration of the Lunar New Year, which this year will again be highlighted by the Cathay International Chinese New Year Parade in Tsim Sha Tsui on Saturday, Feb. 10, from 8pm to 9:45pm. 

PINDUTIN DITO

The next day, at 8pm, Victoria Harbour will again be lit up by the 23-minute Lunar New Year Fireworks Display.

According to the FEHD, visitors to the fair will be guided through color-coding technology about the number people inside the designated venues. A green light means few people are inside, amber indicates a slightly crowded venue, while a red light signifies that it is very crowded inside.

If necessary, crowd control measures will be implemented.

The public is advised that admission to the fairs will stop 15 minutes before closing time so they should reserve enough time to enjoy what’s on offer inside.

For this year, various waste reduction and recycling measures will be implemented, like collecting and separating recyclable from waste materials. All unsold pots of flowers and plants that are donated by vendors will be delivered to elderly and residential care homes.

Everyone is urged to keep the venues clean.

For additional information about the fairs, such as locations and opening hours, please visit the  FEHD website or call the FEHD hotline at 2868 0000. 

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Advocates call for fixed, voluntary contribution by OFWs to PhilHealth

HK OFWs are among those urging voluntary contributions to PhilHealth

Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Healthcare Law which mandates a 0.5 increase in the contribution rate to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) each year from 2021 to 2025 should be amended to make it more equitable, overseas Filipino workers and their advocates unanimously said in a consultation meeting yesterday, Jan. 30.

The meeting, held both face-to-face and online, was called by Francisco Aguilar, Jr., director of the Foreign Stakeholders and Engagement Bureau of the Department of Migrant Workers. It comes in the wake of an announcement from PhilHealth that it will begin enforcing the law providing a 5% premium on the gross salary of workers earning from P10,000 to P100,000.

Among the amendments pushed by the participants is to remove OFWs from the category of “direct contributors” which obliges them to pay the shares of both the employer and the employee, and restore their flat-rate contribution to PhilHealth.

TAWAG NA!

Prior to the passing of the Universal Healthcare Law, OFWs were charged a flat rate of P2,400. But under the law that was passed in 2019, OFWs were made direct contributors and required to pay the graduated rates, from 2.75% in 2020 to 5% of their gross salary starting this year.

For OFWs in Hong Kong earning the current minimum wage of $4,870 (P34,577), this would mean a mandatory annual contribution of P20,746.20 ($2,922).

Luther Calderon, president of Kabalikat ng Migranteng Pilipino, Inc. (KAMPI), said “dapat siguro hindi na kino consider ang sweldo, isang rate na lang regardless of salary” (It’s probably better not to consider the salary (of a worker), there should be just one rate regardless of salary.

PINDUTIN

Aguilar agreed to the suggestion, saying that while it may be necessary to raise the last fixed rate of P2,400 for OFWs, it may not be fair to make them pay the full 5% required of direct contributors under the law.

But he warned that such a proposal might need intense lobbying, as amending a law is a difficult process and could take time.

Screen grab of the consultation meeting with OFW leaders from all over the world

Other speakers said that on top of mandating a fixed rate, membership to PhilHealth by OFWs should be made voluntary, as most of them are already covered by medical insurance at their workplace, paid for by their employers.

Besides, many of them have family members who are already paying for PhilHealth, so it would be redundant, if not unfair, for the OFWs to fork out a huge sum for a health insurance that does not benefit them, or their dependents.

In the meantime, Calderon suggested OFWs should come out in support of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa’s suggestion for a further deferment of the higher PhilHealth contributions this year.

Last year, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. suspended the increase of PhilHealth’s premium rate and income ceiling, citing the continuing economic slump from the Covid-19 pandemic.

But early this month, he said he was still studying the premium rate hikes, adding that he wants PhilHealth to show a commensurate increase in benefits to its members.

PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Ledesma, Jr. said at a separate press conference that they will comply with whatever President Marcos would decide on the matter.

However, he warned that a freeze in premiums would mean “a minus P17 billion for the year” for the national health insurer.

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Mutual love and respect make a happy home

 

Neri and Lorine with their HK family: Sammy, Tommy and their two daughters

(The story below is reprinted from the online newsletter of the Mission for Migrant Workers, a non-government organization that has been supporting and promoting the rights and welfare of  migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong for the past 42 years. As part of its advocacy, the Mission holds an annual “Happy Homes” search for employers and MDWs who exemplify the kind of respect and care necessary to maintain joy and harmony in the household. The latest awardees are the main characters in this story).  

Five years ago, thanks to the magical power of Facebook connections, Neri and Lorine traveled all the way from the Philippines to Hong Kong to work with this lovely family of four, who welcomed them with open arms and eventually called them family.

Since then, Neri and Lorine have been helping their employers, Sammy and Tommy, take care of their two daughters, with Neri focusing more on Kaching, the older daughter with special needs, and Lorine on the little sister. Neri and Lorine’s lively energy always manages to light up the room. Apart from Neri and Lorine’s daily routine of taking the children to school, cooking and doing other duties, the family always comes up with exciting plans to have fun together. They have gone on holidays together to the local theme parks Ocean Park and Disneyland, participated in Kaching’s school events and sports tournaments, gone to church together, etc. Showing respect and love towards Neri and Lorine’s background and interests, Sammy and Tommy, take the family on hikes, barbecues, and golf-playing.

Or, perhaps, the most beautiful memories lie within those small, seemingly ordinary moments.

Whenever the family goes out for meals, Neri and Lorine always follow, initially for Neri to take care of Kaching due to her special needs. However, overtime, they’ve created a bond so strong that they’re comfortable with and happy opening up to and sharing personal stories with each other. Through these little conversations, they have learnt so much about each other, and built this sense of mutual trust, respect, and support.

TAWAG NA!

This bond truly goes beyond the employment contract. Sammy and Tommy recalled when Neri spent hours dressing Kaching, paying attention to the tiniest detail for her school’s catwalk event and her genuine, delightful smile when Kaching was awarded the “best-dressed” award; or when COVID-19 hit again in 2022, and Neri desperately tried every possible way to cool down Kaching’s concerning high fever and insisted on staying the night in the emergency room with her. For that, till this day, they felt nothing but gratitude.

“It was miraculously like a plan of God,” Sammy said, repeatedly, when asked to describe their lives together.

In Neri’s earliest days of working in the family, Sammy was struggling with postpartum depression. She felt that she often mistreated Neri and generated so many unnecessary conflicts. Regardless, Neri kept her professionalism, and tended to both Kaching and her with care.

Looking back on those days, Sammy felt an intense amount of guilt and apologized for her mistreatment. Despite that, she marveled at how far they have come and how beautiful of a relationship they had built with each other in face of all the troubles and worries.

PINDUTIN

“It all takes time, but just put yourself in their shoes,” After contemplating for a short while, Sammy replied, as a message to all the employers in Hong Kong. “If an employer is unable to foster a pleasant working environment, the employee, in turn, may automatically lack the encouragement to give their best. It’s all mutual.”

Indeed, Neri, Lorine, Sammy, Tommy and their two adorable daughters’ story serve as a reminder and inspiration to us that a “happy home” is not out of reach, and all it takes might just be trust, respect, love, and a big, bright, heartfelt smile.

Education and empathy is important too. We need to educate people that MDWs sacrifice a lot and contribute to the society of Hong Kong. Let's put ourselves in their shoes and view things from a completely different perspective.

Visit our facebook page to learn more about Happy Homes HK: https://www.facebook.com/HappyHomesHK

(Reprinted with permission from the Mission for Migrant Workers)

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Court rejects pregnant Filipina’s bail offer in money laundering case

 

Court rejected bail offer of the pregnant Filipina

A Filipina arrested for money laundering last Sunday at the airport as she was leaving for the Philippines on maternity leave, remained in jail custody after her offer of $1,000 bail was rejected today at Eastern Court.

Marcela Awingan, 38 years old and seven months pregnant, is accused of dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offense, which is punishable under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

How? Pindutin ito!

The charge was filed against Awingan, a domestic helper, after $357,000 was deposited and withdrawn from her Standard Chartered Bank account on April 11, 2023.

The money represented “proceeds of an indictable offense,” the charge said.

TAWAG NA!

Her lawyer offered $1,000 -- or PhP9,000 which she had in her wallet when arrested -- as bail plus conditions such as that she would surrender her Philippine passport, report to police and stay in a shelter operated by the Philippine Consulate.

PINDUTIN

But the prosecutor objected to the offer, saying that the amount that went through her bank account was just part of a case in which the victim of a scam lost $3.4million.

Principal Magistrate Ivy Chui adjourned the case to March 22, but allowed a bail review on Feb. 7.

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Missing Filipina reappears in court

 

Vargas posted this photo of her passport awhile back, after she overstayed her visa 

A Filipina who was ordered arrested last December after she failed to attend a hearing of her case for allegedly overstaying her visa, appeared at Eastern Court today with the prosecutor vouching that her absence was justified.

Kris Hope Vargas, 32 years old, was confined in a hospital for mental illness from Nov. 28 last year and was released only last Jan. 28, the prosecutor said.

How? Pindutin ito!

As a result, Principal Magistrate Ivy Chui withdrew her arrest warrant, reinstated her $1,000 bail and adjourned the case to April 8.

However, she told Vargas to report daily to a police station until the next hearing.

Magistrate Chui also advised her to go to the Duty Lawyer Service that will provide her with free legal advice, and that she should be ready to plead guilty or not by then.

TAWAG NA!

And since her duty lawyer said Vargas was applying for a judicial review, she should show proof from the Court of First Instance that she had done so. “Otherwise, I will reconsider your bail,” Magistrate Chui said.

The Sun had earlier reported the disappearance of Vargas (https://www.sunwebhk.com/2023/12/family-of-dh-charged-with-overstaying.html).

PINDUTIN

Her relatives were alerted about her condition on Nov.27 when they were sent a copy of a Facebook post calling for help for Vargas, who appeared disheveled and was said to be walking aimlessly around Tsim Sha Tsui.

She was later found to have been taken to the Kwai Chung Psychiatric Hospital, where she received treatment (https://www.sunwebhk.com/2023/12/mentally-ill-filipina-found-another.html).

Her cousin, who was in touch with The SUN regarding the case, expressed relief that she was safe in hospital, and no longer wandering around.

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One-year wait for theft trial of Filipina asylum-seeker

 

The trial of the theft & robbery cases will be held next year at the District Court

A Filipina will face trial at the District Court next year for theft, along with a fellow non-refoulement claimant charged with a second case of robbing an elderly street-sleeper of cash and valuables in August 2022.

Cheryl de Vera, 39 years old, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing, together with Sidhu Brar Gurmuk Singh, 29 years old, an Octopus card and $600 cash from a car parked in front of Showboat Mansion in Quarry Bay on Aug. 28, 2022.

How? Pindutin ito!

A third accused person, Gursewak Singh, also 29, was not on the dock at the hearing earlier today, Jan. 30.

The two male defendants face a more serious case of robbery against Tsui Tai-on, an elderly cardboard collector, from whom a waist bag with a HKID, senior ID, a house key, Octopus card, mobile phone and $16,000 were allegedly taken on in the early hours of Aug. 22, 2022 in Kowloon City.

TAWAG NA!

Newspaper reports at the time said the 74-year-old woman was sitting at about 3am on a flight of stairs outside Kowloon City Plaza at the junction of Lion Rock Road and Carpenter Road in Kowloon City sorting out used carton boxes when two men approached.

One of them reportedly sat next to the victim and talked to her before stealing her waist bag while the other approached from behind and covered her mouth to prevent her from shouting.

PINDUTIN

Reports later said one suspect was arrested in connection with the case on Sept. 2 but the other man, said to be his friend, remained at large.

In court today, De Vera and Gurmuk Singh, who were both represented by veteran lawyers, were allowed to renew their bail of $2,000 each until the December pre-trial review of their cases.

The unusually long adjournment was proposed by the defense team, and was readily approved by District Judge CP Pang. No explanation was said in court. 

The trial will last for five days from, Jan. 13-Jan. 17, 2025. Before this, a pre-trial review of the cases will be held on Dec. 5, 2024.

The prosecution said it will present as witnesses two civilians and three police officers during the first three days of trial. The defendants, on the other hand, are expected to challenge their cautioned statements during which they supposedly admitted guilt.

A Punjabi interpreter will again be called to assist Singh while De Vera will have a Tagalog interpreter by her side.

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Manalo ng OPPO Smartphone sa Scan To Win Promo!

Basta Barkadahan sa SmarTone, always panalo! 

May promo na naman kung saan puwede mag-uwi ng brand-new Oppo A17K smartphone. 3 Winners ito! 

Ang dali lang manalo. Hanapin lang ang QR code sa mga leaflets ng Barkadahan. Meron ito sa Central at Yuen Long shops at i-scan lang. Basta SmarTone gamit mo, pasok ka na. 

Kung wala kang leaflet makuha, may mas madaling paraan. Buksan ang iyong My SIM Account App. Sa homepage, makikita ang icon na e-Leaflet. 

I-press mo lang yan at pasok ka na rin sa lucky draw. Para lang ito sa mga SmarTone users. Kaya kung hindi ka pa SmarTone, mag SmarTone ka na! Dali! 

Paalala din: malaking tulong kapag meron kang My SIM Account App, kasi ito ang pang manage mo ng iyong SIM card. Lahat ng kailangan mo, nandito na!  

Dapat may My SIM Account App ka sa iyong phone para makasali dito. Kung wala ka pang app, i-download ito sa Google Play o Apple App Store o i-press ang link na ito: 
http://wap.smartone.com/bssapp

Kung may tanong, pwedeng pumunta sa Barkadahan Shop 159 WWH Central o Shop B, 1F Jollibee Shopping Arcade, Yuen Long o sa mga promoters sa mga suking Pinoy tindahan sa Hong Kong. 

Para naman malaman iba pang mga offers sa Barkadahan, press: 
https://www.smartone.com/hk/BSS/OnlineNews/AL 

Para sa  iba pang services, press: 
https://www.smartone.com/hk/BSS/OnlineNews 

Kung may tanong, mag text sa WhatsApp Hotline:
https://www.smartone.com/hk/BSSWhatsAppCS

Mas bongga talaga sa Barkadahan, pramis! 

Ito rin ang SIM ng mga Pinoys at  Number 1 Most Used Network ng mga OFW sa Hong Kong, ayon sa Anova Market Research Company. 

MAS MURANG LOAD NA, MAY DISCOUNT PA SA DATA! 'YAN ANG SMARTONE, SIM CARD NG OFW SA HK!

Gusto mo ng mura? Gusto mo ng discount? Heto ang para sayo! 

Basta gamit mo ay SmarTone na SIM, mas mura na ang load ngayon kapag gamit ang e-Wallets na pang load. At may extra data bonus para maka-discount sa iyong mobile internet. 

Paano? Pag bumili ka ng load sa My SIM Account app ng SmarTone, ang $50 ay $49 + extra bonus $4 = total ay $53. Ang $100 ay $98 + extra bonus $12 = total ay $110! 

Pag voucher, wala sa apps niyan at local call bonus lang, hindi pang internet. Pero kapag sa apps ka bumili, fast, easy at convenient. Wala ng kaskas pa ng pins. Hindi ka na rin pupunta pa sa mga Pinoy shops. Basta ugaliin mag load sa mga e-Wallets niyo para madaling mag load sa SIM. 

Ano ba ulit ang mga ito? Ito ang WeChat Pay, Alipay HK, Octopus Wallet, PayMe at pati Visa, MasterCard Credit Card. 

Very convenient talaga gamitin ang mga yan sa pang araw araw na bayarin at bilihin. Pati sa SIM pwede na rin pang pangbayad o subscribe ng data plan. 

Paano naman makakabili ng loads sa pp? Madali lang! Dapat meron kang My SIM Account App kasi naka link na ang mobile number mo sa e-wallets. 

I-open ang app. Hindi pwede na diretso ka sa mga e-wallets dahil EXCLUSIVE lang ito sa My SIM Account app ng SmarTone. Dapat din may laman din e-wallet apps mo bago gamitin. 

(1) Open My SIM Account app > i-tap ang TOP UP

(2) Tap E-TOP UP > pumili kung sa mobile SIM o sa Spoints wallet

(3) Piliin ang load amount $20, $49 o $98 > tap NEXT

(4) I-press anong E-Wallet ang gagamitin at sundin ang steps hanggang sa pagbayad at i-press Confirm   

Wala kang My SIM Account app? Download sa Google Play o App Store o i-tap https://wap.smartone.com/bssapp/ para i-install. 

Kung may tanong, pwedeng pumunta sa Barkadahan Shop 159 WWH Central o Shop B, 1F Jollibee Shopping Arcade, Yuen Long o sa mga promoters sa mga suking Pinoy tindahan sa Hong Kong. 

Para naman malaman iba pang mga offers sa Barkadahan, press https://www.smartone.com/hk/BSS/OnlineNews/AL 

Para malaman ang iba pang services, press: https://www.smartone.com/hk/BSS/OnlineNews 

Kung may tanong, mag text sa WhatsApp Hotline https://www.smartone.com/hk/BSSWhatsAppCS

Mas bongga talaga sa Barkadahan, pramis! 

Ito rin ang SIM ng mga Pinoys at  Number 1 Most Used Network ng mga OFW sa Hong Kong, ayon sa Anova Market Research Company. 

DH gets 8 months’ jail for stealing $176.5K from employer

 

A domestic helper was jailed for eight months today after she pleaded guilty at Fanling Court to stealing $176,576 in cash from her employer over a two-month period.

Faith Latagan, 42 years old, admitted stealing the money, from Oct. 10 to Dec. 7 last year, from the bedroom of her employer, who lives in Sha Tau Kok, New Territories. The house had no CCTV.

Her employer, who had saved up and kept the money in her bedroom, noticed on Dec. 8 that some of it was missing and called police.

TAWAG NA!

During investigation, police searched the house, including Latagan’s possessions. They found the missing cash in $500 and $1,000 bills still intact in a bag in her room, and seized it for use as evidence.

Although Latagan’s employer did not suffer any loss in the end because all the missing cash had been returned to her, Magistrate Frances Leung said this case involves a breach of trust which makes the case serious.

“They hired you and trusted you, but you were so greedy as to steal so much money,” she added.

PINDUTIN

The sentence was originally 12 months in prison, but because of Latagan’s guilty plea, she was given a one-third discount, leaving eight months.

Her lawyer said Latagan was earning $4,730 a month, and sent half of her earnings to her husband, who works as a baker, two teen-aged daughters and an elderly mother.

“She was tempted to get the money and is remorseful,” he added.

Latagan started working in Hong Kong in 2017 and had a clear record.

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Filipina arrested at airport charged with money laundering

 

Fuentes was arrested as she went through Immigration at HK Intl Airport (FB photo)

Hong Kong police have confirmed that a Filipina domestic worker who was arrested last Friday, Jan. 26, as she was about to fly out to the Philippines, has been charged with money laundering and is currently under custody.

Ma. Rochel Fuentes, 35 years old, was supposed to fly out aboard the 11:45am AirAsia flight to Manila when she was stopped at immigration and turned over to the police.

A police spokesman said that after investigation, Fuentes was taken to Eastern Court on Jan 27 and charged with having dealt with property “knowing or has reasonable grounds to believe that the whole or part of such property directly or indirectly represents proceeds of an indictable offence” or more commonly known as money laundering.

TAWAG NA!

Her family and friends who heard about her arrest on Friday immediately sent appeals on social media, saying she was being detained at Central police station because someone had used her name to take out a loan without her knowledge. It turned out her bank account was found to have been used to launder a still undetermined sum of money.

A friend said Fuentes had decided to go home to wait for her new work contract to be processed, after her previous employer of five years relocated to another country.

Staff at the Migrant Workers Office of the Philippine Consulate who spoke with Fuentes’ relatives said they had called the police and were told that Fuentes had been taken to Eastern Court on Saturday to be charged.

PINDUTIN

FDHs are among vulnerable groups that have been linked to money laundering cases in the past few years, often done through the use of their bank accounts by scam syndicates.

Money laundering is punishable under Hong Kong laws by up to 14 years in jail, and a maximum fine of $5 million.

PADALA NA!

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