HK Flower Show 2024 to open Friday

 

Entrance to this year's HK Flower Show is all set up

The much-awaited Hong Kong Flower Show for this year will open on Friday, Mar. 15 at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, and will run for 10 days.

This year’s theme is “Floral Joy Around Town” and will have Angelonia, also known as the Angel Flower, as its featured flower. Angelonias are small blooms in varying colors which are native to the tropical Americas, but can be grown nearly throughout the year.

A total of 81 organizations, both local and overseas, will take part in the Flower Show 2024. They include two from the Philippines – Blue Grass Project which copped an award in last year’s show, and the World Flower Council, Philippine Chapter.

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Unlike last year, however, there will be no display from the Philippine Consulate in this year’s show.

But as in the pasr, the Tinikling Migrant Workers Group will be among the performers during the show which will run from Mar 15 to Mar 24, from 9am to 9pm daily.

Aside from the wide variety of flowers that can be seen at the show, there will also be full garden displays put together by various government departments in Hong Kong, Macau, and the Mainland.

A “mosaiculture display” called The Candy House and assembled by 1,100 students from various schools, will also be on show.

These tiny and fragrant blooms called "Angelonia" take center stage this year

Various activities will also take place, including competitions in student drawing, photography and plant exhibit, as well as music and cultural performances, floral art demonstrations, workshops on greening activities, guided visits, as well as family fun games.

There will also be booths selling all kinds of flowers and plants, as well as refreshments.

Tickets can be bought at the gates at the regular price of $14, and $7 for the concessionary rate for children aged 4-14 and full-time students, senior citizens aged 60 and above, and persons with disabilities with one accompanying carrier.

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On weekdays, or from Monday to Friday, seniors and PWDs with one carer each, can enter for free. A half-rate concession is given to adults in groups of 30 or more who enter the venue together.

For more information, check out the event website: www.hkflowershow.hk/en/hkfs/2024/index.html

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2 Filipina asylum seekers jailed for overstaying

The 2 Filipinas pleaded guilty to overstaying at Shatin Court

Two Filipina asylum-seekers have been sent to jail for nine and 26 weeks, respectively, after pleading guilty at Shatin Court to overstaying.

Acting Principal Magistrate Amy Chan convicted the two on Monday (March 11) of breach of condition of stay, which is punishable under the Immigration Ordinance with a fine of up to $50,000 and imprisonment of up to two years.

Madelyn Magaoay, 53 years old, was jailed for 26 weeks for overstaying for seven years until her arrest on May 27, 2023, according to the complaint filed by the Immigration Department.

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She was originally given by Immigration two weeks, or until June 10, 2016, to leave Hong Kong after arriving as a visitor.

Devine Alon, 37 years old, was sentenced to nine weeks’ imprisonment for overstaying for 22 months, or from March 22, 2022, until her arrest last Jan. 6.

She arrived in Hong Kong as a domestic helper and was allowed to stay and work in Hong Kong until her visa expired on March 22, 2022.

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She did not renew her visa and overstayed until she turned herself in on Jan. 6 this year . 

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2 men appear in court together 2 months after alleged fight

 

The 2 men showed up in court together

Two men, one of them a Filipino, appeared side by side at Eastern Court on Monday (March 11), two months after a fight that got them arrested for allegedly hurting each other.

Arturo Patricio, 47 years old and To Po-keung, whose age was not disclosed in the charge sheet, were arrested after the alleged fight inside Neng Heng Seng House on Jervois St. in Sheung Wan last Jan 18.

How? Pindutin ito.

Patricio was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm, a violation of the Offenses Against the Person Ordinance, for allegedly hurting To.

To, on the other hand, was charged with wounding, also an offense under the same law, for the alleged attack on Patricio.

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Magistrate Stephanie Tsui adjourned the case to April 22 and granted bail of $3,000 each to both accused.       

But before letting them go, she noted that both were not represented and advised them to get their own lawyers or those provided for free by the government, because she will not accept their having no lawyers as reason for another adjournment.

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Patricio and To arrived at the court together and sat beside each other in the gallery the whole time that they waited for their case to be called.

They also left together after their case was heard. 

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Lamma-based artist, MDW writers shine in Women’s Month fete

Fernie (left) is welcomed by Congen Germie Usudan

The Philippine Consulate General is hosting a one-woman show by Lamma-based artist Vianna Ubana Fernie at Sentro Rizal as part of the National Women’s Month Celebration in Hong Kong, which was formally opened on Mar 3.

In her message heralding the month-long celebration with the theme “𝐿𝑖𝑝𝑢𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑎 𝐵𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑃𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑠: 𝐾𝑎ka𝑦𝑎ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑛𝑔 𝐾𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑖ℎ𝑎𝑛, 𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑛𝑎𝑦𝑎𝑛!” , Consul General Germinia Aguilar-Usudan  urged all women to showcase and harness their full potential by actively engaging in national growth and development.

How? Pindutin ito.

During the program, Vice Consul Allan G. Revote introduced Fernie as 𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑀𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑎’𝑠 featured artist of the month. He said the artist is also an educator, singer-songwriter, and founder of Sinag Art Space, an independent artist-run space in Lamma Island.

Her featured art collection titled  "𝐹𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐵𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑆𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠" is composed of three works depicting women –including one called "𝑈𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑑", and two individually titled pieces called "𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑛", and "𝐹𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐵𝑙𝑢𝑒".

The 3 art works that form the 'Sining Malaya' exhibit

The works aim to convey a "powerful message of self-discovery, resilience, and the transformative power of art to capture and communicate complex emotions."

The exhibit may be viewed for free at the 𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑀𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑎 Art Corner located at the PCG public area from Sundays to Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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Separately, the PCG paid tribute to two groups that collaborated on a book titled “Ingat,  which features literary, photographic and artistic works by migrant domestic workers.

Vice Consul Revote joins organizers at the book launch 

The book which was launched on Mar 3 at Eton Hotel in Yau Ma Tei, was a joint project of the Migrant Domestic Workers Creatives and Lensational, both MDW groups, in collaboration with Small Tune Press and Be/longing.

The launch served as a platform for Filipina contributors to the book to present their works, and talk about their inspiration and the creative process involved.

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The stories show the different facets of a MDW’s life in Hong Kong, which not only involves their day-to-day work, but also a vibrant, inclusive, and creative community that helps foster their artistic and literary talents.

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ATIS marks 31st anniversary with pomp and fervor

 

Organizers are joined by guests and the audience in the community dance

Abra Tinguian Ilocano Society (ATIS), recognized as one of the outstanding community organizations in Hong Kong, celebrated its 31^st anniversary on Sunday (March 10) with an afternoon show of native culture, beauty and vigilance for reforms in the country.

The celebration, held at Eaton Hotel in Jordan, Kowloon, featured a competition of cultural presentations by towns in Abra, as well as the selection of Miss ATIS 2024 from among representatives of participating towns.

The competitions were intended to raise funds for ATIS projects to benefit its members and their families.

How? Pindutin ito.

The event was also an opportunity to look back at ATIS efforts to fight unjust Philippine policies, such as mandatory fees and government exactions which now cost every OFW about PhP24,000 every year.

In his keynote speech, Eman Villanueva, chairman of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Hong Kong-Macau, paid tribute to ATIS as the biggest mobilizer when OFW support was needed, not just in protests but also in projects for the Filipino community, especially during the pandemic.

He attributed these to years of leadership focused on helping not only its members but also their families back in the Philippines. For these efforts, its former president, Caring Bachiller, was declared Bagong Bayani for Asia-Pacific Region in 2023.  ATIS was also declared the most outstanding community organization in Hong Kong by The SUN in 2015.

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Villanueva noted that during the Covid-19 pandemic, when uncertainty reigned over job security among OFWs, “we were abandoned by our own government” and the Hong Kong government gave aid to residents but none to OFWs.

“ATIS was one of those who helped, along with the Mission for Migrant Workers, Unifil and others to gather facemasks, sanitizers, medicines, food and so on,” he said. “They delivered care packs to those who had Covid.”

He added that they helped everyone, regardless of political color.

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For her part, ATIS President Ludy Guinaban thanked those present for their show of solidarity. 

“OFWs are called present day heroes but we are always at the bottom of the list in receiving aid,” she said.

She recalled that during pandemic days, “we experienced discrimination in Hong Kong and even in our own country.  We were not included in the relief aid of both governments.”

But this did not faze ATIS.

In the 2022 earthquake that hit the country, and which left the most damage in Abra, OFW families were excluded from government relief distribution. A protest by ATIS which became viral reversed this policy.

“When Covid hit, we were also among the first to send assistance back home,” she said.

Declared winners in Cultural Presentation were Licuan-Baay, first place; Tayum, second and Malibcong, third.

In the beauty pageant, the winners were Miss ATIS Jovelyn Galarde of Tayum, First Runner-up Ma. Rhodora Casay of Maliobcong, second Runner-up Desiree Joy Barcena of Abra Migrant Workers Welare Association and Third Runner-up Karen Joy Lunes of Licuan-Baay.

Other winners were Miss Photogenic Ginayn Martinez of La Paz, Miss Collective Sharon de Jose of Tubo Maeng Tribe Associatiom, and Best Production as well as Best in Ethnic Gown, Gretchel Bolanos of Lagangilang.

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Be ready for cold morning tomorrow

 

Victoria Harbor as of 8pm today

Hong Kong will wake up to a cold 16 degrees celsius tomorrow morning (and up to two degrees lower in the New Territories) in the last dip of thermometer for the week, before the temperature gradually rises to at least 20 degrees on Sunday.

The Hong Kong Observatory said Hong Kong is feeling the effects of the last wisps of wind from the north as it is blown way by the warmer easterlies.

The sky is also expected to clear up tomorrow, with sunny periods raising the temperature to 22 degrees.

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It will be “windier in the following couple of days, becoming humid over the weekend and warm during the day,” the Observatory said today.

As this developed, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) reminded the public, particularly the elderly and people with chronic illnesses, to adopt appropriate measures to protect their health against the cold weather.

"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," CHP said.

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Among the measures CHP recommends are:

• Take note of the weather forecast. Wear warm clothing, including hats, scarves, gloves and socks accordingly;
• Consume sufficient food to ensure adequate calorie intake;
• Perform regular exercise to facilitate blood circulation and heat production;
• Stay in a warm environment and avoid prolonged outdoor exposure;
• Use heaters with care, and maintain adequate indoor ventilation; and
• Seek medical advice if feeling unwell.
• Avoid alcoholic beverages. "Drinking alcohol cannot keep you warm. Alcohol accelerates the loss of body heat through dilated blood vessels, resulting in chilling instead," CHP said.

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4 Indo pickpockets charged with stealing $475k from elderly

 

The gang's key targets are the elderly about to transact with banks (File)

Four Indonesian men aged between 25 and 47 appeared in West Kowloon Court earlier today, charged with stealing more than $475,000 from elderly residents about to deposit, or have just withdrawn, money from banks.

A Police spokesperson confirmed the defendants’ nationalities, after initially issuing a statement saying they were all foreigners.

The spokesperson also said that the four had already been taken to court on Friday, Mar 8, after they were arrested as they were about to board a flight to Indonesia.

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The police report said that the arrests were triggered by an elderly woman’s complaint on Feb 29, that $25,000 had been stolen from her backpack, as she was preparing to deposit it at a bank in Kwai Chung.

CCTV footage from the area led to an identification of the four suspects, who were also linked to five more pickpocketing cases between October last year and March this year. The alleged thefts happened in Tuen Mun, Sheung Shui, Tin Shui Wai, Cheung Sha Wan and Tsing Yi.

In at least one of the incidents, the amount involved was $100,000. The alleged thieves are said to have targeted elderly people, with the oldest aged 90 years old.

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The total amount involved was $475,200.

The suspects allegedly pretended to be tourists exploring the city while pilfering people’s belongings.

As a result of the case, the Police has urged people to be vigilant and to secure their belongings well, especially in crowded places.

Under Section 9 of the Hong Kong Theft Ordinance, the maximum penalty for theft is 10 years in prison.

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Magnitude 2 tremor rocks Lantau

 

Sha Lo Wan Bay in Lantau, 3 hours after the quake (HK Observatory photo)

The Observatory has confirmed that an earthquake with magnitude 2.0 hit Lantau island at 1:22pm today, Monday.

The epicentre was located about 20 kilometres west of Hong Kong island, near Lung Mei Hang, with a depth of 10 kilometers.

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The Observatory said it received more than 10 reports of minor shaking, which lasted for a few seconds.

Initial estimate put the intensity of the quake at 3, when felt indoors, similar to that felt due to the passing of light trucks.

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Meanwhile, the Observatory has also forecast the rain to continue for the next nine days, although the weather will remain fine, with temperatures ranging between 16 and the early 20s.

The warmest day during this period will be Sunday, when the temperatures will rise to 25 degrees, before becoming slightly cooler again next week. It will be humid during the weekend, and warm during the day.

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