Filipinos seeking non-refoulement face HK’s tightened screening procedure

By Danilo A. Reyes

 

Failed non-refoulement claimants being escorted to the plane that took them home in November

As Hong Kong’s Immigration Department steps up its removal of unsubstantiated non-refoulement claims, Filipino nationals are reminded of the risk of being prosecuted and jailed if they make claims without proof in Hong Kong.

According to Immigration statistics provided to the Legislative Council on Nov. 23, out of a total of 14,900 non-refoulement claimants, 1,343 are Filipino nationals who claim that they face risk of torture, if not death, if they are sent back to the Philippines.

“I just wish to remind all Filipinos in Hong Kong to always obey and respect the law. To avoid problems, it is also important to be honest and truthful, especially when dealing with authorities,” said Consul General Raly Tejada.

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Some of these non-refoulement claimants, however, filed claims for various personal reasons–from avoiding prosecution once caught overstaying, to avoiding their creditors in the Philippines.

Among the more recent claimants whose appeal against their removal from Hong Kong were rejected by the High Court were Isabel Magna Ticuala and Loida Dontogan, both former domestic helpers who had overstayed their visas before filing for non-refoulement.

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Their claim that they feared retaliation by creditors in the Philippines was dismissed by the High Court, which has consistently said that there is a functioning government back home that could protect them. 

Another option open to them is to move away from places where their creditors could possibly harm them.

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The High Court has also said that these are personal matters that the Hong Kong government must not interfere with.

In recent weeks, a number of Filipino non-refoulement claimants have been taken to Magistrates’ Courts to face prosecution for breach of condition of stay, after their bid against removal failed. Many of them have been in Hong Kong for over a decade, trying to fight off repatriation.

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This is in line with a new Immigration policy which took effect last December 7, which mandates the removal of all torture and non-refoulement claimants once they fail in their first bid to challenge their repatriation.

This aims to puts an end to the current practice of many of the claimants filing judicial reviews against the decisions by both the Immigration Department and the Torture Claims Adjudication Board to reject their opposition to non-refoulement.

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But according to a report published by the Legislative Council in August this year, the screening of torture and non-refoulement claimants was tightened as early as 2014, which led to a 95% reduction in the annual screening backlog from 2015-2018.

Of the total non-refoulement claims filed between 2014 to 2021, Immigration found that 99% claims were unsubstantiated. Ticuala and Dontogan’s claims were rejected within this period.

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No more PCR test on arrival or vaccine pass from tomorrow

By The SUN

 

CE Lee (center) announces the relaxed measures at a press conference today

From tomorrow, new arrivals in Hong Kong will no longer have to undergo PCR tests, while everybody else will no longer be required to present their proof of vaccination to enter many public places, including restaurants.

In addition, close contacts of infected persons will no longer have to undergo quarantine although the patients themselves will still have to isolate.

However, all travelers entering Hong Kong will still be asked to take a rapid antigen test within 24 hours of boarding their flights, or a PCR test conducted not earlier than 48 hours before. They will also be advised - not required - to take daily RATs for six days from their arrival.

Filling out the health declaration form before boarding a flight to Hong Kong will be made optional.

Details of the relaxed rules were disclosed at a press conference earlier today by Chief Executive John Lee, who said the government is “further improving” anti-pandemic measures because there is now a relatively high vaccination rate in the city.

Apart from this, there is already sufficient medication against Covid and medical personnel and the public have come to understand better how to cope with the pandemic.

CE Lee said the focus now will be on preventing serious illnesses and deaths due to Covid-19, and protecting the more vulnerable sectors like the elderly.

Thus, the mask mandate will continue, as well as the daily rapid antigen tests required for children going to school, as well as staff at care homes for the elderly and the disabled.

Lee rejected claims the radical easing of restrictions was sudden, saying the government has all along been making preparations for returning the city to normalcy.

"There will always come a day when we have to make big decision about normalisation. That is exactly what we are doing now, because the time is appropriate for us to do it, having prepared for six months to do all this. In fact, I think society as a whole is preparing because I have been hearing a lot of voices saying this is the thing to be done," he said.

Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau, who was also at the press conference, said people in Hong Kong need to still wear masks so they are protected not just from Covid, but also from seasonal flu and other respiratory tract infections

He said officials will consider allowing people to go out in public without a mask only after spring next year.

This is because of what he called a “serious winter surge,” when the daily tally of Covid-19 cases has been hovering around the 21,000-mark.

Health authorities later reported that a total of 20,865 new Covid infections were recorded today, of which 1,176 were imported.

Another 59 patients with Covid have died.

OFWs stranded in HK by pandemic reunite with family after 4 long years

By Danilo A. Reyes

 

Rowena is now home with her three children she did not see for 4 years

Years of separation from their family members due to the pandemic have ended for some overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong who finally managed to go back home recently to spend the Christmas season there.

Among them was Rowena Macasinag, who finally made it home on Dec. 22, after four long years of being separated from her three children who are now aged 7, 16, and 21.

Before her flight home, Rowena made sure she had chocolate bars for her children.

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“Nakakalungkot kasi hindi tayo nakakauwi. Iniisip natin na hindi natin makapiling mga anak natin (It feels lonely because we could not go home. We long to be with our children), said Rowena, as she recalled how it felt being away for four years.

Rowena left her hometown in Bicol in September 2018 to work for the first time in Hong Kong and has been stuck here since.

Like many OFWs, Rowena had to leave to work abroad, first in Saudi Arabia as a domestic worker for two years, then Hong Kong. She is separated and considers herself a “single mother” and breadwinner of her three children.

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“Hindi kami nagkaintindihan (We had a misunderstanding),” was Rowena’s short reply as she burst into tears when asked about her husband.

But her mood drastically changed, this time with a sense of excitement, when asked what was the first thing she would do once she saw her children again, after four years of separation.

“Siyempre very excited ako makita yung mga anak ko. Yun yung priority ko talaga. Yayakapin ko sila (Of course, I’m very excited to see my children. It is my priority. I will hug them,” she said.

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Rowena, whose contract was terminated by her former employer simply for asking to go home, did not have good memories of that time. But she never lost hope that she would get a new and better employer, saying she had a good record and did no wrong.

Lorraine (front) is joined in chat by younger sister Divina

For returning OFWs who do not have children, what they long to do once they are at home is just to sleep and rest.

In a zoom interview from her hometown in Iloilo province on Dec. 26, Lorraine, 41, said: “Gusto ko lang matulog, magpahinga, kasi sa pagod ng trabaho sa Hong Kong (I just want to sleep, to take a rest, because my work in Hong Kong is very exhausting.”

While her work has been physically tiring, Lorraine has had no problems with her employer, who renewed their employment contract for the third time before her flight on Dec. 16.

Lorraine was also given a hefty salary increase. From the previous minimum wage of $4,520 her pay was raised to $6,500, reflecting the good relationship she has with her employers and her ward.

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This came in handy as Lorraine has taken over her 65-year-old parent’s responsibility of sending her sibling, Divina, to college.

But this is not the case with three of Lorraine’s domestic-helper friends.

Two of them, both old-timers, and another who is a newcomer, did not last long in their jobs. They all had their contracts terminated prematurely, saying they failed to get along with their employers.

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Masarap mamundok ngayong maginaw, pero may mga lugar na dapat iwasan

 

Isa sa tampok na lugar sa Shing Mun Park (larawan mula sa AFCD)

Para sa  mga mahilig mag-hiking, isang magandang paanyaya ang kasalukuyang maginaw na panahon sa Hong Kong upang isuot muli ang inyong sapatos na pang akyat-bundok.

Ito ay dahil mas komportableng mamundok tuwing ganitong panahon, at hindi kasing hirap kung tag-araw, dahil sa malamig at nakakapagpasiglang simoy ng hangin.

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Pero nagpaalala ang Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) na dapat mag-ingat ang mga tumatawid sa mga parkeng pinangangasiwaan nito, kabilang na ang mga bundok na madalas akyatin ng mga mahihilig dito.

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Isa sa mga paalala ng AFCD ay ang pag-iwas sa 19 na lugar sa loob ng sampung country park, na tinagurian nitong mapanganib dahil sa mga aksidente doon na nagsanhi ng pinsala sa katawan at kamatayan.

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Ang mga paalala ay makikita sa mga warning sign na itinayo ng AFCD upang balaan ang mga tao na iwasan at huwag nang pumasok sa mga lugar na ito dahil mapanganib. 

Ang dalawang parke na may pinakamaraming lugar na dapat iwasan ay ang Sai Kung East at Lantau South.

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Sa Sai Kung East, apat ang dapat iwasan: Sharp Peak, Quadruplex Pool, Yin Tsz Ngam at Kim Chu Wan.

Sa Lantau South, ang mga dapat iwasan ay Kau Nga Ling area, Shui Lo Cho. Lo Hon Tower, at Inverted Wrist Cliff.

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Ag iba pang mga parke na may warning sign:

Shing Mun: Tai Shing Stream.

Lion Rock: Lion Rock Peak.

Plover Cove: Bride's Pool Waterfall

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Lantau North: Wong Lung Stream at Nei San Stream (malapit sa Nei Lak Shan Country Trail).

Pat Sin Leng: ang bangin sa Hsien Ku Fung (na kilala rin bilang Monkey Cliff) at Ping Nam Stream.

Tai Mo Shan: Tai Shek Stream.

Ma On Shan: Tiu Shau Ngam area at ang bangin sa Fei Ngo Shan (na kilala rin bilang Suicide Cliff).

Lantau North (Extension): Nei San Stream (na kilala rin bilang Mo Tin Ngai).

 

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Pagrerehistro ng SIM card sa Pilipinas, sisimulan ngayon

 

Pwede  nang irehistro ng iyong SIM card na pang-Pilipinas simula ngayon

Simula ngayong araw ng Martes, Disyembre 27, ay maari nang irehistro ang SIM card na inyong gamit sa Pilipinas, ayon sa bagong batas na tinatawag na SIM Card Registration Act.

Kapag hindi ito narehistro sa itinakdang petsa ay hindi na magagamit ang SIM card at pati na ang numerong nakakabit dito.

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Ayon sa National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), may palugit na anim na buwan ang publiko para magparehistro. Kung kinakailangan, maari pa itong palawigin ng 120 araw, o apat na buwan.

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Ang pagrerehistro ay online, at ayon sa NTC ay madali lang. Kailangan lang sagutin ang form sa website ng mga telephone companies o telco.

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Kasama sa mga hinihinging impormasyon ay ang pangalan, tirahan, petsa ng kapanganakan at kasarian ng gumagamit ng SIM card.

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Kung walang koneksyon sa internet, maaring humingi ng tulong sa mga telcos, Department of Information and Communications Technology, at iba pang sangay ng gobyerno.

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Tinitiyak din ng NTC na ligtas at protektado ang mga personal na detalye ng bawat magrerehistro ng kanilang SIM card.

Sinumang magbibigay ng maling impormasyon sa kanilang pagrerehistro ay maaring makulong at magmulta ng hanggang P1 million.

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Payo naman ng mga telco sa publiko, abangan ang kani-kanilang anunsyo para sa proseso ng pagpaparehistro sa kani-kanilang account sa social media.

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Patients clog public hospitals as Covid cases ease to below 20k

 

Elderly patients make up the bulk of those who seek treatment at public hospitals (File)

Hong Kong authorities reported a total of 19,398 Covid-19 cases on Boxing Day, a slight drop from the previous two days when the daily caseload topped 21,000.

Another 47 related deaths were reported.

Amid the renewed surge in infections, the Hospital Authority reported that the waiting time at seven out of 18 public hospitals stretched to at least eight hours today, Dec 26.

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The HA identified the swamped hospitals as Eastern Hospital, Ruttonjee Hospital, Kwong Wah Hospital, United Christian Hospital,  North District Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital and Tin Shui Wai Hospital.

Doctors have advised patients with mild symptoms to consult general outpatient clinics or private clinics instead of queuing up in A&Es of public hospitals to help cut the waiting time there.

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The HA also said the occupancy rate in acute hospitals is around 112 percent.

As of yesterday, a total of 4,665 patients who tested positive for Covid-19 were hospitalized for treatment.

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Among them were 586 new patients, including 22 who were listed in critical condition and 32 in serious condition.

They pushed up the number of critical patients to 174 and 192 for those in serious condition.

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The HA reported that among those admitted to public hospitals in the past week were 928 Covid-19 patients residing in care homes for the elderly. This is said to be worrying as the number was significantly higher than those recorded in the past two weeks.

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