Editor's Note |
20 years of service to the community
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Time flies.
Exactly 20 years ago this month, The SUN shone for the Filipinos in Hong Kong. It was
the fulfillment of a dream that took shape years earlier, or shortly after I arrived here in 1987 and
realized there was no reliable information channel serving the community.
But turning that dream into reality proved to be difficult. Several people offered to fund
the publication of a news-paper, but everyone wanted a business model different from what we had
in mind.
Details...
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Anak Araw |
Pagpapabaya
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Nitong nakaraang buwan ay naging saksi tayo sa nangyari kay Manang Gloria Ortinez,
ang OFW na biktima ng tanim-bala sa Manila airport. Halos buong araw kasi ay naglagi siya sa
opisina ng The SUN, kasama ang mga naghatid sa kanya na sina Susan "Toots" Ople na tagataguyod ng
mga OFW, at ang abogado niyang si Atty Spocky Farolan, kaya nasaksihan namin siya nang malapitan.
Details...
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Migrant's Forum |
Nanay Gloria's journey to HK
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President Benigno Simeon Aquino III recently told the media that cases of tanim-bala
were sensationalized, citing figures to prove his point. As an OFW advocate, I respectfully
disagree. Looking at this from a purely numbers perspective could lead one to overlook the deep trauma
that such incidents have caused its innocent victims.
Had he met and spoken to 56-year old OFW Gloria Ortinez, our President would have
learned the following:
Details...
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Know Your Rights |
The Mission
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This was the speech delivered by the Mission for Migrant Workers' general manager,
Cynthia Tellez, at the launch of the 10-year Impact Evaluation Report of the Mission's work held on
December 5, 2015 at the Li Hall of St. John's Cathedral.
Details...
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With at least one -- and possibly two disqualification cases in the presidential race --
the Supreme Court has assured the nation politics will not dictate its decisions.
See this month's stories...
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Staff and volunteers at the Mission for Migrant Workers had reason to celebrate when
they launched the non-government organization's 10-year Impact Evaluation Report at Li Hall of St
John's Cathedral on Dec. 4. Nearly all, or 97% of migrants who sought assistance said that they were
helped by the Mission, and more than half of them (57%) said they would recommend the NGO to others.
See this month's stories...
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Mid-January 2015
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Features Gallery
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The Consulate is expanding the scope of its activities this year to promote the Philippines
to Hong Kong tourists and investors, and enhance cultural understanding between Filipinos and locals.
Consul General Bernardita Catalla told The
SUN in an interview that the expansion
involved repositioning key officials in recent months, resulting in "better people" now occupying
crucial positions.
Another objective of Catalla for 2015 is to revive the Filipino chamber of commerce in
Hong Kong to increase trade with the territory.
"Our thrust in 2015 is to improve our consular services, promote the Philippines as an
investment and tourist destination, and enhance people-to-people relations through cultural
activities" Catalla said.
"So, we would like to expose the people of Hong Kong to the culture of the Philippines.
Hindi lang yung nakikita nila, OFW lang kayo
eh".
Catalla said the Consulate has begun boosting the Philippines' political relations with
Hong Kong and China, an activity that is being pursued by a political-economic unit that would deal
with bilateral trade and political issues.
The new unit is manned by Vice Consul Charles Andrei Macaspac, head of the assistance
to nationals section, who will pass the ATN position on to Vice Consul Fatima Guzman in March so
he could concentrate on political-economic concerns, Catalla said.
"We would like to really expand the areas of our activities, promoting the Philippines as
a tourism destination and, siguro, we'll be stronger in promoting Philippine culture with the
objective of deepening understanding between the people(s) of Hong Kong and ... the Philippines"
Catalla said.
"Kasi hindi na lang nakatutok iyan sa
consular, we would like to build a stronger bridge
between the Filipinos and the people of Hong Kong" she added.
Part of the plan is to provide space in the consulate for the country's de facto tourism attache
in Hong Kong, David Leung, when the Philippine Overseas Labor Office moves to its new offices
in Admiralty Centre shortly.
Leung is the marketing representative of the Department of Tourism here.
Catalla said one way to enhance trade is to revitalize the Filipino businessmen's group.
"I am revitalizing the Philippine Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. That's one of
our objectives this year, and if we can, establish a Hong Kong-Philippines business office. That's
why we want to revitalize it, bring it back" she said.
The Consul General said she is also strengthening the cultural section, currently headed
by Guzman, to enhance people, culture and community relations.
"Kaya ngayon, we are not only targeting the Filipino youth, but also the youth of Hong
Kong" Catalla said, adding that the Consulate is establishing links with schools, including primary, in
a broader activity that is not confined to just the three pillars of diplomacy, she said.
Helping out Macaspac in the political-economic unit are Manely Butic and Manily
Gomez, recent arrivals in the Consulate who both came from "substantive" offices of the Department
of Foreign Affairs, according to Catalla.
"So, I have a section now. Kaya kami
uma-attend na ng Hong Kong Trade and
Development Council (meetings), yung mga invitation na
pang-chamber" she said.
The unit also attends to labor matters, she added.
When the replacement of Consul Lorena Joy Banagodos arrives by the end of March,
Guzman will take over at ATN and do consular work as well, while the new diplomat will do cultural
and community relations.
Catalla said the restructure does not involve additional people, but added: "I believe we
have better people now as they come from substantive offices".
Gomez came from the DFA's Office of Asia Pacific Affairs and Butic, from the Office of
Asean Affairs, two important units of the department overseeing two key regions.
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