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.
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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.
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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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On May 23, just two days after arriving in Hong Kong to work for a Chinese couple,
a Filipina domestic helper said she had her worst nightmare. Her male employer told her to give
him a massage, then forced her to perform oral sex on him.
Two days later, the employer reportedly tried to assault her again, entering the room
she shared with her four-year-old ward late at night to try to force her to repeat the sexual act.
This time, she said no.
The next day, J.L. frantically sent Facebook messages asking for help. Among those
she managed to reach was Edwina Antonio, executive director of Bethune House Migrant
Women's Refuge.
Antonio wasted no time getting J.L. to calm down, before asking if she could wait until
her employers came home from work that night. The distressed Filipina was told that it was better
if the police were called while the employer was at home so he could be immediately arrested.
Shortly after 8pm, J.L. sent out a message that her male employer had arrived, and that
she was all packed and ready to leave.
Within the next hour, her male employer, said to be with a film production company,
was arrested by five police officers and was taken away for further inquiries.
J.L. was taken to hospital for a medical check-up, with Antonio in tow .
Police later went back to the employer's flat in Tseung Kwan O to gather evidence, and
allow J.L. to collect her things and leave before attending a cautioned interview the next day.
In less than seven days, J.L. managed to get to hell, and back. Now she has to face the
painstaking process of proving her allegations against her tormentor.
Antonio said J.L. first reached out for help shortly after the first alleged assault happened
at about 2pm the previous Saturday, while her female employer was in the market with the
family's other Filipina domestic helper.
But when asked through a friend if she was willing to leave her job that same day, J.L.
reportedly balked, saying she was not ready as she had been in Hong Kong for just two days.
It turned out J.L., who is from Pangasinan, had paid Php60,000 in placement fee, and
was worried about the financial burden she may have to bear if she just upped and left.
Also, she had just been widowed early this year, and needed to provide for her two
young children.
But the final straw came when her employer tried to force himself on her again just two
days later. That time, her young ward was reportedly running a fever, and the employer used this as
an excuse to enter the room she and the child shared so he could assault her again.
J.L. said she had to say "no" to her employer three times before he gave up.
"Nakita po kasi niya na takot na takot
ako," she said in one FB message.
But the threat of further assaults became too much to bear. J.L. decided then to reach out
and leave the hell hole she had found herself in.
As of this writing the police are reportedly still conducting an investigation, but have
temporarily booked the employer for indecent assault.
Antonio said it should have been rape.
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