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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October 2015
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Community News
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Ni Grace Gonzaga
Mas matatapang daw ang mga manggagawang Pilipino kaysa sa mga sundalo dahil
nakayanan nilang iwan ang kanilang pamilya sa Pilipinas sa kagustuhang mapaganda ang kanilang buhay.
Higit sa mga sundalo na kabisado ang armas ng kanilang mga kaaway, ang OFW daw ay lumalaban
kahit walang armas sa lungkot, luha at pagod.
Ito ang pagpupugay na ibinigay ni Undersecretary for External Affairs Henry Bacurnay, Jr.
sa mga OFW nang magsalita siya sa pagdiriwang ng ika-15 anibersaryo ng La Union Federation
Hong Kong o LUFOH na ginanap sa Chater Road noong Set. 20.
Ayon kay Bacurnay na nakatalaga sa opisina ni Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa
sa Malacanang, nahihirapan daw ang kanyang kalooban na makita ang mga kapwa Pilipino
na nagdiriwang sa gitna ng daan kung saan tirik na tirik ang araw.
Gayunpaman, hinikayat niya ang lahat na patuloy na suportahan ang pamahalaan sa
pagtahak nito sa "tuwid na daan" dahil ito ang magiging susi sa kaunlaran ng bansa. Ipinagparangalan niya
ang iba-ibang proyekto ng pamahalaan, kabilang na ang pagpapalawak sa Northern Luzon Expressway
o NLEX, na aniya ay aabot na sa Rosario, Lau Union bago matapos ang taon.
Kabilang din sa mga espesyal na panauhin ang isang miyembro ng Sanguniang
Panlalawigan ng La Union na si Vicky Aragon
Mahigit 20 grupo mula sa lalawigan ang sama-samang nagtatag ng kasiyahan na tinampukan
ng patimpalak kagandahan kung saan ang mga kandidata ay nagsuot ng gown na gawa sa produkto
ng La Union tulad ng saging, kawayan, mais at niyog.
Inumpisahan ang pag-diriwang sa pamamagitan ng parada ng mga kasaping grupo, na
sinaliwan ng tugtog ng Mindanao Federation Band and Majorettes.
Nanumpa din ang mga bagong opisyal ng LUFOH na sina Linda Ofiana Tavas,
president; (Juana Naral, board member); Nida Balcita, vice president2; (Carmelita Solis, board member);
Ely Llavora, vice president 2; (Feliza Angeles, board member); Francisca Mantilla, vice-president
3; (Emerenciana Agas, board member); Jocelyn Madayag, secretary; (Cristina Corpuz, board
member); Magdajane Florendo, secretary 2; (Loreta Cachero, board member); Marites
Pulmano,treasurer2; (Lorna Caliguiran, board member); Benny Milana, auditor; (Evangeline Aliteg, board
member); Emilyn Almodovar, auditor 2; (Editha Verceles, board member); Lilian Bernal, PRO;
(Teresa Manangan, Liza Rinon, Mayette Aquino, board members);
The Council of Past Presidents is made up of Claire Apilado, Julie Marzo, Nelson
Rivera, Marites Nuval, Virgie Buen, Asteria Sugitan, Bernardita Mendoza, and Patricia Ragmac.
Enrich holds rights workshop
By Gina N. Ordona
At least 30 people attended the first session of Knowledge Transfer Project organized by
Enrich Hong Kong in partnership with professor James Rice of Lingnan University and Association
of Concerned Migrant Workers (ACMW).
The project which will run for six Sundays kicked off on Sept. 20 at Enrich's office in
Central with "Your Rights: Rights of Migrant Domestic Workers" as initial topic.
During the two-hour discussion, participants were grouped into eight and each team was given
a hypothetical case study regarding common dilemmas encountered by migrant workers in HK such
as illegal termination, health and sickness benefits, and theft, among others.
A representative from each group was then asked to present a solution to the problem posed
to them, which will be subject to further deliberations and input from Rice.
The other topics lined up for the project include: hiring process, Oct. 4; health and
well-being, Oct. 18; sexual harassment, Nov. 11; labor concerns, Dec. 6; debt traps, Dec. 13.
Participants who complete the whole series will be awarded a certificate during the
graduation ceremony at Lingnan University.
Migrant workers get free medical tips
By Gina N. Ordona
Basic medical information and health screening were offered for free to migrant workers
during the Migrants' Health Matters at the Christian Action office in Kwun Tong on Sept. 20.
The event was co-organized by Christian Action, PathFinders and St. John's Cathedral
HIV Education Center in partnership with other service providers.
Members of Filipino Reflexology Therapist Association offered massage while
Komadrona Hong Kong provided blood pressure check-up.
Volunteers from the Chinese Medicine for All have their hands full as people lined up to
take advantage of the acupuncture service.
Organizers also gave a simultaneous lecture regarding their services and programs offered
to migrant workers.
Participating groups like Health in Action gave a comprehensive overview on how to
navigate the public healthcare services in Hong Kong while a representative from the HK Aids
Foundation introduced its free voluntary HIV counselling and testing (VCT) service.
Other service providers who took part in the event were Enrich, Equal Opportunities
Commission, Family Planning Association.
Art workshop for Pinoys
A drawing workshop with Lucban artist Noel Bueza will be held at the Consulate on Oct 11 in
a bid to cultivate the artistic talent of Filipino children in Hong Kong.
The workshop is intended for young Filipino residents who the Consulate has promised
to involve in cultural activities to give them a sense of belonging in the community and strengthen
their ties to their homeland.
A Consulate poster said the workshop will be open to youths 10 to 20 years old.
The workshop is part of art-related activities by Pintura Circle, a group of Filipina
painters based mainly in Hong Kong
The two-hour workshop will be held from 2pm to 4pm in the Consulate's conference room.
Young artists interested in the Oct 11 workshop can register by visiting the Consulate's
cultural section or email cultural_hk@yahoo.com with the subject line: "Art Workshop".
CARD-OFW's livelihood training overwhelmed
By Ramon Dizon, Jr.
There was an overflow of people in a room in Bayanihan Center booked by CARD-OFW
Hong Kong Foundation for its longganisa-making and basic fruit-carving workshops on Sept. 20.
This forced CARD-HK to turn away some of those who came late for each of the two
half-day sessions they held for the livelihood training session.
In all, 160 overseas Filipino workers were accommodated in two batches of CARD-HKs
first ever livelihood training program.
The lucky ones who got into the programs showed satisfaction and enthusiasm with their
newly acquired knowledge.
Most of the OFWs said they intend to put up a business back home to and apply what
they learned from the seminar. Some said they would use the experience to impress their employers,
while others said they came for personal reasons, with one saying she planned to pass the skill on to
her daughter.
Due to the overwhelming response, the trainors promised a follow-up after the financial
literacy seminar on Oct. 18, also in Bayanihan Center. The numbers to call for inquiries are 95296392
and 54238196.
2nd Care to Caregivers held
Another day of pampering for foreign domestic workers was held on Chater Road on Sept.
27, coinciding with the 23rd anniversary celebration of the Abra Tingguian Ilocano Society.
It was the second Care to Caregivers program held in Chater this year, with a smaller one
being held simultaneously in Causeway Bay, largely for the big group of Indonesian FDWs who
regularly hang out in the district on their days off.
Program organizer Mission for Migrant Workers says a third one is being planned in
December, just before the holiday break.
As in the past, hundreds of FDWs, mostly Filipinos, took advantage of the free services,
ranging from massage, blood pressure and blood sugar checks, consultation and acupuncture sessions
with traditional Chinese doctors, as well as legal and financial advice.
The longest queue was, however, for the overseas voting registration administered by staff
and volunteers of the Consulate. By 4pm, more than 100 Filipinos trying to beat the Oct. 31 deadline
had already taken advantage of the mobile registration.
The Mission also took the opportunity to launch its first pictorial magazine, `Work is
Work', which is a compilation of stories of some of its clients, which were mostly handwritten by the
migrant workers themselves.
The project is in collaboration with HER Fund, a group that mobilizes resources for
projects that enhance and support women's rights in Hong Kong.
HKMU presents night of Broadway music
Broadway musicals which are a staple of western entertainment, have seeped into
Philippine consciousness through its often emotional and sentimental content. Perhaps, this is because
Filipinos are easily drawn to Broadway songs' dramatic storytelling, as the country's culture has evolved
from Spanish zarzuelas, which alternates between spoken and sung scenes, with the latter
incorporating both operatic and popular songs.
This month, the Hong Kong Musicians Union pays tribute to some of the songs
immortalized on Broadway, a street in Manhattan, New York, where about 40 professional theatres have
been showing legendary musical productions over the past several decades.
The "HKMU Broadway Music at City Hall" features selections from productions such
as Andrew Lloyd Webber's `Phantom of the Opera', `Jesus Christ Superstar', Sondheim
and Bernstein's `West Side Story', and favorites `Les Miserable' and `Miss Saigon'. They will be
performed by some of the best singers in the HKMU stable at the City Hall Theater in Central on
Oct. 13, starting at 7:30pm.
Led by HKMU chairperson Ela Lo, the performers will include Susan G., Jennifer Palor
and Ginger Kwan among others, who will deliver their renditions of Broadway pop singles with a
10-piece band of HKMU members.
Tickets are available at Urbtix outlets or online at
www.urbtix.hk for HK$ 320, HK$ 250, and HK$ 200. For telephone booking, call 2111 5999. For more enquiries, dial 9771 3655 or 3761
3661. - WEM
BRIEFS
Gamal Ti Aringay Workers Association in Hong Kong officers for 2015 take their oath
before Vicky L. Aragon,Sangguniang Panlalawigan member of La Union. They are Lilian Bernal,
president; Teresa Manangan, Ronalda Lomboy vice president; Noemi Dulay, Luz Balanag, secretary;
Cristeta Medina, Dalia Mamaril, treasurer; Cristina Dulay, Liezel Rubio, auditor; Jenesse Pimentel,
Monette Aguas, PRO; Imee Dulay, Marivic Manangan, Maryann Mangaoang, business managers; Gloria
Ong, Cleopatra Bernardo, sgt.at arms. The ceremony was held during the La Union Federation of
Hong Kong 15th anniversarylast Sept.20.
Bicolanos celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Penafrancia which started in July with Novena
and ended on the second Sunday of September (Sept. 12th) with a get-together led by the United
Bicol Alliance HK. During the celebration the groupalso chose the Ms. Bicolandia, Ms. Naga,
Ms. Penafrancia and Mrs. Bicolandia.
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