Summer Bridging Programme for Non-Chinese Speaking (NCS) Students in Summer 2020

Filipina domestic worker dies by suicide due to ‘money problems’

A Filipina domestic worker burdened with financial difficulties died by suicide on April 21, police told Hong Kong News. "The deceased is a 44-year-old woman. She is a Filipina domestic worker," the spokesman said on April 22. "Her boss, a 35-year-old woman, told the police she found her hanging inside the bathroom." The police spokesman sai...

Did Indian clerk w/COVID-19 work at bank near World Wide? Dept of Health records dispute this

Health authorities said in a presscon on April 8 that an Indian clerk who worked at a Philippine bank tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Information has since then been shared on social media alleging that she worked at a remittance center near World Wide House in Central. On April 9, however, local media ...

Filipina domestic worker terminated while on home quarantine

A Filipina domestic worker has been terminated while she was trying to complete the 14-day compulsory quarantine set by the Hong Kong government to curb the transmission of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. Hong Kong News confirmed from authorities that the Filipina, Melissa (not her real name) was terminated at the last wee...

‘Congen Bernie’ succumbs to COVID-19 complications

The Filipino migrant community mourned the loss of Ambassador Bernardita Catalla, the Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon who previously served as consulate general in Hong Kong.  The Department of Foreign Affairs said she died on April 2 from complications arising from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. "Prior to her assignme...

OFW from HK clears name, says she did not try to evade PH mandatory quarantine

A Filipina who is set to resume her work in Hong Kong denied that she and another overseas Filipino worker tried to escape or dodge mandatory quarantine in the Philippines, one of the measures set in place to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. Rufina Cabaron, a domestic worker from Isabela, refuted...

Dept. of Health: Two more Filipinos, one asymptomatic, test positive for COVID-19

The Department of Health confirmed to Hong Kong News that two of the 59 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections it reported on March 29 include two Filipinos. The Information and Public Relations Division of the Department of Health said on March 30 that case 627, a 67-year-old woman and case 630, a 32-year old man, w...

Labour Dept to FDH: Gatherings w/more than four people not allowed starting March 29

The Labour Department warned on March 28 that foreign domestic helpers - over 217,000 of whom are Filipinos - should not engage in public gatherings which involve more than four people starting March 29. This is part of a government prohibition for all people in Hong Kong which will disallow group gatherings with more than four people in the nex...

Labour Dept to FDH: Consider substituting rest days

The Labour Department said on March 27 that as part of strengthening health protection measures against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), foreign domestic helpers (FDH) can opt to substitute their rest days and discuss this with their respective employers so as to minimize gatherings in public places on Sundays, their designated day-off. ...

Case no.118: A Filipina domestic worker refuses to be defeated by COVID-19

She was known as case no. 118 and the fifth Filipina domestic worker in Hong Kong who tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. But if there is anything Jinkie Alhambra should be remembered for, it’s that she is a fighter. Alhambra, who contracted the virus on March 10, decided to go public with her story â€...