Some Ilonggo domestic workers in HK fear of losing jobs
Some Filipino domestic helpers in Hong Kong, including those from Iloilo, fear of losing their jobs as a result of the killing of nine Hong Kong nationals in the 11-hour hostage crisis at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Monday.
An Ilongga source from Hunghom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, who requested anonymity, told The News Today that a Filipina helper was terminated from her job a day after the incident.
The termination was reportedly caused by her employer anger’s with the bad response of the policemen during the hostage situation.
“My employer is good but I don’t know about the others. What happened to a Filipina who was terminated here recently, could also happen to other Filipinos working here,” the source said.
The incident is somehow a threat to the jobs of the Filipino workers in Hong Kong, she added.
The source said the Filipino community there, particularly the Ilonggos, are supporting each other and communicating frequently to monitor possible harassment from their employers.
Yesterday, some members of the Filipino community and local political groups staged a protest outside the Philippine Consulate in Admiralty on the failed handling of the hostage crisis.
“We are calling on our government to speed up the investigation. We are Filipino workers here but we are also sympathizing with the Hong Kong nationals,” the source said.
The hostage taker, dismissed Senior Insp. Rolando Mendoza, was killed by a sniper’s bullet after the hostage-taking dragged on until the evening.
In Iloilo City, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration 6 said the deployment of overseas Filipino workers Hong Kong could not be affected by the hostage crisis.
OWWA 6 Regional Director Samuel Madrid said he could not see the incident’s possible adverse effect because what happened last Monday was an isolated case.
The Hong Kong employers are educated and professional, he said.
But he said the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong is ready to respond to distressed OFWs or to those who might encounter problems as a result of the incident.
Welfare officers have been advised to be on alert to be able to respond to the concerns of OFWs, Madrid said.
About 200, 000 Filipinos are working in Hong Kong.
Western Visayas has one of the biggest OFW deployments not just in Hong Kong but in other destinations as well.*with reports from PNA
