HK and Macau Travel Ban Lifted for Filipino Workers
Mary Ann Benitez
Filipinos have cautiously welcomed the U-turn of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s outbound travel ban to Hong Kong and Macau that has stranded at least 26,000 people, mostly domestic workers.
The decision was first tweeted by the undersecretary of foreign affairs, Brigido Dulay, who said Filipinos returning for work in Hong Kong and Macau have been exempted from the outbound travel ban imposed on February 2, “subject to certain procedural formalities.”
He noted that foreign affairs secretary Teodoro Locsin’s “advocacy has come true.”
Meanwhile, Philippine consul-general Raly Tejada said the consulate sent a team to visit the Filipino domestic worker who tested positive for the virus at the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan yesterday. “Rest assured that the Philippine government will render all necessary assistance to the Filipino national,” Tejada said.
A day before on Monday, Filipino migrant groups and residents joined hands in the Philippines and the consulate-general in Hong Kong, reiterating their calls for the travel ban to be lifted for the SAR.
Migrante International, which coordinated the actions, said the “unofficial announcement may be a cause for excitement for many stranded migrants who are eager to resume their work and reunite with their families.”
But its chairwoman, Joanna Concepcion, said: “Migrante International is asking the government to issue an official statement with clarification on what it meant by ‘certain procedural formalities’ to avoid confusion and added burden to returning and newly deployed migrant workers.”
Cynthia Tellez, general manager of Mission for Migrant Workers, said: “I hope these requirements that workers need to do before they leave should not be something that could delay them.”
Realiza Otarra, chairwoman of Filipino Migrant Workers Union, said workers and residents continued actions after Duterte initially rejected their appeal.
“The health-care system is better here [in Hong Kong] … than in the Philippines. The slow response of our government there have seen cases of termination,” Otarra said.
The leaders also called on the Hong Kong government and employers to ensure that the city’s 300,000 foreign domestic workers will have face masks, especially when traveling to crowded places such as the market.
Employer groups and politicians “rejoiced” at the lifting of the ban. Among those who urged the ban’s removal were New People’s Party’s Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee and Eunice Yung Hoi-yan and Goldjoy Holidays chairman Freddy Yip Hing-Ling, who met with Tejada last week.
maryann.benitez@singtaonewscorp.com
Source: www.thestandard.com.hk