KAKAMMPI News

Even though the Philippines has already lifted the six-year deployment ban to Iraq, household service workers still cannot be deployed there, the Philippine overseas Employment Administration (POEA) clarified on Wednesday. POEA head Hans Leo Cacdac said the board resolution that allows overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to apply and work in Iraq in certain places does not cover HSWs. "(Regarding the) lifting of Iraq OFW ban: household service workers still cannot be deployed to Iraq," Cacdac said in a post on his Twitter account.

The UNTV,  "Your Public Service Channel" , will enroll an initial 500 poor families with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) for a six-month period under its Sponsored Program. Beneficiary families will come from UNTV’s partner communities in different regions of the country. "On behalf of our President Mr. Daniel Razon and the whole UNTV family, we would like to thank PhilHealth for this partnership. This is one of our President's ideas on how to extend more help to poor families who need medical interventions"  UNTV’s Vice President for Administration Mr. Gerardo A. Panghulan said. For his part, PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Alexander A. Padilla said that " we are honored to sign up with UNTV who has been a good partner for the past several years, and thanks to Ka Daniel also. It’s really an honor and privilege to partner with UNTV in this endeavor, for which I know, will continue for many more years.&qu

PALO, Leyte – PhilHealth Regional Office 8 formally turned over the proceeds of the first PhilHealth-DOH Run conducted last February 2013 to its local beneficiary, the Regional Haven of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The turnover was done at the Regional Haven Multi-purpose Center in Palo, Leyte last June 26, 2013. RVP Bacareza handed-over a P465,000 check to the Regional Haven head Ms. Luz Davis and DSWD Assistant Regional Director Virginia Edano. The same amount was also given to the run’s national beneficiary, the Philippine Childrens’ Medical Center. A representative of one of the major sponsors of the PhilHealth-DOH Run, Sister Gertrude Batan of the Divine Word Hospital, was on hand to witness the turnover. In her acceptance speech, DSWD Assistant Regional Director Ms. Virginia Edano expressed her heartfelt gratitude to PhilHealth for the much needed support. According to her, the funds will be used to purchase medical equipment such as portable

    SSS Property for Sale at Bonifacio Global City          The Social Security System (SSS) has announced the sale through competitive bidding of its 8,300 square meter prime property located at the heart of Bonifacio Global City (BGC).         The vacant lot in BGC or commonly known as Block 56 is located along McKinley Parkway, between the 10th and 11th Avenues and near commercial areas such as the newly-opened SM Aura, Market! Market! and the Bonifacio High Street.        View Invitation to Bid  here .        View Terms of Reference  here .

The Social Security System (SSS) suspended the implementation of its guidelines on voluntary contributions for members age 65 and over, who lack the required monthly contributions fo retirement pension.          SSS Vice-President Agnes San Jose explained that the intention of the guidelines was to protect the fund of the System and to ensure appropriate payment of benefits to the members. "However, we are not insensitive to the issues being raised, and the Commission together with Management agreed to revisit the guidelines, which the System issued last April 2013."        The SSS will re-evaluate the current process and institute procedural controls to ensure the exercise of diligence and prudence in benefit payments.

    SSS-PNB agreement on UMID Card ATM Project          Social Security System (SSS) President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio de Quiros, Jr. (center) and Philippine National Bank (PNB) Chairman Florencia Tarriela (2nd from left) shake hands after the two institutions formalized their partnership under the "SSS Unified Multipurpose Identification System (UMID) Card ATM Project" during ceremonies at the Executive Lounge of the SSS Corporate Headquarters in Diliman, Quezon City on July 30.         Under the agreement, SSS members with SSS-issued UMID cards can go to a PNB branch office to enable their cards to be used as an ATM card, if they opt to directly withdraw funds from their SSS loans and benefits using their UMID cards. SSS expects to offer this new UMID service to SSS members before the end of 2013. Also present at the signing were (from left) PNB Senior Vice President Elisa Cua, SSS Special Assistant to the PCEO Ma. Lourdes Mendoza and SSS Vice Pres

By ALLISON AQUINO SILVA Each month, the United States Department of State (DOS) publishes a Visa Bulletin listing the cut-off priority date for each of the various family and employment-based immigration categories. The most recently issued Visa Bulletin, effective Aug. 1, 2013, sheds great hope to many struggling to legalize their status in the United States and/or be reunited with long separated family members.     The cut-off priority date listed on the Aug. 2013 Visa Bulletin for the F2A family-based category is “C,” or Current.  Therefore, starting Aug. 1, there will be absolutely no waiting list for the F2A category.  Relative petitions are classified under the F2A category when the petitioner is a green card holder and the beneficiary is a spouse or unmarried child under age 21.     For those outside the U.S., this means that the Embassy can proceed with the processing of the immigrant visa for those in the F2A category immediately upon approval of the I-130 Relative Petition

ONTARIO, Calif. – There were 18 of everything. Eighteen roses, 18 candles, 18 treasures, and 18 years of birthdays marked, with only one thing missing – her mother.   Cheryl Rose Tolentino, only daughter of Charito Tolentino, celebrated her 18th birthday and high school graduation without her beloved mother.   While mourning her mother’s death with her father as prime suspect on January 11, Tolentino has found the strength to carry on, nurtured by a loving family and relatives from far and near.   She graduated with principal’s honors from Troy High School in Fullerton, Calif., on June 13. She said she will attend the American University in Washington, D.C., where her mother’s brother Veo Tolentino and his wife reside.   A week later, she celebrated her 18th birthday on June 22, with a grand debutante’s ball at the Grove Ballroom, Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Ontario, Calif. Every out-of-town relative was accounted for, even ‘Kuya’ Jun Tolentino from Canada. The ballroom lit up, expl

Hong Kong Customs authorities arrested two Filipina siblings at the Hong Kong International Airport Sunday after finding 14 kilos of methamphetamine or "ice" in their luggage. A  report  on Radio Television Hong Kong Monday evening described the two women as aged 27 and 31, and bound for the Philippines. The report said the drugs were hidden inside false compartments of three suitcases. Quoting Hong Kong Customs officers, the RTHK report said the drugs could have a street value of around HK$11 million (P61.438 million). But they said the drugs could have fetched double the amount if it were sold in the Philippines. The seizure was the biggest in Hong Kong since 2011, the report added. The seizure came less than a month after a Filipina drug courier was executed in China.  — DVM, GMA News

Uphold Patient's Rights, End Onerous Policies of Hospitals! Posted to  Uphold Patients Rights, End On…  by  Benito E. Molino   Jul 26 32 SHARES SHARE   TWEET   INVITE FRIENDS To: The Philippine Senate Committee on Health; The Philippine House Committee on Health, and the Secretary of the Dept. of Health End Onerous Hospital policy of disallowing in-patients from purchasing medicines and supplies outside the hospital pharmacy which are much cheaper but of the same quality. 

The BRP Ramon Alcaraz, the Philippine Navy's second warship, is to arrive in Guam on Saturday, the Philippine Embassy in Washington said Friday.   On its Twitter account, the Philippine Consulate General in Agana said the vessel's crew is due for a warm welcome from the Filipino community in Guam.   "(The) Philippine Consulate General in Agana says the Filipino Community (is) ready to welcome BRP Ramon Alcaraz which will arrive in Guam on Saturday," the  consulate said .   It added Philippine Consul General Bayani Mangibin will lead the welcoming party in Guam.   Guam is the last stop in the BRP Ramon Alcaraz's voyage to the Philippines, the  embassy said.   Earlier, the Philippine Navy said it is preparing a grand welcome for the BRP Ramon Alcaraz at Subic on August 4.   President Benigno Aquino III is expected to take part in the welcome for the Philippine Navy's newest vessel at Subic.   Earlier, the Department of Foreign Affair

A Filipino security guard was charged before a United Arab Emirates court over allegations he stole gadgets worth Dh81,000 (P954,692) from an electronics shop where he worked.   The Filipino guard, 30, was charged with workplace theft in the Court of First Instance, UAE news site Khaleej Times  reported Saturday.   While inventories as early as May showed that electronic items including mobile phones and tablets had been missing, it was not until July 2 that the guard was "clearly" caught by surveillance cameras, the report said.   According to the Khaleej Times report, the guard admitted during police and prosecution interrogation that he stole the goods during his night duty at the shopping mall.   The trader's electronics shop is located in a mall in Bur Dubai area. The thefts are believed to have started in May and lasted until July 2.   During prosecution investigation, the company owner, a 43-year-old Indian trader, said the inventory for May ha

Filipinos are among hundreds of Asian workers now suffering from the summer heat at a camp in Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates, a UAE news site reported. A district cooling malfunction had kept the workers from getting some sleep in their quarters amid the heat,  Gulf News reported  last Thursday. “Sleep has become a luxury for us. The temperature in my room is unbearable, I wake up sweating,” said Alan, 36, a Filipino pipe-fitter. He said he has had problems focusing on his job because of this. Alan is one of the workers of Gulf Marine Maintenance and Offshore Service Co (GMMOS), a Jebel Ali-based firm. The Gulf News report said an inspection report dated June 18 showed up to 40 rooms in the camp, which the company leased in January, had insufficient cooling or the air-conditioner is only on fan mode. “Lack of sleep is a welfare issue, but it is also a safety issue,” added Albino Allado, the company’s health, safety and environment manager. He said the company was now looking for

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) warned recruitment agencies deploying household workers to Kuwait and other Middle East countries to adhere strictly to the minimum salary of US$400 to avoid their licenses from being cancelled.   Speaking before the first General Membership meeting of Philippine Licensed Agencies to Kuwait (PHILAAK), POEA chief Hans Cacdac said, “The POEA will not hesitate to cancel or suspend licenses for erring agencies. At least 60 licenses have been cancelled and 130  have been suspended since 2012 for violation the POEA Rules and Regulations.” OFWs deployed to Kuwait reached over 75,000 workers in 2012, more half were HSWs, he noted.   PHILAAK members should adhere to the 2007 HSW reform package to  insure the success of the market, Cacdac said. Meanwhile, the POEA also welcomed the setting-up of an onsite welfare center for HSWs by PHILAAK and their counterparts to  prevent incidents of runaways and alleged abuses.     Kuwait hosts to mor

Tags:  Department of Foreign Affairs The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said there have been no reports yet of Filipinos being hurt in the train crash in Spain that killed 78 people. In a text message to GMA News Online on Saturday,  DFA Spokesman Raul Hernandez said, " “Ambassador Carlos Salinas of our Philippine Embassy in Madrid informed DFA yesterday that based on information from local authorities, so far there are no reported Filipino casualties in the train accident in Santiago de Compostela in Spain.” On Wednesday, at least  78 people were killed while another 131 were injured  after a train was derailed from its track in Santiago de Compostela. He added that, “The embassy continues to check with Spanish authorities to determine if there is any Filipino involved in the accident.” Hernandez said the DFA has been getting information directly from the Philippine post in Madrid. There are 51,960 overseas Filipinos in Spain based on the  2011 Stock Estimate of the Commi

ABS-CBNnews.com Posted at 07/23/2013 2:58 PM | Updated as of 07/23/2013 2:58 PM MANILA - Filipinos using the power of social media to disseminate information, especially requests for assistance, are urged to be cautious of what they post online. "The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh requests the public to be prudent about various postings on social media requesting for assistance for Filipinos. Some of the postings are old and recycled. Others use telephone numbers not belonging to person," the embassy advisory stated. The post likewise urged community members from taking action on their own without the knowledge or assistance of local authorities. "In all cases, and if prior verification was possible, the best recourse is to send an email to rype@riyadhpe.com  with the information and details so that the Embassy could verify the required assistance. Sharing such postings on the Internet and social medial may not reach the Embassy or POLO," it stated. The emb

Kyodo News Posted at 07/19/2013 6:24 PM | Updated as of 07/19/2013 6:24 PM NAGOYA - The Nagoya District Court ruled Thursday that a Filipino man who overstayed in Japan can remain in the country, nullifying the local immigration bureau's decision that he be deported. The Nagoya immigration office issued a statement saying that it will "review the ruling carefully and decide future steps in consultation with the Justice Ministry." According to the ruling, the 34-year-old man came to Japan in March 2006 on a short-term visa, which he overstayed. In March 2010, he married a Philippine citizen who was previously married to a Japanese national, living with her and her children from the previous marriage. The man turned himself in to the Nagoya Regional Immigration Bureau in June that year and sought special permission to stay, but his request was turned down. He received a deportation order in December 2011. Presiding Judge Akiyo Fukui said the immigration bur

By Sarah Marsh, Reuters Posted at 07/22/2013 1:36 AM | Updated as of 07/22/2013 12:47 PM Germany needs immigrants due to ageing population, labour shortages Berlin reduces red tape and boasts liberal immigration laws Starting to tackle discrimination, hostility to immigrants Migrants have growing share of vote, courted by parties BERLIN - Ata Ucertas, a doctor from Istanbul with a moustache that curls up his cheeks, was welcomed with open arms when he came to Germany this year, evidence of a shift in German attitudes as its population shrinks and labour becomes scarce. Helped by a shortage of doctors in Germany, the 25-year-old Ucertas was issued with a visa to come learn German within two months of applying. "The immigration officials were really nice to me," he said. After decades of tending to depict the millions of residents of Turkish origin in Germany as a drag on society, policymakers are now courting foreigners and learning to be more inclusive. A fif

FILIPINA CRIES DISCRIMINATION VS AIRLINE 07/25/2013 1:48 AMMuntik nang hindi matuloy ang pagbiyahe ng isang katutubong Pinay sa World Youth Day sa Brazil. Ito'y matapos kuwestiyunin ng tauhan ng isang airline company ang kanyang kakayahang bumiyahe. Magba-Bandila si Rod Bolivar. Bandila, Huly 24, 2013, Miyerkules

ABS-CBNnews.com Posted at 07/24/2013 12:45 PM | Updated as of 07/24/2013 12:45 PM MANILA – The Pag-IBIG Fund opened an Information Desk in the Sultanate of Oman to provide services to about 50,000 Filipinos in the country. "The OFW membership is one of Pag-IBIG’s fastest growing segments. The number of OFW members has grown by 60% annually since 2010. Today, we have about 3 million members working abroad. That’s 24% of our total membership of 12.5 million,” said Pag-IBIG Chairman Vice President Jejomar Binay. The information desk, located inside the Philippine Embassy in Muscat, is part of the Fund’s thrust to make its services more accessible and responsive to the members’ needs. Pag-IBIG Fund operates 19 overseas posts around the globe. "We want to be where our members are. And we want them to know that we are at their service. I met a member in Oman who invested P1.02 Million in our Modified Pag-IBIG II Savings Program (MP2). I felt very much honored of the fact

ABS-CBNnews.com Posted at 07/25/2013 3:59 PM | Updated as of 07/25/2013 4:42 PM MANILA, Philippines - Filipino worker Rodelio "Dondon" Lanuza may soon be freed, after the family of his victim has reportedly signed the court decision needed for his release. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay said he received a report from Ambassador Ezzedin Tago that the victim's family already signed the printed copy of the court decision that has an updated notation that the family has accepted the blood money and is no longer pursuing its earlier demand for qizas or beheading. "I learned from Ambassador Tago that Lanuza’s case file will no longer be sent to the Court of Appeals and will be forwarded to the Emir’s office once the judge in charge signs the endorsement," he said. Binay quoted Tago as saying Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Sayyari, Head of the Dammam Grand Court, has instructed the administrative supervisor to prepare the endorsement so it could be signed and sent immed

By Maxxy Santiago, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau Posted at 07/24/2013 4:03 PM | Updated as of 07/24/2013 7:35 PM KUWAIT CITY - Overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East joined other Filipinos across the globe on Monday in watching the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Benigno Aquino III. The SONA that lasted for almost two hours outlined the achievements of the administration and the current state of the country and the Filipinos. Most of the OFWs in the Middle East turned to The Filipino Channel for the live coverage of the SONA while others who were at work watched the free live-streaming on their computers as they waited patiently from President Aquino to say something that would benefit over 10 million OFWs in various parts of the world. But, to their great dismay, the president only lauded Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and said nothing more about the millions of Filipinos abroad. “Bakit naman ganun? Pang-apat na SONA na ni Pangulo