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Showing posts from September, 2015

NO MORE 'SUBSTITUTION' UAE announces labor reforms to protect foreign workers

ABU DHABI - The United Arab Emirates, a business hub long dependent on guest workers from Asia, announced labour reforms on Tuesday to protect foreign workers, who rights groups say are often abused by employers and prevented from changing jobs.   The trade, energy and investment powerhouse is one of several Gulf Arab states whose treatment of foreign workers has been criticized repeatedly by campaign groups demanding the repeal of what they consider oppressive labour laws.   Much of this concern is focused on a sponsorship system known as "kafala" that most Gulf states enforce on foreign workers. It not only regulates entry and residence, but also requires they seek permission from employers to change jobs.   Labour Minister Saqr Ghobash said that from January 2016 the UAE would take steps which, when completed, would get rid of "all the practices that were associated with kafala".   He outlined steps strengthening the right to change employer and

Pinoys abroad ask Comelec to reconsider plan to de-list 160,000 overseas voters

Several Filipino organizations abroad have asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to reconsider its plan to de-list some 160,000 overseas Filipino voters who failed to vote in the 2010 and 2013 elections. In the five-page petition, the groups cited several reasons why Filipino overseas absentee voters failed to vote in the last two elections, among them pressing security concerns and highly-mobile occupations. Some, they said, live or work in areas that are far from the polling places. "The very fact that they registered to vote should be appreciated — which means that they have not forgotten their homeland and wish to still be involved in choosing the country's leaders," the petitioners said. The Comelec last August said registered overseas absentee voters who failed to vote in the last two consecutive elections are likely to be delisted , and are scheduled for deactivation by the Resident Election Registration Boards. Section 13 of the Overseas Voting Act provides

45 more Pinoys repatriated from Libya –DFA

A group of 45 Filipino health professionals based in central and western regions of Libya safely arrived in Manila on Tuesday after they were evacuated from strife-torn Libya, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. The 45 were escorted by personnel from the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli through the Ras Jdir border and were flown back home through Tunisia after availing of the embassy's repatriation program, the DFA said. They arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 at 4:35 p.m. on Tuesday. Libya was placed under Crisis Alert Level 4 (Mandatory Repatriation) in July 2014 due to the "extremely unstable" situation there following months of political turmoil . The latest batch brought the total number of Filipino repatriates from Libya to 5,461. The DFA, meanwhile, urged the remaining 3,093 Filipinos in Libya to arrange their repatriation with the embassy in Tripoli as soon as possible due to the ongoing security crisis that claimed some Filipinos

Solon seeks to increase tax exemption on balikbayan boxes to $2,000

A lawmaker has filed a measure seeking to raise the tax and customs duties exemption of balikbayan boxes from US$500 to US$2,000.   House Bill 6156 filed by AGAP party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones calls for the amendment of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) and the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines to raise the exemption of OFWs balikbayan boxes and personal effects from tax and custom duties.   Under the measure, the personal effects of OFWs and other returning Filipino migrants or residents abroad whose value does not exceed P100,000 will also be exempt from customs duties and taxes.   The bill provides that the values for exemption of balikbayan boxes’ contents should be adjusted accordingly every six years following its passage using the Consumer Price Index as published by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).   Briones, chairman of the House of Representatives committee on Overseas Workers Affairs, was prompted to file the measure after the Bure

$400 minimum wage for Pinoy helpers in Malaysia must be adhered to –PHL envoy

Employers in Malaysia must adhere to the $400 minimum wage for Filipino domestic helpers regardless of the exchange rate, according to Philippine Ambassador Eduardo Malaya. "It will be unfair for our mothers and daughters to earn less here [in Malaysia]. The minimum wage for Philippine domestic workers is fixed at US$400 per month everywhere,"  The Star quoted Malaya in a report on Tuesday. Malaya made the statement in light of the Malaysian ringgit's decline in value against most major currencies except for the British pound sterling. Malaya stated last May that Filipino domestic helpers would actually benefit from ringgit's depreciation as their salaries are "reflected in US dollars" and therefore would allow them to get higher salaries . “Previously, Malaysian employers paid RM1,200. Now they have to fork over RM1,700,” Malaya said. He said his office sent a reminder to all employment agencies in Malaysia to enforce the minimum wage rule in the employment

Pinay rape victim in Saudi Arabia undergoes brain operation

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A Filipina underwent operation last week in Saudi Arabia to remove the blood clot in her brain that she sustained after she was allegedly raped. A  report on Arab News  on Tuesday said the victim — 25 years old and from Kabuntalan, Maguindanao, based on her passport — was brought to the hospital by Red Crescent. She was reportedly first brought by her employer to the Saudi Social Welfare Agency (SWA). According to Migrante-Middle East, the victim was brought by her employer to SWA on September 19. Migrante-Middle East spokesperson Francis Dungca told GMA News Online that the OFW was lucid enough during her arrival at the facility that she was able to relay a few details about her condition. Photo courtesy of Migrante-Middle East "Ang sabi sa amin ng kasamahan namin sa Social Welfare Agency ng Saudi, pinakain daw siya ng silicon at clay ng kanyang employer. Matapos ang ilang araw, hindi na siya nakakatayo, hindi na makapagsalita, hindi na rin makausap ng normal," he said.

Wildfires push Californians to high-risk insurance market

LOS ANGELES  - There are lots of reasons people live in California's Modjeska Canyon.   Nestled against the mountains and abutting the Cleveland National Forest, the area has abundant wildlife and access to nature, yet is just a 20 minute drive from larger Orange County communities.   But the things that make Modjeska appealing have also made homes there and in other wildfire-prone parts of California increasingly difficult to insure.   In the last decade, major wildfires in California - and losses in the billions of dollars - have led some big insurance companies to stop writing homeowners policies for many of the nearly 2 million households that are considered at high risk of fire. Allstate Corp, for instance, in 2007 stopped writing new homeowners policies in the Golden State altogether. Others, like Farmers Insurance and State Farm, have become more discriminating about the areas they will insure homes.   Californians who can't find insurance in the traditi

All-Pinay group 4th Power advances to next challenge in ‘X Factor UK’

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All-Filipino girl group 4th Power has advanced to the next stage in "The X Factor UK" after another high-octane performance Sunday night. In the second audition round at Bootcamp, the four sisters — Mylene, Celina, Irene and Almira Cercado, aged 19-27 — took on David Guetta’s hit "Titanium," earning them positive responses from the judges. "That’s an audition," said host Olly Murs. Judge Simon Cowell said that the performance "wasn’t as strong as their" two other auditions, but quicly added that he would love to work with them. The video of 4th Power's first audition where they performed Jessie J’s hit "Bang Bang" has gone viral and has amassed over 15 million views on shows official YouTube channel in the last four weeks. 4th Power now moves on to the Six Chair Challenge that starts next week where they will compete with 14 other acts in the Group category.   The Six Chair Challenge will whittle down each category, Girls, Over

Mentorship program between NYC and young Fil-Ams explored in meeting

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Consul General Mario de Leon (center) with Maria Torres-Springer, Gianlucca Galleto of EDC’s International Affairs, Ledy Almadin of the Philippine-American Chamber of Commerce New York, and Consul Felipe Carino.  The FilAm photo Consul General Mario L. De Leon, Jr. on September 11 made a diplomatic visit to the office of Maria Torres-Springer, who was recently named president of New York City’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC). Torres-Springer is the first woman — and first Filipino American — to be appointed to lead the EDC, which serves as the economic arm of the city. The agency is responsible for promoting economic sectors of interest to the city as well as supporting innovation and increasing economic activity. De Leon said that the Consulate General is working with and through the Philippine-American Chamber of Commerce to support the growth of Fil-Am small businesses. He would like to see, he said, the promotion of Fil-Am small businesses and their increased access to

Video shows how UK visa is just five steps away for Pinoys

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In order to reassure first time visitors to the United Kingdom that the visa process is straightforward, UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) has launched a new video explaining each step of the process – from filling out the form online, giving fingerprints at the visa application center, to receiving the visa. "Our visa system is designed to make it as straightforward as possible for visitors to apply for their visas," British Ambassador to the Philippines Asif Ahmad said in a statement Monday. "The launch of this video is a further example of the improvements we are making to the visa service to make it quicker and easier for Filipino visitors to apply for a UK visa." As of June 2015, the UKVI has issued 34,381 visit visas to Filipino nationals, a 15-percent increase on the previous 12 months, British Embassy records show. Meanwhile, as of June 2015, the UK issued 57,275 visas to Filipino nationals, a 14-percent increase on the previous year. "We already get

PhilHealth Showcases Innovations in Services and Benefits

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September 10, 2015 PhilHealth President and CEO Alexander A. Padilla says it is PhilHealth’s commitment to continuously upgrade its system and enhance its benefit packages for its stakeholders.  "What we are having today is an articulation of how your PhilHealth continuously upgrades its capabilities to be in step with the times, for the benefit of our members. The product developments, in particular, are intended to strengthen financial risk protection for our members, especially for the less privileged,"  he said. THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) today formally introduces three product developments and innovations at point-of-service that will make benefit availment easier and making premium remittance more convenient for its partner-employers. Dubbed as “PhilHealth Forward,” the activity, which unfolds at the Marco Polo Hotel, Pasig City, showcases the latest evolvement and innovations on at least three (3) product developments – Mi

PhilHealth Taps PLDT Alpha Enterprise to Enhance Existing Communication Links

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Shown signing the MOA are  (from L)  Jovy Hernandez, EVP & Head, PLDT Alpha Enterprise, Eric Alberto, EVP, PLDT, Napoleon Nazareno, President & Chief Executive Officer, PLDT, Alexander A. Padilla, PhilHealth President & Chief Executive Officer and Jovita Aragona, SVP & Chief Information Officer, PhilHealth (Photo credit: Eugenio Padilla, Jr.) TO ensure that quality and fast services will be delivered to its clientele, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) recently tapped a telecommunications company to enhance the existing connectivity of all its offices. At present, 24 Regional and Local Health Insurance Offices (LHIOs) are connected using the Internet Protocol-Virtual Private Network (IP-VPN) technology including the backbone network backhaul for data centers. The remaining LHIOs that are connected via the Internet for daily transactions have limited bandwidth that restricts PhilHealth from delivering prompt services to its members