KAKAMMPI News

The Philippine government is considering Damascus and Aleppo in Syria as relatively secure areas where Filipinos seeking repatriation can be picked up and brought to Manila. In a radio interview on Wednesday, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said there are places in Syria that are relatively secure from violence, at least for now. "Ang mga protest and violence, karahasan, ito hindi naman sa... buong Syria, may pockets lang. So may safe places like for example Damascus at Aleppo, there have been (reports) that these are still very secure places for our OFWs. "So sa mga ganoong lugar pwede magtipon-tipon at later on kung maari sila dalhin sa place where they can be repatriated," Hernandez said over radio dzRH. (Protests and violence are not everywhere, at least for now. There are still safe places for our OFWs, including Damascus and Aleppo. Those who wish to avail of voluntary repatriation may want to gather there for now.) In the sa...

The Philippines imposed a deployment ban to Syria as hostilities there continue to escalate, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said Tuesday. POEA administrator Carlos Cao said they will temporarily stop the deployment of overseas Filipino workers there until the situation there improves. “Kapag ang level three is confirmed all over the country, banned ang deployment — both ng balik-manggagawa at new hires," he said in an interview with reporters. Violence in Syria continues as anti-government protesters are demanding for the country’s president, Bashar al-Assad, to step down. — JE, GMA News

A Filipino dentist practicing on Harley Street in London’s high-end medical district is being haled to court for allegedly duping her fellow Filipinos to land a job in the United Kingdom. Dr. Ressie Reyes Macaraeg, who runs Ocean Implants & Cosmetic Dentistry and Ocean Care Recruitment, is at the center of a brewing scandal after at least three Filipinos complained of her alleged dishonest operations. Every applicant paid £4,000 (P277,171) to Macaraeg to process their papers, but they never got the certificates of sponsorship (COS) they were promised, according to Balita Pinoy. A COS is needed for work permit applications, which, in turn, are needed to apply for a visa to either enter or remain in the UK. Balita Pinoy said many of her supposed clients are facing the prospect of being illegal immigrants as their original visas are about to lapse. Macaraeg disputes fault While Macaraeg admitted she owed the money claimed, she disputed being at fault. She said she is...

Almost a year after the Manila hostage tragedy, two survivors and a relative of a fatality are seeking compensation from the Philippine government. Survivors Chan Kwok-chu and Yik Siu-ling applied for legal aid to pursue their claim, Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) reported on Thursday. The two survivors, together with Tse Che-kin — brother of slain tour guide Masa Tse — are planning to go to the Philippines later this month to meet with some government officials, the RTHK report said. A separate report on Hong Kong’s "The Standard" on Friday said the three are planning to go to Manila August 21, two days before the first anniversary of the tragedy on August 23. On Wednesday, the group sent a letter to Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen seeking the help of the Hong Kong government to settle the incident through diplomatic channels, the report said. However, a spokesman said the Chief Executive's Office is not in a position to intervene because it is a ...