KAKAMMPI News

Are Filipinos in for more bad hair days soon? The Philippines had experienced a shortage in hairdressers, barbers and beauticians in 2011 up to mid-2012,  a Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) survey revealed . Over a thousand vacancies for these jobs were left unfilled during this period, making the DOLE consider hairdressers, barbers and beauticians as among the most “hard-to-fill” occupations in the country. Beautician and salon owner Jay Macasaddo attested to this fact. In the past year, he saw four of his colleagues pack their styling kits to work abroad, or in another salon. “Mahirap kasi, lalo na ngayon. Kung senior hairstylist, dapat alam mo lahat. Kulang na, actually. Parang lahat na nagpupunta abroad. Kasi nga mas malaki ang kita abroad than here,” he said in an interview aired over GMA News TV's "News To Go." Macasaddo has also been trying to hire a senior stylist for his salon for a week now, but to no avail. According to the same DOLE survey, ...

By Fr. Shay Cullen It was a solemn moment in the great meeting hall in the Vatican where the joint agreement and statement was to be signed by the representatives of the great world religions. It was not some lofty, irrelevant declaration to work for mutual respect for different faiths but to launch the “Global Freedom Network." Its goal is to eradicate modern forms of slavery and human trafficking. The agreement to work together was because they shared abhorrence at the growing numbers of victims and the "searing personal destructiveness of modern slavery and human trafficking." The statement calls for "urgent action by all other Christian Churches and global faiths." This is a historical cooperation agreement and gives hope to many that people of faith will work together to stop it or reduce it significantly.  Pope Francis was represented by Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Social Sciences. Present too were ...

By CHARED VERSCHUUR-BALLO Tags:  Jejomar Binay THE HAGUE, The Netherlands — Vice President Jejomar Binay met with Filipino migrants here last week and urged those undocumented to work on getting documented for their own good. Binay, the presidential adviser on OFW concerns, shared this advice during his meeting with top leaders of non-government organizations here last week, and during a lecture at the Institute of Social Studies. Vice President Jejomar Binay met with NGO leaders and attended a lecture at Institute of Social Studies in The Netherlands last week.  Photo by Chared Verschuur-Ballo The meetings were part of his travel to the Netherlands to represent the Philippines to the National Security Summit. “The government faces a big problem with undocumented migrants. Being undocumented means that the government does not know that the migrant is in a certain country. If something happens to them, how can we help them?” said Binay. He added that it is not ...

The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo will be open for transactions in the morning of Maundy Thursday, April 17. In an advisory, the embassy said it will be closed after noon of Maundy Thursday, in observance of the Lenten season. "(P)lease be informed that the Consular Section of the Philippine Embassy will be open to receive transactions and consular applications only in the morning of Maundy Thursday, 17 April 2014, from 9 a.m. to (noon),"  it said . The Embassy will be closed on Good Friday, April 18.  — LBG, GMA News

Tags:  Department of Foreign Affairs The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday announced longer processing days for electronic passports from April 1 to April 15. Passport applications will take more time to process in the next three weeks due to technical maintenance, the DFA said in a statement. The following are the new e-passport releasing schedules, depending on where the application will be made:   10 to 20 working days for applications at the Office of Consular Affairs (OCA) at the Aseana Business Park along Macapagal Boulevard in Parañaque, and in satellite offices located inside selected malls; 15 to 25 working days for applications in regional consular offices; 5 to 6 weeks for applications in foreign service posts, such as Philippine embassies in consulates. Passport applications made at the OCA building and in selected malls normally take seven to 15 working days without the scheduled maintenance.   The normal processing time for passpor...

Filipino pride is poised to once again sweep across the nation and the world, with Canada Philippine Fashion Week (CPFW) set to showcase Filipino culture, creativity, and artistry through chic, fresh, and fabulous fashion designs in the runways of Toronto, Canada from June 9 to 14, 2014.   Filipino icons, visionaries, and rising stars in the field of fashion are joining forces to not only promote and nurture Filipinos’ fashion talent in the Philippines and Canada but also aid children with disabilities in both countries through the Kol Hope Foundation for Children. CPFW is founded by Filipino-Canadian Executive Director Jeff Rustia. While relatively young, CPFW has already earned nods from prestigious organizations in and out of the Philippines, leading it to garner distinctions such as the FEO 2014 Award for Best New Festival of the Year. CPFW has made a name for itself both as a fashion and travel event that is a must-see in Toronto, Canada. As a teaser for things to come, CPFW h...

A Filipina maid escaped death in a road accident that killed at least three people in Malaysia on the morning of March 24. The Filipina, initially identified as Bacuyad Shanda, suffered a fractured hand in the incident, Malaysia's The Star Online reported. Shanda was  confined at the Parit Buntar Hospital , the report said. Killed in the accident were her employer Teoh Yee Wei, 36; eldest son Heng Dy Hong, 5; and youngest daughter Sin Ye, 1. The family had celebrated Sin Ye’s birthday only last March 6. The three died of head injuries after they were thrown out of their multipurpose vehicle when it rammed a lorry on the North-South Expressway in Nibong Tebal at 6:30 a.m. last Monday. On the other hand, Teoh's husband Heng Cheng Hang, 37, who was driving, and daughter Sin Le, 2, received outpatient treatment at the Parit Buntar Hospital for minor injuries. "The family was heading to Kuala Lumpur when the incident happened. We believe the Toyota Vellfire was going uphill whe...

The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo will be open for transactions in the morning of Maundy Thursday, April 17. In an advisory, the embassy said it will be closed after noon of Maundy Thursday, in observance of the Lenten season. "(P)lease be informed that the Consular Section of the Philippine Embassy will be open to receive transactions and consular applications only in the morning of Maundy Thursday, 17 April 2014, from 9 a.m. to (noon),"  it said . The Embassy will be closed on Good Friday, April 18.  — LBG, GMA News

In its continuing campaign to extend social protection to informal sector workers, the Social Security System (SSS) has formalized a key partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the latter to fully subsidize farmers' monthly SSS contributions as self-employed members. The agreement is expected to benefit up to 200,000 agricultural workers nationwide who may qualify for the subsidy as members of Rural Based Organizations (RBOs) or Community Extension Workers (CEWs) in good standing, with 100 farmers already selected as the first batch of beneficiaries. Despite their invaluable role in our nation's food security, farmers often struggle with seasonal incomes and their livelihood's vulnerability against typhoons, floods and other whims of nature. SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio de Quiros, Jr. and Agricultural Secretary Proseso Alcala signed the agreement during ceremonies at the DA Main Office in Diliman, Quezon City on March 14, wit...

Kyodo News TOKYO - Seventy-eight applicants from Indonesia and the Philippines passed the fiscal 2013 national examination qualifying them to work as caregivers in Japan, the health ministry said Thursday. The number of successful foreign applicants dropped by 50 from the previous year and the pass rate of foreigners was 36.3 percent, down 3.5 percentage points from a year before, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. It was the third year foreign applicants took the examination. Japan has allowed Indonesian and Filipino nationals to work as nurses and caregivers under bilateral free trade agreements with the two Southeast Asian nations. To overcome the language barrier, the ministry has given foreign exam takers special treatment, such as extra time to complete the test and placing "furigana" readings over Chinese characters in questions. Even so, the pass rate of foreigners was considerably lower than the overall pass rate of 64.6 percent. Of the...

ABS-CBNnews.com MANILA – Excited about the news circulating on the internet that Spain is extending citizenship to those whose last names appear on a certain list? Well, you can rejoice only if you're a sure descendant of Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain in 1492. "The Spanish government wants to bring them back as reparation for past mistakes that is why we are tracing them to offer them citizenship," explained Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Jorge Domecq. Filipinos, many of whom got excited about the prospect of acquiring Spanish citizenship, quickly caught the spreading news on social media sites. "Nakaka-excite kasi syempre ang laking opportunity yun," said Kimmi Angela Abella whose surname is included in the list. The embassy of Spain in Manila has been receiving emails and queries since the news broke out. Reuters reported last month that the Spanish government approved a law which would allow descendants of Sephardic Jews expelled in 194...

Government agents have arrested nine people who were believed to be part of a group involved in the falsification of training certificate for aspiring seafarers. The nine were arrested based on a complaint filed by Mariners Polytechnic Training Center (MPTC), a training school for seafarers located on Kalaw Street in Manila, a report on GMA News' “24 Oras” said on Monday. According to the report, the group sells fake training certificates to aspiring seamen for at least P5,000 using MPTC's name. Holders of the fake certificate don't have to undergo an eight-day training in order to become a certified seaman, the report said. “Ang claim ng mga respondents, mayroon daw silang kilala from the government,” said Merly Jimenez-San Pedro of MPTC in the report. Of the nine arrested individuals, only one — Agapito Junio — was identified. They will be charged with falsification of commercial documents. The report said based on the investigation conducted by the Questioned D...

Tags:  Department of Foreign Affairs The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday announced longer processing days for electronic passports from April 1 to April 15. Passport applications will take more time to process in the next three weeks due to technical maintenance, the DFA said in a statement. The following are the new e-passport releasing schedules, depending on where the application will be made:   10 to 20 working days for applications at the Office of Consular Affairs (OCA) at the Aseana Business Park along Macapagal Boulevard in Parañaque, and in satellite offices located inside selected malls; 15 to 25 working days for applications in regional consular offices; 5 to 6 weeks for applications in foreign service posts, such as Philippine embassies in consulates. Passport applications made at the OCA building and in selected malls normally take seven to 15 working days without the scheduled maintenance.   The normal processing time for passp...

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Malacañang on Wednesday defended Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) head Maximo Mejia, who is being asked to resign due to alleged incompetence. “That’s not true. We disagree with that," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a press conference. He was reacting to the statement of the United Filipino Seafarers (UFS) saying  Mejia should resign or be replaced for his alleged failure to address the problems of the seafaring industry . Lacierda, however, said MARINA has been instituting a lot of reforms lately. He did not elaborate. In a March 20 statement, UFS president Ramon Ramirez said long lines, long processing times, and a sub-par replacement of an international standard foreshadows a “bleak future” for the shipping industry under Mejia's administration. “The Filipino seafarers are disgusted... over the lack of foresight of MARINA to confront problems and provide solutions and worried that if such incompetence continues, we will end up with no job...

Pag-IBIG Fund delivered when the Civil Service Commission called for servant-heroes among the government agencies, with Pag-IBIG employees enabling all 22 branches that underwent the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) surveys in 2013 to get passing scores, with 7 achieving Excellent ratings. Seven Pag-IBIG branches and offices – Calapan, Naga, Kalibo, Tacloban, Cebu South,  Davao, and Koronadal received Excellent ratings. Of these, Naga, Cebu South, and  Davao have also been conferred the Citizen’s Satisfaction Center Seal of Excellence after  being validated for their Excellent performance in the surveys. Eleven branches received  Good ratings – Caloocan, Cubao, Imus, Baguio, Vigan, Isabela, Malolos, Dumaguete,  Cagayan de Oro, Dipolog, and Kidapawan, while four were graded Acceptable –  Dinalupihan, Batangas, Capiz, and Butuan.  “Pag-IBIG’s 100% passing rate in the ARTA survey, as well as the Seals of Excellence and Excellent rating...

HONG KONG - Hong Kong is failing to protect victims of human trafficking for forced labor, a report said Monday, calling for new legislation to prevent "modern-day slavery" in a city which relies heavily on migrant workers. The report comes at a time of growing anger over the abuse of foreign domestic helpers in the southern Chinese city, and a day before the trial of a Hong Kong employer accused of torturing her Indonesian maid is set to resume. "Current legislation merely prohibits human trafficking 'for the purpose of prostitution', but not for the purpose of forced labor or other forms of trafficking," said the joint report by Justice Centre Hong Kong and Liberty Asia. New legislation expanding the definition of trafficking would help in tackling forced labor abuse by perpetrators including placement agencies, loan companies and employers, it said. "Recent allegations of domestic helper abuse in Hong Kong bear many of the characteristics of forced l...

The Bataan Memorial Death March celebrated its 25th anniversary last March 22 at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico (NM). Begun more than 70 years after the original Bataan Death March, the event—which serves to commemorate the survivors and victims—drew in more than 6,200 participants,  according to news site Carlsbad Current-Argus.  Among the attendees were 13 Bataan survivors, almost all of them in their 90's. "There was nothing to eat and nothing to drink, and you had to keep marching," Eugene Schmitz, a 96-year-old survivor, told El Paso Times. He added, "Many fell by the wayside on that march. You couldn't help them; you just kept going, wondering if you were going to be next." In 1989, ROTC cadet Ray Pickering suggested a memorial event commemorating World War II to his instructor at New Mexico State University. Alamogordo Daily News reported  that the memorial marathon was opened to civilians in 1993. Military officers and ROTC candidates were pla...

Tags:  Saudi Arabia Cardiac arrest claimed the life of a Filipino overseas worker in Jeddah on March 8 while he was on the phone with his wife, a Saudi news report said. Arnel Casilie, a cook for a restaurant on Tahliya Street for the last 17 years, collapsed and died in a convenience store before his co-workers were able to bring him to a hospital, reported Saudi Gazette on Sunday. “I could not believe seeing somebody died in front of me and the worst is he was talking to his wife on an overseas call at that time,” Alex, who witnessed Casilie's death during his shift at the convenience store, told  Filipino Times  Sunday. According to Saudi Gazette, Casilie's co-workers had advised him to take a leave from work and get a check-up days before the incident happened because Caslie had complained of body pains. Ronald Luna, one of his co-workers, said Casilie was diabetic and had high blood pressure. Philippine Consul General Uriel Norman Garibay urged Filipinos to "remem...

Leaders and organizations from New York were among those invited.  White House photo On March 14, the White House Initiative on Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) and the White House Office of Public Engagement brought together 175 Filipino-American leaders at the White House to discuss key issues of importance to the community. Participants came from diverse sectors of society – non-profits, businesses, government, and philanthropy – and traveled from the far reaches of the country, including New York, California, and even Hawaii. The briefing opened with remarks by the Honorable Lorna Schofield, the first Filipino-American Article III federal judge, who spoke about her journey to becoming a lifetime judge and how her mother encouraged her to reach for her dreams. In the wake of the devastation brought on by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in the Philippines, Nancy Lindborg, assistant administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance with the...

Tags:  Pinoys in Thailand The Philippine government has lowered the alert level in Bangkok and surrounding areas in Thailand from 2 to 1, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Monday. Under Alert Level 1, Filipinos in Bangkok and the concerned areas, namely Nonthaburi Province, Lad Lum Kaew District of Pathumthani Province, and Bang Phli District of Samutprakan Province, are advised to take necessary precautions. "There is no ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers under Alert Level 1," the DFA said. Manila raised Alert Level 2 over Thailand in January  following the enforcement of a 60-day state of emergency by the Thai government to quell weeks-long protests aimed at pressuring elected Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down in favor of an unelected council. The Thai government lifted the state of emergency on March 19. There were an estimated 16,000 Filipinos in Thailand based on the 2012 data from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. ...

Philippine and Indonesian officials have agreed to strengthen cooperation and intensify joint efforts to crackdown on human trafficking between the two countries. The agreement was reached during a meeting last week between Philippine Immigration commissioner Siegfred Mison and a visiting Indonesian delegation. During the conference, both parties agreed to tackle the serious plight of refugees and asylum seekers of other nationalities entering their borders. The authorities noted that most victims of human trafficking are Filipinos desperately seeking jobs abroad using tourist visas falsified by syndicates. Mison, for his part, cited the need for stronger cooperation and tighter measures. He said considering that millions of people come and go through the ports each year, detecting human trafficking victims is like trying to find a needle in the hay. The visiting Indonesian group was composed of officials and members of the “Desk of People Smuggling, Refugee and Asylum Seeker of the Co...

HONG KONG - Hong Kong is failing to protect victims of human trafficking for forced labor, a report said Monday, calling for new legislation to prevent "modern-day slavery" in a city which relies heavily on migrant workers. The report comes at a time of growing anger over the abuse of foreign domestic helpers in the southern Chinese city, and a day before the trial of a Hong Kong employer accused of torturing her Indonesian maid is set to resume. "Current legislation merely prohibits human trafficking 'for the purpose of prostitution', but not for the purpose of forced labor or other forms of trafficking," said the joint report by Justice Centre Hong Kong and Liberty Asia. New legislation expanding the definition of trafficking would help in tackling forced labor abuse by perpetrators including placement agencies, loan companies and employers, it said. "Recent allegations of domestic helper abuse in Hong Kong bear many of the characteristics of forced l...