KAKAMMPI News

Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday took her case before migrant workers and their families as she cited what she believes is a supposed double standard in the treatment of Filipinos working aboard. “Kung merong grupong nakikisimpatya sa citizenship case ko ay kayo dahil alam ninyo kung papaano manirahan sa ibang bansa,” Poe said when asked during a forum on the importance of migrant vote in 2016 polls held at the University of the Philippines, Quezon City. “Kapag kayo ay umalis at nagpadala ng pera dito, nagbigay ng pasalubong kayo ay bagong bayani, pero pag kayo ay tatakbo na ay hindi na kayo bayani. Sa tingin ko doon nagkakaroon ng hindi patas na pagtingin,” she added. Poe is facing disqualification cases before the Supreme Court and the Commission on Elections. She said many Filipinos are abroad because they have to earn a living. She, however, said that there are Filipinos who return to the country to help whenever they have an opportunity to do so. “Maraming magagaling na Fil...

Fewer overseas Filipinos sent balikbayan boxes to their loved ones in the Philippines this year compared to last, according to data obtained by GMA News Online from some ports and freight forwarders. While officials would not surmise on the possible cause of the drop, OFWs contacted by GMA News Online have pointed to the usual problems on pilferage, delays in the delivery, and mishandling of the boxes as reasons. Rodolfo Alba, 46, a safety officer in Al Ain Feed Mill in the United Arab Emirates, recalled how his pasalubong for his mother went missing when he arrived in the Philippines last May for a visit. "Pagdating sa conveyor para kunin na ang mga bagahe, I braced myself para sa isang luggage kung saan nakalagay ang mga paborito ng nanay [ko]," he shared via email. "Kaso, nung akin nang kunin ay halos mabuwal ako sa gaan ng maleta. Nang suriin ko ang ginawa kong seal ay wala na ito. Wala na rin ang mga bagay na dapat sana ay kay nanay," he said, adding t...

Four Filipinos were reported missing while six others were rescued when a Danish cargo ship sunk after colliding with a chemical tanker off Indonesia's Batam island last Wednesday. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday said search and rescue operations are being carried out by the Singapore Police Force Coast Guard to locate the four missing Filipino crewmen. The six Filipinos who were rescued, meanwhile, are currently confined in a hospital in Singapore and have already been visited by Philippine officials, the DFA said, citing the Philippine Embassy in Singapore. "The Embassy is coordinating with Singapore authorities and manning agent on the repatriation of the six Filipino seamen," the DFA said. According to a report by the Associated Press, the collision between Danish cargo ship Thorco Cloud and chemical tanker Stolt Commitment ripped a large hole below the water line on the cargo ship, causing it to sink. The tanker, operated by Stolt Tankers...

Every morning, Emil Jose Kelso, 12, wakes up at 5:45 a.m. to be on time for the 8:00 a.m. opening of his public school. Three times a week after school and also on Saturday mornings, he rides the subway to go to Lincoln Center for a 90-minute ballet class from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. These days, however, Emil is staying up later. Starting November 29, Emil started playing the role of the Nutcracker in New York City Ballet‘s yearly performances. Emil, whose mom Tricia Capistrano is an immigrant from the Philippines, is one of three boys selected to play the role of Nutcracker who turns into a Prince. There are three rotating casts of principal children for the ballet company’s 49 shows. The performances start on November 25 and end on January 3. Emil has been going to the School of American Ballet for six years. He is currently in the Boys 3 class of the SAB where he attends ballet class four times a week. His teachers include former NYC Ballet Soloist Arch Higgins, Principal Jock...

A judge recently ruled that the Filipino-American man charged over the 2013 Christmas Eve triple killings in the parking lot of a San Diego mall is competent to stand trial, a report said. Murder charges have been filed against Carlo Mercado, 30, for allegedly killing three people, according to a  report on NBC San Diego . He was reportedly diagnosed with schizophrenia, psychotic and catatonic depression by psychiatrists, and had a 10-month stint in Patton State Hospital, a psychiatric facility, after a judge found he was not competent to stand trial. In September, however, Mercado was cleared for prosecution by the hospital, the report said. While Peter Fischetti, San Diego Jail’s chief mental clinician, testified in court that Mercado was just faking his illness, Dr. Erin Ferma, a psychologist who evaluated Mercado, described him as "extremely flat, extremely disengaged." Mercado is suspected of killing Salvatore Belvedere, 22; his brother Gianni Belvedere, 24; a...

Two Filipino women who are facing charges in Hong Kong for overstaying have expressed their intention to seek asylum on accounts that they are torture victims, an online report said Thursday. The  report on Hong Kong News  identified the two as Irene Saturno Agra and Luzviminda Lazaro, who are both charged last December 4 for allegedly breaching the condition of their stay before Shatin Principal Magistrate Andrew Ma. During the hearing, Agra informed the court that she has filed a torture claim with the Immigration Department, prompting the government to withdraw the case against her, the report said. Agra, detained but was eventually released, was accused of illegally staying in Hong Kong for two weeks. Her claim is now being assessed by the Immigration Department. The report said Hong Kong laws allow a person to seek asylum by filing a claim under the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. However,...

Ten Filipino victims of human trafficking in Iraq's Kurdistan region have recently been rescued and repatriated with the help of Kurdistan authorities, the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad said Thursday. In a letter to Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Philippine Chargé d’Affaires Elmer G. Cato expressed the Embassy’s gratitude for the assistance in bringing the 10 victims — all Filipina — home two months ago. He noted that the embasssy would not have been able to rescue and repatriate the victims without the support and cooperation of the Ministry of Interior, particularly Minister Karim Sinjari and Director General Sami Jalal Hussein, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). "Their actions to immediately address our concern underscores the serious commitment of the Regional Government in working with the international community in combatting human trafficking and preventing the exploitation and abuse of Filipinos and ot...

Despite being far from home, many Filipino Catholics in Paris, France, and in Dubai, United Arab Emirates still attended the first day of Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo celebrated in their areas. In Paris, the Mass was held at the Saint Bernadette Church with Msgr. Donvito Pavilando of the Philippine Chaplaincy in France as the celebrant. The Mass was held in coordination with the Philippine Embassy. According to Pavilando, the message of this year's Simbang Gabi is the protection of migrants worldwide, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who have to leave their families in the Philippines in their quest for the good life. He emphasized in his sermon that migrants should be welcomed regardless of gender and nationality. And just like the Philippines, those who attended the Mass feasted on known Filipino delicacies afterward, among them nilagang mais, kakanin and arroz caldo to combat the cold weather there. In Dubai, the Mass was held at St. Mary Catholic Church a...

The mother of Joselito Zapanta, the Filipino on death row in Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday pleaded for help to raise the blood money needed to save her son from execution. Interviewed by GMA News Online, Zapanta's mother Mona said they have so far raised P23 million of the P48 million being asked by the family of the Sudanese national Zapanta was convicted of killing. "Iyon po ang problema. Iyong sa blood money po ng anak ko, ang alam ko po 23 [million pesos ang nalikom] kaya kulang pa ng 25 [million pesos] kasi po ang hinihiling po talaga ng asawa noong Sudanese, iyong pamilya, P48 million," Mona said. Zapanta, a construction worker, was meted the death sentence in Saudi Arabia for killing Imam Ibrahim over a rental dispute in 2009. His employer then held back six months of his pay. Mona reached out to the Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute, a non-profit organization assisting distressed overseas Filipino workers, to help raise the blood money. She...

An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who has been working in Hong Kong for less than a month has accused her employer of inflicting physical harm on her by burning her with a flat iron. According to a report by GMA News stringer Corazon Amaya Cañete, the 25-year-old OFW from Cagayan Valley, who is working as a domestic helper, has sought assistance from the police regarding her 85-year-old male employer. She said on December 12, her employer asked her to give him a massage. However, the employer was not satisfied with her massage and pushed her. Later, while the OFW was ironing her employer's clothes, the employer allegedly came to her, grabbed the flat iron, and burned the right side of her back with it. Seemingly not contented, the employer also placed the iron on the left side of her back. The OFW said all she could do was cry. She said the pain prevented her from sleeping at night. With the aid of her siblings, who are also working as domestic helpers in Hong Kong, the p...

Noted Filipino fashion designer Oliver Tolentino has opened a new boutique in the post Beverly Hills in California, a report on "Balitanghali" said Wednesday. Filipino personalities flocked to Hollywood for the opening of the boutique, the report said. Among the guests were Filipino director Ronnie Del Carmen of the popular animated film "Inside Out," and beauty queen Bianca Guidotti. The report said among Tolentino's popular clients are Carrie Underwood, Britanny Snow, Jessica Alba and Eva Langoria. Tolentino said he couldn't help but get excited for the upcoming award-giving ceremonies in Hollywood. "It's very rare for a Filipino being worn by the Hollywood actors," he said in the "Balitanghali" report. "I'm so happy when they wear it because I want the world to know that Filipino designers are good in what they are doing."   —KBK, GMA News

LAGOS, Nigeria — A Nigerian court on Tuesday gave five sailors from the Philippines and four from Bangladesh a choice between jail and paying a hefty fine after convicting them of oil smuggling. The suspects were arrested in March in Lagos Lagoon aboard the MT Asteris, which prosecutors said was used to illegally store 3,423 tons of crude oil. They were each convicted of four counts of illegally storing crude oil. Each count carries five years in prison but the sentences run concurrently, meaning the nine face a maximum of five years jail. Alternatively they can pay a fine of 20 million naira ($100,000 dollars). The government has taken ownership of the vessel. Africa's biggest oil producer loses billions of dollars each year from the theft of crude from sabotaged pipelines and illegal refining of oil products. The oil is sold on the lucrative black market, depriving the continent's most populous state of an estimated $6 billion a year in lost revenue. Convicti...

Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton on Monday (US time) called for an easier path to US citizenship for immigrants, including easing fees associated with naturalization, and other immigration overhauls.   Clinton's remarks, in which she also repeated calls for a pathway to citizenship, ending family detention and closing private detention centers, underscore efforts within the Democratic Party and the presidential race to court Latino voters as that population grows briskly.   "We are a big-hearted country and we should never forget that and we shouldn't let anybody on the public stage say that we are mean-spirited, that we are going to build walls -- mentally and physically -- shut doors," said Clinton in a swipe at recent remarks from Republican candidates.   "We are a country where people of all backgrounds, all nations of origin, all languages, all religions, all races can make a home. America was built by immigrants!"   "I don...

MILLIBRAE, Calif. — State Assembly Speaker Protempore Kevin Mullin led violence prevention educators in vowing to amplify their call to action as he swore in the new officers of San Mateo County-based nonprofit ALLICE Alliance for Community Empowerment. Assembly Member Kevin Mullin swears in ALLICE 2016 officers (from left) Jose Antonio, Elsa Agasid, Jennifer Jimenez Wong and Dr. Jei Africa.  Photo by M.Z. Moreno With recent events around the world magnifying the need to focus on the root causes of abuse and ultimately violence, ALLICE's new leadership team pledged to broaden their network of allies and advocates for vigorous visibility in 2016. "My office stands with your campaign to promote healthy communities," Mullin, the team's newest ally in government, assured the Kumares and Kumpares, as members of the multisectoral team call themselves. Mullin swore in San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Equity Program director Dr. Jei Africa ...

The government may soon lift the deployment ban it imposed in Guinea following the noted improvement in the Ebola situation there, according to Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) chief Hans Leo Cacdac. “There remains a deployment ban there but I believe it will only just be a matter of time before it’s lifted,” he said in a statement Monday. At present, the POEA is awaiting the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Health (DoH) regarding the lifting of the ban, Cacdac said. “We are not the experts on this matter so we have to rely on other government agencies to guide us on how to go about with it,” he added. In December 2014, the POEA imposed a total deployment ban for OFWs bound for Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. In May and December 2015, the POEA lifted the total deployment ban in Liberia and Sierra Leone, respectively, after the World Health Organization (WHO) said the two countries are already Ebola-free. Never...

A couple in Singapore is on trial for allegedly starving their Filipina domestic helper Thelma Oyasan Gawidan, feeding her just instant noodles twice a day for over a year. Channel News Asia is reporting that Lim Choon Hong and wife Chong Sui Foon are facing up to 12 months in jail and/or a fine of up to S$10,000 under Singapore's Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, which provides guidelines in the treatment of domestic helpers, including making sure they have enough food. The 40-year-old Gawidan worked for the couple for nearly a year and a half before escaping and seeking refuge at a non-profit that helps migrant workers. Gawidan reportedly lost 20 kg while in the employ of the couple. She also complained about not getting enough rest as she was forced to sleep odd hours in a store room. According to the investigating officer of the case, the Filipino maid was only allowed to shower once or twice a week, with her employers only allowing her to use the condominium's p...

A Filipino-American firefighter became New Jersey's first fire captain of Filipino descent in a ceremony recognizing 12 others including a man posthumously promoted to fire captain, NJ.com reported Friday.   Jonathan Gamutan was noted for his Filipino descent in his promotion.   Ten of his colleagues were also pronmoted to captain and two more were promoted to the rank of battalion chief.   Records from New Jersey's Civil Service Commission traced Gamutan's career as far back as the year 2000.   Gamutan was one of the men who appealed the decision of the Division of Human Resource Management to reconsider their decision regarding the "required amount of permanent status in a title to which the examination was open for Fire Captain."   Their appeals were denied by the Merit System Board and in another meeting on 2008.   Another firefighter promoted with Gamutan was James Woods, 44, who died on Dec. 26, 2014 after completing a 24-hour...

Former Philippine Ambassador to the US Willy Gaa passed away on December 8 at 6:30 a.m. in Manila. He was 69. He died from stroke complications from battling cancer. His wife Erlinda Gaa, his physician Luzminda Concepcion, and a team of doctors were at his bedside. Gaa, who served as consul general in New York from 1997 to 1999, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2010. He completed his service as envoy to Washington D.C. from 2006 to 2011, and retired after that. “On this sad occasion, we recall the Ambassador’s long and dedicated service to our country and to the Filipino people,” said Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia. “Ambassador Gaa’s professionalism and tireless efforts to advance the interests of the Philippines and the Filipino diaspora community will continue to inspire the work of the Philippine Embassy and Consulates General across the United States.” Consul General Mario de Leon Jr. said Gaa was known in the Foreign Service for his “level-headed insightfulness and ...

Japan should craft an "integrated" immigration policy to cope with its shrinking population, or risk losing out to an ageing China in competition for vital foreign workers, the cabinet minister for administrative reform said on Thursday (December 10). Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has made raising Japan's rock-bottom birth rate a priority and wants to focus on drawing more women and elderly into the workforce to fill gaps rather than on immigration, a contentious topic in a society where many pride themselves on cultural and ethnic homogeneity. Forecasts based on current trends expect the population to fall below 100 million in 2048 and to about 87 million by 2060, when 40 percent of people will be 65 or older. Abe wants to hold the line at 100 million by 2060, a fifth below current levels. "Even if you magically increased the birth rate by tomorrow, still it would take these babies 20 years to grow, so we really need to do something about the labour market,"...

Filipino workers in Italy who lost their jobs due to the economic slowdown there will soon be allowed to secure exit clearances that will enable them to enjoy privileges, including exemption from travel tax and terminal fee. The POEA had earlier barred the displaced Filipinos from applying for an exit clearance, or the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), since they do not have any existing employment contract. In Memorandum Circular No. 13, the POEA said the affected Filipino workers will be allowed to secure their OEC provided they have an  attesa disoccupazione , a permit given by the Italian government to migrant workers who have lost their job so they could stay there for another year to seek new employment. "These workers shall be issued POEA balik-manggagawa exit clearance upon presentation of the following: passport valid at least six months from date of intended departure; copy of valid attesa disoccupazione," the memorandum said. The agency added that tho...

Despite her soulful rendition of Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love," Filipino-American jazz crooner Amy Vachal was voted off the hit singing show The Voice. While her former coach Pharell praised the quality of her voice and current mentor Adam Levine evaluated her style as "completely different and refreshingly raw," Vachal had the lowest votes in the semifinal round. Her teammates, Shelby Brown and Braiden Sunshine, were also removed during the semifinal round, according to report on  Bustle . Despite her elimination, Vachal remained optimistic as evidenced by her tweets. The singer from Brooklyn also praised fellow singers Jordan Smith, Emily Ann, Jeffery Austin, and Barrett Babber for making it to the final four. Though eliminated, the young singer told  My Central Jersey  that her experience in The Voice was a positive "chaos" that developed her skills and gave her a platform for more than 50 million people to discover her. ...

AL AIN, United Arab Emirates – Last December 4, a Friday, 35 Filipino musicians from all over UAE gathered in one stage in Dubai for a night of performance designed to usher in the Christmas spirit among its homesick kababayans. Dubbed “A Christmas Musical Presentation,” the concert was held at The Fridge, located at Al Quoz Industrial Area 4, and featured Filipino bands and solo performers, most of them have been featured on GMA News Online. Among the performers were Zack Allen; Bonz Saforteza; Alijan Tatel, who introduced his new band Kumanderku and the Ginggastee; Ela; Project: [PROTOTYPE]; 3hirdParty; and Sons of Asaph, who performed with its new drummer John Paul Abuda.   Pinoy performers in Dubai concert Bonz Saforteza Dekada Photo from The Nite Owl Production Ela Photo from The Nite Owl Production ElectroCats  Photo from The Nite Owl Production Pinoy performers in Dubai concert Greyback Pinoy performers in Dubai concert Joan McEld...