KAKAMMPI News

Consul General Imelda Panolong, Labor Attache Jun Rasul, and a team from OWWA giving advice to the 24 OFWs before they board their flight home to the Philippines.  Photo by Ronaldo Concha JEDDAH — Twenty-four OFWs who lost their jobs in Saudi Arabia due to the slump in oil prices are finally on their way home after they received their unpaid salaries from their former employer. The 24 OFWs, who used to work for Saudi Binladen Group, one of the companies affected by the oil crisis, left Saudi Arabia on Sunday night via a Kuwait Airways flight, according to Philippine Consul General Imelda Panolong. The OFWs were accompanied to the King Abdul Aziz International Airport by officials from the Philippine Consulate and Philippine Overseas Labor Office to ensure their hassle-free departure. Panolong said the 24 were among the first recipients of the financial assistance from the Overseas Workers Welfare Office (OWWA) given to Filipino workers affected by the massive retrenchmen...

As an OFW, when was the last time you had an emergency? I mean you had an extreme situation that demanded extra money for emergency cases.  Unfortunately, you might have failed to prepare for these worst-case scenarios. Your  65-year-old father was diagnosed with liver cancer and needed an immediate medical attention. Because of typhoon Yolanda, you were obliged to send 50,000 pesos for house repair. Your husband, who is a seaman, has to go back home temporarily due to a serious accident. The employer informed you that you have to extend your visa this time at your own expense. You were one of hundreds of Filipinos to be repatriated from the Middle East due to political unrest or civil war in the region. You've got a call from your loved ones in the Philippines. They're practically asking you to send 60,000 pesos immediately because your eight year-old-son is in the hospital. How did you picture yourself? Worr...

The Philippine Embassy in Singapore has urged Filipinos there to take all precautionary measures after thet Singapore government confirmed 41 cases of locally transmitted Zika virus infection. Most of the affected individuals were foreign workers at a condominium construction project in the eastern Aljunied Crescent district, according to an Agence France-Presse report. In its advisory, the embassy said Filipino nationals in Singapore should take the following steps in order to minimize the risk of being infected with the virus: Those living in the affected areas especially pregnant women, should monitor their health. They should seek medical attention if they are unwell, especially with symptoms of fever and rash. Pregnant women should adopt strict mosquito precaution if travelling to affected areas; Sexual partners of pregnant women should practice safe sex or consider abstinence throughout the women’s pregnancy; To cooperate with the efforts of the National Environment Agen...

Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay suspended the issuance of hajj passports to Filipino pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia pending the results of an internal probe into the case of the 177 Indonesians arrested for using fake Philippine passports. During the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) budget briefing at the House of Representatives Tuesday, Yasay said he is inclined to end the issuance of hajj passports for good, especially since there are proposals in Congress to extend the validity of passports from five years to 10 years. “I have issued an order for the immediate suspension of the issuance of these hajj passports pending the otucome of the investigation. I am predisposed at this point to make the suspension on a permanent basis by making representations with Congress as they deliberate on the law that will extend the term of the passports from five years to 10 years to have this hajj passport withdraw completely,” he said. On August 19, immigration authorities a...

The Philippine Madrigal Singers took home the grand prize at the 64th International Choral Competition at Arezzo, Italy. The group bagged the first prize in three of the four categories (Compulsory Program, Musica Sacra, Monographic Music), and second prize in Secular Music. Aside from this, they also won Best Performance of a Renaissance Piece. They were Listening Committee's Choice for both Folk Song and Pop Song/Colours categories. They were also Public's Choice in the latter. The said win qualifies the group to compete with five other choirs in the European Grand Prix in 2017, to be held in Tolosa, Spain. The group is the first choir in the world to win the European Grand Prix twice, in 1997 and 2007.  —  Rose-An Jessica Dioquino /BM, GMA News

WASHINGTON - US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump tweeted on Sunday night that he would make a major speech on illegal immigration in Arizona on Wednesday. The announcement came a day after Trump said he would crack down on illegal immigrants who overstay their visas, as he sought to clarify his views on how to overhaul the US immigration system. Last week, Trump had said he was "softening" on his plan to deport all 11 million illegal immigrants. That stance had aroused criticism from conservatives who wanted him to stand fast after he won the Republican presidential nomination in large part with a hard-line position that called for building a wall along the US border with Mexico. "I will be making a major speech on ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION on Wednesday in the GREAT State of Arizona. Big crowds, looking for a larger venue," Trump, who had postponed an immigration speech originally planned for last Thursday in Denver, said in his tweet on Sunday. In an...

A recruitment agency faces severe penalties if it is proven that the agency failed to meet its obligations to a Filipina domestic helper who died in hospital in Saudi Arabia, the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) said on Saturday. “Nalulungkot kami sa nangyari, outrageous! This should never happened to any of our kababayan, any of our women, any of our OFWs,” said POEA Administrator Hans Cacdac. “Rest assured we will investigate and come on hard dito sa recruitment agencies na nakita nating nagkasala. We will impose suspensions as we investigate this case and we will most likely come out with our resolution within 20 to 30 days time." The employment firm, the Philippine Recruitment Agency, is under investigation for allegedly failing to monitor the Filipina domestic's status while in the hospital. It also supposedly failed to apprise the POEA of her situation, and gave incomplete information when prompted for a report. Cacdac added that the agency must also p...

A former political envoy and a businessman have been nominated by President Rodrigo Duterte to serve as the country's new ambassadors to the United Kingdom and Brunei, replacing career diplomats whose tours of duty haven't ended in those countries, it was learned Friday. Antonio Lagdameo, who previously served as ambassador to Spain and the UK under then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, will be returning as Manila's envoy to London while businessman James Lao has been recommended for Brunei. Their appointments have already been submitted for confirmation to the bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA), a legislative body that approves assignments and promotions of the military, government and career officials, and political appointees. It was received by the CA on Aug. 23, according to the commission's website. The posts given to Lagdameo and Lao, however, are currently occupied by career diplomats - Evan Garcia in London and Meynard Montealegre in Brunei, who...

A manhunt operation has been launched against owners and staff of two travel agencies that allegedly victimized over 200 Filipino workers seeking jobs abroad between March and May this year. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) identified the suspects as Osmando Habilag and Veraflor de los Reyes, owner and agent of Bantayog Travel and Tours, respectively; and Alejandro Navarro Jr. and Alex Ramos, owner and agent of PADS Travel and Tours, respectively. The four are facing large-scale/syndicated illegal recruitment and estafa charges, according to POEA administrator Hans Leo Cacdac. Cacdac said De los Reyes used social media and agents to recruit victims from Davao City, Davao del Norte, Pangasinan, Cebu, Cavite, Compostela Valley, Iloilo, Tarlac, Misamis Oriental, Leyte, and Caloocan City. In her posts, De los Reyes allegedly promised "Work Abroad, short time process big salary, hassle free, renewable visa, (and) free accommodation in Japan Australia,...

NEW YORK - Democrat Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign is focusing an effort to win over Asian American voters on three states where it believes the small but rapidly growing group could make the difference in her race against Republican Donald Trump. The push in closely fought Nevada, Virginia and Pennsylvania follows a broader national effort by Clinton's campaign to court minorities who are critical to her chances of winning the White House in the Nov. 8 election. Asians make up less than 3.5 percent of the U.S. population, but are the fastest-growing racial group in the country, according to the U.S. Census, due largely to net migration, making them more important than ever in an election. "Secretary Clinton understands the importance of the AAPI community and has launched a program that reflects that, reaching AAPI voters in unprecedented ways," said Jason Tengco, the Clinton campaign's outreach director for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (...

Mga buntis, may agarang benepisyo sa PhilHealth   Isang espesyal na pribilehiyo ang ipinagkakaloob ng Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) sa mga buntis para mapangalagaan ang kanilang sarili at ang sanggol sa kanilang sinapupunan. Dahil mandato ng PhilHealth ang  pagbibigay ng financial risk protection sa mga miyembro nito, maging sa mga nagdadalang-tao, pinapayuhan ang lahat ng mga buntis na kaagad na magparehistro sa National Health Insurance Program o NHIP upang maging eligible at makagamit ng kinakailangang benepisyo mula sa nasabing ahensya.  Ang mga buntis ay maaaring magsadya sa tanggapan ng PhilHealth at magsumite ng PhilHealth Member Registration Form (PMRF) at anumang katibayan na sila ay buntis gaya ng medical certificate mula sa doktor o kumadrona, ultrasound result o kopya ng kanilang admission book at magbayad ng isang taong prima na P2,400.   Maging ang mga menor de edad na nagdadalang-tao ay pinapayuhan ding magp...

The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday warned Filipino jobseekers that overseas job offers where they are asked to exit through Western Mindanao are usually scams perpetrated by illegal recruiters. The embassy issued the warning after several Filipinos were recently arrested in Sabah, among them a Filipina who was offered a job as a domestic helper in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates by an employee of a Manila-based company. "Being made to exit via Zamboanga or Tawi-Tawi is a sure tell-tale sign of illegal trafficking and should ring alarm bells to job-seekers," the embassy said. "Otherwise, they risk apprehension by Sabah authorities for unauthorized entry or fall victim to sex and other traffickers along the way." The embassy said with the implementation of stricter anti-trafficking measures at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and other airports, "illegal recruitment syndicates have sent those wishing to work overseas to Zamboanga or...

Dozens of Filipinos spent the night in an evacuation center following the magnitude-6.2 earthquake that shook central Italy on Wednesday, leaving at least 159 people dead and 368 others injured. In an interview on "Balitanghali" on Thursday, welfare officer Hector Cruz said at least 40 Filipinos were in an evacuation center in Norcia, a historic tourist town in southeastern Umbria, as of Thursday morning. "Sila po ay nasa magandang kalagayan, wala pong reported na nasaktan o nasugatan or may namatay, at sila po ay all accounted [for]," Cruz said. Cruz said they got the information from the Filipinos themselves as they do not have the exact number of Filipinos living and working in Norcia and in Amatice, another area hit by the earthquake. "Wala pa po tayong naitatala na Pilipinong naapektuhan or nasugatan or casualties dito po sa mga lugar na ating binisita, lalo na po dito sa lugar na masyadong nasalanta, ito pong Amatice tsaka ito pong Norcia," ...

No Filipinos were injured in the 6.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Italy early Wednesday, according to Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose. "So far we have not received report of any Filipinos affected by the earthquake in Italy. Our Embassy in Rome continues to monitor the situation of Filipinos there," Jose said in a text message. About 18 people were reported killed in the villages of Amatrice, Accumoli and Pescara del Tronto from the quake that struck in the early hours of Wednesday. Civil protection officers cited by the ANSA news agency said 10 bodies were recovered in Pescara, Arquata del Tronto; six were found at Amatrice; and two were seen at Accumoli. According to the DFA, there are about 170,000 Filipinos currently residing and working in Italy.  — Rie Takumi /KBK, GMA News

A P50,000 reward awaits any citizen who can share information that could lead to the arrest of illegal recruiters. "Illegal recruitment has to stop and its perpetrators jailed," Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Wednesday. "Sinuman na magbibigay ng impormasyon which leads to the arrest of illegal recruiters, bibigyan ng P50,000 na reward." Bello, in a  statement , said he is hoping the bounty, which will be sourced from an association of private recruitment agencies, would motivate citizens to report the activities of illegal recruiters to authorities. "Hindi manggagaling ito sa gobyerno. Ito ay mula sa private sector," he said of the cash reward. Citizens could report illegal recruitment activities to the soon-to-be-activated hotline of the Department of Labor and Employment. Bello said the reports will still be validated by the concerned DOLE offices. "May validation pa rin na mangyayari," he said. "We also have to take p...

BRUSSELS - Belgian police identified a woman who stabbed and wounded three people on a Brussels bus on Monday as a 52-year-old originally from the Philippines whom they do not believe acted from political motives. The woman, accused of attempted murder, had yet to be questioned by prosecutors as she was receiving medical attention after being shot by police during the incident on a busy shopping street, spokesman Xavier Dellicour said on Tuesday. "No motive is being ruled out at this stage but terrorism is not the most likely case," said Dellicour, whose office is not the one which normally handles terrorism cases in Belgium. The three people wounded were all released from hospital on Monday. Local media quoted witnesses as saying an argument broke out on the No. 38 bus and the woman pulled out a knife. Police shot her twice after she got off but refused to cooperate. The woman's name has not been released. The Belgian capital has been on high alert since local...

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are supportive of President Rodrigo Duterte's war against illegal drugs, but many have expressed apprehension over how it is being carried out on the ground, noting the increasing body count of drug suspects. "I stand side by side with Duterte in his stand against drugs. Drugs can ruin lives, families, careers, morals, sanity, and almost everything that you have," noted Alijan Tatel, a radiographer in United Arab Emirates. He added: "Duterte's straightforward stand on drugs may shock people, but there has to be someone to do this otherwise we will never solve problems in drugs ever." Christopher Tevar, a sales manager in Singapore, echoed the same sentiment, saying the ongoing campaign shows "our government now is doing it for the benefit of the many Filipinos under his (Duterte's) care." "This is for the future of the young generation of today and the future of our country Philippines," Tevar...