KAKAMMPI News

September 23, 2018   By Cristina Lee-Pisco   People's Journal AFP photo THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has not received reports of any Filipino among the victims of the mass shooting in Maryland on Thursday. Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez extended the sympathies of the Philippine Embassy to the families of the three individuals who were shot and killed by a woman who also wounded three others before fatally shooting herself. Romualdez said the incident happened at a Rite Aid distribution facility in Aberdeen, Harford County, about 30 miles northeast of Baltimore. He said leaders of the Filipino community in Baltimore have also not heard of any Filipino being among the dead or wounded in the incident. There are nearly 7,800 members of the Filipino community in the First Congressional District of Maryland, which covers Harford County.

September 24, 2018   People's Journal THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday said no Filipinos were among the dead and wounded when gunmen killed 29 people in an attack during a military parade in the southern city of Ahvaz in Iran on Saturday. The DFA also extended its sympathies to Iran and expressed hope that those behind the attack that also wounded as many as 60 soldiers and civilians would be brought to justice. Ambassador to Iran Wilfredo Santos said the Philippine Embassy was able to contact eight members of the two Filipino-Iranian families based in Ahvaz, located near the Iraqi border some 820 kilometers southwest of Tehran. The Embassy was informed all of them were safe and in their homes when the incident happened. Meanwhile the Philippines expressed its condolences to Tanzania after an overloaded ferry capsized in Lake Victoria on Thursday, leaving more than a hundred people dead. In a statement, the DFA conveyed its ...

September 23, 2018   By Cristina Lee-Pisco THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) warned Filipinos seeking jobs abroad on sex trafficking syndicates using social media to offer work in Malaysia, Singapore, and other countries. The DFA issued the warning after the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur repatriated on Wednesday 27 Filipinas who were earlier rescued from a sex trafficking syndicate operating in Johor Bahru.    “We urge our kababayan to think twice before applying for the various job opportunities abroad that are being offered online,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano said. “There are numerous cases of Filipino jobseekers who apply for these online job offers but end up in virtual bondage in a number of countries abroad,”  Cayetano said. The Secretary said Filipinos who want to work abroad should first check job offers with the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) or the Department of Labor and Emplo...

September 24, 2018   By Ryan Ponce Pacpaco   People's Journal MOBILE money or use of a mobile phone to remit funds offers the cheapest way for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to send cash home, a party-list lawmaker said yesterday. Citing the World Bank’s latest Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) report, ACTS-OFW Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III said cash transfers via “mobile operators” cost a global average of only 3.20 percent of the amount sent in the second quarter of 2018, down from 3.29 percent in the same period in 2017. “In contrast, remittances coursed through banks cost a global average of 10.41 percent of the amount forwarded in the second quarter of this year, down from 10.99 percent in the same period last year,” said Bertiz in a statement. Remittances by means of money transfer operators such as Western Union and MoneyGram as well as so-called “innovative financial technology players” cost a global average of 6.15 percent of the amount ...

Iya Estrada Cabanding, ABS-CBN News Posted at  Sep 25 2018 12:35 AM JEDDAH - The streets and main roads of Jeddah were painted in all shades of green as the city celebrated Saudi Arabia’s 88th National Day.  The country considered this year’s celebration as the grandest of all time.   The celebration started on Friday, and the main events of the festival were held on Sunday night. This included fireworks displays simultaneously shown in the country's 13 provinces.   The 15-minute fireworks display is the country’s bid in the Guinness Book of World Records. Photo by Francis Ting  Filipinos working in Jeddah were fascinated with the grand celebration and are thankful to be part of this year’s national day festivities.   “Napansin ko mas open na sila, di katulad nung previous na selebrasyon nila medyo mahigpit, ngayon andaming tao,” said Thudz Lubay.   “Maganda, kasama mo sila, madami silang nagce-celebrate, ung fireworks napakahaba, mag...

ABS-CBN News Posted at  Sep 23 2018 11:28 AM Volunteers arrange the coffins containing the dead bodies of passengers retrieved after a ferry MV Nyerere overturned off the shores of Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania September 22, 2018.  Jackson Njehia, Reuters MANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Saturday that it has not received reports of any Filipino hurt after a crowded ferry capsized in Lake Victoria, Tanzania.  The death toll from the incident has climbed to 209, as divers continued their search in the waters around Ukara Island, where the ferry had been due to dock when it lurched over and sank on Thursday. Tanzania ferry disaster toll passes 200 fatalities None of the 289 Filipinos in Tanzania were reported to be among the casualties, the DFA said in a statement citing the Philippine Embassy in Nairobi.  The Embassy continues to monitor the search and rescue efforts, the DFA added. The agency also conveyed its ...

Anamesere Igboeroteonwu, Reuters Posted at  Sep 24 2018 09:14 AM Watch more in  iWantv  or  TFC.tv ONITSHA, Nigeria - Seven Filipinos were among 12 crew members of a Swiss merchant vessel kidnapped by pirates off the coast of Nigeria, the West African nation's maritime agency said on Sunday. They were abducted on Saturday from the vessel that was travelling between the cities of Lagos and Port Harcourt. The ship's operator said the attack happened around 45 nautical miles southwest of Bonny Island. Kidnapping for ransom is a common problem in parts of Nigeria. A number of foreigners have been kidnapped in the last few years in the southern Niger Delta region, source of most of the oil that is the mainstay of the West African nation's economy. Sunday Umoren from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) said 7 of those abducted were from the Philippines and one each from Slovenia, Ukraine, Romania, Croatia and Bo...

Published  September 24, 2018 4:03pm  Updated  September 24, 2018 4:02pm Over 100 more Filipinos granted amnesty in Dubai arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Monday morning, according to a report on GMA News TV's Balitanghali. Philippine Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes said more Filipinos granted amnesty after overstaying or running away from their employers are expected to return to the country by October 31. This is the sixth batch of Filipinos who were repatriated following the launching of the amnesty program for undocumented migrants. A total of 900 OFWs granted amnesty have returned to the Philippines from Dubai. Previous batches of repatriated OFWs received a P5,000 relief assistance upon their arrival from Dubai. Active members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) could also apply for livelihood assistance of up to P20,000.  — Rie Takumi/RSJ, GMA News

Published  September 24, 2018 4:03pm  Updated  September 24, 2018 4:02pm Over 100 more Filipinos granted amnesty in Dubai arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Monday morning, according to a report on GMA News TV's Balitanghali. Philippine Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes said more Filipinos granted amnesty after overstaying or running away from their employers are expected to return to the country by October 31. This is the sixth batch of Filipinos who were repatriated following the launching of the amnesty program for undocumented migrants. A total of 900 OFWs granted amnesty have returned to the Philippines from Dubai. Previous batches of repatriated OFWs received a P5,000 relief assistance upon their arrival from Dubai. Active members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) could also apply for livelihood assistance of up to P20,000.  — Rie Takumi/RSJ, GMA News

Published  September 24, 2018 10:03am  US immigrants who get public benefits like food stamps or housing vouchers could be denied green cards, under a new proposal from President Donald Trump's administration. Trump came to power pledging to make immigration to the United States more difficult, and reduce the number of people allowed to stay in the country. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Saturday that under the proposed rule change, being a current or previous recipient of certain public aid would be seen as a "heavily weighed negative factor" in considering an application for lawful permanent residency. "This proposed rule will implement a law passed by Congress intended to promote immigrant self-sufficiency and protect finite resources by ensuring that they are not likely to become burdens on American taxpayers," Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said. Immigrants applying for green cards are already re...

Published  September 24, 2018 8:17am  The Philippines will reopen on Monday, September 24, 2018, its Consulate General in Houston, 25 years after it was closed, to address the needs of Filipinos in South Central United States, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). "The reopening of our Consulate General in Houston is consistent with the priorities laid down by President [Rodrigo] Duterte for us to bring our services closer to Filipinos overseas," DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement. "Through our Consulate General, we will endeavor to serve all Filipinos living on this side of the United States," The Consulate General, which was closed in September 1993, is expected to serve some 179,000 Filipinos in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Consul General Jerrill Santos said the reopening of the Consulate General "is in response to the growing needs of Filipinos in South ...

Published  September 24, 2018 6:12am  By ANAMESERE IGBOEROTEONWU, Reuters ONITSHA, Nigeria - Twelve crew members of a Swiss merchant vessel kidnapped by pirates off the coast of Nigeria are from the Philippines, Slovenia, Ukraine, Romania, Croatia and Bosnia, the West African nation's maritime agency said on Sunday. They were abducted on Saturday from the vessel that was travelling between the cities of Lagos and Port Harcourt. The ship's operator said the attack happened around 45 nautical miles southwest of Bonny Island. Kidnapping for ransom is a common problem in parts of Nigeria. A number of foreigners have been kidnapped in the last few years in the southern Niger Delta region, source of most of the oil that is the mainstay of the West African nation's economy. Sunday Umoren from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) said seven of those abducted were from the Philippines and one from each of the other five countr...

Published  September 23, 2018 10:49am  The Department of Foreign Affairs on Saturday said it is monitoring developments in Iran after gunmen fired at a military parade in Ahvaz, Iran. Twenty-five people, including 12 Revolutionary Guards, died .  At least 70 people were injured . Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused US-backed Gulf Arab states of carrying out the attack, and ordered security forces to bring to justice those responsible, Reuters reported. The Islamic State and the Ahvaz National Resistance, an Iranian ethnic Arab opposition movement, both claimed responsibility for the attack but did not provide evidence. The four gunmen were killed. Philippine Ambassador Wilfredo Santos said the gunmen, who wore military uniforms, fired their guns at around 9 a.m. local time.  According to the DFA, the Philippine Embassy in Tehran is currently gathering more information.  —KG, GMA News

Jon Melegrito, Manila Mail Posted at  Sep 21 2018 11:01 AM  | Updated as of  Sep 21 2018 11:12 AM The U.S. Census Bureau announced in its latest American Community Survey (ACS) data that there are now 4,037,564 Filipinos in the United States. According to the data, there are an estimated 21,646,070 Asian Americans in the United States, and Filipino Americans make up the third largest Asian American subgroup behind Chinese (5,219,184) and Indian (4,402,362) Americans. The full data can be viewed by using the American FactFinder tool. In the 2010 census, the Filipino American community was ranked the second largest Asian American group in the U.S. with a population of over 3.4 million, a 1.1 million increase from 2000. Filipinos in the United States are in the following states: California: 1,651,933 Hawaii: 367,364 Texas: 194,427 Washington: 178,300 Nevada: 169,462 Illinois: 159,385 New York: 144,436 Florida: 143,481 New Jersey: 129,514 Virgin...

Gina Cherelus, Reuters Posted at  Sep 21 2018 12:37 AM  | Updated as of  Sep 21 2018 04:23 AM (UPDATED) A woman armed with a handgun opened fire on Thursday at a Maryland distribution center for the Rite Aid drugstore chain, killing three people and wounding three others before she took her own life, the Harford County sheriff said. The shooting unfolded shortly after the suspect, a temporary employee at the facility, reported for work at about 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT) at the warehouse in Perryman, Maryland, about 34 miles (55 km) northeast of Baltimore, Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said at a news conference. The sheriff's office identified the assailant only as a 26-year-old woman whose last known address was in Baltimore County. The sheriff said investigators have not yet determined a motive, but a law enforcement source told Reuters the shooting was believed to have been sparked by a work-related grievance. The fact that the assailant was a woman marked an...

ABS-CBN News Posted at  Sep 21 2018 05:04 AM MANILA - Saudi authorities have filed a torture complaint against an employer who allegedly forced an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) to drink household bleach, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday. Agnes Mancilla, a 35-year-old native of Infanta, Quezon, sustained internal injuries from the incident and was placed under intensive care in April. OFW sa Saudi, pinainom ng household bleach ng amo The DFA, in a statement, said the case will go to full trial and the employer may be sentenced to a prison term, including lashing and financial compensation, if found guilty. Mancilla told authorities that her employer forced her to drink the chemical after she made a mistake in making tea. Saudi rights agency to probe case of Pinoy forced to drink bleach: DFA Her employer also allegedly made her work for about 20 hours a day and only gave her coffee for meals. When Consul General Edgar Badajos visited ...

Published  September 20, 2018 2:59pm  A Filipino domestic worker in Qatar who had complained of being raped by her employer multiple times has been rescued after she sought help on social media. The tearful plea by "Irene" for help was shown in part in a report on Thursday by JP Soriano over GMA News TV's Balitanghali. Irene said she was raped by her employer once in August, and on September 6 and 11. "Hindi ko po alam kung paano ako sasakay, kung saan po ako pupunta, wala po akong kakilala dito," she said. Irene was immediately brought to a POLO office once her pleas, addressed to an OFW advocacy group, was picked up by Filipino authorities. "She is now in a shelter, she is safe from harm. Her health concerns being attended to," Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) chief Hans Leo Cacdac said. The Philippine Embassy will aid the OFW in filing the appropriate charges against the suspect with the Qatari pol...

Published  September 19, 2018 10:19am  A Filipino domestic helper in Qatar is asking for help after she was allegedly raped by her employer. "Tulungan niyo po ako makaalis dito," said "Shiela" in an interview with GMA News. According to her, her employer raped her three times — one in August and two times this month. The 28-year-old Bicolana said her employer would rape her between 10:30 to 11 in the morning when his wife was out of the house, and in the kitchen where there there were no CCTV cameras. She said she could not escape as her employer would always lock the doors in the house. Also, she said she does not know anybody in Qatar. Shiela also said she could not fight back as her employer was a big man. "Ayaw ko naman po gumawa ng eksena dahil kung masaktan niya ako, magtatanong ang babae. Ayoko po na bintangan nila ako na kaya ako sinaktan ay dahil nanguha ako ng gamit, sinaktan ko ang bata, ayoko ng ganon," she sai...

Published  September 19, 2018 8:21am  No Filipinos were hurt when Typhoon Mangkhut lashed through Guangdong province in China over the weekend, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday, citing report from the Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou. "Based on their coordination with authorities and Filipino Community leaders in the area, there were no Filipino nationals reported hurt or seriously affected by the typhoon," the DFA said in a statement. Guangdong was one of the areas in China hit by Mangkhut after it left the Philippines where it left a trail of devastation in northern Luzon, killing over 50. Days before the cyclone hit the Chinese province, the Consulate General issued an advisory to Filipinos there to stay indoors, remain alert and follow the advice of authorities. The Consulate General was closed for operations on Monday, according to Consul General Marshall Louis Alferez. Alferez said the Guangdong government i...

Ito ang pinangangambahan ni Kabayan Rep. Ron Salo kung ang pagbabasehan aniya ang pinakahuling datos ng gobyerno. “We can plainly see from the latest official data on HIV-AIDS that current programs of the government, NGOs, and private sector have hardly made any dent on the HIV epidemic in our country,” giit ni Salo. Sa ulat ay nakapagtala na ng pagkamatay ng 276 na positibo sa HIV-AIDS ngayong 2018 ngunit sa kabuuan ay nasa 6,532 na. “The epidemic firmly established itself in 2010 and has skyrocketed since then. We could have 12,000 newly-diagnosed cases in 2019 at the soonest,” ayon kay Salo. Lumalabas din sa pag-aaral na ang nasabing sakit ay kumalat sa iba’t ibang age groups simula noong 2010 hindi lamang sa NCR, Calabarzon at Central Luzon, kungdi hanggang sa Central Visayas, Western Visayas at Davao region. “Along with economic growth and higher incomes, especially among the young adults, came this HIV epidemic. I believe there is a link between the workplace of the ...

Published  September 17, 2018 2:33pm  A Filipina tourist was hurt during supertyphoon Mangkhut's onslaught in Hong Kong on Sunday, according to GMA News stringer Azon Cañete's report on Balitanghali on Monday. Citing information from the police, the report said the 34-year-old Filipina identified only as Shiela went out of her unit in Mirador Mansion to buy coffee when a falling window hit her. Shiela was rushed to the Queez Elizabeth Hospital after sustaining wounds on her hand and foot. The report said there was no truth to information circulating online that the Filipina died. Parts of Hong Kong and Macau were severely flooded, though there were no immediate reports of any fatalities, following Mangkhut. However, two people were reported killed in Guangdong, China's most populous province that was also hit by the typhoon. Over 50 were killed when Mangkhut barreled past northern Philippines wit its hurricane-force winds.  —with Reut...

Published  September 16, 2018 1:07pm  Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who had their flights canceled due to Typhoon Ompong (international name: Mangkut) can receive P5,000 in cash assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). In a statement Sunday, the DFA said the affected OFWs are required to personally appear at DFA Assistance Desks at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the Clark International Airport and submit the following: airline ticket showing their original date of departure; reissued ticket showing new date of departure; Employment Contract; and Overseas Employment Certificate The DFA said as of 10 p.m. of Saturday, it has distributed the cash assistance to 43 OFWs. "More are expected to file claims with the cancellation of flights to Hong Kong on Sunday," it said. DFA teams will remain in the airport terminals until Monday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m to cater to the needs of stranded OFWs. Meanwhile, other str...