Page 10 - Hello Philippines February 2016 'B' issue
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10 www.hello-philippines.com IMMIGRATION / OFNEWS February 2016 / Fortnightly – No. 4 • UK & Europe Edition
‘HE’S LIKE A FATHER TO ME’
Sarah Balabagan shares memories
of one-time savior Roy Señeres
FORMER human trafficking victim helped her escape the death penalty in who is now based in California, told countries, as it was seen as symbolizing parang sila po ang naging pangalawang
Sarah Balabagan on Tuesday mourned the United Arab Emirates in 1996. News To Go anchor Kara David in a the abuse foreign domestic workers magulang ko,” she said.
the passing of OFW Family Club party- Skype interview. “Hanggang ngayon endure in Gulf countries.
list Roy Señeres, the ambassador who “Nalungkot ako at nagulat dahil nakapa-picture pa rin po sa mind ko Balabagan, who oftentimes speaks
hindi ko po akalain,” Balabagan, ‘yung isang masiglang ambassador, Balabagan, in the “News To Go” about her ordeal in the UAE in
masayahin, laging nakangiti.” interview, said Señeres, whom she calls gatherings organized by California-
“Amba,” did not only help her with her based Filipino groups, said she intends
Señeres, who died Monday morning case, he and his family also took her to continue Señeres’ pro-OFW legacy
at the age of 68 due to complications under their wings. in whatever way she can.
from diabetes, was the Philippine
Ambassador to the UAE when “Tinutukan po niya ang aking kaso “Hindi po nasayang ang buhay
Balabagan’s case hit the headlines in at ang maganda po nito hindi lang ni Amba dahil marami po siyang
1994. His death came days after he po siya ‘yung dumadalaw sa akin sa natulungan, at iyong kanyang legacy
withdrew his candidacy for president kulungan kundi maging ang kanyang ay patuloy na mabubuhay sa atin,
in the May elections. pamilya,” she said. She would later sa akin po, ‘yung pagtulong sa mga
break down in tears while narrating OFW,” she said.
Balabagan, then a minor who lied how Señeres helped her.
about her age to work as a domestic “Kahit nandito po ako sa Amerika
helper in the UAE, was sentenced to Like a second family. Balabagan ay kung ano po ang maitutulong ko ay
death after she was found guilty for said the assistance was extended handa po ako, kahit sa pagbabahagi
murdering her employer who allegedly even when she was already in the lang ng aking karanasan [ay] umaasa
tried to rape her. Philippines. ako na makapagbigay ng impormasyon
at aral sa ating mga kababayan,”
Her case hit international headlines “Pagbalik ko sa Pilipinas kinupkop Balabagan added. n KBK, GMA News / Published
and inspired public outcry from various po nila ako, tumira po ako sa kanila
almost three years din po kaya po February 9, 2016/ 2:36 pm
WITH HELP FROM PRIVATE FIRMS DOLE readies programs for displaced OFWs
THE government is working on collaboration, develop OFW-tailored country’s largest employers, on the and livelihoods that will cater to OFWs Baldoz said that the DOLE is
possible partnerships with private programs and services, and direct these joint development of new programs returning permanently to the country. also currently pursuing similar
companies in order to absorb to OFWs for their own choosing,” Baldoz and initiatives geared for employment collaborative agreements with
returning overseas Filipino workers said in a statement. matching, livelihood enhancement and Collaboration. In entering the other private sector partners,
(OFWs), especially those who may be business training for OFWs. partnership, both the DOLE and Cocal such as the Philippine Plastics
displaced by falling oil prices in the Baldoz had earlier denied that there Cola FEMSA have expressed mutual Industry Association, Inc.; Philippine
Middle East. was mass retrenchment of OFWs in “This agreement indicates that interest in collaborating for the Association of Local Service
the Middle East due to the oil situation convergence with the private sector is implementation of new employment Contractors, Inc.; Information
Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz there, saying the reported termination important,” said Baldoz, who signed the and livelihood programs and activities Technology and Business Process
said this is also part of the Department notices being received by some Filipino memorandum of agreement with Coca especifically for OFWs. Association of the Philippines, Inc.;
of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) goal workers are “hardly traceable” to the Cola FEMSA Philippines CEO Washington Cement Manufacturers Association of
to give OFWs “ample and meaningful” drastic plunge in oil prices. Fabricio Ponce Garcia at the DOLE office Coca Cola FEMSA, one of the largest the Philippines; Aerospace Industries
job opportunities in the country. in Intramuros, Manila, on Tuesday. employers in the Philippines, is at the Association of the Philippines; and
MOA with Coca Cola. Baldoz forefront of the beverage industry. Ayala Land, Inc. n KBK, GMA News /
“We just have to pin down which issued the statement after the DOLE She said the agreement will pave It has extensive business operations
of our respective programs can entered into an agreement with Coca the way for the development of nationwide, and has its own existing Published / February 11, 2016 / 2:06 pm
be identified as possible areas of Cola FEMSA Philippines Inc., one of the responsive programs on employment employment and livelihood programs.
DFA exec: We have no authority over Zapanta’s blood money
THE Department of Foreign blood money sa pamilya ng biktima His victim’s family initially
Affairs cannot spend even a single ni Joselito Zapanta. Wala kaming demanded 5 million Saudi Rial blood 4k OFWs ordered to stop reporting
centavo of the P23 million raised authority na gamitin ‘yun for any money, but it was later reduced to for work in MidEast–recruiters group
to save the life of overseas Filipino other purpose,” said Jose in an SR 4 million or P48 million. AN estimated 4,000 Filipinos working It added that the affected OFWs
worker Joselito Zapanta, who was interview on dzBB radio. in oil companies in the Middle East have have yet to return to the Philippines.
sentenced to death and eventually Under the Shariah Law, blood been ordered to stop reporting for work,
executed in Saudi Arabia. “Dahil hindi natuloy yung money is a compensation given a News TV Live report said Friday, citing There are at least 2 million Filipino
pagbayad ng blood money, to the family of murder victims to figures from Philippine Association of workers in the Middle East, most of
DFA spokesperson Assistant kailangan namin ng decision from forgive the offender. Service Exporters, Inc. (PASEI). them in Saudi Arabia.
Secretary Charles Jose on Sunday the donors on the disposition [of the
assured the public the money is money],” he added. At least P23 million in blood PASEI, the largest group of accredited PASEI said the layoffs are
intact, and that it will be up to the money was raised through recruitment agencies in the country, said connected to falling oil prices blamed
donors to decide whether they want Asked if the money could be donations, but it was not enough to the number represents 15 percent of its on oversupply.
their money back or spent it for used to help Zapanta’s family, Jose save Zapanta. clients, and includes 50 Filipino workers
other purposes. said: “Hindi kami ang magde-decide in an oil company in Saudi Arabia. It also said that it has received less
noon. Ang DFA ay custodian lamang He was executed on December job orders in the past few weeks. n KBK,
“Itong money na ito, ni-raise ng perang ‘yun.” 29, 2015, despite appeals for
na ang purpose ay pambayad ng compassion and deferment of GMA News / Published / February 12, 2016 / 4:25 pm
Also, he said the blood money execution from President Benigno
Joselito Zapanta 35, was sentenced to death for the cannot be reverted to national Aquino III and the DFA.
killing of his Sudanese landlord. coffers because it came from private
donors. Last week, Senator Cynthia Villar
filed a resolution seeking an inquiry
Earlier reports indicated that the to determine the status of Zapanta’s
money is in a bank account opened blood money.
by the Philippine Embassy in Saudi
Arabia. She raised the possibility that
the amount could be used to serve
Zapanta, 35, was sentenced to some other causes such as to help
death for the killing of his Sudanese the children left by Zapanta, aged
landlord over a rent dispute and for 12 and 10, or other OFWs on death
taking the latter’s mobile phone and row. n Xianne Arcangel / LBG, GMA News /
cash.
Published / February 7, 2016 / 2:58 pm
