Remittances to lower income countries ease in 2022: World Bank

WASHINGTON, United States - Cash transfers to low- and middle-income countries eased this year, with rising prices taking a toll on migrants' incomes, the World Bank said Wednesday.

Remittances to lower-income countries rose around five percent to $626 billion, lower than the 10.2 percent jump in 2021, the bank added in a report.

While the reopening of economies as the pandemic receded helped with employment, rising costs "adversely affected migrants’ real incomes," the Washington-based development lender said.

And in 2023, the increase of such remittance flows is projected to slow further to two percent, as GDP growth in wealthier countries moderates.

"Downside risks remain substantial, including a further deterioration of the war in Ukraine, volatile oil prices and currency exchange rates, and a deeper-than-expected downturn in major high-income countries," said the World Bank in its report.

Meanwhile, rising oil prices and continued demand for migrant workers boosted remittances to Central Asian countries, while the ruble's appreciation against the US dollar translated into higher value of outward transfers.

But in Europe, a weaker euro had the opposite effect, the report said.

In Ukraine, remittance growth is pegged at two percent, lower than earlier estimates "as funds for Ukrainians were sent to countries hosting them, and hand-carried money transfers likely increased," the bank added.

Meanwhile, India is on track to receive over $100 billion in yearly remittances in 2022.

Agence France-Presse

Filipino couple in New Jersey die at frontlines against COVID-19

Both Alfredo and Susana Pabatao, who were married for 44 years, worked on the front lines in the fight against the coronavirus — he as a transport aide at a hospital in North Bergen, New Jersey, she as an assistant nurse at a nearby nursing home.

On March 26, Alfredo Pabatao died of the virus at the hospital where he worked, Hackensack Meridian Health Palisades Medical Center. He was 68.

Four days later, Susana Pabatao, who was also infected with the virus, died in the same hospital. She was 64.

Sheryl Pabatao, one of their daughters, said her mother would probably have died the day she learned of her husband’s fate had she not been put on a breathing tube. Well before she took ill her mother had signed a health directive saying that in the event of an emergency she did not want to be resuscitated, her daughter said, but it was on file at a different hospital. 

When hospital aides found her passed out on the floor, doctors inserted the tube to keep her alive.

But Susana Pabatao resisted, trying so often to remove the tube that she had to be sedated. “She said, ‘I can’t breathe; I can’t do this anymore,’” her daughter said.

Sheryl Pabatao and her four siblings were then faced with an excruciating choice — whether to honor their mother’s directive and ask the doctors to remove the tube or to keep her alive against her wishes. They decided not to remove it.

“My dad had just passed away that morning,” she said. “We wanted her to fight. But she wanted to be with him.”

Dr. Dilip Jeste, a geriatric psychiatrist at the University of California, San Diego, said in an interview that long-term partners dying within a short time of each other is a long-observed phenomenon but one that remains poorly understood.

Given that the coronavirus is so contagious, he said, it is not surprising that more partners appear to be dying almost in tandem. But he did not rule out that a psychological or emotional component could play a role.

Sheryl Pabatao saw that component at work, she said.

Her parents had been inseparable. Both were born and grew up in the same neighborhood in Quezon City, in the Philippines. Susana Galapate came from a modest background, the daughter of a stable hand, while Alfredo was the son of a successful clothing retailer.

They fell in love and, against his family’s wishes, married in 1976. They had five children. In 2001, the couple and the three youngest emigrated to the United States, settling in Palisades Park, New Jersey. They became American citizens more than a decade ago.

After the illness struck in late March and her father died, Pabatao said, she and her siblings came to understand how much her mother wanted to be with her father.

“In the beginning, I was mad at my mom for wanting to leave us,” she said. “I thought it wasn’t fair — how could she leave five of us to be with one husband?”

Because of coronavirus restrictions in the hospital, each parent died alone, on a separate floor, the children out of reach.

“As hurtful as this is, I see it as a great love story,” Pabatao said. “They just couldn’t live without each other.”

Katharine Q. Seelye, The New York Times

Pinoy nurse in Dubai sketches images of fallen Filipino health workers in UK as tribute

LONDON - Jonathan Jusayan once dreamt of working in the United Kingdom as a nurse and it almost happened. But fate brought him to Dubai to pursue better opportunities in his profession. 

“I had an employer already but I was not quite ready with the exams at that time. I could be one of those UK nurses in the frontlines struggling to save their patients during this pandemic,” Jusayan told ABS-CBN News.

For Jusayan, the deaths of Filipino frontliners in the UK while battling the coronavirus disease, particularly those working in the National Health Service, hit home. As his own way of honoring those who died in the frontlines, he started to sketch them, using photos from news and social media as reference. 

“I want people to remember them, their efforts and sacrifices, to give hope to families who lost their loved ones. They may be gone in this world, but never forgotten. And I also saw sketches of doctors but no nurses, that is why I dedicated myself to do it," he said. 

After his regular 12-hour shift in the Dubai hospital where he works, using pencil and charcoal, he’d sketch faces of the fallen heroes. It has become his personal tribute to brothers and sisters in the profession. He has been sketching for two weeks non-stop and has finished 21 art works featuring nurses from the NHS who had died. 

He also included US nurses in 8 sketches and featured 5 frontliners from the Philippines.

“After surfing the net and social media, I make sure that I have a cup of coffee beside me for a better kick. (My routine is) sleep, work, draw," he explained. 

The Filipino community in the UK is hit hard by the coronavirus disease. Reports say over 130 medical workers have died of COVID-19. Some 30 Filipinos have also succumbed to the deadly disease. 

Jusayan said his efforts are meant to make people value the contribution of medical frontliners more.

“I just want people to realize the true value of nurses. Specifically, in our home country they have forgotten and neglected us,” he said.

He said he plans to give the sketches to families of the late frontliners in the Philippines after the lockdown. But thanks to the power and reach of social media, some families have already contacted him and he has mailed them his art work. 

“I hope this might give them a bit of comfort and for them to know that they are the true heroes," he said. 

A decade into serving as a nurse, Jusayan has seen professional growth and while in a different working environment and country, he got an insight into the struggles and challenges that overseas nurses face. He hopes the concern over the short supply of personal protective equipment for frontliners will be addressed by governments around the world. 

“I wish that more protection, concern and respect will be given to all the frontliners who risk their lives to face the situation we are all battling right now,” said the Indang, Cavite native.

Meanwhile, he suits up for work daily, and after shift, he sketches more faces- a grim task as more health workers from around the world succumb to the disease. 

news.abs-cbn.com

Saudi Arabia extends coronavirus curfew, UAE warns on worker repatriation

RIYADH/DUBAI - Saudi Arabia indefinitely extended a curfew due to the coronavirus on Sunday amid a surge of new infections, and the United Arab Emirates warned of possible action against countries refusing to allow migrant workers to be repatriated.

Since placing the capital Riyadh and other big cities under 24-hour curfew on Monday, Saudi Arabia has reported more than 300 new cases per day. The nationwide curfew, initially set for 3 weeks, runs from 3 p.m. to 6 a.m everywhere else. For both this and the 24-hour curfew, residents may go out only for essential needs.

The interior ministry announced new permits for vital personnel to move around. Violators face fines and jail time.

Saudi Arabia has recorded 4,462 infections with 59 deaths, the highest among the 6-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, where the total neared 14,100 with 96 deaths.

It expects it could reach 200,000 cases in coming weeks. It has halted international passenger flights, suspended the year-round umrah pilgrimage, and closed most public places.

Other Gulf Arab states have taken similar precautions and have seen the virus spread among low-wage foreign workers, many living in overcrowded accommodation. Millions of migrant laborers, mainly from Asian countries, including Nepal, India and the Philippines, are among the region’s large expatriate population.

Bahrain said 45 of 47 new cases reported on Sunday were foreign workers.

The United Arab Emirates, the region's tourism and business hub, has the second highest regional load at 3,736 cases and 20 deaths.

FOREIGN WORKERS

The UAE warned it would review labor ties with countries refusing to take back citizens, including those who lost their jobs or were put on leave, and said it was considering strict quotas for work visas issued to nationals of those states.

"Several countries have not been responsive about allowing back their citizens who have applied to return home under the current circumstances," the Human Resources and Emiratisation Ministry said, without specifying which countries.

India's ambassador to the UAE said on Saturday the country cannot repatriate large numbers of nationals while trying to combat the virus at home.

"Once the lockdown in India is lifted, we will certainly help them get back to their hometowns and their families," Pavan Kapoor told the Gulf News daily.

Pakistan's ambassador said the embassy was waiting for permission from Islamabad for repatriation flights and was hoping for "positive news soon".

"We are very keen to bring Pakistanis back but we need to finalize our treatment and quarantine facilities," Ghulam Dastgir told Reuters.

Aiming to contain the spread among foreign workers, Qatar has locked down a large section of an industrial area, Dubai sealed off two commercial districts and Oman closed off its Muscat governorate, which includes the capital.

Kuwait said late on Saturday airlines could operate outbound flights to repatriate foreigners.

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority approved conducting internationally refereed clinical trials at 5 hospitals to determine the effectiveness of treating the coronavirus with antivirals including those used for malaria and HIV. 

-reuters-

OFWs given amnesty in Kuwait on their way home

Filipinos who availed of a general amnesty granted by the Kuwaiti government are escorted by a policewoman as they arrive at the Kuwait International Airport on Friday on their way home to Manila amid the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Despite their undocumented status, the Filipinos, mostly distressed OFWs who left their employers after experiencing maltreatment, have been cleared to exit on humanitarian grounds because of the pandemic.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Language skills remain major concern for foreign nursing care workers

TOKYO - While a new visa system approved by the Diet and to take effect in April has been welcomed by Japan's labor-short nursing care businesses, questions remain about how to provide sufficient Japanese language education for foreign workers.

Despite the government's steps taken in recent years to relax rules on foreign workers in the sector, language skills have been a major barrier.

Vu Thi Thu Trang from Vietnam is among the people who could obtain working status after the government eased the requirement for foreigners to work as caregivers.

The 31-year-old certified caregiver, who came to Japan in 2014, said she first found out about nursing care work while studying at a Japanese language school. She then entered a caregiver vocational school and finished a two-year curriculum earlier this year.

"I'm happy when people say 'thank you' to me. It makes me realize I'm doing something good," said Trang, who has been working in Tokyo since June.

Foreign students who became certified caregivers like Trang were not eligible to remain in Japan for work until a legal amendment in September last year.

Still, the relaxed rule did little to address the labor shortage for nursing facilities. As of June this year, only 177 foreigners were working in the country's nursing care industry after earning caregiver certification.

There are currently two other ways for foreigners to work as caregivers in Japan. The first is to participate in a work program provided under economic partnership agreements and gain a certificate while working at a nursing home. The other is using Japan's technical intern program.

However, a high Japanese-language competency requirement prevented either of the programs from significantly increasing the number of certified caregivers.

Those who passed a national exam to become a certified caregiver during their stay under the EPA program totaled 719 since between fiscal 2008 and 2017. After nursing care was added to the list of occupations for the technical intern program in November last year, only 247 trainees came to Japan.

By providing the new status from April, the government has said it expects to accept 5,000 foreign workers in the nursing sector the first year and up to 60,000 over five years.

Between the two new resident statuses created under the new visa system, the first type, valid for up to five years, is for people to engage in work that requires a certain level of knowledge including nursing care, and the second type for work that needs higher-level skills.

Applicants for the new working status will be required to pass Japanese-language and technical exams. Those who wish to work as caregivers will need skills equivalent to those of people who have received three years of training.

"I wonder if there are foreigners who meet such requirements," one nursing home official said.

Trang said Vietnamese who are looking to work abroad may not necessarily be attracted to the jobs being made available in Japan.

"In Vietnam, jobs in the automobile and computer industries are popular. There are many people who say they will choose South Korea or Taiwan," Trang said.

==Kyodo

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Filipinos lead queue to UK's first Jollibee branch

LONDON - Filipinos trooped to Jollibee when it opened its first United Kingdom branch in London's Earl's Court on Saturday morning.

The London branch is Jollibee Food Corporation's second in Europe after it opened in Milan, Italy earlier this year. It adds to over 1,300 Jollibee stores worldwide.

Filipino patrons as well as curious foreigners lined up outside the store hours before the opening.

"This brings the taste of home even closer to them and I would like to congratulate Jollibee for bringing their first store in the UK," Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom Antonio Lagdameo said.

Jollibee branches outside the Philippines have been hugely popular among Filipino migrants who come to the store to get a taste and feel of home. 

Michael Sison and his friend Reggie Derecho were the first in line when the store opened at 8 a.m.

Sison, a balloon artist, and Derecho, a caregiver, lined up for 17 hours just to eat Chickenjoy, burger steak and spaghetti.

As early birds, the two took home with them Jollibee dolls and other collectible items.

Sison said Jollibee executives warmly welcomed them too.

"Ang pagtanggap po nila parang feel at home po kami sa loob ng Jollibee, parang nasa Pilipinas po kami," said Sison.

(How they received us, we felt at home inside Jollibee, it was like we were in the Philippines.)


Ernesto Tanmantiong, president and CEO of Jollibee Foods Corporation, also took time out to welcome the youngest person in line, 7-week-old Gabrielle Francis.

Like Sison and Derecho, the baby was also given a Jollibee doll and other toys.

Just like in the Philippines, Jollibee's London branch will also serve its trademark Chickenjoy with rice, Jolly Spaghetti, and Yumburger among others.

“We are very excited because we will be able to provide the taste of home to our kababayans here as well as offering our products to the British people,” Tanmantiong said during the official launch Friday.

Reports say that an all-Filipino crew would man Jollibee's first London store.


The hit Filipino food chain said it would be aggressive with its UK expansion as it targets to open 25 more branches there in the next five years.

“We believe the fried chicken market in the UK is very big and we would like to be a major player in this market,” Tanmantiong said.

“There is a strong match between the strength of Jollibee, the Chickenjoy and the potential of the market here in Europe,” added Dennis Flores, Jollibee's head for International Business in Europe, Middle East and Asia.

There are over 200,000 Filipinos in the United Kingdom and over 800,000 Filipinos spread across Europe, according to a 2013 report of the Commission on Filipino Overseas. - with a report from Rose Eclarinal, ABS-CBN News

source: news.abs-cbn.com

OFWs in Jeddah celebrate 88th Saudi National Day

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.

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, maganda, hindi mo masabi na pipitsugin, mag-eenjoy ka sa panonood,” said Kim Dulay.

“Ine-expect natin pag DH, pambahay lang, kaya malaking tulong sa akin na maipasyal ako sa ganito kahit bago lang ako dito,” said Jenelyn Limba.

The festival was also highlighted by different shows, parades, and 3-D lightning exhibits featuring the country’s cultural heritage.

Almost a million overseas Filipino workers are working in the kingdom but the number of expatriate workers continues to dwindle due to the Saudization program of the country, which paves the way for Saudi nationals to take on jobs previously held by expatriate workers. 

If given a chance to still work in the country, Lubay and Dulay would like to stay.

“Pipiliin ko pa rn dito, hindi ganun kataas ang cost of living at mas competitive ang pasahod nila dito.” Lubay said.

“Maganda ung kultura nila, madidisiplina ka nila," Dulay added.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Anger at Singapore ads offering Indonesian maids for sale

SINGAPORE -- Online ads in Singapore offering Indonesian maids for sale were Wednesday condemned as "unjust and demeaning," in a rare flare-up of tensions between the neighbors over domestic helpers. 

Singapore is home to almost 250,000 maids, mostly from poor parts of Indonesia or the Philippines, who head to the wealthy city-state to earn higher salaries than they can back home.

While Indonesia regularly protests about abuse and exploitation of helpers in Malaysia and parts of the Middle East, complaints about treatment of maids in tightly-regulated Singapore are less common.

However reports that Indonesian helpers were being offered for sale in the city-state on online marketplace Carousell quickly drew condemnation from rights groups. 

The adverts under the user name "maid.recruitment" reportedly offered the services of several helpers from Indonesia, while some ads indicated maids had been "sold." 

The posts on the e-commerce site, which operates in several Asian countries and describes itself as "a simple way to sell the clutter in your life," have now been removed.

Wahyu Susilo, executive director of Indonesian NGO Migrant Care, said the group "strongly condemned" the adverts and called for those behind them to be brought to justice.

"This is very unjust and demeaning to the migrant workers' dignity," he told AFP.

Singapore's labor ministry said it was aware of cases where maids were being "marketed inappropriately" on Singapore-headquartered Carousell, and had got the adverts taken down and launched an investigation.

"Advertising (foreign domestic workers) like commodities is unacceptable and an offence" under local laws, a statement from the ministry said. Employment agencies found guilty of such practices will have their licences revoked or suspended, it said. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Overseas Filipino Bank a one-stop-shop for Filipinos abroad

The Overseas Filipino Bank, which was inaugurated recently by President Rodrigo Duterte, will be a one-stop-shop for Filipinos abroad, a finance official said Tuesday.

The lender is expected to roll out its complete financial services menu by the second quarter, Finance Assistant Secretary Paola Alvarez told ANC’s Early Edition.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Honest taxi driver returns bag with P900,000

DAVAO CITY - A taxi driver in Davao City on Thursday returned a bag containing 2 million yen or around P900,000.

Reymond Gonzaga discovered that a passenger left the bag at the backseat of his of taxi on Thursday morning.


"Nabantayan nako ang bag dihang mamahaw ko busa midiretso nalang ko sa ABS-CBN aron magpatabang nga mauli ang bag," he saud.

(I was about to take my breakfast when I saw the bag at the back seat. I went here to ask help from ABS-CBN on what to do with the bag.)

The bag also contained jewelry, a cellphone, and other important documents such as a passport and bank book.

ABS-CBN News obtained information that the owner of the bag is Ruth Muntag Koitabashi, an overseas Filipino worker in Japan.

Koitabashi immediately went to the ABS-CBN Davao station to claim her bag.

According to Ruth, she forgot her bag because she was in a hurry to meet her friend.

"Nakalimot ko sa ako bag nagdali dali lagi, dako kong pasalamat sa iyaha," she said.

(I'm very thankful to Reymond because he returned my bag)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Razon's to bring popular halo-halo to the Middle East

MANILA – Razon’s of Guagua, known for its creamy, no-frills halo-halo, will soon be available in the Middle East.

The Kapampangan restaurant chain is set to open a branch in Dubai, where many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are based.

“It will be our first international store in Dubai, and we are excited to cater to over a million OFWs in the region. There is a demand for real Filipino food in Dubai,” Jose Razon, executive vice president of Razon’s, said in an interview with Manila Standard.

Razon’s halo-halo is different from the original Filipino icy treat as it only contains three main ingredients: leche flan, saging na saba, and macapuno.

The restaurant, which has branches in Pampanga, Metro Manila, and nearby provinces, is also popular for its pancit luglug, sizzling bulalo, sizzling sisig, and dinuguan with puto.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Ex-pimp helps women cook their way to new life in Hong Kong

HONG KONG - Pimp turned do-gooder Kaushic Biswas has swapped the brothel for the kitchen and is now teaching the sort of women he once exploited how to cook their way out of human trafficking.

It is a total change from his Mumbai life back in the 1990s, when Biswas earned big money as a pimp, managing and selling women for sex after they had been trafficked into prostitution.

"Every night I broke down and cried. I cried because I was part of the exploitation," Biswas told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Biswas was a trained chef whose life took a bad turn in 1991 and has now come full circle. Biswas says he wants to help victims of trafficking, the sort of women he once sold for sex to be abused by the wealthy clients he calls "johns".

"Sometimes they forced me to watch."

MASTER CHEF

Born in Calcutta, India, Biswas trained as a chef then worked in top hotels. But aged 21, he changed tack, discovered the underworld of Mumbai's discos, and worked for 18 months hooking up women with wealthy clients, many from the Middle East.

"I was lost and needed money to survive. I knew I wasn't supposed to do this," he said. "Many of these ladies cried with me. They were drinking, some of them took drugs. Drinking was like drinking water for them."

Something had to change. So Biswas bought a plane ticket to Thailand to escape Mumbai, working once more as a chef, first in a 5-star hotel in Thailand, next under his mentor in Hong Kong.

It was here that Biswas feels he found his true calling.

Biswas said he found solace in a church and joined fellow believers, setting up an outreach post in Chungking Mansion, home to some of the cheapest housing in the city.

He reached hundreds of drug addicts, dealers and refugees. This led to a later project that also supported domestic helpers trapped in debt bondage and migrant women working as prostitutes in Wanchai's notorious red-light district.

"We hope to train bar girls who want to leave the industry," said Biswas. "I'm a chef. That's my gift. [I want to] use it. Whether it's with prostitutes, drug addicts or refugees."

Taste of Hope - a social enterprise launched in June 2016 with church help - now offers free cooking classes and trains some of Hong Kong's most vulnerable people in how to run a small business. There was no mention of God in the classes attended by Thomson Reuters and Biswas instead used his kitchen skills and background in the sex trade to connect with the trainee chefs.

"Job training provides skills and alternatives so that [trafficking survivors] do not fall prey to economic pressures. But more importantly, it helps rebuild their values and identities," said Sandy Wong, Chair of the Anti-Human Trafficking Committee of Hong Kong Federation of Women Lawyers.

LOST SOULS

About 340,000 migrant women, mostly from the Philippines and Indonesia, work as domestic helpers in Hong Kong, according to a U.S. government "Trafficking in Persons" report.

Some employment agencies charge excessive placement fees or issue fraudulent debt contracts above the legal limit in Hong Kong, leading to debt bondage, the State Department report said. Traffickers trick women from the Philippines and Thailand to work in prostitution in bars, then wield control through crushing debt repayments and by withholding passports.

Last June, Biswas began the three-month cooking course in partnership with Harmony Baptist church in the red light area of Wanchai with a mission to reach trafficking victims.

Once a week, Biswas and his co-worker Preston Hartwick teach Indian cooking to about six to eight women, including victims of debt bondage and sex trafficking.

Kat, 23, is a bar girl and trafficking victim from the Philippines who recently joined the class. About a month ago, Kat says she was tricked into prostitution at a bar in Hong Kong. She was desperate to find work to support her daughter and ill mother. For the next three to four months, she will now have to pay off a debt to the agency that recruited her.

"I'm traumatized. There are three other women at my bar that feel the same. I always feel in danger. I take a risk every time I go out with a male customer," said Kat as she wept.

Domestic helper Maria Reyes, 34, is also new to the job training. Sole bread-winner for her 10-year-old son, husband and mother in the Philippines, Reyes was laden with debt after signing an agency contract twice that stipulated she pay back more than 80 percent of her monthly salary for seven months.

"It really helps me a lot. I cannot afford [to pay for a] cooking class. I'm thinking about seriously opening my own business," said Reyes, who has worked in Hong Kong since 2012.

The church that partnered with Biswas said it is trying to help trafficked people get home to a normal family life.

"We feel that Taste of Hope's work gives them hope that they can take more control of their own future and get a job that also allows them to live with their families instead of overseas," said Pastor Chris Hartwick of Harmony Baptist church.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Christmas shopping abroad? Bring these home hassle-free

MANILA -- The Bureau of Customs has released a list of items that Filipino Christmas shoppers can bring back to the country without prior clearance from health authorities.

The common "pasalubong" and the corresponding allowable quantities are as follows:

    1. Perfumes (5 pieces)
    2. Lipstick (10 pieces)
    3. Shampoo (2 kilos)
    4. Lotion (2 kilos)
    5. Bar soap (2 kilos)
    6. Assorted cosmetics (1 kilo)
    7. Toys (10 pieces)
    8. Childcare articles (5 kilos)
    9. Detergents, fabric conditioners, fabric softeners, dishwashing liquid (5 kilos)

The limits are applicable to passenger baggage, balikbayan boxes and parcel sent via mail or delivery services.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Duterte wants department, bank for OFWs

A department devoted entirely to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and a bank to accept their remittances: these are just some of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte's plans to help OFWs if he is elected president.

Duterte said reading about the abuses heaped on OFWs by their foreign employers has become almost an "everyday spectacle." This is the reason why he wants to set up an entire department to help these overseas Pinoys, which now number at least 4.21 million, according to 2013 data from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO).

He said the OFW bank will help overseas Pinoys send their money quickly.

He said envoys and other Filipino officials in foreign embassies should also keep track of overseas Pinoys.

"At the first sign of abuse and if they want to go home, libre na yan. We will fund it. If they get sick, I will pay the hospital. We will have a credit line in all the hospitals. Kung nabugbog...bigyan na ng ticket," he said.

"If they want the contract suspended , they will have the legal aid."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How ticket mistake saved these Pinoys in Paris

FRANCE – Two Filipinos based in Paris are thankful that the rock concert tickets they bought online were for another date and not last Friday when terrorists carried out the bloody attack that killed at least 80 people.

Paris-based worker Harold Encina shared what seems to be a twist of fate that nearly cost his life and his Filipino friend, Chester Sampang.

Encina said they could have been included in the list of fatalities when suicide bombers stormed the Bataclan concert hall with massive gunfire before detonating their bomb belts.

Both Encina and Sampang were ready to watch a rock band concert Friday night, only to find out barely 48 hours before the event that they had the wrong date.

They bought the tickets online almost two months ago.

Had they not discovered the actual concert date, Encina believes they could have proceeded and watched that fateful day the concert of Eagles of Death Metal.

Encina has been an OFW in Paris for nearly 13 years. He is a member of a Filipino music band, playing bass guitar.

His friend Sampang is also a band mate.

Encina had watched many concerts at Bataclan and it could have been a first time for Sampang.

After the tragic incidents, Encina and many Filipinos in Paris are now taking precautionary measures and staying away from public places.

Encina joined the one minute prayer at the historic Plaza de Republique, known as the center for all forms of protest movements within France.

He also lighted a candle to honor the dead.

The solemn high noon prayer held simultaneously in other key cities all over the world manifested the solidarity among nations in the fight against terrorism. It culminated in a thunderous applause later.

Meanwhile, Philippine Ambassador to France Teresa Lazaro urged Filipinos to remain vigilant.

"Stay vigilant until the end of the month dahil nga dito sa Cup 21 where France is expecting 120 heads of state," she said.

At least 2,000 Filipinos are based in Paris.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

From saving to investing: 5 tips for OFWs

MANILA - Most overseas Filipino workers (OFW) leave their homeland and loved ones to work abroad in pursuit of financial prosperity. If you are now working abroad, it is not enough to simply save up your money. Instead, you should invest these savings so that your money can grow faster.

For OFWs, the need to invest smartly is particularly urgent since your opportunity to raise funds is linked to the length of your contract. Once your contract of work is over, it is possible that you would find yourself without having a source of income, until you find a contract again. For this reason, you need to come up with the right investment choices that match your circumstances and make your money work harder for you.

Essentially, OFWs should be guided by the same investment principles as Filipinos who are working and based at home, save for a few considerations to reflect your circumstances, in particular not being in the country.

Here’s a simple five-step guide to help you in making your investment decisions:

1. Consider liquid and professionally managed investments.

Shop for investment products that are easy to purchase and dispose off even if you are not in the Philippines. The nice thing with today’s technology is you can scan online, start by looking at the individual websites of financial institutions. Your choices include the following:

· Mutual funds – These are pooled funds invested in different types of assets to match your desired time frame and level of risk. Some may have the potential for high gains but will also come with higher risk. These are available to retail investors for a beginning account of as low as P5,000.

· Unitary investment trust funds – These are also pooled funds invested in various assets to match your risk profile and investment horizon. These are available to retail investors for a beginning account of as low as P5,000.

· Insurance-linked investments – This is an insurance product combined with an investment fund, fulfilling your need for protection and capital gains. Your monthly payment would depend on the amount of coverage you purchased, as well as the type of asset you chose to invest in.

· Equities – These shares represent shareholdings in a company. You profit from the trading of these shares in the stock market. Online brokerages can facilitate your trades, with some of them requiring an opening balance beginning at P10,000.

· Bonds – These represent debt taken by either the Philippine government or companies. They usually have a fixed return and are therefore safer. They may be purchased through most banks for as low as P5,000.

2. Keep your papers in order.

Ensure that you have proper documentation to open and maintain these accounts, either while you are visiting the Philippines, or from abroad. Download their online forms, then mail a clear copy of your required IDs. Before sending these documents over, it may be helpful to personally contact the financial institution through their emails so that they can review your signed forms and requirements before you send these. This will save you a lot of time and effort.

3. Use safe and direct channels for sending money.

Find a secure and cost-effective way to put money into your investment from where you are. Online banking services, which are now available to those with accounts in local banks, are among the safest channels you can use. You can also use bank-to-bank transfers. If you wish to go through remittance channels, consider companies with long track records and recommended for customer service if something should go wrong. Unsafe ways of sending money are physically through people, no matter how much you trust them; through other people’s bank accounts; or by sending the money in the mail.

4. Make your payments or remittances regularly.

If you send money to the Philippines, it would be good to do so following a schedule, so that you and your loved ones back home can plan your cash flows better. Have the discipline to send money on schedule so that your loved ones can make payments on time, letting you avoid penalties in the process. Luckily, major financial institutions all allow you to make payments or transfers online. You may want to check out https://remittanceprices.worldbank.org/en to know how much it costs to send money from one part of the world to another.

5. Ensure the legality and integrity of your planned investment.

OFWs are often the target of investment scams. Check out the site of the Commission of Filipinos http://www.cfo.gov.ph/ to read the latest news and updates on legitimate and illegitimate business deals. You may also have relatives luring you into get-rich-schemes that offer nothing but false promises. While you may trust your loved ones, it is but prudent to check out everything about the proposed investment deal before you turn over your hard-earned money.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Migrante stages 'No Remittance Day' protest in Mendiola

MANILA - Despite the government's move to stop the Bureau of Customs' (BOC) random inspection of balikbayan boxes, around 30 members of Migrante held a protest in Mendiola Friday to support an earlier call by some OFWs of a "No Remittance Day."

Migrante chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado said they want BOC chief Alberto Lina and other "corrupt officials" of the bureau to resign over their alleged unreasonable anti-OFW plan of randomly inspecting balikbayan boxes.

She said instead of going after OFWs who send hard-earned remittances and balikbayan boxes back home, the BOC should go after big-time smugglers of rice, sugar, cars, and other contraband items.

The group also called on the BOC to shelve its plan of a P600-million revenue target from balikbayan boxes and stop imposing illegal fees, placement fees, and tax fees on OFWs.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

New bills to have bolder colors, more security features

MANILA – Old peso bills will soon be phased out but the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is reminding the public that there is still time to have them replaced before they lose value.

The old banknote series, which has been in circulation since 1985, can still be used until December 31, 2015. [PLS LINK TO "old banknote series": http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/05/21/15/look-peso-bills-na-wala-nang-halaga-sa-2017]

But by January 1, 2016, it can no longer be used to purchase goods and services.

By then, old banknotes in circulation should be turned over and replaced by authorized agent banks of the BSP.

Maja Gratia Malic, Cash Department Deputy Director at BSP, said these include thrift banks, rural banks, commercial banks, and universal banks.

Malic said those with old banknotes have until December 31, 2016 to have the bills replaced because by January 1, 2017, the old bills will no longer have value.

To replace the old banknotes, go to any bank even if you are not a depositor and exchange the old banknotes with new ones.

For overseas Filipino workers (OFW) carrying old peso bills, Malic said the BSP will implement a special facility for the replacement.

Starting October 1, 2016, OFWs will have to register online, indicate the total amount they wish to replace, and input the specific denominations to be replaced.

They can then have the old bills replaced for a period of one year starting the date of their registration. Registration ends on December 31, 2016.

“Without this registration form, they cannot have these banknotes replaced beyond 2016,” Malic told ANC's "On The Money."

Bills of the new generation currency series have bolder colors and enhanced security features. Images of the heroes on the bill's front side are also "younger-looking."

“This is the approximate age when they started doing their public service…to be an inspiration for the youth, they can be in public service this young," Malic said.

She added that the new banknotes have security features that are at par or even better than other countries, such as bigger and more obvious window security thread that cannot be photocopied; watermark portraits; and denomination markings only seen against the light.

 source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Banzai goes beyond Japanese for Christmas

MANILA -- Christmas comes to Banzai at the SM Mall of Asia complex, as the country’s biggest Japanese buffet offers its new holiday menu starting on Saturday, December 20.

Aside from its extensive Japanese offerings, which include sushi, sashimi, ramen and noodles, tonkatsu, tempura, yakitori, takoyaki, and even Japanese pizza, the expanded Christmas menu will have other cuisines from the sister restaurants of Banzai in the Sumo Sam group.

Menu additions to their salad section include the Smoked Chicken with Fuji Apple and Walnuts, as well as Marble Potatoes with Crispy Panchetta.

Main courses will include an array of chilled seafood like prawns, mussels and clams; the porchetta, which is their version of the ever popular belly roll with spices of rosemary and fennel; the roast stuffed turkey with bread stuffing and turkey gravy; homemade slow-cooked meatloaf with mushroom gravy; and the Mediterranean favorite, moussaka, layered with eggplant and cheese.

Other Asian influences are also present with roast Peking duck crepe, peach-glazed chicken and honey-glazed pork.

Christmas cheer comes to the dessert table with the green pistachio cheesecake; the cute and festive cherry blossom cake; the matcha and black sesame cake; strawberry green tea mousse; and strawberry butter sponge cake.

Sister restaurants Dekada and Balboa will also be adding to the Banzai spread.

Balboa, which serves Italian food, will be offering four pizzas (all meat, seafood, pesto, four cheese) as well as four sauces (alfredo, aglio olio, truffle mushroom, puttanesca) with twp choices of pasta (penne and spaghettini).

Dekada, meanwhile, will serve Filipino favorites such as sinigang na miso, adobo rice, Bicol express, kare-kare and, for dessert, Filipino misa de gallo favorites bibingka, puto bumbong and palitaw.

OFW promo

In addition, Banzai has a welcome promo for overseas Filipino workers who are home for the holidays.

OFWs, who are accompanied by at least three full paying guests, can eat for free. They just have to show their passport and a valid ID.

 Other promos include the 5+1 promo (one free for a group of six), the birthday promo (birthday celebrants eat for free in a group of four), and the senior promo (an additional 30% discount to their 20% discount).

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com