DOLE confirms firing of 1 Pinoy worker in HK due to hostage tragedy

Philippine labor officials on Saturday confirmed the firing of at least one Filipino domestic worker in Hong Kong due to last Monday’s deadly hostage crisis in Manila. But Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the firing appeared more of an isolated case, adding there are no other documented reports of workers being terminated due to the hostage tragedy that killed eight tourists from HK. “Bagama’t terminated siya, inayos ang benepisyo na kailangan ibigay sa kanya, nang ma-deport siya sa ating consulate sinabi niya walang problema sa kanyang employer naintindihan niya. Maayos ang pag-terminate sa kanya," Baldoz said on government-run dzRB radio, but did not identify the terminated Filipino worker. (Although the Filipino was fired, the employer gave the worker full benefits. There was no problem.) “We have not received other reports of termination of Filipino workers due to Monday’s incident," she added. Emotions continue to run high in Hong Kong, after the death of eight HK tourists along with hostage-taker dismissed Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza. But Baldoz said that as of Saturday, there has been no report of HK job orders from being canceled. On the other hand, Baldoz said recruitment agencies and the Filipino community are monitoring the situation in Hong Kong, and coordinating with the Philippine labor office there. “Sa ngayon walang kaliwa’t kanan na tanggalan, walang report na ganyan (At least for now, there is no basis to claims that Filipino workers are being fired left and right over Monday’s incident)," she said. Meanwhile, Baldoz advised Filipino workers in Hong Kong to be more understanding of the protests there, especially a major rally that will be held on Sunday. “Maganda yung ganoon na medyo tahimik tayo muna at hayaan mailabas talaga nila ang damdamin nila kasi dapat, una sa lahat, tayo nakakaunawa. Dapat di sabayan o i-counter ang kanilang damdamin (Just stay quiet for now and let them express their emotions. Be understanding towards their plight)," she said. — LBG, GMANews.TV