Palace: 'Too early to rejoice over Pinay's legal victory in HK'

Malacañang is not yet keen on rejoicing over a Hong Kong court’s decision allowing a Filipino domestic helper to apply for permanent residency there, saying the ruling is not yet final. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the ruling favoring Filipino domestic helper Evangeline Vallejos is not yet final as the Hong Kong government may appeal the case. “From what I understand, the ruling is not yet final. It’s going to be the subject of an appeal under the justice system of Hong Kong," Valte said on government-run dzRB radio. “Let’s wait for the decision to become final before we issue a comment," she said. On Friday, Vallejos won a legal battle for permanent residency in Hong Kong, with the verdict potentially opening the door for about 300,000 workers to claim the right of abode. Hong Kong High Court Judge M. H. Lam said it was unconstitutional to deny foreign maids the right of residency though many were employed on short-term, two-year contracts, that are often repeatedly renewed. Under Hong Kong’s constitution, foreigners are entitled to permanent residency – and with it, rights to voting, welfare and other services – if they have resided there for a continuous period of seven years. But the city’s immigration ordinance excludes some 290,000 foreign domestic workers – 146,000 from Indonesia and 139,000 from the Philippines – from permanent residency. Vallejos has lived in Hong Kong since 1986. Her lawyer Gladys Li had argued that under Hong Kong’s constitution, non-Chinese nationals who are residing there for seven years on valid travel documents are entitled to permanent residency, and that no exclusions should be made on race or religious grounds. While rights activists and the large Filipino community say a ruling in favor of the helper would be a vote for fairness and non-discrimination, many Hong Kong residents oppose such a prospect, fearing it would open the door to a flood of migrants. Hong Kong chief executive Donald Tsang said he was “personally disappointed by the judgment." “One thing is quite clear. We are fully prepared for an adverse judgment at this stage and for that reason we would be doing what we need to do," Tsang was quoted as saying. A big concern among some politicians in Hong Kong is that the verdict favoring the helper would force the government to ask Beijing for an interpretation of the city’s constitution because of fears of migrants influx. Hong Kong, a British colony for 150 years, returned to Chinese rule in 1997 and is supposed to retain a high level of internal autonomy. — LBG, GMA News