[asia-apec 1340] Hongkong Protest vs Passport Cancellation

[tpl at cheerful.com]

From:  APMMF (Asia Pacific Mission for Migrant Filipinos)


Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI)

28 October 1999


<bold><bigger><bigger>RP maids in HK protest

passport cancellation 


</bigger></bigger></bold>HONG KONG--A group of Filipino domestic helpers
protested here Wednesday against their consulate's decision to cancel
passports held as collateral or guarantees by finance companies. 


The protesters from the United Filipinos in Hong Kong (Unifil) staged a
performance showing two people dressed as a shark and an alligator
wrestling over a passport outside the Philippine consulate. 


The consulate issued the directive last month saying that passports
declared lost or reported held as guarantee or collateral are
automatically cancelled in a move 'to uphold the integrity of our
national document'.

 

Unifil said the consulate's move was "unfair, deceptive, punitive and
oppressive towards migrants in financial distress....It will force
migrant Filipinos to avail of loans through underground means."


There are about 180,000 foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong, mostly
from the Philippines, but also from Indonesia, Nepal and Thailand. Their
monthly earnings of about $3,670 Hong Kong (US$473) are often the main
source of income for their families at home. --
<bold><italic>AFP</italic> 


</bold>Note: If you would like a photo, taken from a Chinese Newspaper in
Hong Kong during a picket protest at the Philippine Consulate, e-mailed
to you please write to
<<<bold><italic><color><param>0000,0000,8080</param>apmmf at pacific.net.hk></color></italic></bold>.
The effigies of the shark and the crocodile represent the financing
agencies and the Philippine Consulate respectively.



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</color></fontfamily><underline><color><param>0000,0000,8080</param>Asia
Pacific Mission for Migrant Filipinos (APMMF)

</color></underline><italic>Address:</italic></bold><color><param>0000,0000,8080</param>
<italic>No.4 Jordan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR

</italic></color><italic>Tel. no.:<color><param>0000,0000,8080</param>
<bold>(852) 2723-7536

</bold></color>Fax no.:<color><param>0000,0000,8080</param> <bold>(852)
2735-4559

</bold></color>E-mail:<color><param>0000,0000,8080</param>
<bold>apmmf at pacific.net.hk

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