JOINT DEMARCHE. (Left photo) Philippine Consul General to Hong Kong Raly Tejada (left) and Indonesian Consul General Ricky Suhendar (right) sign a joint demarche to the Office of the Ombudsman of Hong Kong on issues related to boarding facilities for Foreign Domestic Helpers. (Right photo) Consul General Tejada (right) with Assistant Ombudsman Sara Tse (middle) and Consul General Suhendar (left) at the Office of the Ombudsman of Hong Kong. (Hong Kong PCG photos)
MANILA – The Consulates General of the Philippines and Indonesia sent a joint demarche (political initiative) to the Office of the Ombudsman of Hong Kong, calling for the improved living conditions of foreign domestic helpers (FDH) staying at boarding facilities in Hong Kong.
In a report dated Feb. 23, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the document was submitted last Feb. 11 and was received by Assistant Ombudsman Sara Tse.
"The joint demarche mainly called for improved living conditions for boarding facilities and sought the Hong Kong government’s assistance in ensuring that appropriate health and safety standards are put in place to ensure the well-being of FDHs among others," the DFA said.
Last August 2020, a significant number of coronavirus infections were recorded among domestic helpers who stayed in boarding facilities in Hong Kong.
The Covid-19 infection involving domestic helpers reportedly accounted for around 5 percent of total cases in Hong Kong in January 2021 alone.
Local paper Hong Kong Standard said domestic helpers were allowed to stay in boarding houses for two weeks while looking for jobs. Some accommodations, however, were allegedly overcrowded and violate building usage, risking transmission among tenants.
In January 2021, the Hong Kong Ombudsman initiated an inquiry to evaluate government regulations on these boarding houses. The joint demarche was a response to the Ombudsman’s request for recommendations regarding the issue. (PNA)
