COVID-19 stricken Hong Kong OFW finds refuge with NGO

An overseas Filipino worker in Hong Kong who contracted COVID-19 was able to seek refuge with a non-government organization.

According to Joseph Morong's report on "24 Oras" on Monday, "Gel" had been sleeping at a park in Hong Kong for two days because no hospital wanted to admit her as they were at full capacity.

"Lumong-lumo ako sa nangyari. Hindi ko po alam kung saan ako pupunta noong that time na 'yon. Hindi ko alam, wala akong idea kung sino 'yong hihingan ko ng tulong that time," she said.

(I was so depressed. I had no idea where to go at that time. I had no idea who could help me.)

"Ang dami na pong ambulansyang dumating at ang daming nag-positive that time. Sabi ko, 'Ma'am, wala po akong matuluyan. Wala po akong ibang mapuntahan.' Sabi nila, 'You must find a place because we cannot offer anything here because we have so many [patients],'" she added.

(All these ambulances were bringing in patients. A of patients were testing positive. I said, "Ma'm, I have no place to seek shelter. I have nowhere to go." They said, "You must find a place. We cannot offer anything here because we have so many [patients.])

Luckily, HELP, a non-government organization gave her a place to stay.

Gel was supposed to return to the Philippines on February 14 but this was not possible after she tested positive for the virus.

She will be able to go back home once she tests negative on February 28.

With Hong Kong now on its fifth COVID-19 wave, Philippine Consul General Raly Tejada disclosed reports of three to 10 Filipinos in the area forced by their employers to sleep in public areas such as parks.

Several OFWs in Hong Kong who tested positive for the virus were also among those who were forced to wait outside hospitals for treatment due to facilities being at full capacity.

According to Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) chief Hans Leo Cacdac, the government was monitoring the situation, with 28 Filipinos testing positive for COVID-19 in Hong Kong.

The OWWA said that five of these cases had recovered, two were in the hospital, and the remaining 21 were in isolation. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/DVM, GMA News