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Honest helper 拾荒菲傭撿35萬送還失主

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發表於 2009-6-7 12:44:01 | 顯示全部樓層 |閱讀模式
2009年6月7日 星期日 05:05


【明報專訊】離鄉別井為兩餐,從菲律賓    來港謀生的女傭Mildred Perez,不甘僱主對她做出的不法行為,訴諸法院,在候審期間不能另找工作,只靠拾荒維生,每天掙約38元生活費。有一天,她意外地得到一個可擺脫貧困的機會——在垃圾堆中拾獲35萬元巨款,但她把錢全數退還失主,雖然換來的只是一盒曲奇餅作答謝,但她並無後悔,繼續其撿破爛的日子。明報記者 曾愛盈實習記者 勞泳珊

為了改善家人和子女生活,38歲的Mildred早年隻身從菲律賓來港當家傭。噩夢始於2007年間,她指控僱主對她做出不法行為,訴諸法律,事件令她失去工作和收入。案件候審期間,她不能另找工作,兩年以來,她每天每晚翻遍元朗和天水圍    的垃圾桶,只為找些可供回收的膠樽或紙皮,換取每天的生活費。

兩年來撿破爛維生 每天收入38元

今年4月29日,她到入境處    辦理留港簽證續期,順道在中環    砵典乍街拾荒,在一個污穢不堪的垃圾桶內找到一個厚信封,打開後赫然發現內有一疊厚厚的千元大鈔,總數17.6萬元;另有4張美金和港幣支票,全數合共逾35萬港元。單是信封內的現金,已相當於210萬菲律賓披索,對於出身窮困的她來說,這筆錢足夠讓一家擺脫貧窮。

內心掙扎﹕不能讓這輩子良心不安

「我不能挪取這些錢,否則我這輩子都會良心不安。」她在信封內找到公司名字,致電電話查詢中心,找到公司的電話。由於那時已過了辦公時間,Mildred在錄音機內留了口訊,說明她找到了一筆錢,希望物歸原主。

她事後向本地一家菲律賓報館透露當晚的掙扎過程:「當然我無法入睡了,那些可是錢來的!足夠讓我回家。不過,我在想,誰失落了這筆錢?會不會是一個員工不小心遺失了?那他可能會失去工作,那些依靠他的人怎樣辦?」翌日,公司果然有回音。原來一名員工替公司往銀行存款時遺失了該信封。由於該公司表示急需要那筆錢周轉,懇求她不要報警,以免手續需時。

物主回報﹕一盒牛油曲奇

Mildred遂與協助她打官司的律師David,相約該職員及其上司4月30日到天水圍一間大快活內交還巨款。兩人為表報答,送了一盒454克的牛油曲奇給Mildred。

雖然歸還巨款只換來一盒曲奇,Mildred沒一句怨言。她說:「那是我要向上主交代的事情。」

她目前持訪客簽證留港,每隔數星期續期便要交160元申請費,而她頭皮上又長了一個肉瘤,要有錢才能動手術。她說:「有時候我的確覺得自己很慘,沒有工作,拾荒也不容易,但我已想不到其他辦法了。」菲律賓駐港總領事館的勞工助理Nida Romulo表示,目前正向Mildred提供協助。

家鄉聞訊助籌旅費 市長主動協助

Mildred昨日向本報記者說:「我留港近兩年,只有一個原因,就是想盡快結束官司。」事件在菲國傳開後,Mildred的鄉下旋即展開籌款活動,Bambang市長亦主動提供協助,望能替她籌得候審期間回鄉探望親人的機票。
 樓主| 發表於 2009-6-7 12:47:06 | 顯示全部樓層

Mildred Perez: Honest OFW in HK, Nueva Vizcaya hero

FLORO TAGUINOD, GMANews.TV

Article posted June 05, 2009 - 12:52 PM
While digging on a trash bin to buy her own food, she came upon a bag full of money.


BAYOMBONG, Philippines - After two years of working as a domestic helper in Hongkong, Mildred Perez never thought her dreams of a good life for her family would be wrought with so many frustrations.

Before leaving her place of birth in Sitio Anao in Barangay Aliaga, Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya. Mildred’s’s mother averred that she was even ridiculed by some of her neighbors who disapproved of her leaving her family behind just so she can earn more in a foreign land.

A naturally warm and friendly person, Mildred’s mother, Aling Erna, said her daughter was also sneered at by some villagers who were spreading rumors that she was a bad example to others.

After debts mounted due to hardships and incessant rumors that maligned her person, Mildred, with the help of a sibling through direct hiring, tried her luck in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong proved to be a terrible place for her after she alleged that her employer made sexual advances on her. A case of sexual harassment was subsequently filed by Mildred and has since dragged in a Hong Kong court.

Left with no source of income and money to go back to the Philippines, Mildred was forced to live with her sister who was also a domestic helper but with little means to support her.

She eventually turned to scrounging on garbage bins, collecting trashes that can be recycled.

It was during one of her scrounging trips while digging on a trash bin that she came upon a bag full of money, HK $350,545 (US$2,717) in cash and checks worth P2.1 Million Pesos.

According to Aling Erna, her daughter called her up one morning and asked her to buy a newspaper so she can read her greetings for her family. Little did the mother know that the papers contained the story of her daughter’s honesty and heroism. Mildred became an instant celebrity.

During an interview with GMANews, Aling Erna retold how Mildred, expecting nothing in return, called up the owner of the bag and returned everything. She was given a box of cookies as a reward.

A month before the incident during one of their occasional communications, Eddie, Mildred’s husband who works as a tricycle driver, told her of an event when he returned a bag containing P20,000 to a passenger. He was given P10 for his fare home by the owner but he said he never complained since he was given a gift more worthy.

“Mas gusto ko mabuhay ng malinis ang konsensya," he said.

Mang Andres, Mildred’s father said he is so proud that her siblings and son-in-law grew up to be honest persons and that he hopes these events would finally dispel the unpleasant things told against her daughter.

According to Rep, Carlos Padilla of the Lone District of Nueva Vizcaya, Congress has passed House Resolution 1212 on Wednesday night commending the honesty and trustworthiness of Mildred Perez.

Padilla, who helped raised some money, confirmed that a P100,000 financial support for Mildred’s family is now ready on top of the P50,000, which will be coming from the provincial government and additional financial support from Mayor Benjamin Cuaresma of Bambang town.

Eddie was also offered a job at the provincial office of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Mildred is now waiting for the schedule of her trip back to the country with the help of the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong.

- GMANews.TV
 樓主| 發表於 2009-6-7 12:51:28 | 顯示全部樓層

House commendation sought for honest OFW

By Charlie Lagasca Updated June 05, 2009 12:00 AM

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – Rep. Carlos Padilla is calling on his fellow congressman to honor a Filipina worker in Hong Kong who despite her sad plight, returned the equivalent of P2.1 million in cash and checks she had found in a trash bin.

Padilla, of this province’s lone congressional district, filed House Resolution 1212 last Monday seeking commendation for Mildred Perez, an unemployed overseas worker in Hong Kong.

Padilla said Perez, 38, who hails from Barangay Aliaga in Bambang town this province, should be lauded for her “honesty and trustworthiness” in returning HK$350,545 in cash and checks, which she found in a trash can somewhere along Porringer street and Des Voeux Road in Hong Kong.

The 13-member provincial board led by Vice Gov. Jose Gambito unanimously passed a resolution the other day extolling Perez for “her display of honesty” which it described as “a trait of a true Vizcayano.”

For her part, Gov. Luisa Lloren-Cuaresma said Perez, her townmate, deserves full assistance on her status overseas.

Just like any Filipino, Padilla said Perez tried her luck as a household helper in Hong Kong three years ago to give a decent life to her two children.

She, however, found herself jobless after she filed a sexual harassment case against her employer.

Under Hong Kong law, a domestic helper who is either a victim or the subject of a sexual harassment case is temporarily banned from being employed while the case is pending. She can stay though in Hong Kong provided she updates immigration authorities on her status.

Padilla said Perez is surviving with the help of other Filipinos in Hong Kong and by collecting aluminum cans to sell.

“In her present condition, Ms. Perez could have just taken the cash and used it to go home to the Philippines since it was more than enough for her to start a new life back home, but she didn’t think twice about returning the money,” he said.

In his resolution, Padilla said Perez, along with a companion, found the envelope containing the cash and checks last April 29 while they were scrounging for things they could sell in the trash bin.

Finding the cash and checks, she and her companion “immediately called up the Hong Kong Information Center to get the number of the company indicated in the documents,” saying they wanted to return the money, Padilla said.

He said Perez found HK$176,000 cash in HK$1,000 bills, and four checks for US$3,250, US$5,000, US$13,000, and HK$10,920.
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