VIA GMA NEWST5VP Binay asks HK not to cancel visa-free entry for OFWsJanuary 30, 2014 5:14pm 102 49 0 156 Tags : Jejomar Binay Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday appealed to the Hong Kong government to spare overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the sanctions it is imposing on the Philippines in connection with the 2010 Manila hostage crisis . In a statement, Binay called for an amicable resolution to issues between the Philippine and Hong Kong, saying future sanctions from Chinas special administrative region “will definitely hurt” OFWs. “They [OFWs] will need to pay for the visa. The payment will be deducted from the money they should be sending their families,” he said. Binay, presidential adviser on OFW concerns, made the appeal after Hong Kong announced Wednesday the first phase of sanctions against the Philippines, which involved the cancellation of visa-free entry for Filipino officials and diplomats starting February 5 . The sanctions were imposed due to Philippines refusal to issue a formal apology for the Manila hostage-taking incident in 2010, which left eight Hong Kong nationals killed. The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, has stood firm on its decision not to apologize to Hong Kong for the hostage crisis . Although he appealed for an amicable resolution to issues, Binay supported the Philippine governments decision not to issue a formal apology to Hong Kong. “The President said the incident was a local, not a national issue. Hence, it is not necessary for the Philippine government to apologize,” he said. According to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, some 195,128 Filipinos were working in Hong Kong as of December 2012. — Andreo C. Calonzo /KBK, GMA News **HELLO KITTY
Posted on: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 14:06:26 +0000
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