Up to 1,000 domestic helpers affected in Hong Kong ticketing debacle, consulate fears
Philippine diplomats trying to find out just how many people have been left in the lurch
The Philippine mission in Hong Kong has appealed for those affected by the ticketing fiasco caused by a local travel agency to report their cases to the consulate, as diplomats fear 1,000 potential victims are involved.
As of 5pm on Wednesday, 131 people had lodged their case with the Philippines consulate general.
Until the consulate confirmed just how many people were involved, officials were unable to grapple with the extent of the situation. The consulate confirmed it had spoke with the co-owner of agency Peya Travel, Donna Boyce, on Tuesday but text messages on Wednesday went unanswered.
“We are going to be coordinating with the police to straighten this thing out and to make sure we get a good picture of the extent people are affected,” Roderico Atienza, deputy consul general and acting head of post, told the Post.
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“The important thing out is finding out the extent of the problem. The situation is pretty much the same for everybody and the documentation will show we will get an accurate picture of how many people are affected … then at least we know who qualifies for some kind of redress.”