IF you are a tourist or a foreign worker in Hong Kong, wear red, or blue, or green. Don’t wear black or anything black and white.
A Filipino dancer did, while on his way home from work, and the police arrested him. They thought he was part of a throng of protesters because he wore black.
Until when will black be dangerous in Hong Kong? No one knows, and it’s that kind of uncertainty that has driven businesses to a sharp two-digit decline in profits.
The spontaneity of the protests and the huge crowds it drew in the initial weeks were inspiring to see. Hong Kong residents rallied against a proposed law that would make extradition to China legal. As the crowds grew bigger in every rally, Carrie Lam, as Hong Kong’s chief executive, announced the suspension of the legislative measure. Protesters thought the announcement was a sham. The protests now revolve around a longer list of demands that include Lam’s resignation.
Violence has marred some of the rallies, and some speculate that triad members may be responsible. The Chinese government prefers to point a finger at the United States. On Monday, protesters flooded the international airport, paralyzing operations and causing the cancellation of hundreds of flights. The protest actions are now on its 10th week, and for a bustling, multicultural city like Hong Kong, that period is almost an eternity.
Hong Kong adheres to the One Country, Two Systems governance scheme, as part of the turnover agreement between Great Britain and China. That agreement is set to expire in 2047. If this is already happening in 2019, as an offshoot of a proposed extradition bill, what more when the agreement lapses, and China maintains full control over the entire city? There are deeper roots to this series of protests that outsiders like us may not be aware of.
The world is keenly, if not nervously, watching what China intends to do. Its rhetoric has become edgier with words such as “terrorism” and “black terror” now included. For the Philippines, the stakes may even be higher. We have around 240,000 workers in Hong Kong, most of them are breadwinners of their respective families.
For these OFWs, life in Hong Kong has become even more stressful. The transport stoppages and constant protests have made some of them think twice on where to go, or whether to even leave the house, on their usual Sunday days-off. Disneyland employees were forced to walk home on the day that the trains stopped running. Some worry over the safety of their employers, as well as the children of their employers who are active in the protest movement.
The OFWs that I have talked to online were one in expressing sadness over the events in Hong Kong. They are all hoping and praying that the protests would be over soon. Many of them have fallen in love with Hong Kong, and the freedom it offers, and the good salary that they enjoy. The Philippine Consulate and the office of the labor attaché constantly remind our OFWs to steer clear of any political exercise.
Our OFWs there must use social media judiciously. They would have to avoid places where the protests would take place. They need to visit the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong Facebook Page, which posts advisories written in Filipino on which places to avoid and when.
Considering the abnormal political and economic conditions in Hong Kong, it may be necessary to augment our diplomatic corps even just for the coming months, perhaps until the end of the year.
An augmentation team would allow our Consulate to increase its mobile consular and labor services, especially during weekdays since protest rallies are usually held on Sundays, thus affecting public transport. There may also be a need to invest in more psycho-social services, to promote mental and emotional wellness at the time our workers need to be cool, calm and collected.
Hong Kong-bound OFWs must be thoroughly oriented about the abnormal situation that they would likely find themselves in. It would be best if the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) takes over the mandatory pre-departure orientation seminars for OFWs bound for Hong Kong to ensure that the delicate political situation, as well as the do’s and don’ts would be carefully explained.
Should our government suspend the deployment of workers to Hong Kong? I don’t think so. To declare a moratorium now could be misinterpreted as a political decision favoring one side or the other. A great majority of our workers in Hong Kong remain safe with their employers looking out for them. Let’s pray that the situation does not deteriorate to the point where employers choose to leave, and our workers are forced to come home. When prolonged political disputes lead to a spiraling economic decline, then job cuts may be inevitable.
Meanwhile, if you are a tourist or an OFW, don’t wear black in Hong Kong. And keep your social-media posts clean. And when caught in a protest rally, stay calm and extricate yourself. For Filipinos who are looking forward to a tour of Hong Kong, this is obviously not the best time. Pray for Hong Kong. Please.
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Susan V. Ople heads the Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute, a nonprofit organization that deals with labor and migration issues. She also represents the OFW sector in the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.