GRS 350
RESTRICTED
FM MANILA
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 14
OF 15O4OOZ JULY 87
INFO ROUTINE F C O
RESTRICTED
210/1.
OUR TELNO 13 (NOT TO FCO): HONG KONG: FOREIGN DOMESTIC HELPERS
(FDHS).
1. NINEZ CACHO OLIVARES TELEVISED REPORT OF HER VISIT TO HONG KONG FROM 19 - 22 JUNE WAS SHOWN ON NIGHTLINE MANILA'' CHANNEL
9 TV AS SCHEDULED ON 13 JULY..
2.
THE HOUR LONG PROGRAMME INCLUDED SHORT EXCERPTS FROM HER
INTERVIEW WITH CARTER, HONG KONG DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION, AND INTERVIEWS WITH PHILIPPINE CONSUL GENERAL REYES, SEVERAL MAINDS
AND LEADERS OF ORGANISATIONS REPRESENTING THEM. THE PROGRAMME
WAS GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE MAIDS' INTERESTS AND CRITICAL OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S NEW POLICIES, THE PHILIPPINE GOVERN-
MENT'S RESPONSE TO THEM AND THE HIGH FEES CHARGED BY THE RECRUITMENT AGENCIES. MAIDS ACCUSED THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE OF NOT BEING SYMPATHETIC TO THEIR PLIGHT AND ADOPTING A LEGALISTIC APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM. THEY CLAIMED THAT THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT HAD DONE NOTHING TO HELP THEM DESPITE THEIR PETITION TO PRESIDENT AQUINO. IN TURN, THE CONSUL GENERAL SOUGHT TO SHIFT BLAME ON TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THIS EMBASSY BY CLAIMING THAT THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT HAD MERELY BEEN INFORMED AND NOT CONSULTED
ABOUT
THE RULE CHANGE BEFORE THE EVENT. CARTER'S INTERVIEW CAME ACROSS
WELL BUT SINCE THE INTERVIEW WAS RECORDED AT THE START OF MRS
OLIVARES VISIT HE WAS NOT ASKED TO RESPOND TO ALLEGATIONS MADE
SUBSEQUENTLY.
3.
MRS OLIVARES' OFFICE ARE PROVIDING US WITH A RECORDING OF THE
PROGRAMME FOR ONWARD TRANSMISSION BY BAG (DUE TO LEAVE HERE ON 21 JULY). SHE HAS ASKED US TO REPECT THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE
MAIDS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAMME.
4.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME FURTHER CRITICAL PRESS COMMENT OF THE SITUATION OF FILIPINA MAIDS IN HONG KONG, MOSTLY IN THE PHILIPPINE STAR (COPIES SENT TO CARTER). DESPITE THIS, WE HAVE RECEIVED NO HOSTILE PRESS INQUIRIES AND ARE NOT YET UNDER ANY PRESSURE. WE DO NOT INTEND, THEREFORE, TO RAISE OUR PROFILE BY RESPONDING
PUBLICLY.
5. THERE IS NO SIGN AT PRESENT OF THE PHILIPPINE FACT-FINDING
MISSION PROPOSED IN MAY (OUR TELNO 9). BUT THE SITUATION MAY CHANGE ONCE CONGRESS CONVENES.
MACINNES
MGSMAN 6267
MINIMAL
SEAD HKD
RESTRICTED
PTA
52