HK OFW With Cervical Cancer Seeks Help After Let Go By Employer
A Filipina domestic worker in Hong Kong whose employment was terminated allegedly after her employer found out she has cancer.
Baby Jane Allas, 38, found out that she has cervical cancer in January. Despite of this, Allas, who is a single mother endured in her job to support her five children despite her experience under her Pakistani employer.
She seldom gets granted day-off, sleeps in a cramped storage room and is reportedly fed with leftover food.
“Kung tutuusin kaya ko pagtiiisan lahat para sa pamilya ko kasi siyempre mahirap ang buhay natin sa Pilipinas lalo na sa amin sa Palawan,” said Allas.
However, she was let go by her employer in February when her employer learned about her ailment. As she lost her job, Allas also lost the health insurance coverage that comes with a valid employment contract. She could have availed it for her medications.
But this wasn’t even the first thing Allas worried about when she lost her job. She was worried more about the expenses for her children.
“Yung cancer andiyan na ‘yan di ko na matatanggal pero ‘yung bituka ng mga anak ko hindi ko maano kahit may kanser ako gusto ko kahit paano tapusin kontrata ko kahit may sakit ako kung ‘di dahil sa kapatid ko hindi ako magpapa-check up,” she said.
“My neighbour… gave me noodles, she is very nice to me, she said, oh what happened to your body, you are so delicate now, only one year you lost your weight,” Allas recalled.
Allas currently lives with her sister Mary Ann, who also works as a domestic worker in Hong Kong. Mary Ann’s employer was reportedly willing to take Baby Jane but under Hong Kong law, a new employment contract cannot be granted to someone who is suffering from cancer.
A fund raising was being undertaken to support Mary Jane’s medication. According to Mary Ann, the funding reached HK$391,000, but still way below the HK$1 million needed.
Baby Jane filed a case against her ex-employer at the Labor Department and was granted an extension of stay while the case is pending.