We came across news that several restaurants in China are now under prosecution for using opium poppies as seasoning for their dishes. And it’s not just dimsum and dumpling joints and noodle shops that have been found with this kind of illegal and scary practice but even popular hot pain chains in the capital of Beijing—making it a very scary scenario because unscrupulous people bent on doing monkey business can use this to make drug addicts out of people, one of our buddies pointed out.
According to reports, China’s Food and Drug Administration is now investigating these restaurants and food joints numbering 35, ascertaining truth to allegations that cooks sprinkle ground poppy powder containing low levels of morphine and codeine in the food served. This latest issue is just one more black eye against China which has been hounded by all kinds of food scandals in the past, like melamine-laced milk, fake rice, seafood injected with gelatin, etc.
While we have yet to see if the amount of opiates sprinkled in the food is enough to get a customer hooked on drugs, why risk it? Here in the Philippines, we have heard about these drug lords spiking lollipops and candies with illegal substances to get kids—elementary school children in fact—hooked on the drug habit. So it’s not unlikely that the same unscrupulous low-life primates would get a leaf from this news and bribe restaurant cooks and servers to sprinkle the food with powder containing illegal substances masquerading as food seasoning. According to reports from Xinhua, the official news agency of the Chinese government, the additives—or perhaps we should call them “addictives”—were usually mixed with chili oil and chili powder to make it difficult for the ordinary customer to detect. Imagine getting a buzz from drug-laced chili oil?
OFWs lose a father in Señeres
News about the demise of OFW Family party list Rep. Roy Señeres on Monday due to cardiac arrest brought about by diabetes complications has brought a pall of gloom to overseas Filipino workers, who see a father in the late ambassador who is regarded as a moving force in upholding the rights of OFWs.
Señeres, 68, was largely credited for saving Sarah Balabagan from death row. Balabagan, who was a young domestic worker at the time, was on death row for killing her employer who raped her. Balabagan, who is now based in Milipitas, California, expressed her sorrow over the passing of the party list politician who filed a certificate of candidacy for president under the Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka party but announced his withdrawal from the race shortly before he died due to health reasons.
The Capiz-born Señeres obtained a political science degree from the University of Santo Tomas and finished his Bachelor of Laws from San Beda College. He started in government as a case officer at the Department of Labor and worked his way up until his promotion as labor attaché with the rank of consul-general in Washington DC in the ’90s, which started him on the path of being an OFW champion. He was a good man, gone too soon, our buddies said.
Our condolences to the family and loved ones of Congressman Roy Señeres.
Ople, local recruitment agency keep promise to repatriate OFW remains
The OFW community may have lost a champion in Roy Señeres, but they are thankful that they still have champions in the person of Susan Ople who, along with John Bertiz, are helping ease the plight of OFWs and their families. True to their word, Ople (who is running for senator in the upcoming May elections) and Bertiz moved to have the remains of domestic helper Lotis Camocamo brought home. The domestic helper died after falling from the third floor of an apartment in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last Oct. 29.
John Bertiz, who is also the president of Global Asia Alliance Consultant Inc., said he and Ople are accompanying Camocamo’s husband, Domingo, to bring home Lotis’ remains to Toledo City in Cebu, where her three children and surviving family are waiting.
“We are one with the Camocamo family in grieving over the loss of Lotis. Our thoughts and prayers are with them, especially during this time of grief and great loss. May Lotis find eternal rest in the hands of her Creator,” Bertiz expressed.
Based on the Saudi Police report, Lotis, a native of Bgy. Sto. Nino, Toledo City, suffered serious head injury from the fall that caused her death. The OFW was apparently alone when she went out through the window using an improvised rope that snapped. Saudi authorities had reportedly ruled out foul play in the fatal accident. Unfortunately, the local recruitment agency only learned about her death last Dec. 9, and immediately sent its welfare officer to Riyadh to assist her husband.
Bertiz’s agency shouldered the cost of returning her remains to Cebu, along with her husband’s airfare and even extended personal financial aid to the family. He also helped facilitate the claim for insurance amounting to $10,000 and for financial aid by her employer amounting to some 18,000 riyal to benefit her children and family.
It was Ople, who heads the Ople Policy Center, who was instrumental in locating Camocamo’s family and facilitating the repatriation of the domestic helper’s remains.
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