Gov’t to assist kin of Filipina domestic killed in HK road accident

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine government will provide legal assistance to the family of a Filipina domestic helper who died while saving her six-year-old ward in Hong Kong earlier this month, a labor official said Tuesday.

Carmelita S. Dimzon, head of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, said the agency would provide a lawyer to the family of Juanita A. Limbago besides giving them P220,000 in death insurance benefits.

“OWWA will also help provide a legal counsel to the (Limbago) family to file charges again the tour bus driver and his company for the fatal accident,” Dimzon said in a statement.

She said the agency already assisted the Limbago family in repatriating the remains of the victim.

Limbago, an OWWA member, died in a vehicular accident in Hong Kong on June 11.

The victim, who had been in Hong Kong for just two months and 10 days, and her ward were crossing a street on their way to school when a speeding tour bus ran them over.

“She had covered the boy with her body to protect him from the charging bus. (Agustin) died on the spot,” Dimzon said.

She added that the boy, although slightly wounded, was able to crawl out from under the bus.

Dimzon said she had condoled with the Limbago family and that the OWWA checks would be turned over to the victim’s husband, Edwin, as soon as he files the benefit claim.