Ten domestic helpers who perished in the deadly Tai Po fire will each be compensated about HK$800,000, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han announced on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters, Sun said 235 foreign domestic helpers were employed at Wang Fuk Court at the time of the fire, including 94 from the Philippines and 141 from Indonesia. Among them, 10 have died, three were injured, 30 remain missing, and 192 are confirmed safe.
Sun said the families of each deceased helper will receive a total payout of nearly HK$800,000, comprising roughly HK$500,000 in statutory compensation, a one-off HK$200,000 token of solidarity, and a HK$50,000 special subsidy.
Injured helpers will receive a one-time condolence payment of either HK$50,000 or HK$100,000, depending on the number of days they were hospitalized. Survivors and those confirmed safe will also receive HK$20,000 each, while both the injured and the safe will be provided with HK$2,000 stored value on their Octopus cards.
Hans Leo J. Cacdac, Secretary of the Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers, said Manila is working closely with the Hong Kong government to support the affected helpers and their families.
He said the Philippine Consulate General has arranged temporary accommodation and basic supplies for survivors, and assisted in reissuing lost immigration and identity documents.
Cacdac added that a Filipino helper who had been critically ill in intensive care is now stable and will be sent home to reunite with her family. Financial assistance has also been disbursed to the families of those who died.
Meanwhile, Sun acknowledged that affected residents have faced inconvenience in applying for aid from multiple charities, often requiring visits to different locations and repeated form-filling.
He said the government has coordinated with ten major charitable groups to streamline the process through a “one social worker per household” arrangement, reducing the burden on victims.
He said relief funds will be disbursed in ways that best suit the needs and preferences of affected households, as the government continues efforts to support survivors of the city’s deadliest fire in decades.
