Judge awards $15.2 million to exploited Filipino workers

The Beverly Hills bakery where the Filipinos worked has been closed

ELEVEN FILIPINO workers were awarded over $15 million in a lawsuit against their former employers, whose claim of labor exploitation and human trafficking was uncontested 

The workers were trafficked to the United States to serve as domestic servants and back-of-the-house employees at two high-end bakeries owned by defendants Analiza and Goncalo Moitinho de Almeida.

“Because of this judgment, all the heartache and suffering we had to endure because of Ana’s greed has not been for nothing,” said Gina Pablo, one of the workers.

On May 2, 2016, Judge Fernando M. Olguin of the United States District Court for the Central District of California granted to the workers a default judgment of $15.2 million in damages and fees. 

The defendants subjected the workers to abusive conditions, including workdays as long as 17 hours and wages as low as three dollars an hour. They verbally abused the workers, forced them to do landscaping and cleaning at their home, referred to them as “dogs,” and imposed $11,000 in debt bondage on each worker. The defendants also threatened to cancel the workers’ visas and after the lawsuit was filed, threatened to harm them and their families in the Philippines. 

On March 18, 2015, with the help of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles (Advancing Justice-LA) and the law firm Latham & Watkins LLP, the workers sued the defendants for human trafficking, RICO violations, and violations of federal and state labor, retaliation, and whistleblower laws.

Ana de Almeida is the daughter of politically connected Juan B. Santos, the Chairman of Philippines' Social Security Commission/Social Security System and a retired CEO of Nestle Philippines. 

RELATED: Filipino bakery workers worked for $3 per hour

The 11 Filipino workers came to the U.S. on E-2 visas, which give immigrants with specialized skills authorization to work for a foreign national who has invested a substantial amount of money in a U.S.-based business.

Shortly after the lawsuit was filed, the Almeidas rapidly began liquidating their assets, including fraudulently encumbering and selling their million-dollar residence in Rolling Hills Estates, Calif., to keep the property and the proceeds from its sale out of the workers’ hands. The workers amended the complaint to add fraudulent transfer claims. By August 2015, the defendants had fled overseas and instructed their lawyers to “take no further action in defending the lawsuit.”

Judge Olguin voided the defendants’ fraudulent transfers and took steps to prevent them for further moving their assets. Advancing Justice-LA and Latham & Watkins are now pursuing steps to enforce the judgment.

"We are thrilled that the court has awarded the entirety of the requested relief, especially after the defendants did everything in their power, including breaking the law, to avoid accountability to our clients,” said Sid Nadkarni, associate at Latham & Watkins.

According to the Philippine Department of Labor & Employment, an average of 6,092 Filipinos are forced to migrate everyday in order to work abroad totaling up to 12 million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) around the world creating the Filipino Diaspora. In 2014 alone, $26 billion in remittances have been sent back to the Philippines, a majority of which been sent by OFWs in the U.S. (Source: Bangko Central ng Pilipinas). 

Advancing Justice-LA has also secured special immigration status for the workers as victims of human trafficking, which also provides work authorization so the workers can begin rebuilding their lives and reunite with their families.

“I’m so relieved about the judgment. All the stress that we went through is over. All the fears that the Almeidas imposed on us are gone. We can now focus on our new jobs and look forward to reuniting with our family soon,” said Armelinda de la Cerna, another worker.

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TGIF FEATURE: Filipino/American to defend his mixed-martial arts crown

Welterweight champ Robbie Lawler.

IS THIS the fight when Robbie Lawler gives up his welterweight crown? The 170 lb. Filipino/American mixed martial artist will meet challenger Carlos Condit in a Jan. 2 pay-per-view match in Las Vegas.

The highly anticipated matchup will headline the UFC 195 event (10 p.m. EST). Originally scheduled for November, the fight was postponed because of an injury Lawler suffered while training.

“I’ve been around a while,” said the 33-year old Lawler, who started his MMA career at age 20. “But it’s what I do and what I love to do. I always believed I would be a UFC champion. And I believe I will be successful in this defense as I was in my last.”

When the San Diego-born Lawler defended his title six months ago against Rory McDonald, the match was described as one of the best MMA fights in history and easily the Fight of the Year for 2015.

Lawler and Condit are both accomplished fighters and known for their striking power. Expect them to be standing toe-to-toe throwing blows from every direction. Most experts say the fighters are evenly matched and the fight too close to call. They also expect that the fight will end in a knock-out.

If it gets into a grappling match, Lawler will have a slight edge for his wrestling skills but Condit may have an edge in submission moves.

When Lawler beat John Hendricks to win his title in December 2014, which was held in Manila, he became the first Filipino/American to win a UFC crown.

At 5 feet, 11 inches, he'll be a few inches shorter than Condit and his reach will be an inch shorter but that doesn't deter the champ. 

Condit and Lawler have a healthy respect for each other and in pre-fight interviews avoided any trash talking about their opponent.

“I don’t ever really rank guys, but obviously Carlos is way up there,” he said of where Condit fits amongst the top strikers he’s faced in his career. “Every striker is different and has their little tweaks. Carlos is a kickboxer and he’s got a little different style than most, but he’s high up there and I definitely have to be focused. He brings everything to the table when it comes to strikes, so I have to be sharp.”

“He’s probably the most dangerous guy that I’ve ever faced,” Condit said of Lawler, heady praise from a man that has shared the Octagon with a Who’s Who of the 170-pound ranks over the last decade. “He’s super-skilled, but he’s also got the power and he’s got experience and he’s a smart fighter. I’m going to have to be on my A-game.”

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POPE FRANCIS: Filipina/American is music director for the Madison Square Garden Mass

The music director for the Friday Papal Mass is Dr. Jennifer Pascual, who is also in charge of the music at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. 

OVERSEEING THE MUSIC for the Papal Mass that will be held in Madison Square Garden this Friday, Sept. 25, is a Filipina/American – Dr. Jennifer Pascual, the Director of Music of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The religious ceremony is expected to attract 20,000 to the sports arena, home of basketball's New York Knicks and hockey's New York Rangers.

Dr. Pascual was appointed Director of Music at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City in 2003. She is the first woman to hold this position, one of the most prestigious sacred music appointments in the United States.

Aside from directing music at St. Patrick’s, a center of Catholic life in America, Jennifer is also host of the popular radio program “Sounds from the Spires” on the Catholic Channel 159. She currently teaches and serves as Director of Music at the St. Joseph’s Seminary and College in Yonkers, New York.

Born in Los Angeles, Jennifer proudly said that her parents are both from Manila and met in California. Her father is a U.S. Navy veteran while her mother is a retired nurse.

Dr. Jennifer Pascual

Jennifer has an extensive background in music. She earned a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Organ Performance from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY where she studied with David Higgs and taught undergraduate theory courses. She holds a Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance from the Mannes College of Music in New York City where she studied with Nina Svetlanova and studied organ privately with Mc Neil Robinson. She received the Bachelor of Music Degrees in Piano and Organ Performance, magna cum laude, and Music Education from Jacksonville University in Florida where she taught both organ and piano in the University’s Continuing Education Department. She was on the artistic staff of the Boys Choir of Harlem, Inc. from 1994 to 2003. 

Dr. Pascual is a member of the American Guild of Organists; New York Archdiocesan Music Commission, currently serving as its chair; Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians, having previously served on the Steering Committee; Liturgical Organists Consortium; EastWest Organists; and National Association of Pastoral Musicians, where she serves on the National Board and is a frequent recitalist and clinician at national conventions. 

She was a featured soloist in the 2004 and 2012 International Bamboo Organ Festival in Manila and is a recipient of the Paderewski Medal and Theodore Presser Award. Jennifer has performed in Austria, Canada, Italy, Russia, the Philippines, and throughout the United States. 

This is not her first Papal Mass. In April 2008, she had the privilege of overseeing all of the liturgical music for His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to New York in addition to conducting music for the Masses at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Yankee Stadium and the Ecumenical Service at St. Joseph’s Church. Two weeks later, she conducted the St. Patrick's Cathedral Choir for President George W. Bush at The White House for the National Day of Prayer. In December 2008, she named a Dame of the Order of St. Gregory the Great in recognition of service to the Church. She also conducted in performance twice during that Christmas season at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center.

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