A Home away from Home The Forgotten Names of Hong Kong Homelessness in Sham Shui Po What are the original names of the places we Filipinos in Hong Kong start The high cost of real estate is pushing more businesses that reflect their national lived in? identity people to become homeless P4 P8 P18 THE YOUNG REP RTER magazineDEC 2016 THE FORGOTTEN NAMES OF HONG KONG In This Issue 4 A Home away from Home 8 The Forgotten Names of Hong 14 Street Bazaar Livens up a Kong Neighbourhood Filipinos in Hong Kong start businesses that reflect their What are the original names of Kweilin day bazaar organisers national identity the places we lived in? fight for jawker licences NEWS NEWS FEATURE 6 Halal Food: A Cultural Bridge 12 Art in Architecture 18 Homelessness in Sham Shui Po A business uses food as a bridge Local architects explore thw world The high cost of real estate is for female enpowerment and of construction pushing more people to become cultural exchange NEWS homeless PHOTO ESSAY PHOTO magazineTHE YOUNG REP RTER Editor-in-Chief Advisers Letter from the Editor Jon Chan Robin Ewing Jenny Lam Deputy Editors Hilda Lo Editors As the year 2016 draws to an end, let declared invalid by the Legislative Lindsy Long Jonathan Chan us have a recap of the major events Council secretary-general. The Candice Tang Michelle Chan that took place this year. incident eventually led to the Kary Hsu Social Media and Web Alvin Kor NPCSC’s decisions to interpret the Ann Li Editors The “Fishball riot” broke out on the Basic Law regarding oath-taking, Anna Tang Janet Sun Catherine Xu second day of Lunar New Year. It which sparked protest from the Julianna Wu escalated from a police crackdown legal sector as well as pan-dems. Charlotte Yang Reporters on illegal hawkers into a riot that Morris Chan involved vandalism and arsoning. Coming towards the end of 2016, the Video Editors Angela Cheung Two shots were fired by the police, Chief Executive election race began Sharon Shi Emily Cheung Sharon Tang and weeks after that, more than 70 to take place. Incumbent Chief Paulus Choy Natalie Wong Connie Fong people were arrested with relation Executive CY Leung announced Susan Gao to the event. that he will not seek a second Art Directors James Ho term. Potential candidates began to Aaron Au Sean Hsu After that came the closing of announce their decision to join the Phoebe Chau Nicole Kwok 59-year-old ATV, one of the two free election. The nomination period Arisa Lai Celia Lai Rainie Lam TV stations in Hong Kong. Despite will commence in February, and Alfred Lam Daisy Lee multiple attempts by investors to candidates will need to gain at least Public Relations Officer Sing Lee fund the operation of the company, 150 nominations in order to become Flavia Wong Isabella Lo ATV could not maintain financial an official candidate. Tiffany Lui balance. Liquidators eventually Distribution Officers Winnie Ngai Choco Chan took over and dismissed over 400 2017 will bring major change to Jianne Soriano Herbert Cheung Crystal Tai staffs of the company. Hong Kong, with a new leader Choco Tang elected, there will undoubtedly Copy Editors Henry Wong A major event that took place this bring new challenges as well Ng Yi Shu Cecilia Wong year was the Legislative Council as opportunities to this city. As Taja Strle Emily Xu Election in September. A record- journalists, it is our responsibility Richelia Yeung Publisher Tracy Zhang breaking number of more than to be at the frontline and relay the Alice Lee 2,200,000 people, or 58% of the news to the public. In the coming Design Adviser total eligible voters casted their vote year, our team will continue to Wade Chan in the election. Andrew Leung was work hard and bring you local news The Young Reporter later elected as the new Legislative on our social media pages, so please Printer Volume 49 No. 3 Department of Journalism Council President. stay tuned to our Facebook and 2016 School of Communication Hong Kong Baptist Twitter accounts. University After that came the oath-taking incident. Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-ching were removed of their Hilda Lo seats because their oaths were Deputy Editor EMAIL [email protected] WEBSITE tyr.hk 4 •NEWS BUSINESS A Home away from Home Filipinos in Hong Kong start businesses that reflect their national identity Does Hong Kong appreciate public art? Foodtrip’s ambience echoes the typical Filipino eatery. Amidst the busy streets and loud working as domestic helpers on specific born here. voices of vendors and tourists on work visas. But a number of Filipinos The idea of their business came Temple Street is Filipino restaurant in Hong Kong have opened their own from their cousin’s wedding in the Foodtrip Bendanas. Opened in 2008, businesses, breaking stereotypes and Philippines, so when they found this family-run business is among the providing services to the local and out that photobooth services were oldest Hong Kong restaurants serving foreign communities despite language expensive in Hong Kong, they started authentic Filipino food. barriers. their own and it helped support their Foodtrip Bendanas offers outdoor “By having my own business here, children and other expenses. dining with plastic stools and folding we can help to dispel the stereotype “But language is the main obstacle tables typical of the carinderias, a local that all Filipinos in Hong Kong are low in my daily life,” Ms Almero said. “If eatery serving fast and affordable food skilled and give us more of an edge,” you are not fluent in Cantonese, it will in the Philippines. Ms Vitero said. hinder you from a lot of opportunities.” “It definitely connects us as Filipinos Jenell Almero, the owner of a photo The Filipino ethnic minority group is because not only do we serve Filipino booth service, Snap Hong Kong, agrees. the least fluent in Cantonese in Hong food, we also serve Filipino customers Ms Almero said her family-run Filipino Kong, according to a report from who, like us, want to eat food from business makes them feel known and the Zubin Foundation, a Hong Kong home,” said Joyce Vitero, the manager trusted as a part of the community in based charity. Less than 25 percent of of the restaurant. “The ambience is Hong Kong. them speak the dialect. They are also very close and intimate,” she added. Though she was not born in Hong second to Indonesians, with 94.4 per According to government statistics, Kong, Ms Almero holds permanent cent of them most likely to end up in 96.8 per cent of Filipinos in Hong Kong residency after being here for 22 years. elementary occupations. are in low skilled jobs, most of them Her children on the other hand, were But Ms Vitero said she makes up NEWS • 5 (Top) Jacob Tang says his customers are a mix of Chinese and Filipinos alike. (Bottom-left/ right) Snaps HK provides photo- booth services for special occasions and events. Foodtrip’s ambience echoes the typical Filipino eatery. for that through her efforts at work. they have to be mindful not to fall into “We always make sure to serve the the stereotypes themselves when they customers with love. That’s our main create their products,” he said. ingredient because we put ourselves For example, tailoring or curry shops in the customer’s shoes and imagine are stereotypical jobs for Indians, what it’s like if we were the ones being construction workers for Nepali and served,” she said. domestic helpers for Filipinos. “I always make sure there is a personal Jacob Tang, the owner of Lucky6 touch,” echoes Ms Almero. “It’s not Tattoo, is half Filipino and half Props are available to be used while taking the only about serving Hong Kong people Chinese. He is fluent in both Tagalog photos. or bringing Filipino things here but also and Cantonese. about keeping your Filipino values.” He said for a business such as Professor John Erni of the Department tattooing, it is important to understand of Language and Humanities at Hong your customers. His are mostly Kong Baptist University said that the Filipinos and Chinese. inability to speak Cantonese can be a “I identify myself as a Filipino in Hong major hindrance for ethnic minorities Kong,” Mr Tang said. setting up businesses. “Hong Kong is really my home, but I “It is one thing if they want to start think that wherever you go or stay, the a business selling products to local Filipino in you will never go away,” he Lechon Kawali is one of Foodtrip’s most beloved Chinese people, but quite another if added. By Richelia Yeung they concentrate on creativity and make Edited by Janet Sun products that transcend languages. But 6 •NEWS BUSINESS Halal Food: A Cultural Bridge A business uses food as a bridge for female empowerment and cultural exchange “Ding!” A message came in. Ruby Begum, a 40-year-old Pakistani housewife, smiled as she packed the halal food she cooked for hours using meat and ingredients bought from a special Muslim food factory. She placed it carefully into a lunchbox, making sure it wouldn’t spill out and that is looked good. At a MTR Station, Ms Begum handed the lunchbox to a customer. “How was the food yesterday?” she asked. “That was really good. Could I order two more for my col- leagues tomorrow?” Ms Begum smiled again. She is not only a housewife but also a home chef for Chefo!, a social enterprise in Hong Kong that offers a plat- form for customers to connect with ethnic minorities by ordering their traditional food while con- tributing to their livelihoods.