JAKARTA - A deadly fire in Hong Kong that killed several domestic helpers, including Filipinos and Indonesians, will not stop Filipino workers from coming to the city, 

The Philippine Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said during a visit to Hong Kong that he said the government would provide financial aid to affected families and noted that helpers he met still wanted to stay. 

“We know for sure that Hong Kong’s standards in terms of labour protection are among the highest in the world. And Hong Kong has always been a safe haven for our workers,” he spoke to the South China Morning Post (SCMP). 

Investigators believe the Wang Fuk apartment complex fire in Tai Po, which started around 2:51 pm on November 26, began on the external scaffolding of Wang Cheong House, where flammable construction materials and protective netting caught fire and allowed the blaze to race up the building’s exterior before spreading into multiple blocks.

On another occasion, Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry told state-owned Antara news agency that 108 of the 140 Indonesians living in the complex are confirmed safe, while nine have been declared dead and 22 remain missing. 

One Indonesian is still hospitalized, and consular officials have formed a coordination team to assist families and handle repatriation once identification—some requiring DNA— is completed. 

The fire has killed at least 151 people overall and Hong Kong authorities have detained 14 people linked to the construction work as investigations continue.

Meanwhile, activists and NGOs worldwide are urging the Hong Kong government to conduct a transparent investigation. "Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to investigate the causes of the devastating fire in Tai Po transparently, rather than silencing those who ask legitimate questions," said Luk Chi-Man, executive director of Amnesty International Hong Kong.