DUBAI // The parents of a premature baby who were left heartbroken and deep in debt when their son died after months in hospital are watching immigration fines pile up while they wait to repatriate their child’s body.
Timothy Tindugan died in June after two months in a neonatal intensive care unit in Dubai. His parents, Rollie Tindugan and his wife Rhodora, face Dh175,000 in medical bills, reduced from Dh250,000 by Zulekha Hospital.
Insurers will pay for the majority of the fees for Timothy’s care, but the family must cover at least Dh77,000, as well as daily immigration fines levied against Mr Tindugan, who has remained in the country to arrange the repatriation of his son’s body to the Philippines despite his visa having expired.
The freelance architectural designer is looking for permanent work, but with such a substantial debt employers are reluctant to hire him. Each day he is without a visa, Mr Tindugan incurs more penalties and cannot leave the country to meet his son’s body once it arrives in the Philippines. So far, he owes about Dh8,000 in fines.
“All we want to do is clear the penalties so we can leave to be back in the Philippines for when Timothy is repatriated,” said Mr Tindugan, who hoped to continue his career in Dubai with his family.
“There has been poor coordination between the hospital and the insurance company that has led to delays in us being able to pay the outstanding medical fees.
“Meanwhile, we are being fined for every day that we stay in the UAE without the visa as we try to sort the problems out.”
Family friends took part in a Zumba aerobic fitness session, raising Dh1,600, but a large bill remains unpaid.
The Philippine consulate has arranged for the documents needed to repatriate Timothy, but the family is still waiting on a birth and death certificate to be provided by the preventive medicine department at Al Baraha Hospital.
A spokeswoman for Zulekha Hospital said it was not responsible for any fines incurred from immigration for the family overstaying without the necessary visa, but was willing to cut outstanding medical bills by a further Dh10,000.
“We have discussed this internally as a team, and having worked with the insurers and other authorities we are willing to give a further discount to the family on this outstanding bill,” she said.
“That is the best the hospital can do as we have already had to bear the costs that have gone into procedure. We are doing our best and are willing to speak with the family to give a further discount.”
Philippine consulate officials stepped in to help the family acquire repatriation documents for Timothy. Mr Tindugan hoped to have all the certificates needed to send his son home within a week, when a family friend will take care of the body and funeral arrangements.
Once the medical bills have been settled, Mr Tindugan planned to fly to Manila to attend the cremation before returning to Dubai.
“We are very grateful the hospital has agreed to reduce the bills,” he said.
“We think we will still owe somewhere between Dh8,000 to Dh10,000 in immigration fines. It is for overstaying here without a visa, as we have been waiting to sort out the details of sending our son back home.
“I’ve had four job interviews here in Dubai, but no one wants to take me on when they find out I’ve got outstanding overstaying fines to pay.
“They don’t know what has happened to me, but they don’t want the problems.”
nwebster@thenational.ae
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HAJJAN
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CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Buy farm-fresh food
The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.
In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.
In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.
In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How%20champions%20are%20made
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
UAE%20medallists%20at%20Asian%20Games%202023
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Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Day 4, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Not much was expected – on Sunday or ever – of Hasan Ali as a batsman. And yet he lit up the late overs of the Pakistan innings with a happy cameo of 29 from 25 balls. The highlight was when he launched a six right on top of the netting above the Pakistan players’ viewing area. He was out next ball.
Stat of the day – 1,358 There were 1,358 days between Haris Sohail’s previous first-class match and his Test debut for Pakistan. The lack of practice in the multi-day format did not show, though, as the left-hander made an assured half-century to guide his side through a potentially damaging collapse.
The verdict As is the fashion of Test matches in this country, the draw feels like a dead-cert, before a clatter of wickets on the fourth afternoon puts either side on red alert. With Yasir Shah finding prodigious turn now, Pakistan will be confident of bowling Sri Lanka out. Whether they have enough time to do so and chase the runs required remains to be seen.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Dunki
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