MANILA — A Filipino domestic worker in Hong Kong died after falling off a window she was cleaning, the Philippine Consulate in the special Chinese administrative region confirmed on Tuesday.

Hong Kong media reported that the 38-year old Filipina allegedly fell from an 18-floor apartment, and was found lying on a platform of a condominium complex in Kowloon.

Philippine consul general Raly Tejada said Hong Kong police were investigating the incident, as the city's laws ban employers from asking their household helpers to clean windows without adequate safety precaution.

“Ang pangyayaring ito ay isang napakabigat na trahedya at talaga namang deplorable na pangyayari sapagkat maging ang Hong Kong government noong 2017 ay ipinagbawal na ang paglilinis ng bintana kapagkat alam nila na ito’y hindi lamang unsafe ngunit ito’y higit sa lahat dangerous,” Tejada said in a recorded message.

(This is such a deplorable tragedy because the Hong Kong government itself has banned window cleaning since 2017, as they are aware that this is unsafe and very dangerous.)

“Ang konsulado naman ngayon ay nakikipag-ugnayan sa gobyerno ng Hong Kong upang ito ay magawan ng lunas at maimbestigahan at ito po ay ating minomonitor nang maigi ang imbestigasyon na ginagawa ng kapulisan nang sa gayon ay mabigyan ng katarungan ang pagkamatay ng ating kababayan,” he said.

(The consulate is now coordinating with the Hong Kong government to investigate the incident. We are monitoring the police investigation closely to make sure that our fellow Filipino gets the justice she deserves.)

Tejada extended his condolences to the Filipina's bereaved family, assuring them that they would get help from the Philippine government.

“Mga kababayan, sana po ay maging maingat at tutulan po natin ang ganitong mga uri ng trabaho sapagkat ito ay bawal ayon sa batas ng Hong Kong,” he added.

(My fellow Filipinos, let us be careful and refuse this kind of work as it is prohibited by Hong Kong law.)

The Philippine Consulate noted that under Hong Kong’s Standard Employment Contract, household helpers may only be asked to clean windows if it is “fitted with a grill which is locked or secured” and if “no part of the helper’s body extends beyond the window’s ledge, except the arms.”

In 2017, Hong Kong banned household workers from cleaning windows in high-rise buildings after domestic workers protested in streets following the death of at least 5 workers who were tasked to do the chore.