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Source: The Manila Times
Filipino marine officers and seafarers are the most threatened and harassed among our overseas workers. They have become frequent victims of international pirates, in addition to facing dangers from intermittent storms, rough waters and unpredictable accidents. There is hardly a marine disaster or interdiction where Filipino seamen are not involved, because of their dominant presence on the high seas.
President Gloria Arroyo will take up their plight at the African Union Summit in Tripoli, Libya. The Department of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, said that she will meet several heads of states and governments on the sidelines of the summit scheduled to begin Monday. Currently 22 Filipino seamen crewing for a Greek-owned vessel are being held hostage by Somali pirates for a $2.8-million ransom off the Coast of Aden.
The seizure on the Indian Ocean of foreign vessels, their crew captured and kept as hostages, mainly by Somali terrorists has been a continuing saga for more than a year. Since late 2008, more than 200 Filipinos have been kidnapped on waters between Yemen and Somalia, the “pirate alley,” for varying amounts of ransom.
The Philippines is the world’s largest supplier of shipping crew with more than 250,000 sailors working on oil tankers, luxury liners, passenger ships and other international seagoing vessels. The Filipinos constitute a fifth of the world’s supply of seafarers.
President Arroyo will seek the cooperation of the African leaders to address the scourge and the safety of crew and passengers. At home, Manila is seeking a temporary ban on the deployment of Filipinos on the ships sailing the pirate-infested ocean. The government has also given shipowners a free hand to negotiate the release of hostages.
Mrs. Arroyo’s trip to Tripoli is also a good time to build stronger relations with the leaders and governments in the large continent. A great deal of trade, investments, political goodwill and cultural exchange awaits the future of Philippine-African relations.
Let us hope, for the sake of our seafarers, that the President gets attention and help in Libya and in the other African capitals where Filipinos are making a contribution through peacekeeping troops, volunteer staff and overseas workers.
On the other side of the globe, we hope that the US-sponsored training program for Filipino seamen on safety and protection would start on schedule. On the sideline of Mrs. Arroyo’s meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C., last month, Philippine Foreign Minister Alberto G. Romulo and US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood signed a timely memorandum of understanding to provide Filipino seafarers training and education against global piracy.
The memorandum seeks to promote cooperation between Manila and Washington on combating piracy and protecting each country’s maritime interests. The agreement commits American resources, including the US Merchant Marine Academy, and those of Philippine maritime training institutions.
The areas of cooperation include exchange of information on vessel security, cooperation on international conventions against piracy, drills and exercises against acts of piracy, rescue and recovery work, and possibilities for student and faculty exchange.
Vigilance, training and preparedness should help in the fight. So would prosperity and growth in Somalia and other African countries. Mrs. Arroyo’s representation in Libya and the RP-US maritime safety training are expected to improve the safety and protection of our seamen. The alternative is to put troops and arms on the merchant vessels. That, or invade the pirates’ fortresses in the beaches of Somalia.
Give the Fil-Am veterans their checks
The United States government should speed up the release of the checks Filipino-American war veterans are entitled to. The survivors of World War II had waited for half a century to get justice from the US Congress. They should not suffer further delay receiving the little money due them.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Filipino nationals and Americans of Filipino ancestry who served in the US Army during the Second World War have complained they have not received the war-related compensation approved by the US Congress.
The compensation package was part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also known as the US Economic Stimulus Package, passed by the US Congress and signed into law on February 17 by US President Barack Obama.
The law provides for a one-time payment of $15,000 for veterans who are American citizens, and $9,000 for those who are not. An estimated 8,000 veterans are living in the US and at least 13,000 in the Philippines.
Six months after the bill’s approval, most of the veterans—now in their late seventies and ‘80s—continue to wait for the one-time, lump-sum compensation for their wartime services. Most are frail and sickly, a considerable number are without a family. They are dying day after day because of age, poor health and frustration.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs should expedite the processing and release of the checks. The US Embassy in Manila should look into the problem. We could use some of the enthusiasm US Ambassador Kristie Kenney displayed the day the embassy started receiving applications, when she posed happily with the aging veterans on the chancery grounds.
President Gloria Arroyo brought up the subject in passing during her meeting with President Obama at the White House on July 30. A little nudge from the Philippine Embassy and the Filipino-American community in Washington, D.C., should help.
The Philippine Caucus in the US Senate, which includes old-time supporters Senators Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka, should flex some muscles. Aside from payment being a matter of honor, the high mortality rate was one reason Senator Inouye insisted on getting his lump-sum amendment in the bill, despite strong opposition from some Republicans.
Time is very important.
Filipino marine officers and seafarers are the most threatened and harassed among our overseas workers. They have become frequent victims of international pirates, in addition to facing dangers from intermittent storms, rough waters and unpredictable accidents. There is hardly a marine disaster or interdiction where Filipino seamen are not involved, because of their dominant presence on the high seas.
President Gloria Arroyo will take up their plight at the African Union Summit in Tripoli, Libya. The Department of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, said that she will meet several heads of states and governments on the sidelines of the summit scheduled to begin Monday. Currently 22 Filipino seamen crewing for a Greek-owned vessel are being held hostage by Somali pirates for a $2.8-million ransom off the Coast of Aden.
The seizure on the Indian Ocean of foreign vessels, their crew captured and kept as hostages, mainly by Somali terrorists has been a continuing saga for more than a year. Since late 2008, more than 200 Filipinos have been kidnapped on waters between Yemen and Somalia, the “pirate alley,” for varying amounts of ransom.
The Philippines is the world’s largest supplier of shipping crew with more than 250,000 sailors working on oil tankers, luxury liners, passenger ships and other international seagoing vessels. The Filipinos constitute a fifth of the world’s supply of seafarers.
President Arroyo will seek the cooperation of the African leaders to address the scourge and the safety of crew and passengers. At home, Manila is seeking a temporary ban on the deployment of Filipinos on the ships sailing the pirate-infested ocean. The government has also given shipowners a free hand to negotiate the release of hostages.
Mrs. Arroyo’s trip to Tripoli is also a good time to build stronger relations with the leaders and governments in the large continent. A great deal of trade, investments, political goodwill and cultural exchange awaits the future of Philippine-African relations.
Let us hope, for the sake of our seafarers, that the President gets attention and help in Libya and in the other African capitals where Filipinos are making a contribution through peacekeeping troops, volunteer staff and overseas workers.
On the other side of the globe, we hope that the US-sponsored training program for Filipino seamen on safety and protection would start on schedule. On the sideline of Mrs. Arroyo’s meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C., last month, Philippine Foreign Minister Alberto G. Romulo and US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood signed a timely memorandum of understanding to provide Filipino seafarers training and education against global piracy.
The memorandum seeks to promote cooperation between Manila and Washington on combating piracy and protecting each country’s maritime interests. The agreement commits American resources, including the US Merchant Marine Academy, and those of Philippine maritime training institutions.
The areas of cooperation include exchange of information on vessel security, cooperation on international conventions against piracy, drills and exercises against acts of piracy, rescue and recovery work, and possibilities for student and faculty exchange.
Vigilance, training and preparedness should help in the fight. So would prosperity and growth in Somalia and other African countries. Mrs. Arroyo’s representation in Libya and the RP-US maritime safety training are expected to improve the safety and protection of our seamen. The alternative is to put troops and arms on the merchant vessels. That, or invade the pirates’ fortresses in the beaches of Somalia.
Give the Fil-Am veterans their checks
The United States government should speed up the release of the checks Filipino-American war veterans are entitled to. The survivors of World War II had waited for half a century to get justice from the US Congress. They should not suffer further delay receiving the little money due them.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Filipino nationals and Americans of Filipino ancestry who served in the US Army during the Second World War have complained they have not received the war-related compensation approved by the US Congress.
The compensation package was part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also known as the US Economic Stimulus Package, passed by the US Congress and signed into law on February 17 by US President Barack Obama.
The law provides for a one-time payment of $15,000 for veterans who are American citizens, and $9,000 for those who are not. An estimated 8,000 veterans are living in the US and at least 13,000 in the Philippines.
Six months after the bill’s approval, most of the veterans—now in their late seventies and ‘80s—continue to wait for the one-time, lump-sum compensation for their wartime services. Most are frail and sickly, a considerable number are without a family. They are dying day after day because of age, poor health and frustration.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs should expedite the processing and release of the checks. The US Embassy in Manila should look into the problem. We could use some of the enthusiasm US Ambassador Kristie Kenney displayed the day the embassy started receiving applications, when she posed happily with the aging veterans on the chancery grounds.
President Gloria Arroyo brought up the subject in passing during her meeting with President Obama at the White House on July 30. A little nudge from the Philippine Embassy and the Filipino-American community in Washington, D.C., should help.
The Philippine Caucus in the US Senate, which includes old-time supporters Senators Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka, should flex some muscles. Aside from payment being a matter of honor, the high mortality rate was one reason Senator Inouye insisted on getting his lump-sum amendment in the bill, despite strong opposition from some Republicans.
Time is very important.
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