M/T Black Pearl

The M/T Black Pearl with Master Capt. Espinosa and the crew have reached home safely. We also thank them for supporting our cause.

Being together through thick and thin made them as close as a happy family.



AND WHERE WILL THEY BE WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORTERS?



The crew calls them DA BIG 4


The crew with Sen. Manny Villar


At the Senate



M/T Black Pearl Crew busy filling-up forms



M/T Black Pearl at DOLE

TRAVEL BAN

It's OK to lift deployment ban to Lebanon - DFA
03/23/2009 | 06:46 PM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | ShareThisMANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has agreed to lift the three-year deployment ban to Lebanon after the safety of Filipinos in that Western Asian country was assured.

According to the DFA, the armed conflict in the Middle East state “has already ended and is no longer posing security threat" to overseas Filipino workers (OFW)

Presidential envoy to the Middle East Roy Cimatu, who was sent to Lebanon last month to assess the security condition in the country, said that it was already safe to resume the deployment of OFWs there because peace and stability had returned to the Middle East state.

Vice President Noli de Castro supported the DFA's decision and said that Lebanon could provide an alternative destination to laid off OFWs. “There is no more reason to maintain the deployment ban to Lebanon. Many of our countrymen badly need jobs today and Lebanon offers plenty of employment opportunities."

But before the ban could be officially lifted, De Castro called on the Labor department and the DFA to negotiate a bilateral agreement with Lebanon to protect the welfare of OFWs.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) earlier said that it was in no rush to allow the re-entry of Filipino household service workers (HSWs) to Lebanon unless authorities could safeguard the welfare of OFWs.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque told GMANews.TV that the DOLE had not yet decided to lift the ban pending proposed amendments from the department. He said the DOLE had sent out a draft of a memorandum of understanding to their counterparts in Lebanon as condition for the redeployment of Filipino HSWs.

Included in the MOU are the protection of workers’ rights and the minimum salary for HSWs pegged at $400 per month.

Job opportunities

The DFA expects that the lifting of the 2006 ban in Lebanon will lead to more job opportunities for thousands of Filipinos affected by the US-led global economic slump.

Lebanon's honorary consul-general to the Philippines, Josef Assad, welcomed the proposed lifting of the ban. “This is a positive step in the in normalization and improvement of relations between Lebanon and the Philippines."

“This will perk up relations between the two countries as this will remove the barrier which has prevented thousands of Filipinos from working in Lebanon which is now experiencing an economic boom and is need of thousands of construction workers to complete the infrastructure billion-dollar projects like highways and bridges," Assad said.

The government stopped sending Filipino workers to the Mideastern state in 2006 when violence between Hezbollah and Israeli forces escalated.

At that time, some 6,000 OFWs, many of them undocumented, were repatriated to the Philippines. Some 26,000 opted to stay either due to fear of losing their jobs or because they were not allowed by their employers to leave.

The Philippines had also stopped sending workers to Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, and Nigeria. - with Mark Joseph Ubalde, GMANews.TV

M/T BLACK PEARL

Ang Pusong Pinoy po ay lubusan ding nagpapasalamat, una sa Panginoon, at pangalawa sa ating Consul-General na si Ginoong Alex V. Lamadrid at kanyang mga staff, sa maluwalhating pagbabalik ng inyong mga mahal sa buhay.

Ikinararangal po namin na kami ay nakakatulong kahit paano sa mga Pinoy na nangangailangan.

Sa kay Capt. Espinosa at mga crew niya, panalangin din namin ang maluwalhating muling paglalakbay ninyo. Kayo po ay ka-Pusong Pinoy na rin namin at kapamilya.

Sa inyo pong lahat na pamilya at mga mahal sa buhay, maraming salamat din po dahil ang lahat ng mga feedbacks ninyo ay nagsisilbi din pong inspirasyon namin.


Mabuhay!

M/T BLACK PEARL

A DESPEDIDA AND A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AND A WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT – 18 March 2009

There they were. They were supposed to be home last week – but, maybe as we believed, there is always a reason for everything.
The reason?
A despedida dinner, Joseph-Junels birthday celebration and ‘Bruno’s’ wedding announcement.

Of course, the whole crew will be there.

But their story will be told when they are safely anchored home. By God’s grace, they will leave today and reach home, sweet home on Saturday!

To M/T Black Pearl Master, Captain Espinosa and your officers and crew, you are the embodiment of the Filipino sailors – disciplined, courageous, quick-thinkers, cooperative and with hearts of gold!
WE SALUTE YOU! MABUHAY !
May you reach your families safely ! Vaya con Dios, amigos!





To: Captain Espinosa and your crew - we salute you!!!



M/T Black Pearl Capt. Espinosa and some crew members

M/T Black Pearl crew with their Captain Espinosa joined by the new engineers of Dantata & Sawoe Donald Tulalain (standing) and Noel Agcaoili (seated) and Jimmy Valenzuela (also new) of the Philippine embassy



M/T Black Pearl Crew with Lito Nucum, President Pusong Pinoy Association


Just priming up for the next course...


Osmondo, opening another Don Simon



Gotcha, Jimmy


A Don Simon...coming please...



With Allan Manggis of the Philippine Embassy who led them to safety




ABRACADABRA...Eugene - the Magician...he made the Black Pearl 'invisible' so 'enemies' will not see!!!


Sample of the 'magic' kept us entertained


And they call him 'Bruno' the Groom to be



With the principal sponsor, 'Ninong' Capt. Espinosa


With 'Ninongs' Allan and Joseph-Junels, the birthday celebrant


MT Black Pearl with the Celebrant



Fely Ramos, Con-Gen Lamadrid in a toast with the celebrant Joseph-Junels


with Joseph-Junels - the Birthday Celebrant



Harvey,Christopher and Teddy


The crew with Sherwin of Dantata & Sawoe and Jimmy of the embassy

ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Let's go Green

PW (Public Works Ltd) hosted St. Patrick’s Day celebrations last 13.03.09 and 14.03.09 and for the Irish Embassy, to be held on Wednesday 18.03.09.

Some tid bits on St. Patrick’s Day celebrations:

What do snakes, corned beef and leprechauns have in common?
St. Patrick's Day.

Saint Patrick's Day colloquially St. Paddy's Day or Paddy's Day, is an annual feast day which celebrates Saint Patrick (circa AD 385–461), one of the patron saints of Ireland, and is generally celebrated on March 17. The day is the national holiday of Ireland.
The legend says St. Patrick got rid of all the snakes in Ireland.

St. Patrick's Day is known for the wearing of the green.
The shamrock, which was also called the "seamroy" by the Celts, is a symbol of the Irish pride in their heritage.

The Leprechaun as portrayed differently in a Walt Disney movie became an easily recognizable symbol of both St. Patrick’s Day and Ireland in general.

Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, James Joyce – three of the most famous Irish writers.

Irish blessings: May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.

So far, there is only one Filipino working with PW – Mr. Roy Galiciano, Chief Surveyor (Jos)

Some pictures taken during the Celebrations:
Friday, March 13, 2009



THE IRISH



THE BAND



Vangie, Sam and Shirley



Mr. & Mrs. Prij Bowry of the Ministry of Road and Transportation



Lito Nucum and Sherwin Cayabyab (right pic)


JBN and PW, at least the bottles of beer displayed GREEN colour




Mr. & Mrs. Henrich with Mr. Glaznig, MD VAMED



Mme. Malou Glaznig



A guest, Lasith Jayawardena, Lito Nucum and Sherwin Cayabyab of Dantata & Sawoe


Mr. Bowry



Shirley, Rosa and Sam





A big celebration held at IBB Golf & Country Club held on Saturday, the 14th of March, 2009



Vangie, Mahesie and Rosa



Mr. & Mrs. Hammann and Mr. & Mrs. Euchenhofer


(psssst...she's going to sneak out to attend University lessons)




Mr. Hammann of JBN and Mr. Euchenhofer of Dantata & Sawoe


Mr. Lito Nucum (Pres. Pusong Pinoy Asstn)of D & S , Mr. Roy Galiciano of PW, Architect Bart of Jos, and Engr. Sherwin Cayabyab of Dantata & Sawoe


Mr. & Mrs. Bernie Mercado



Mr. Lubasch, Mrs. Schluter and Mrs. Lubasch


Mrs. Ingrid Hammann and Mrs. Pauline Euchenhofer



Mr. Lubasch, Mrs. Schluter, Mrs. Lubasch and Mr. Hieber


Mrs. Marisa Mercado of the Embassy of Ireland, Mrs. Angelica Alcaria of White Plains British School and Fr. Leo of Bauchi State Parish


Fr. Leo, guest and Fr. Noel


Mahesie Harrer and Rosa Ilic, both of Dantata & Sawoe


Mrs. Schluter, Mrs. Lubasch(partly hidden) and Mr. Hieber



Fr. Leo, guest and Fr. Noel, of Bauchi State



JBN guest and friend



Mr. Hieber and Mr. Whisker of JBN


Dantata & Sawoe - Mr. Schulz, Mr. Lima,Mr. Mitra, Mr. & Mrs. Henrich and Mr. Harrer



Bart, Roy and Lito