Pinoys on Tinian abet efforts to retain consulate on Saipan

Filipinos on Tinian are shoring up efforts to keep the Philippine Consulate General on Saipan, with at least 160 of them signing the signature campaign at the 8th Annual Hot Pepper Festival over the weekend.

The petition, spearheaded by the Saipan-based United Filipino Organization, was passed around at the two-day festival that saw hundreds of Filipinos who took part in the yearly pika celebration at the Tachogna Beach.

Hundreds more are expected to sign the petition on Tinian in hopes that the Philippine government reconsiders its plan to close down several foreign service posts, including the Philippine Consulate General on Saipan which has served the Filipino community in the CNMI for almost 23 years.

“We emphasize the need to keep the Philippine Consulate General on Saipan which provides services to the Filipinos in the whole Commonwealth,” said Francis Esguerra, who was in charge of circulating the petition on Tinian, in an interview at the festival grounds.

Esguerra, who has been living on Tinian for 15 years, questioned the Philippine government’s decision to shut down the consulate at a time when Filipino workers continue to face uncertainties in their status due to the federalization transition period.

The Saipan consulate announced on Feb. 9 that it will transfer its responsibilities to the Guam Consulate General as part of a wider effort to consolidate foreign service posts in the Pacific due to funding cuts.

“Now is not the best time to pull out the consular services for the Filipinos in the CNMI,” she told Saipan Tribune. “How can we get assistance from the Guam Consulate if we can’t even travel freely to Guam? What happens if there’s an emergency in the CNMI?”

The Saipan Consulate General estimates the number of Filipinos in the CNMI at 8,000 to 9,000, with about 20 percent of them based on Tinian and Rota.

Bartolome Valiente, a carpenter who arrived on Tinian in 1987, said Filipino workers in the Commonwealth need the Saipan consulate for services such as passport renewals and assistance in labor cases.

“If we are going to be under the jurisdiction of [the] Guam consulate, it would be really problematic for Filipinos on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. It’s okay if we are U.S. visa holders or even citizens, but we’re not. Our status is only CW,” said Valiente, 71.

Norlo Jacosalem, a Mobil gas station terminal operator, said he signed the petition because he believes the Saipan consulate is the first party to give Filipino workers the assistance or advice they need.

“It’s not guaranteed how fast we can access the same help when our consulate is in Guam,” he said.

Jacosalem, who has been working on Tinian for 23 years, said Filipinos on Tinian and Rota benefit from the Saipan consulate through their mobile consular services.

“They visit us regularly so we don’t have to travel to Saipan anymore, helping us cut down costs such as airfare and accommodations. What is our assurance that the Guam consulate will be of the same service to us?” he asked.

Edgar Soliva, a maintenance worker on Tinian for 13 years, echoed Jacosalem’s sentiments, saying that the Saipan consulate’s closure will be acceptable if the Guam diplomatic post can travel to the CNMI every three months.

“The government should support the Filipino community in the CNMI since they do have a budget for this part of the world. If they can allocate funding for other projects or foreign service posts, I hope they value the Filipinos here the same way,” added Soliva.

“The number of Filipinos in the Commonwealth is still significant. We’re still contract workers so we really need the services of our consulate,” said May Moral, a nurse at the Tinian Health Center for 16 years.