Petition out to keep consulate open on Saipan

Filipino community leaders in the CNMI have already started gathering signatures to petition the continued operation of the Philippine Consulate General on Saipan following the announcement that it will shut down in July.

Some 40 leaders attended the meeting organized by Consul General Medardo Macaraig on Wednesday during which he informed them about the decision of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila to consolidate its foreign service posts in the Pacific.

The consolidation would transfer the responsibilities of the Philippine Consulate General on Saipan to that of Guam within the year, although the exact date of transfer will be announced later.

Bong Malasarte, president of the United Filipino Organization that is composed of some 30 Pinoy groups, said yesterday that they have already started collecting signatures for the petition, which will be circulated in the entire Commonwealth.

Malasarte said they will be disseminating the petition tomorrow during the Pusong Pinoy event in hopes of collecting thousands more signatures.

The same petition, he said, have already been sent to Filipino leaders on Tinian and Rota to reinforce the need to maintain a consulate in the CNMI for the 8,000 to 9,000 Filipinos who may require consular services.

“We are calling on the entire Filipino community in the CNMI to support the petition by signing it,” Malasarte told Saipan Tribune. “We need to let the Philippine government know that we here in the Marianas need the services of the Consulate.”

Malasarte emphasized the importance of the Philippine Consulate General’s presence in the Commonwealth, saying that it does not only provide consular services such as passport renewals but it is also the government representative that helps all workers in need.

According to Malasarte, the savings that the government will get from its closure will not benefit the Filipino population in the CNMI and may even be pocketed by corrupt politicians.

“If the Filipino workers are indeed considered our country’s modern-day heroes, then the government must give us what we deserve by maintaining a consulate here,” Malasarte said.

UNTV’s Rudy Francisco, a former Movers officer who also attended Wednesday’s meeting, agreed, saying it will be challenging for Filipinos in the CNMI to fly to Guam whenever they need the help of the Consulate.

“Closing down the consulate will be to the detriment of us Filipino workers,” he said.

Malasarte urged all Filipino workers to come together and unite as one in this petition efforts that, if it proves successful, will benefit all and not just one.