San Pedro Calungsod, Pinoy Seafarers, and the path to sainthood.

The Filipino seafarers are not only major contributors to the country’s economic growth, they are also ‘saint potentials’, thus said  Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle during the 17th National Seafarers' Day (NSD) last  September 30, 2012 .   

 The archbishop was referring to Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Blessed Pedro Calungsod, the soon-to-be second Filipino saint as he noted that  these Philippine Catholic Church’s two martyrs were seafarers and missionaries at the same time before they became saints. He added that Ruiz and Calungsod sailed to other countries and died for a mission: “to teach the Good News.”

 “You should be instruments for what is good work and not of temptations,” he added. “The Filipinos today are sailing everywhere. Bring with you the best of the Filipinos.”

President Benigno Aquino III  approved Proclamation 481 declaring October 21 as the   national day of celebration on the canonization of Blessed Pedro Calungsod to honor his “life and martyrdom”.  “The life and martyrdom of Blessed Calungsod shall serve as an inspiration to Filipinos, particularly the youth to live a life anchored on values and principles,” part of the proclamation reads.

Calungsod was a teenage catechist from Visayas who accompanied Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores in Tumhon village in Guan, Marianas, where they were killed on April 2, 1672. Blessed Pope John Paul II beatified him in March 2000.

The Philippines is considered as the major supplier of maritime labor globally. Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) data showed that the deployed Filipino seafarers in 2006 (274,497), 2007 (266,553), 2008 (261,614), 2009 (330,424),  2010 (347,150),  and  2011 (400,000) brought in  the dollar remittances that have also  been constantly increasing from US$1.9B in 2006, US$2.2B in 2007 , US$3B in 2008, US$3.4B in 2009, US$3.8B in 2010 to S$4.3B in 2011. On the other hand, the Philippines as a flag State has a registered fleet comprising around 1.4% of total world tonnage.

Given the vast Philippine coast line (twice the size of the United States and nearly three times more than China), Filipinos have natural maritime instincts that place them at an advantage over other nationalities. Foreign shipowners are known to prefer Filipino seafarers for equally important qualities: dedication and discipline, industry, flexibility, loyalty, English language fluency, adaptability, positive work attitude, law-abiding, and problem-solving capability.