Filipinos may now become officers in U.S. merchant marine

Title

Language

English

Source

Philippines 3 (4) June 15, 1943

Year

1943

Subject

Merchant mariners—Legal status, laws, etc.

Filipinos--United States

Citizenship--United States

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

The Philippine Resident Commissioner with the Secretary of the Navy, through the Department of the Interior to allow qualified Filipinos to become officers in the United States Merchant Marine.
After the acceptance of the Philippine Independence Act or on June 25. 1936. Congress passed the Merchant Marine Act, which in effect included Filipino seamen among those classified as aliens by nor permitting them to serve in American vessels, cargo or passenger, except within the limitation of the 25 per centum quota, allowed to aliens. On June 29, 1936 another Merchant Marine Act was passed under which Filipino seamen were further excluded from serving in subsidized American cargo vessels. Under this act, Filipino seamen were permitted employment only as members of the Stewards' Department in subsidized American passenger vessels if they fell within the limited percentage of aliens allowed for employment.
The suspension of the provisions of this
Act as they affect Filipinos, has been nude possible through the Second War Powers Act, 1942, which gives the Secretary of the Navy the authority to waive compliance with the navigation laws to the extent deemed necessary in the conduct of the war.
And through this suspension by the Secretary of the Navy, of the citizenship requirements for officers and unlicensed seamen on the United States Merchant Marine vessels, has opened a new avenue for Filipino Seamen toward further participation in the all out war efforts of the United States.

Fulltext

Filipinos l\lay Now Become Officers In U. S. l\Ier~hant l\'lariue SvccESSFlJL negotiations h.l\'e just been ,onduded b1· the Philippine Resident Commissioner with the Secrer,u)· of the :1'\,1Yy. through the Departmcnr of the Interior. w allow qualified Filipinos to become ot'ficers in the Cnired Sures Merclunt Marine. :\ yc:ir ;1go the Resident Commissioner obtained from the Secretary nf the ::'.\:.in· a waiver of the srarnton· citizenship requireml'm "to p~rmit citizens or subjec;s of the Philippine lsbnds to be employed as unlicensed members of the crew of vessels of the United States. irrespective of the limit.ltion of rhe starnre :is to the percentage of aliens who may be so employed." SooN afrer rhc acceptance of the Philippine Independence Act or on June 25. 1936. Congress p:issed the Merchant Marine Act, which in effect included Filipino seamen among those classified as aliens by nor permitting them to sen·e in American vessels, cargo or passenger, except within the limitation of the 25 per centum quota, allowed to aliens. On June 29, 1936 another l\Ierchanr Marine Acr was passed under which Filipino seamen were further excluded from serving in subsidized American cargo vessels. Under chis act, Filipino seamen were permitted employment only as members of the Stewards' Department in subsidized American passenger vessels if ther fell within the limited percentage of aliens allowed for employmenr. The perrinent provisions of the Merchant Marine Act of June 29, 1936, are as follows: "Seaion 302 <a) All licensed officers of vessels documented under the la\\'S of the Unired Scares, as nO\\' required by law, shall be citizens of the United States, native-born or complerely naturalized; and upon each deparrure from the United States of a cargo vessel, in respecr of which a con· suuction or operation subsidy has been granted, all of the crew (crew including all employees of me ship) shall be ( Co11tin11ed from page 6) chat their answer was the only answer to the challenge of freedom-for only chose are fir to Jive in freedom, who are nor afraid to die for freedom." Concluding his address in Tagalog, he reiterated our determination to keep faith with the honored dead, and our hope of fi.nal allied victory. · "Mga kababayan: Ang araw na ito ay iniuukol 1a mga namatay sa pagtatanggol ng kanilang bayan at ng kalayaan. Tayung mga Filipino ay dapat sumttmpa min1an pa nt1 hindi tayo ti#gt,il hangang hindi 1nata1110 ang mithi ng at;ng mga kapatid at anak na namatay sa Bataan at Corregidor. Ang araw ng ating tagumpay ay darating. Umasa kayo." I N rhe same broadcast, Mrs. Quezon addressed herself co JUNE 15, 1943 <.:iuzcn:<. of the United State,, n~\tl\"(:-horn or l.."ompletdy n.H· 11r.1lized. .. I b I Fl)f ,l l,L'(Jt1d (ll 01ll' y<.:.tr .drer the· (.'JkUl\'C." date O! this An. UJX)ll l'ad1 dcp.uturL' fro1n the UnircJ Srntc:s ol a p.1~sc..·n~er \'l'SS<.:I, an f<.'-'-Pnt of \\h1th .1 t.on,truuion or opcrat1t.ln sub!>idy h.1, b{'L·n ,i.:r.llllbl. ~di li«·m(,:~{ 011"11..o~ sh.iii b{' ntizcn~ of du: L!nitc..·(I '.'\r,1tL', .1~ lk11ne\I .1hnH', J.nd no h:\S th.an ~O per l en tum ol th~ l r<.~w ! t n.:w intlu\lin,i.: .111 mun be re. of the sl11() other ch.111 olliler•>1 '\l1.1ll hl' ... 1<11.tns ul rhc: linHcll States. n;U1''{'-born or 1.ompkrl'h· n.Hur •. d11.t·d. jn.J tht'rc.:.1icer. the pcn .. L·ntagc of Ctt11ens ~lS dctrnc-... 1 .1hove '>h.dl he irn n. .. i~t·d '5 per cemum rer annum. until t)t) {'t:r lt:mum oi rht· cm1n: ne". including, all l1tc11std olliu.:r' of ~inv -.Lhh n~"'c:I. ~lull J .. c: Citizens of th(: Un1tc.f St.itt''.'-, n.H1\C·l~orn or f..fimpk·tcl~· naruralizcd. " ( c) An~· Jll(•mbN ot th(' t fl'\\" not rc:-quHcJ hy tl11~ SC'ttion ro he citiz(·ns ot the: l!nire ... I Sratb. rnJ.\ be .111 ~llien onh· if he 1s in possession tif .1 \'.d1J 1k1.IJr.1trr.•n ol inrc.:nClon ,;, hecomt.· cic1zt'n ot the lJnHCtl ~r.UC:'>. nr ortu:r cv1Jt Utt' ol legal aJm1ssion to chc· Un11c·d S1.uei; !or perm.1m'nt r('~1dcntt' Su<.h alien as defrnL·d ,)bu\'(: m.1y hC' t·mpl1>~(·1l nnh- in tlw scewards' dc:pMtmc:nt on p4~,en.l!C-r \'t·,<.<:I' · S1NCE the enactment of rhis Acr. thuus.1ml> of Ftl1p1nu able seaman, who have served Ill the United St.ues l\frrcham Marine vessels for many years. h.1d been rcmowd from the service, being neither citizens of the United Stares. nativeborn, nor completely naturalizeJ. Ir is apparent that the suspension of rhe provisions of rhis Act as they affect Filipinos, has been nude possible through the Second War Powers Acr, 191i2, whkh gives the Secretary of rhe Navy the authority to waive compliance with rhe navigation laws to the extent deemed necessary in the conduct of the war. Furthermore, this suspension br the Secrerarr of the Navy, of the citizenship requirements for ollicers and unlicensed seamen on the United Stares Merchant Marine vessels, has opened a new avenue for Frlipino Seamen toward further participation in the all our war efforts of rhe United Scates. "the mothers of the Philippines, espcciallr those who lose their sons" during the war. She said: "We are the Guardians of rhe home. In chis holy citadel we must resolve to preserve at whatever cost our Christian ideals, our Christian culture, our Christian way of life. We must preserve the Filipino home, as our soldiers in Bataan and Corregidor would want us to-as the symbol of all chat is true and beautiful, of all that is worth fighting for and dying for." Father Pacifico Ortiz, of the President's staff, also spoke co the Filipino people. He said char in honoring the memory of rhe Unknown Soldier, "we honor each and every one of our soldiers who died for our country." He stated chat it was "tragic" that "we should call him rhe Unknown Soldier," for "he is not really unknown to you, he might have been your own son, father, husband or sweetheart.'' 7

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