Twenty-four Filipino seamen, who were freed recently after almost a month of captivity by their Nigerian captors in the oil-rich Niger Delta in Nigeria, thanked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last night for her immediate action to secure their release.

The seamen, who arrived at 6:40 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from Nigeria via Hong Kong, proceeded to Malacaņang to personally extend their gratitude to the President.

The President, together with Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, hosted a sumptuous dinner for the 24 seamen along with their family members, relatives and friends at the Palace Heroes' Hall.

During the emotional family reunions, the President went from table to table and had brief talk with the newly-arrived seamen and their family members.

"Maraming salamat po, Madame President, sa inyong mabilis na pagtugon sa aming panawagan na kami ay mapalaya agad," said the seafarers as they echoed their gratefulness to the President.

"Welcome back to the Philippines. Praise God! Salamat sa inyong pag-sakripisyo. Have a nice reunion sa inyong mga pamilya," the President told them.

The Chief Executive had earlier thanked Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo for "taking a direct hand" in the release of the Filipino seamen.

She also lauded all diplomats who were involved in the immediate release of the 24 seamen, particularly Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos Jr. and special envoy to the Middle East Roy Cimatu.

"Salamat sa mga nagtrabaho nating diplomat para masiguro ang inyong kaligtasan, katulad ni Usec Conejos at Ambassador Cimatu. Araw-araw ay sinasabi ko na siguraduhin ang inyong kaligtasan at 24 oras silang
nagtrabaho. Praise God that everything had ended well," she said.

The released Filipino crew members of Baco Liner 2 who called on the President at Malacaņang were Ruben Roble, master; Elmer Nacionales, chief officer; Carlos Abellana, 2nd officer; Mauro Agacid, 3rd officer; Roberto Arcangerl, chief engineer; Cirilo Nebit, 2nd engineer; Herculano Cagas, 3rd engineer; Edilberto Gaspi, electro tech officer; Sukarno Landasan, Rogelio Garcia, Jonel Bernales, Manolo Isidro, Marlon Mendez, Ronaldo Corpuz, Joven Hidalgo, Jose Talde, Samson Mayo, Henry Sebastian, Jonie Saguid, Edgardo Ellera, Evelio Nacionales, Marcelino Caladman, Nelson Aquino, and Herman Valez.

They were abducted by Nigerian gunmen on Jan. 20 and freed unharmed last Feb. 13 without any ransom paid.

Meanwhile, Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio R. Bunye said President Arroyo is hopeful that the two remaining Filipino hostages in Nigeria would also be released soon by their captors.

"The government maintains a close watch over the welfare and well-being of our workers all over the world, and President Arroyo always takes a personal hand in critical events such as the last one," Bunye said.

"Active diplomacy at a high level and the active presence of our diplomats on the ground will continue to be our strategy to keep our beleaguered workers from harm’s way and to bring them home," he added.

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Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye is urging all candidates, both from the administration and the opposition, to use the ongoing senatorial election campaign to showcase their leadership and ability to inspire the people "to be part of the momentum for positive and constructive change."

Bunye, who is also the Presidential Spokesperson, is reacting to an observation by one of the regular readers of his column, "The View from the Palace," who said she "is dismayed and disgusted by the level of mudslinging and muckraking" at the start of the campaign period.

Noting that the disillusioned reader is not alone in voicing such a sentiment, Bunye said it is now in the hands of the candidates to change the negative perception of the Filipino voters on the country’s elections.

"Let us inspire and empower our people to be part of the momentum for positive and constructive change, and they will most certainly respond," Bunye said in his weekly column which comes out Monday (Feb.19).

He also challenged the candidates in the forthcoming mid-term elections to show that their real agenda is to uplift the lives of the people and erase the doubts on dirty politics and old-style politicking.

"We owe it to our country and ourselves, most especially to those, like my disillusioned reader, who are increasingly losing hope, to use the present campaign to showcase the candidates’ leadership and ability to inspire positive change, and not simply to destroy or denigrate their opponents all in the name of politics," he added.

Bunye said not all candidates are involved in mudslinging and muckraking.

He assured that all administration candidates under the Team Unity are equipped with clear political agenda and concrete platform of government and they are ready to educate the people and encourage them to participate in the quest for positive change in the country.

Earlier, Bunye said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has reminded her Team Unity for the May 14 elections "to put the campaign on high ground."

He stressed that the President wants the administration candidates to engage in a high level of campaign, not dirty politics.

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