A 15-year-old cancer survivor is appealing to Somali pirates through an open letter to release her father this Christmas.

“Please! Please release him for me sir! Maybe you also have a daughter who loves you very much! My father just works so hard far away to help me survive from cancer of acute leukemia. So, please! I beg you--be my Santa Claus, please release my father for me!” said Michelle Arroyo.

Michelle has been diagnosed with Biphenotypic Acute Leukemia (ALL/AML) and is scheduled to have her bone marrow abstract test on December 27, 2008 after finishing her intensification cycle.

“I humbly appeal to the Chieftain of those who captured my father, Mr. Roger F. Arroyo, the chief cook of the MV Chemstar Venus last November 16, 2008. Please, let my father come home to us this Christmas. I love and miss my father very much! Let my father be your greatest gift to me this Christmas!” the girl said.

Aside from Michelle’s father 18 other Filipino seafarers were on board the M/V Chemstar Venus hijacked by Somali pirates.

Be by her side 

The girl wishes that her father be by her side when she undergoes the bone marrow abstract test.

“This procedure was so painful to me and I want my father to be near with me! So please, let him come home for me this Christmas… Allow me to be the happiest daughter this Christmas through your act of love, Sir!” Michelle appealed adding “Hoping for the best from you sir! Merry Christmas to all of you out there!” 

The open letter was passed on with the help of concerned Filipinos.

Michelle’s mother Cristy wrote to James Auste, founder of the Cancer Warrior’s Foundation (CWF) in the hope of helping send her sick daughter’s appeal to her husband’s captors in Somalia.

Michelle is also one of the beneficiaries of the CWF program.

“My husband called once last December 5, 2008. He and the other crews were so terrified with the threat of his captors to their lives if their principal will not pay their ransom money at the soonest possible time. According to him, they just eat once a day and are being guarded by armed men day and night,” Mrs. Arroyo said.

Exerting all efforts 

During a press conference Tuesday afternoon in Manila, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affair Esteban Conejos said that all 92 Filipino seafarers are in good condition.

Conejos said the DFA is exerting all efforts for the safe and immediate release of all remaining Filipino seafarers who are still in the hands of Somali pirates.

“We are continuing negotiations for the release of the remaining 92,” said Conejos.

He said the first incident of piracy in Somalia this year happened on April 4 and the last on November 18.

“Therefore, this year a total of 208 Filipino seamen on board 17 ships were kidnapped in Somalia on 17 separate incidents,” said Conejos.

He added that of the number, about 117 seamen have already been released.

“Ang natira doon as of now is about 92 Filipino seamen on board six ships,” he said.

Furthermore, the government has been doing a two-fold approach in dealing with the piracy issue.

“One, secure the early and safe release of the hostages through negotiations. While negotiating for the release, we also hold sessions with the families. I brief them regularly on the status of negotiations, we provide them with psychosocial interventions because they are emotionally affected by the incident,” he said.

According to him, while seafarers’ families remain very anxious on the situation of their loved ones in Somalia, they are assured that the government is on top of the situation.

“Very anxious din sila pero sino ba ang hindi?. Pero nakikita nila ang efforts ng government. Nakikita nila ang resulta ng tulong ng gobyerno. Can you imagine that record? Fantastic iyon. The records speak for itself,” he said.