Davao pioneers want AOS revived

A seafarer is a person engaged in sailing or working on a ship. To be able to sustain him while at sea, an apostolate like the Apostleship of the Sea (AOS) serves as one among his life’s support.

A program for seafarers, the AOS was established in the Philippines in 1958. The first office was in Manila and expanded to other ports. However, the work was suspended in the early 70s, but was revived by Msgr. John O’Shea of AOS Australia in 1979. Then in 1984, Cardinal Jaime Sin entrusted the work to the Scalabrini Missionaries as part of their mission to migrants.

Originally managed by the Maryknoll fathers, the AOS Center in Davao used to provide pastoral and spiritual care to seafarers. Its operation came to a halt several years ago due to some reasons. With the closure of the Center, ship visitation became so difficult, while the mass for seafarers is only held once a month in a seamen’s hospital here.

Pioneering AOS servant-couple Bing and Elino Micayabas agree that AOS plays an important role to support the maritime community. “That is why, we are now in the process of requesting our local church to reactivate this apostolate here. Meantime, we still visit ships if requested, though it is stricter this time when we bring a priest there, because we need to get permits from Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Customs,” explains Bing.

The AOS (Davao) has served as a link or network in cases of maritime piracy, attacks on vessels, or closure of shipping companies. Husband Elino, a former Sailing Chaplain adds, “I led in the Bible reading before. It was attended by my colleagues from various religious backgrounds. Using the Rito sa Kasaulogan sa Pulong, they participated in the prayer session.” This spiritual activity sustained the sailors on-board.

In an interview with the Davao Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (DACMI) Rev. Fr. Arnulfo Cubero says, “pag close sa AOS, didto na gi c/o sa St. Joseph Parish of Sasa, that is why si Fr. Arnold Balaquinto ang nagamisa sa Amosup Seamen’s Hospital sa Agdao kay naa man siya sa St. Joseph.”

DACMI is a diocesan commission, a pastoral agency which extends pastoral concern for the migrants. “We have oriented each parish to come up with a representative to open a parish migrants’ day. We helped orient the families left behind, too. Meantime, for DACMI, I can be contacted, while for AOS, it is through Abp. Valles,” ends Fr. Cubero, the current parish priest of St. John the Baptist Parish, Lasang. (@dcherald Research)