Yet more horrifying, inhumane consequences of a "free market."
3
When we think of human traffic and people locked in rooms, we think of women. This piece reveals the underbelly of male trafficking that rarely raises its head in the mainstream media, accept places like the New York Times. The Times also wrote a piece in September about "U.S. Soldiers Told to Ignore Sexual Abuse of Boys by Afghan Allies." These two pieces bring to light our need to spend more time looking at men and boys forced into labor and prostitution. Human trafficking is a serious problem for men, women, boys, and girls. Boys and Men tend to get less media attention and support from governments. Lets bring more of these stories to the mainstream, so we can force national and international policies that protect all genders.
5
This article is so disturbing and even more so that the country's local media carry no news about Eril Andrade.
My view is that responsibility for stopping this vile trade (in trafficked / enslaved humans & illegally caught fish) lies not just with the Philippines - but with the international community. Having just completed a career as a U.S. Coast Guard Officer, my final job was leading a dedicated team of professionals who were using a variety of analytical tools to begin to scratch the surface of this vast illicit network. We are woefully underresourced to do this - despite the dedication & talent being brought to bear. In addition to destroying lives & families, the fishing boats where these trafficked individuals work are frequently fishing illegally (Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated - IUU) & contributing to the depletion & devastation of fish stocks in the Pacific - particularly the tuna belt - the world's 3rd largest source of tuna. It's despicable and unsustainable. Unfortunately without a concerted, collaborative and united effort by the Pacific's better resourced nations (and those with territory): U.S., Australia, New Zealand, France, China, Japan etc..in partnership with the Pacific Island nations in whose waters much of the damage is done...the problem is unstoppable. I commend the Times for it's series highlighting this horrendous problem and can only hope that it helps bring more resources to teams like the one I had the honor of leading.
24
Where is this "sea" food going. To the US? Where. Pet food? Are we the end of the line? Where is the justice if not bringing this part to light.
3
I always wonder why foreign periodicals like TNYT have perceptive articles on what is happening in the Philippines. If you read the country's newspapers and watch news programs, the concentration is on entertainment, the minutiae of movie stars and political figures. A main reason for this is the apathy of the already burdened emotions and thoughts of ordinary Filipinos for their everyday lives. Who is to blame? I would say a major figure is the catholic church, one of the most conservative in the world, obsessed with battline any form of family planning and any erosion of their hold on the population; the elite who cream the earnings of the workers and send their children and money to study abroad. Is it any wonder so many Filipinos have given up hope on their country and want to be of another citizenship?
4
For those proponents of the Trans Pacific Partnership, it should be noted that the minimum wage in Vietnam is around .56 cents. We are entering into a pact with countries that basically enslave the average citizen and just as we saw with past trade agreements, American workers will immediately be in direct competition with workers abroad who make .56 cents an hour, and have no rights to form unions or organize to demand higher wages or better working conditions.
When unbridled capitalism requires growth in order to remain afloat, conglomerates are designed to lower costs and increase profits as a means to keep investors on board.... For those of you who have big stock portfolios in multinational companies, you should be aware of the fact that you are indirectly enslaving and impoverishing millions of people by keeping your money invested in this corrupt system.
When unbridled capitalism requires growth in order to remain afloat, conglomerates are designed to lower costs and increase profits as a means to keep investors on board.... For those of you who have big stock portfolios in multinational companies, you should be aware of the fact that you are indirectly enslaving and impoverishing millions of people by keeping your money invested in this corrupt system.
4
Philippine's let's remember is a country that exports workers with little concern for their well being in the rest of the world and sole focus is taxing their remittances. Shame on them. Another crime the TPP overlooks.
1
And we wonder why people are so desperate to come to America. We may not be perfect but our government doesn't allow these horrific thing's to happen here. And they will hunt down those who try to hurt our citizens.
2
Because of this series, I no longer feed my dog any food that has "pacific" fish in it (which is how his particular brand of food labels it). It's been such a disturbing set of articles, but it's good to bring all this to light and I've passed them on to others so many times. Including to the pet food store.
3
It is obvious, the Philippine authorities, are complicit in all these trafficking affairs. The government has a vested interest in looking the other way, especially since the foreign remittances of the exported workers go a long way to support the Philippine economy. In addition, the corruption of the officials is so obvious. The idea that only 400,000 workers are involved is laughable. The real number is close to 2 million, if you add in all the workers that go to the Gulf, and they have the same problems. The simple step of requiring all the contract paper work to be drawn up and executed in the Philippines, with a one week cooling off period, would stop some of the abuse. It would also give the Philippines jurisdiction. Security and surety bonds, escrow anchored in the Philippines should be required with all legal issues be decided in Philippine courts. Yes, solutions are simple, but the Philippines government is really not interested, being corrupt as it is. So, for now, 'sunshine', like this article, must be the best solution.
9
A lot of comments here put blame on the Philippine government and cite its complicity in human trafficking and illegal recruitment activities because it needs remittances from OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) to prop up the country's economy. That doesn't make sense, does it? For how can someone illegally recruited and gets killed (like Mr. Andrade), or abused, or violated, or maimed, or cheated of their family's savings remit a single centavo to prop up the country's economy. There are POLO/OWWA (Philippine Overseas Labor Office/Overseas Workers Welfare Office) that operate alongside Philippine embassies throughout the world to assist Filipino nationals. The CFO (Commission on Filipinos Overseas) was created to educate workers on their rights and privileges while overseas, among others. Despite this, many fall prey to illegal recruiters, not so much out of desperation as much as ignorance - because those seeking jobs overseas need simply to check with the Philippine overseas employment agency (POEA) if a recruitment agency is legally registered or not and if the job being advertised does exist. Yes it should be as simple as that. But these vultures (in Singapore or Hong Kong or China or Manila or wherever.....) have the cunning to spot the vulnerable and bleed them literally to death.
4
I am not sure that the Philippine government is complicit, rather, it is apathetic. The government is composed of elites to which workers are just numbers.
5
What good is a POLO/OWWA to a seaman who is trapped on a fishing ship out at sea for months? Like the writer above stated these documents should be vetted in the Philippines with a cooling off period.
2
The pet food companies that buy from these slave traders need to be brought out into the open and should be boycotted! Where is the UN?
3
And the Philippine government does nothing about it. I worked in the Philippines for years. The government is corrupt through and through. Everyone is on the take. The Filipinos suffer from one terrible leader after another - all part of the landed gentry that couldn't care less about its people. Never in my life have I seen such disregard for human life. Is it any wonder middle-class Filipinos are desperate to go to the States or anywhere to escape. The poor - they are stuck with "jobs" in the mid-east or Hong Kong where they are treated like slaves.
12
Why doesn't someone start a cruelty free organisation that applies to humans and label our foods accordingly. If we do it for animals then surely we can for humans. This is the real power of the internet that is not reaching its potential. Free Trade is a good example but there could be many others. People do care globally, but we are going to have to start making companies more accountable for the way they do business. It won't be through government , it will ultimately b people power
7
This is exactly the way the English and the American colonies persuaded the poor and those wanting to abandon families to sign on with merchant and slave ships in the 16th thru 18th centuries.
7
If the Filipino government really wanted to protect their citizens, they would support a mass-media campaign to warn people about the recruiters. Television, radio, movies, newspapers, could all be used to warn about the techniques that are used, and to advise people how to demand rights from potential employers. Instead, the corrupt government allows this massive predatory activity to continue.
Of course, prosecuting the lying predatory employers should be a paramount priority.
Of course, prosecuting the lying predatory employers should be a paramount priority.
7
This tragic story is a cautionary tale about what happens when a fundamentalist, fanatical ruling class--in this case medieval Catholicism--denies humans the right to control the reproduction. You get an exploding population---from 26 million to 100 million now...and growing. All this on small islands that can't sustain all these people. All the Philipppines can now do is export its population to work as slave labor abroad.
Wake up world. We do not need more population growth.
Wake up world. We do not need more population growth.
19
The policy of "see a disease, prevent a disease" also has something
to do with it.
to do with it.
Actually, there's already a law that should curb that problem. Only that the Catholic Church used its influence to stop its implementation, and even so there are still a lot of people who ignore the fact that they can't sustain a family yet keep on creating children like dogs roaming around the street without their owners. I hate to admit this, but family traditions here say that it's a shame not even wanting to bear children and for many, they think that having and raising children is equivalent to investing for their "financial security" as well as "having someone to take care of them when they grow too old to take care of themselves". I even tried voicing this out, but to many have disagreed of.
No one here even looks into the fact that poverty, human trafficking, and even the heavy traffic situation that makes a simple 30-minute trip a long and tedious 3-hour long travel is caused by overpopulation among others. One earlier comment I've seen is right - no government or community can solve it by not acknowledging nor mitigating the situation that causes the problem.
No one here even looks into the fact that poverty, human trafficking, and even the heavy traffic situation that makes a simple 30-minute trip a long and tedious 3-hour long travel is caused by overpopulation among others. One earlier comment I've seen is right - no government or community can solve it by not acknowledging nor mitigating the situation that causes the problem.
3
as an on again off again expat in the philippines, my observation is philippines condones this exportation/exploitation of the least of them because it brings in badly needed hard currency to prop up an otherwise unsustainable not ready for prime time economy, which is kept down by all manner of corruption. there are tens of thousands of horror stories, tens of thousands thousands of legally and illegally recruited ofw (offshore foreign workers) abused and exploited before and after they leave the country, whose plight is unaddressed by the government. being an ofw is actively encouraged and glorified. notice the telling telling passage from the article - while the family of mr. andrade have filed suit in singapore in 2011, "officials (in singapore) said last month they were waiting for a formal request from the philippine government before investigating." the larger scandal lies with the government's complicity.
16
Forgot to add - the Philippines - is another of these pretend democracies - like most of the countries in SE Asia. Why the Filipino people stand for this is beyond me.
3
Pathetic. As the world becomes ever more overpopulated, politically unstable and violent, stories like this will only increase. In any case, in another few decades there won't be any more fish to chase. I wonder what these people will do then.
8
If there is such an entity referred to as the United Nations (UN) the case of Mr. Andrade is more than a tale of tragedy worth looking into. Because his tragic death concerns not only the Philippines but Singapore as well, both governments should stand shoulder to shoulder to conduct an inquiry of the situation. Toward this end, they should link resources to identify those recruitment or employment services as to their legality, under what jurisdiction they operate (Philippines or Singapore), and their reputation for managing overseas workers. Because it matters that the ends of justice be served, those legally responsible for Mr. Andrade's death should be prosecuted to the fullest extent under existing laws.
These trawlers are no more than slave vessels with Filipino workers on board exploited to the hilt by owners/operators from other neighboring countries.
Should efforts by the Philippines and Singapore amount to nothing, the UN through its International Labor Organization, should seriously look into the matter.
These trawlers are no more than slave vessels with Filipino workers on board exploited to the hilt by owners/operators from other neighboring countries.
Should efforts by the Philippines and Singapore amount to nothing, the UN through its International Labor Organization, should seriously look into the matter.
6
We can look south of our border and find similar stories. With the Philippines though, the government itself is quite complacent in this this regard as inward remittences are a huge part of the economy, and they want people to leave and send back currency.
And, it is not just in shipping. Just look to Hong Kong and Singapore, and to Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia where house maids are paid $250-450 for officially six days of work. It takes the women a good amount of time to pay back the cost of their placement. And, to top if off, they are abused, beaten and occasionally raped.
There are many guilty parties, but the blind eye the government of Philippines turns towards labor is not to be overlooked.
And, it is not just in shipping. Just look to Hong Kong and Singapore, and to Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia where house maids are paid $250-450 for officially six days of work. It takes the women a good amount of time to pay back the cost of their placement. And, to top if off, they are abused, beaten and occasionally raped.
There are many guilty parties, but the blind eye the government of Philippines turns towards labor is not to be overlooked.
15
In few other, if any, lines of low paid work do you find this system of having to pay fee after fee after fee along with deductions for basic necessities. Its slavery and the fact that individuals are willing to do the work doesn't make it any more acceptable. Of course, we have the minimum wage debate in this country which is strikingly similar.
2
This is morally repugnant and disgusting The people responsible for these crimes ought to be hung in nooses and dragged in freezing water until they die. It's hard to believe that evil of this magnitude still exists on this planet.
9
I think hanging them would be sufficient. Dragging them afterwards in freezing water would just lower you to their standards!
2
Such a tragic business!
This is why we need unions, central government regulations, enforcement agencies ... this is why the Libertarian dream would be a nightmare.
There will ALWAYS be extremely unscrupulous "business people" whose actions MUST be controlled through the power of law.
This is why "free trade" agreements between the USA and other countries MUST contain stringent limitations based on the labor and environmental regulations of our trading partners. We cannot allow American businesses to circumvent American regulations by associating with countries that do not enforce the most basic protections. We cannot allow foreign companies that engage in these practices to have access to American markets.
This is why we need unions, central government regulations, enforcement agencies ... this is why the Libertarian dream would be a nightmare.
There will ALWAYS be extremely unscrupulous "business people" whose actions MUST be controlled through the power of law.
This is why "free trade" agreements between the USA and other countries MUST contain stringent limitations based on the labor and environmental regulations of our trading partners. We cannot allow American businesses to circumvent American regulations by associating with countries that do not enforce the most basic protections. We cannot allow foreign companies that engage in these practices to have access to American markets.
30
Human trafficking and blatant abuse of labor laws are becoming prevalent. An international effort is required to try to stem the tide. Many of the countries involved turn a blind eye on the plight of its poor citezens. The Philippines and China among many other countries in Asia are endemic with Corruption. They persecute the poor to show face and allow criminal enterprises off the hook. The legal system are bribed and the poor is deprived of justice.
The USA is catching up very quickly with rest of the world. Similarly there are two distinct system of justice; one for the poor and another for the rich.
The USA is catching up very quickly with rest of the world. Similarly there are two distinct system of justice; one for the poor and another for the rich.
19
As a Filipino immigrant, I could say that young man could easily be me.
I am thankful that my parents brought us to the US for better opportunities soon after I was born. Granted, a green card and US Citizenship are easy
when your Dad has an engineering degree and your mom is a nurse (extrememly common for Filipino immigrants to the US).
Thank you NY Times for brining to light the plight that many Filipinos face today in 2015. Things are tough in Africa, yes, but the world forgets that slavery exists and is alive and well in the Philippines. How much attention is paid to poverty, hunger and abuse for Filipinos today in comparison to African nations? Very little unfortunately.
I am thankful that my parents brought us to the US for better opportunities soon after I was born. Granted, a green card and US Citizenship are easy
when your Dad has an engineering degree and your mom is a nurse (extrememly common for Filipino immigrants to the US).
Thank you NY Times for brining to light the plight that many Filipinos face today in 2015. Things are tough in Africa, yes, but the world forgets that slavery exists and is alive and well in the Philippines. How much attention is paid to poverty, hunger and abuse for Filipinos today in comparison to African nations? Very little unfortunately.
38
The similarities between Philippines and the US are striking. Extremely liberal gun laws, influential religious / church movements, huge gaps between rich and poor with high poverty rates outside of the major city centers.
2
Another chapter in human misuse of other humans and, indirectly, in human misuse of the oceans. Will this only stop when no fish are left?
1
I'm reading a book, "Slavery By Another Name" by Douglas Blackmon. A similar system of abuse was in effect here in the United States following the Civil War. That system of abuse went on, and on ... until... Well, we find it was still going on in Missouri up until recently.
One of the worst criminals, thriving on neo-slavery was Wachovia Bank, known back then by an earlier name. Fortunately or otherwise, Wachovia was taken down during the Real Estate Crash of 2008 and now ceases to exist.
The poor of the world are now vulnerable to poachers of human organs; brokers and traffickers of organs get away with this because their are no international laws protecting the poor from such a decision. No one should have to sell an organ to escape from debt bondage. It appears to me that the participants, including bankers, doctors, family should be held responsible for this genocide on personal freedom. The rise in kidney donations that are "brokered" is outrageous, especially since their are countries like Austria where 90% of the citizens opt to donate their organs. How can their be such a shortage or have we built a capitalist unregulated industry in human body parts? If someone demands it, someone will supply it - The economic laws of supply and demand should not be applied here.
1
The capacity of human beings to treat one another badly knows no bounds. Much of bad human behavior is driven by greed. There are the abusers and the abused; the exploiters and the exploited. So much evil happens in the plain view of authorities, but for whatever reason intervention never comes. Perhaps saddest of all, the people who do these terrible things to others appear to operate in their lives with no sense of ethics - no framework of right and wrong. Theirs are lives of sheer opportunity, born and raised to seek advantage, take from others, to destroy and kill without remorse. It paints a dim hope for the human species. The story told here reveals nothing new; just more examples of human evil.
2
This is horrific. The Times should do some follow up to follow the money and list the multinational corporations who end up purchasing the tuna harvested by theses death vessels. It's been long known that companies such as Bumble Bee, Starkist and Chicken of the Sea, purchase millions of tons of tuna caught on ships like these. The American consumer has a right to know what they are financing when they make a purchase to feed their families!
When buying tuna, be sure to only purchase pole and line caught, sustainable tuna! For an introspective look into which tuna brands are acceptable to support, check out this guide that Greenpeace released last year:
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/oceans/tuna-guide/
When buying tuna, be sure to only purchase pole and line caught, sustainable tuna! For an introspective look into which tuna brands are acceptable to support, check out this guide that Greenpeace released last year:
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/oceans/tuna-guide/
9
Thank you! It's so easy to stick our heads in the sand and not look at the consequences of our own actions. If only we would look! It turns out, our own (changed) actions can also go a long way towards making the world a better place.
Speak up! Vote with your dollar! Businesses actually do listen.
Why do we have whole aisles of organic produce in our mainstream supermarkets? Because people started shopping at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. That gave Safeway and their ilk a real scare. And what did they do? They responded to consumer demand.
Speak up! Vote with your dollar! Businesses actually do listen.
Why do we have whole aisles of organic produce in our mainstream supermarkets? Because people started shopping at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. That gave Safeway and their ilk a real scare. And what did they do? They responded to consumer demand.
4
Thank you for the link to the Greenpeace ranking of tuna brands. I will now be careful about which brands I buy.
The Philippines government it corrupt. It is so filthy and polluted there you can't see the water in the water ways because of garbage. The government officials pocket pay off money etc. and the people are left like garbage by the wayside. Sad but true.
10
i see this industry has come a long way from getting people drunk or just whacking them on the head,is anyone surprised ,this has been going on as long as there have been ships...and they are now looking to weaken laws to allow non u s flags ships to carry domestic cargo around the usa..if they do we will get to see these abuses closer to home
5
Yes, Shanghaiing in many forms have long history. At the age of 16 I signed a contract that stated I could end the employment in any North European country, provided I gave 14 days notice. The ship never never saw Europe again, and according to the contract I then could not leave before the end of 18 months. This happened in 1961. In a way I was lucky; a couple of years earlier I would have had to stay for two years.
1
You do, all of you, understand that in every instance of trafficking *exposed* by the NY Times, the root of the problem begins with local people preying on their neighbors, on their clanspeople, on their own countrymen?
Just as had been the case with slavery in the US. These horrors could not and cannot exist without the complicity of everyone, in every link of the chain.
It*s the kindly *aunties* recruiting Nepali girls for the brothels of India; the nice *uncles* telling gullible young men about the wonderful *opportunities* on the fishing fleets.
Sure--we need to use and enforce existing international laws against trafficking and exploitation; to hold our own citizens accountable when they break those laws or circumvent them. But these ills won*t be ended by us. They must end at home, beginning in each village where couples engender children to whom they cannot even guarantee a high school education.
Just as had been the case with slavery in the US. These horrors could not and cannot exist without the complicity of everyone, in every link of the chain.
It*s the kindly *aunties* recruiting Nepali girls for the brothels of India; the nice *uncles* telling gullible young men about the wonderful *opportunities* on the fishing fleets.
Sure--we need to use and enforce existing international laws against trafficking and exploitation; to hold our own citizens accountable when they break those laws or circumvent them. But these ills won*t be ended by us. They must end at home, beginning in each village where couples engender children to whom they cannot even guarantee a high school education.
10
Bringing this situation to light is what the NYT is so adept at but it is extremely upsetting to wake in the morning and reading it.
There is so much cruelty in this world that I wonder if humanity will ever become humane.
Writing this with a heavy heart........
There is so much cruelty in this world that I wonder if humanity will ever become humane.
Writing this with a heavy heart........
4
I suggest only taking this kind of medicine in small doses. Let the rest of your day be filled with your favorite music and a walk under the colorful Autumn leaves, if there are any left in your neighborhood. The world is full of beauty if we choose to look for it.
4
Alaskan crab fisherman can work for days with very little sleep in extreme and dangerous conditions, but they make very good money so I guess that makes it OK. Because we never hear anyone coming to their defense.
I'm of the opinion that unless people are working entirely for themselves, solo, work safety conditions should be controlled, regardless of the pay.
The Alaskan crab fishermen are PAID well for their work, unlike the slaves described in the article. But in my opinion, even if paid well, their employer should not have the power to put them in life threatening situations. There will always be an element of coercion in any employer-employee relationship and this must not be allowed to put people at such risk.
Of course, that's just my opinion. I'm not making a fortune off of other people's hard labor. So my opinion is of limited value.
The Alaskan crab fishermen are PAID well for their work, unlike the slaves described in the article. But in my opinion, even if paid well, their employer should not have the power to put them in life threatening situations. There will always be an element of coercion in any employer-employee relationship and this must not be allowed to put people at such risk.
Of course, that's just my opinion. I'm not making a fortune off of other people's hard labor. So my opinion is of limited value.
1
@Historic Home Plans,
Ones opinion is never of limited value. Someone may not agree with it, but that has nothing to do with its value!
Ones opinion is never of limited value. Someone may not agree with it, but that has nothing to do with its value!
The story of indentured laborers/servants from south Asia in the Gulf states is essentially the same one. The poor are always vulnerable. The rich are more than willing to take advantage of it.
6
This article points to corrupt government officials, business people and the church who can be easily swayed by money and influence.
First, the case of Mr. Andrade has been going on for several decades spanning different government administrations. To this day, nothing has been done. Second, government officials fatten their wallets to send their children to expensive schools (some of them Catholic universities) and even leading leading universities in the U.S.; travel around the globe in luxury; celebrate with their friends in upscale restaurants; and attend mass. Third, local organizations that support cases such as Mr. Andrade's lack the resources and human talent to address this endemic problem. Fourth, some religious people keep a blind eye on these cases as they might step on their wealthy friends' business practice. Lastly, with technology connecting people, let the good prevail over the bad by finally saying NO to these corrupt men and women (in business, government and the Catholic church).
First, the case of Mr. Andrade has been going on for several decades spanning different government administrations. To this day, nothing has been done. Second, government officials fatten their wallets to send their children to expensive schools (some of them Catholic universities) and even leading leading universities in the U.S.; travel around the globe in luxury; celebrate with their friends in upscale restaurants; and attend mass. Third, local organizations that support cases such as Mr. Andrade's lack the resources and human talent to address this endemic problem. Fourth, some religious people keep a blind eye on these cases as they might step on their wealthy friends' business practice. Lastly, with technology connecting people, let the good prevail over the bad by finally saying NO to these corrupt men and women (in business, government and the Catholic church).
8
After 9-11, my family and I visited a family member in Manhattan (Central Park southeast). I was proud to be there, spending my money, and showing my solidarity with New Yorkers. Everyone was so nice to us. Strangers would even come up to us in the subway and help us find our station...without robbing us!
However, reading the NY Times COMMENTS has changed me. The ignorant and bigoted COMMENTS of most people on this web site have made me less and less sympathetic to my fellow Americans.
I send financial to groups that help refugees, and never to my fellow Americans after disasters, because so few of my fellow Americans share my values. Most seem to worship people like Donald Trump. I volunteer to help immigrants learn English, and I NEVER ask them what their immigration status is. My assistance is available to all.
And I would no longer rush to the aid of my country in a time of need. As far as I am concerned, the red states can all fall off into the ocean. Not my problem.
I will soon retire to a small country with universal health and few murders (since few people own guns there). That is, if one of my fellow Americans doesn't use his NRA-approved gun, to exercise his God-given right, to murder me in a church, movie theater, school or shopping mall.
However, reading the NY Times COMMENTS has changed me. The ignorant and bigoted COMMENTS of most people on this web site have made me less and less sympathetic to my fellow Americans.
I send financial to groups that help refugees, and never to my fellow Americans after disasters, because so few of my fellow Americans share my values. Most seem to worship people like Donald Trump. I volunteer to help immigrants learn English, and I NEVER ask them what their immigration status is. My assistance is available to all.
And I would no longer rush to the aid of my country in a time of need. As far as I am concerned, the red states can all fall off into the ocean. Not my problem.
I will soon retire to a small country with universal health and few murders (since few people own guns there). That is, if one of my fellow Americans doesn't use his NRA-approved gun, to exercise his God-given right, to murder me in a church, movie theater, school or shopping mall.
6
Jon: You seriously believe that every one of those refugees you so nobly help is a sainted person who never, at home, had poor relations with neighbors or with fellow countrymen of different clan, ethnic, religious or political identity? That Americans are almost universally wretched while the poor of the world are almost universally the most generous people ever born?
Yes, I too despair of most Americans because of their almost total ignorance of global realities; because of their partisanship, instead of voting for the best candidate regardless of party labels; because of their refusal to look at social complexities beyond slogans and feel-good responses.
To point out that someone has made awful choices is almost always reviled as *blaming the victim.* But we are all responsible for our choices. We all make bad ones sometimes, but if we don't learn from them and make better ones subsequently, it is indeed often our fault if life doesn't improve for us.
Yes, I too despair of most Americans because of their almost total ignorance of global realities; because of their partisanship, instead of voting for the best candidate regardless of party labels; because of their refusal to look at social complexities beyond slogans and feel-good responses.
To point out that someone has made awful choices is almost always reviled as *blaming the victim.* But we are all responsible for our choices. We all make bad ones sometimes, but if we don't learn from them and make better ones subsequently, it is indeed often our fault if life doesn't improve for us.
5
You won't be retiring to Philippines then
1
If people do not get smarter over the course of many generations, their countries will remain ravaged by poverty, ignorance and exploitation.
My great-great grandfather had ten children, nine of whom emigrated to seek a better life. The one who did not emigrate was murdered by the Nazis, along with his wife and four children.
My great-grandparents had four children. My grandparents had two. My parents had two, and I have one. It is my own child who attained the highest level of education of any who came before, and who is living, even in this awful economy, a modest but satisfying life of dignity and accomplishment.
Even in very poor countries--even in Muslim countries--some poor people choose to limit family size; to educate girls; and some of those girls refuse or delay marriage until they have some financial resources of their own and therefore some economic power within their families.
Poor people who do not decide for themselves what is best--who remain slaves to culture and dogma--will continue to allow or even encourage their children to become exploited by others.
Why do so many readers behave as though *poor* means *helpless infant*? We all started out poor, back in pre-history. We all came from exploitative societies, once upon a time. But some of our ancestors began to figure out better ways of coping with the challenges of life.
My great-great grandfather had ten children, nine of whom emigrated to seek a better life. The one who did not emigrate was murdered by the Nazis, along with his wife and four children.
My great-grandparents had four children. My grandparents had two. My parents had two, and I have one. It is my own child who attained the highest level of education of any who came before, and who is living, even in this awful economy, a modest but satisfying life of dignity and accomplishment.
Even in very poor countries--even in Muslim countries--some poor people choose to limit family size; to educate girls; and some of those girls refuse or delay marriage until they have some financial resources of their own and therefore some economic power within their families.
Poor people who do not decide for themselves what is best--who remain slaves to culture and dogma--will continue to allow or even encourage their children to become exploited by others.
Why do so many readers behave as though *poor* means *helpless infant*? We all started out poor, back in pre-history. We all came from exploitative societies, once upon a time. But some of our ancestors began to figure out better ways of coping with the challenges of life.
6
I agree with much of what you said. But try to forget your own history, background and education. Try to imagine yourself a very young man, born into a rural area of a country with very few educational and technological resources. You may literally have grown up in a thatched roof hut. You make your way through great effort to a large town, where you see people doing all kinds of things. Business is being transacted. The streets are full of cars. You see an "employment agency" and they make you promises you have no reason to disbelieve.
For many of us, more and more of us with each generation, we know the scams. We know the schemes. But there is still a population of rural, uneducated, even illiterate people who are all too easily exploited. I believe, with time this group will grow smaller and smaller. But at the moment it still exists.
For many of us, more and more of us with each generation, we know the scams. We know the schemes. But there is still a population of rural, uneducated, even illiterate people who are all too easily exploited. I believe, with time this group will grow smaller and smaller. But at the moment it still exists.
8
This is slavery, in its naked form!
Governments around the world should join force and take immediate steps to stem out the slave trade. This is a sequel to the abolition of slaves by President Lincoln.
The world look forward to President Obama, the Nobel Peace Prize Winner, to take the lead to coordinate an international effort to abolish slavery at sea, by stemming out the slave traders, the illegal employment agencies.
In HK, illegal employment agencies were common in the 1950s and 60s. We took serious efforts to stem out illegal employment agencies in the 1970s as we became aware of the human tragedies they create. I have witnessed it myself, as a retired Assistant Commissioner for Labour.
If President Obama can see the gravity of the problem and the human sufferings that could be avoided, the President can set up a task force, convene a Washington Conference for all maritime countries as soon as possible, and build up the momentum before his term expires.
History will record the heroes who help stem out slavery at sea.
Governments around the world should join force and take immediate steps to stem out the slave trade. This is a sequel to the abolition of slaves by President Lincoln.
The world look forward to President Obama, the Nobel Peace Prize Winner, to take the lead to coordinate an international effort to abolish slavery at sea, by stemming out the slave traders, the illegal employment agencies.
In HK, illegal employment agencies were common in the 1950s and 60s. We took serious efforts to stem out illegal employment agencies in the 1970s as we became aware of the human tragedies they create. I have witnessed it myself, as a retired Assistant Commissioner for Labour.
If President Obama can see the gravity of the problem and the human sufferings that could be avoided, the President can set up a task force, convene a Washington Conference for all maritime countries as soon as possible, and build up the momentum before his term expires.
History will record the heroes who help stem out slavery at sea.
4
Yes, I hope our US leaders step up and take courageous action. But where are the leaders of the Philippines? Why must it be the USA? The USA must certainly cut off all ties with companies that engage in these activities. We must not allow ourselves to profit in any way from this corruption. But the major moral burden rests with the leaders, the rich and the privileged of the countries where these people are enslaved. If they are not prepared to fight for the freedom of their own people then they do not deserve the privilege to govern.
8
@Sam TS Chow,
Sadly President Obama can't seem to get our own country on the same page with numerous problems. You are from Hong Kong which is in the backyard of the problem. How about your country stepping up to the plate. In fact you would probably find some of the owners of these illegal operations in your midst.
Sadly President Obama can't seem to get our own country on the same page with numerous problems. You are from Hong Kong which is in the backyard of the problem. How about your country stepping up to the plate. In fact you would probably find some of the owners of these illegal operations in your midst.
2
Another shining success for unregulated capitalism. How many billionaires benefit from exploited labor? Our inability to get our own 1% ers to pay taxes or obey the law highlights how hard it is for the Philippine government to control the power of money there. We also need to realize that people treated like this will eventually listen to those who make things go boom.
4
The sickness of a society is always apparent in its abominable treatment of its most vulnerable citizens.
Thank you, NYT.
To bring this sad story to the attention of the world.
Perhaps some similar tragedy can be prevented in the future.
To bring this sad story to the attention of the world.
Perhaps some similar tragedy can be prevented in the future.
2
The Transpacific Partnership will encourage this, no doubt.
4
The meat industry, the fish industry, and in general the dead flesh food industry, is and has always been a cesspool of corruption and abuse of men and the animals they kill.
The meat industry was first exposed by Upton Sinclair in The Jungle...really nothing changes in the kill for food world. That is why I have been a vegetarian for over forty years.
Very simply, if you enjoy meat or fish or fowl, you are part of the systemic abuse of humans and their animal victims.
The meat industry was first exposed by Upton Sinclair in The Jungle...really nothing changes in the kill for food world. That is why I have been a vegetarian for over forty years.
Very simply, if you enjoy meat or fish or fowl, you are part of the systemic abuse of humans and their animal victims.
8
Not speaking on defense of these industries, but there have been many accounts of agriculture being responsible for egregious human rights violations as well. Quinoa is one crop which has come under scrutiny in recent times for the conditions that workers endure in order to land on the plates of devout vegans all over America.
1
And migrant farm workers here or farm workers almost anywhere who grow vegetables and soy are happy and well treated? Soy and palm oil plantations don't cause deforestation in S. America and Indonesia? Please don't use specious arguments to advocate vegetarianism. There are enough good ones.
4
I have been a vegetarian since the age of 16--now 55--and the health benefits alone are well worth it. Back in the 1070's I was ridiculed for being a "veggie"--but now it is well established that this diet is healthier. more than a few of my carnivore friends my age tell me their Dr. allows them to eat meat only once a week. called "the heart diet" or some such thing. Of course there will be many who disagree with this--but few will disagree that the industry is a charnel house of suffering--both animal AND human. The toxic emotions caused by this horrible enterprise are passed on in the meat. People eating this will be affected in a most unhealthy way.
Even though the Philippines doesn't have enough jobs to employ its huge population, the Church continues to discourage the use of artificial contraception. We have been reading for years about Philippinos being exploited abroad. If it is so important for the Church to discourage family planning, then why doesn't it deal with the consequences? It could work with political leaders to write and enforce strict labor laws on companies that recruit their countrymen to work abroad. Local churches could explain to parishioners about contracts and what jobs abroad might entail. They could spread the names of companies and recruiters who haven’t followed through on their promises.
The Church could also try to increase employment in the Philippines.
It seems hypocritical of the Church to discourage the use of artificial birth control, and then to not bother with how the resulting burgeoning population tries to find decent-paying jobs. If the Church actually looked into economics, it might find that the exponential growth in population that has resulted from the condemnation of artificial birth control, in itself, means there are too many people for too few decent-paying jobs
The Church could also try to increase employment in the Philippines.
It seems hypocritical of the Church to discourage the use of artificial birth control, and then to not bother with how the resulting burgeoning population tries to find decent-paying jobs. If the Church actually looked into economics, it might find that the exponential growth in population that has resulted from the condemnation of artificial birth control, in itself, means there are too many people for too few decent-paying jobs
33
Capitalism is often exploitation of the 'Least Amongst Us', and you hope they abandon Christ and then they'll do better against their exploiters ? Good luck explaining that on Judgment Day. I bet you think abortion is a good thing as well.
ann - many of the church / religious movements in the US would appear to have the same position and discourage any type of contraception other than abstinence.
"Trevor Martin could be my son" (President Obama)
I worked on a 72 footlong shrimp-boat in the gulf of Mexico when I was the above young man's age. It's very hard work, and very dangerous too. Children that young shouldn't be working on such a dangerous environment for peanuts in the company of men who are are not too recommendable. International patrols and humanitarian agencies should pay more attention to this world of forced labor on children . It's a shame for humanity that we may be eating fish caught by kids our sons' age....
I worked on a 72 footlong shrimp-boat in the gulf of Mexico when I was the above young man's age. It's very hard work, and very dangerous too. Children that young shouldn't be working on such a dangerous environment for peanuts in the company of men who are are not too recommendable. International patrols and humanitarian agencies should pay more attention to this world of forced labor on children . It's a shame for humanity that we may be eating fish caught by kids our sons' age....
27
Why its enough to make me no longer vote Republican. Welcome to Capitalism, unbridled, unregulated, and corrupt government inspectors. This is far from new, did not 'Press Gangs' grab men off the streets and drag them aboard sailing ships ? This is only a modern version of the same thing. It's Good Business for the boat owners, then and now.
2
Another industry that needs a disruptor. Where is the UBER / AirBnB that can fix this.
2
If we're wondering why Filipino law enforcement and courts appear unable to stop such blatant exploitation and abuse, we need look no further than the Corruption Index, which shows that the Philippines is a terribly corrupt system, ranking very low compared to other Pacific nations. Apparently, "justice" there is fairly cheap.
15
These boats ruin our fishing stocks. Illegal fishing will kill our oceans.
23
Very unsettling to read about this, but I do appreciate that the Times gave it such prominent coverage. It is significant enough. The conditions described make me feel I'm in another century and should not be tolerated. In my supermarket packaged fresh, thawed or previously frozen fish is always labeled with country of origin. If it's from the Philippines it should be boycotted.
7
I applaud the journalists that put in the effort to bring all of the details of this story, and others like it, to light.
28
Of course the true numbers of enslaved people around the world will never be discussed. That would be inconvenient for all the consumers and barons who profit so continuously from slavery.
14
No prosecution for the owners! Sounds like the New York State Attorney General's policy concerning not prosecuting Wall Street bankers who almost pushed our economy into a depression in 2008.
3
It's not only commercial shipping that's using lax international labor and human rights laws to take advantage of their workers. International cruise ship operators (there are only 4 corporations that operate a most of the world's cruise lines) are doing the same and sometimes paying their workers - many of them Filipino - as little as 53c/hour. These workers stay on ship for months and months on end, rarely go home, work 10-12 hour days with no overtime nor days off. So before we start "tsk-tsk"ing these shady operators manning these fishing boats with abused workers, next time you take a cruise, think about all those underpaid workers slaving below deck and below the waterline to ensure you get a cheap glass of champagne - and to ensure the world's 4 major cruise corporations keep making their huge profits. There's a lot of work to be done to save these maritime workers from this abuse and exploitation. But perhaps, instead of shaking our heads about what's happening "over there", we can start by addressing the abuse occuring in our own back yards. ihttp://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2014/04/17/health-and-family/travel/t...
18
That was an interesting article. And you are right. The cruise industry is drive by tourism and the standards on these ships are incredibly lax. The pay is horrible, people work 10-15 hour days. They Incorporate in countries that have no standards. Hence why so many Carnival cruises break down, end up being floating Petri dishes and treat their passengers like a herd of cattle.
1
Why go to Singapore to report this story? We have foreign crews right now in ports like San Francisco Bay who are under indentured servitude because 1. they are confined to the vessel for lack of the owner's paying launch dues and 2. even if they could go ashore are denied shore passes because customs and immigration deem them a security risk. Some vessels spend months like this, with crews making insignificant wages - way, way below minimum wage in this country. This is happening right here in this country now.
And thank you John McCain for continually trying to dismantle the Jones Act and remove the remaining seventy or eighty U.S. Flagged vessels (excluding military support vessels) that are the last vestiges of ships where crews make a somewhat livable wage.
And lastly look around Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Houston for shipowners who for the most part run international shipping and are purveyors of substandard conditions, poorly made vessels and where crews work 12 hours shifts / 7 days a week for months on end. The usual contract for a Filipinio is about 9 months because the owners don't want to pay transportation.
Again, New York Times, just have a look right in your backyard.
And thank you John McCain for continually trying to dismantle the Jones Act and remove the remaining seventy or eighty U.S. Flagged vessels (excluding military support vessels) that are the last vestiges of ships where crews make a somewhat livable wage.
And lastly look around Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Houston for shipowners who for the most part run international shipping and are purveyors of substandard conditions, poorly made vessels and where crews work 12 hours shifts / 7 days a week for months on end. The usual contract for a Filipinio is about 9 months because the owners don't want to pay transportation.
Again, New York Times, just have a look right in your backyard.
55
There is NO surprise here!!
Moving forward from circa 1400 CE:
One widely scattered archipelago, sultanates, loosely affiliated
tribal clusters. Infrequently visited by Chinese Traders, Malay
pirates and slavers, and finally "discovered" by Magellan.
400 years of colonization, fiscal pillage, religious persecution,
war, cultural confusion.
47 years of an equally lopsided and paternalistic protectorate,
interrupter by 3 years of occupation; to be set adrift by the
U.S.A.
Now following almost 70 years of a half dozen quasi dictatorships,
benign undermining of any independent development of
a durable national economy, national self image, geopolitical
engagement with Asian neighbors, what might one expect.
While the U.S.A. was busily reinventing Japan, the Philippines
was left to stagnate, and only received any assistance as a
military expedient.
S.A.
Moving forward from circa 1400 CE:
One widely scattered archipelago, sultanates, loosely affiliated
tribal clusters. Infrequently visited by Chinese Traders, Malay
pirates and slavers, and finally "discovered" by Magellan.
400 years of colonization, fiscal pillage, religious persecution,
war, cultural confusion.
47 years of an equally lopsided and paternalistic protectorate,
interrupter by 3 years of occupation; to be set adrift by the
U.S.A.
Now following almost 70 years of a half dozen quasi dictatorships,
benign undermining of any independent development of
a durable national economy, national self image, geopolitical
engagement with Asian neighbors, what might one expect.
While the U.S.A. was busily reinventing Japan, the Philippines
was left to stagnate, and only received any assistance as a
military expedient.
S.A.
16
I blame the Philippine government. I'm sure they are aware of these illegal recruiters. They should also do some public service commercials warning people about the dangers of these illegal recruitment. And that any contract should be first vetted by the government before any seaman signs it. Promising $500 a month then paying half that amount along with deductions of $50 for meals and other fees is nothing but modern day slavery. This is nothing new. I once saw a news program where an American man had to go rescue his wife's niece who was also in Singapore who was recruited by an illegal agency. Turns out there was no domestic work but they recruited her to work in the sex industry.
The problem there is overpopulation and lack of family planning that make people desperate. This article mentions $32 a month working on a fishing boat and Mr. Andrade working as a security guard for 50 cents an hour. It's time for the government there to step up and bring the Philippines into the 21st century and stamp out corruption.
The problem there is overpopulation and lack of family planning that make people desperate. This article mentions $32 a month working on a fishing boat and Mr. Andrade working as a security guard for 50 cents an hour. It's time for the government there to step up and bring the Philippines into the 21st century and stamp out corruption.
50
These suggestions of yours for the Philippine government should also be followed by US government. Read the story on the cruise industry based in US. Do you think the democratic US government would follow your suggestions?
Blaming the government of a very poor nation is like blaming the Western African nations for Ebola outbreaks. The Philippines can barely defend itself from the threatening advance of China into its sovereign islands. You have no idea what real poverty is like!
If corruption is rampant in the US, it's worse in poorer nations. Just ask anyone in Central or South America. You are an idealistic liberal fool. You must think poverty in the Bronx or Brooklyn is the same as in Manila. Mumbai or Shanghai.
If corruption is rampant in the US, it's worse in poorer nations. Just ask anyone in Central or South America. You are an idealistic liberal fool. You must think poverty in the Bronx or Brooklyn is the same as in Manila. Mumbai or Shanghai.
John you're wrong. Look at Singapore. It was once a British naval port. It was poorer than the Philippines. Look at it today. Look at South Korea. They were poorer than the Philippines. You have no idea what you are talking about. And calling people a liberal fool just shows you lack the art of argument. Your example of blaming W Africans nations on Ebola is preposterous. People like you is what is wrong with this world. The U.S. government does not even trust to give the Philippine government military funds because of corruption. What is the point of government if their citizens come home in a wooden coffin?
2
Thank you again for this series.
5
There will always be people in this world looking to take advantage of the poor, desperate and hungry. Hopefully those in power will continue to remember their obligation to protect against such acts of self-destruction and arrogance.
21
It begs the question, Where are their government agencies charged with protecting their people? This must be addressed at a local and national level to prevent this. There also needs to be inter-country laws on hiring and employment practices. This is unacceptable and I say as an American we stop doing business with corporations benefiting from trafficking human beings.
27
Those countries are quite poor and their governments often corrupt.
As an American you can be more judicious with your seafood purchases. And pretty much everything else you purchase that is made by exploited workers, which accounts for everything from electronics to clothing.
As an American you can be more judicious with your seafood purchases. And pretty much everything else you purchase that is made by exploited workers, which accounts for everything from electronics to clothing.
7
Eat no foreign-caught fish might be a place to start. Pity there isn't a web site/registry that gives info on fishing enterprises, telling us which ones pay fair wages to their employees and which are known for these sort of practices.
10
The trouble is finding the perpetrators. They are just like rats and cockroaches - turn on the light and they disappear, only to reappear in another guise.
Why doesn't this article mention lawyers? The U.S. should have a peace corps program for lawyers, send lawyers to help victims get their rights.
30
As this article states, regulations--aka "laws" concerning this trade are non existent. Even if there were a push for prosecution low level employees would bear most if not all of the brunt of the punishment. Regulations should apply to both companies and governments complicit in large scale abuses.
There need to be more articles like this showing Singapore's dark side. Singapore is complicit in terrible things, and needs to be held accountable.
51
The Catholic church I attend is giving us gift boxes to fill and return for The Charleston Port and Seafarers' Society Christmas at Sea. I plan to donate several and put some extra nice items in them. Choosing to become aware of human and animal suffering is so painful. I hope these people receive a message of caring from such a small gift.
9
Hopefully the gifts will make it to the seamen... I think they will first make it to the hands and pockets of the high officials running these ships. Despite the good intentions of the Church, there are many intermediaries along the chain of delivery before the gifts make them to the intended destination.
No one should ever be subjected to these types of conditions. Poverty amplified by a high birth rate makes the Phillippine people vulnerable to this type of exploitation from desperation.
Here's a case where the Catholic Church in a Catholic nation could help by promoting family planning and birth control to reduce poverty, exploitation, desperation, and suffering.
Here's a case where the Catholic Church in a Catholic nation could help by promoting family planning and birth control to reduce poverty, exploitation, desperation, and suffering.
78
I find it incredibly infuriating that the most common response to articles about problems in the developing world is to advocate for contraception. There's quite an uncpdercurrent of racism there. It's as if the commenter is saying "those people would have such problems if only there were less of them".
Contraception is good, but how about universal education, safety from war, rule of law, corruption-free legal system, democracy, safe drinking water, minimum wage, etc, etc. If people are missing many of the above listed items, having fewer babies won't magically solve the problem. And conversely, having "too many" babies does not cause war, corruption, etc.
Contraception is good, but how about universal education, safety from war, rule of law, corruption-free legal system, democracy, safe drinking water, minimum wage, etc, etc. If people are missing many of the above listed items, having fewer babies won't magically solve the problem. And conversely, having "too many" babies does not cause war, corruption, etc.
66
Megan: Having too many babies has led to war since time immemorial. It*s the reason people press outward from their original territories and try to take other people*s land and property--because they have outgrown their own.
How do you provide the infrastructure and services you list when there are too many people and too few resources to support them?
Wealthy, stable countries now have low birthrates. Countries ravaged by war and sectarian violence have high ones...
How do you provide the infrastructure and services you list when there are too many people and too few resources to support them?
Wealthy, stable countries now have low birthrates. Countries ravaged by war and sectarian violence have high ones...
25
Sorry, but too many babies does lead to poverty, over-crowding crime, war and death. How many people have been imprisoned, had their hand cut off (in the Middle East), flogged, or even killed for stealing food because they were hungry. Japan started the Second World War in the Pacific because of an inability to feed its people. Please read some history.
8