The American archivist John Tewell, who has generously shared his old photos collection online that has educated many Filipinos about the past, faces deportation.
A dispute he had with a tertiary medical hospital has allegedly impacted his immigration status. In view of the ongoing legal proceedings, I will not get into the details of the dispute.
My purpose in writing this post is to appeal to our immigration agency. It appears that they had already released his deportation order.
Like many Filipinos who appreciate Mr Tewell’s contribution, I call on the government to let him stay in the country. In the words of columnist Manuel L Quezon III his “page is a national treasure.” His work is a great resource for people who wish to learn about our past.
From what I understand, he has lived in the country for many years with his Filipino wife.
Other foreign online celebrities receive much publicity for applying for legal papers to stay here. As many of these personalities contribute to our country, we applaud their efforts. Why can’t we extend the same for Mr Tewell?
Allowing him to stay a few more years wouldn’t be too much to ask. The man is in his twilight years.
Mr Tewell is not a threat at all but a valuable foreign contributor to Filipino society. This is a sentiment that would be supported by many heritage advocates and history students of this country.
In his work, he has contributed to preserving our history and heritage, which he has expressed satisfaction about. The man is American, but Filipino by heart.
As Filipinos, we should show our appreciation by allowing him to stay and live out his days in the country that he loves. – A
Photo of Mr Tewell in this post is from his popular Flickr page https://www.flickr.com/photos/johntewell/
