President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Saturday ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs to look into the plight of 14 Filipino seafarers who had been kidnapped by pirates in waters off Tanzania in Africa.

Earlier last Friday, the President said she has directed the DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr. to do everything possible to help and secure the safe release of the Filipino sailors from their abductors.

She also instructed the officials of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to attend to and provide proper counseling as well as financial assistance to the sailors’ families while awaiting the early release of the victims.

Mrs. Arroyo also assured the sailors’ relatives that the government will coordinate properly and do everything possible for the safety return of the victims.

She also instructed the DFA officers to report immediately regarding the condition of the sailors.

Meanwhile, in Lubao, Pampanga, President Arroyo on Friday awarded the PGMA’s scholarship program to students of Sta. Cruz Central Elementary School.

At the Sta. Cruz Academy covered court here, Melissa Wanta and Marie Chona Garcia thanked the President for the scholarships they received after graduating from the Sta. Cruz Central Elementary School in 2005.

The 16-year-old Wanta is now graduating fourth in her class at the Sta. Cruz Academy while 15-year-old Garcia is graduating salutatorian from the Holy Cross Institute here. The two said the President’s scholarship program under the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Education Voucher System (EVS) and Education Service Contracting (ESC) program is a big help to poor students, particularly with the recent calamities that affected many parts of the country.

“We thank the President for our scholarships, which is a big help in lessening the burden on our parents,” Garcia said.

“Thank you, Madam President, for the opportunity to be among the scholars. We hope this program will continue until our college education,” Wanta said.

The two students are among the 1,028 scholars in Pampanga presented to the President by Schools Division Superintendent Linda Luna, DepEd Region 3 Assistant Director Dr. Teofila Villanueva, Sta. Cruz Academy Principal Rosalia Jimenez, Holy Cross Institute Principal Agustin Manuel, and Supervisor Cornelio Ducut of the association of private schools in Pampanga.