'He needs our help': Cultural org calls for 'immediate support' for photo collector John Tewell
Cultural organization Renacimiento Manila is calling for “immediate support” for retired American pilot-photo collector John Tewell, known for archiving historical photos of the Philippines.
The cultural organization shared the current condition of John, who is now “frail” and needs general care support.
“John Tewell (81 y/o) is alive; he has no access to the internet upon moving to a temporary home last March 7, 2024. However, he is already frail with difficulty walking and needs general care support (assistance during hygiene, etc.) They need to move out of their temporary home as soon as possible, but they have no money for the last 7 months,” it wrote on its Jan. 15 Facebook post.
It added that his wife, Dorothy, is also suffering from heart complications, making her unable to take care of John.
The couple currently resides in Imus, Cavite. John was given an emergency passport by the US Embassy of Manila that had one-year validity last June 20, 2023 with the assistance of Bea Dolores, but wasn’t able to set up an appointment for renewal because he had no internet access.
“Financial concerns are rooted in a technical and complicated family affair. Pension coming from United Mine Workers of America Health and Retirement Funds abruptly stopped 7 months ago (no actions taken yet). He could no longer use his debit card from Bank of America (kinain ng [ATM]). Friends have recently assisted in their transportation to [the] Bank of America BGC branch but [to] no avail. Dorothy, Bea, and the bank have been contacting his son in the US but there's no answer,” it continued.
The organization is calling for financial support for his checkups, medications, transport costs, basic needs, emergency funds, and passport renewal at $130 or over P7,000.
Further assistance is also needed for his transfer to a hospice/ home-for-the-aged facility as well as a volunteer who could take in John and his cat in their home.
It added that they have been in direct contact with Dorothy since Jan. 1, and they will visit John in their temporary home on Friday, Jan. 17 to bring a wheelchair and food.
“John wants to stay in the Philippines. Let us help our important figure in Philippine heritage preservation,” it concluded.
Hailing from Kansas, USA, John moved to the Philippines after retiring as a pilot in 2007. A year later, his passion for collecting historical photos of the country started when he spotted a photo album of 1930s portrait photographs at an antique shop in Ermita.
His collection includes images of war, old buildings, monuments, street scenes in old Cavite and Manila, and natural disasters, such as the eruption of Mayon Volcano in 1928.
“I quickly learned that the cultures of the Philippines are incredibly diverse and complex, from the far north to the far south, and that most Filipinos know very little of their own heritage. I wanted to learn more and have a deeper grasp of my new home and photographs undoubtedly paved the way. I share what I have learned with the Filipinos and I believe that through photographic records I have found an excellent way to value and respect heritage and keeping those records was indeed a worthy cause,” he said in his 2017 interview with The Philippine STAR.
His collections are accessible to the public for free via his Flickr account.
