31 May 2012

References:

Michelle Saulon, NAFCON-USA North East Coordinator, ne@nafconusa.org

Hanalei Ramos, BAYAN-USA North East Coordinator, hanalei@gmail.com

NAFCON contingent at PIDC 2011. Photo by Jonna Baldres.

NEW YORK — This coming Sunday, June 3, 2012, the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) and BAYAN-USA will be joining the annual Philippine Independence Day Parade once again to present the pressing issues that Filipinos in the United States are experiencing and to make the community aware about these issues and how they can contribute to address these.

This year, the alliances and their member organizations will tackle once more the issue of human trafficking, which has become even more rampant during the past few years, with victims coming out in groups and speaking out to tell their experiences, such as the Florida 15, Arizona 34, Orlando 18, Sentosa 27++ and many more.

Most of them have been recruited from the Philippines and brought into the United States with the employers promising them jobs but ended up sending them in either a different workplace or to work within terrible conditions. They were given false hopes for better lives and employment, but most of them eventually lost their status due to employers’ negligence and fraudulent acts. Some were even subject to detention, removal proceedings and deportations, which none of them have ever hoped for.

In line with the theme of this year’s Philippine Independence Day Parade, “Ang Bagong Pilipino, Bagong Kalayaan, Bagong Layunin, Bagong Pagkakaisa” (The New Pilipino, New Independence, New Goal, New Unity), NAFCON and BAYAN aim to awaken the minds and hearts of Filipinos in the United States on these issues and become the new Filipino, who will fight for the rights of migrant workers and who will not let injustices plague our country and fellow men.

These progressive alliances aim to fight for a new Philippines that is free of debt, exploitation, corruption, landlessness and one that will have jobs in the home country so Filipinos need not to leave, sell cheap labor to other countries and get separated from their loved ones; a Philippines whose government takes responsibility and fights to end Labor Export Policy (LEP) and addresses the needs of its people and can stand up on its own and free from the dictates of super powers. Only then, if our beloved motherland has reached this stage, can we say that genuine freedom and independence has been truly achieved.

So this Sunday, NAFCON, BAYAN and their member organizations enjoin Filipinos to march for real independence and to unite in ending these forms of exploitation and abuses and in making the perpetrators of these inhumane practices accountable to the people.

Meeting place will be at 37th Street between Madison and Park Avenues, 11am on Sunday, June 3. Let’s wear our RED shirts!

For more information, please email ne@nafconusa.org or call 3478671550.

A meaningful Philippine Independence Day to all!

 STOP TRAFFICKING OUR PEOPLE!

 END THE DEPORTATIONS!

 NO TO CRIMINALIZATION AND ILLEGALIZATION OF IM/MIGRANTS!

 NO TO LABOR EXPORT POLICY! CREATE JOBS AT HOME!

 LEGALIZATION FOR ALL!

JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND ALL MIGRANT WORKERS!

###

Alay SF and Anakbayan Malabon with Ka Erning

We are outraged by the brutal assassination of Ernesto “Ka Erning” Gulfo, urban poor leader and community organizer of Catmon, Malabon on May 30, 2012.  We condemn the systematic and continuous terror campaign of the Aquino regime against our people back home in the Philippines.  Ka Erning’s murder adds to Aquino’s growing record of political killings.  This clearly shows that Aquino is perpetuating the legacy of the previous President Arroyo through his utter disregard for human rights.

Ernesto “Ka Erning” Gulfo is an urban poor leader and community organizer of Catmon, Malabon.  As the chairperson of the local alliance of people’s organizations against the demolitions of urban poor communities, Alyansa Kontra Demolisyon (AKD) – Malabon, he was organizing the community to defend itself against a demolition that would displace over 1,500 families.  Ka Erning had a deep grasp of the community’s problems and the Philippine government’s devious schemes to displace urban poor communities in the name of “development”.  He worked tirelessly to organize local residents to stand up and defend their basic human rights.  He showed that the way to truly change these conditions was to take collective action and struggle for national democracy.  Because of this, he became a prime target of state-sponsored terrorism.  On the morning of May 30, two unidentified men entered his home and shot him twice in the chest. Ka Erning is now the 77th victim of political killings under the Aquino administration.

As soon as we found out about his murder, it immediately sent shockwaves throughout the Filipino youth movement in the US.  Many of us had the opportunity to meet Ka Erning on our exposure trips to the Philippines.  He was a humble and warm-hearted comrade, father, grandfather, and laborer who selflessly welcomed community members and exposurists into his home.  Ka Erning was a wise teacher to a generation of Filipino youth and student activists here in the US.  He generously shared his years of experience and insightful lessons as an organizer and activist.  He emphasized that in order to effectively organize, we should not only hold meetings, but be on the ground in the community and immerse ourselves in the lives of the masses.

The struggle of Ka Erning and the urban poor population of the Philippines resounds strongly to us, who are part of the Filipino diaspora. The poverty and injustices that cause the internal migration and displacement of the urban poor in the Philippines are the same conditions that force thousands of us to migrate abroad daily.

Under the current Aquino regime’s Public-Private Partnership “development” scheme, violent demolitions and human rights violations are an integral part of the ruling class’ ruthless drive to acquire property and profit.  Even here in the US, communities are increasingly under threat of displacement by the ruling 1% through the gentrification of working class and immigrant communities, as well as the widespread foreclosure of homes by big banks.

Ka Erning fought for a brighter future for our people. He will live on forever in the hearts and memories of the Filipino people here in the US as a martyr of our people’s struggle for dignity and genuine liberation. We will continue his unfinished struggle.

We call on our kababayans to emulate Ka Erning’s shining example.  Let’s organize and struggle for a Philippines where human rights are upheld and all our people will have homes and a life with dignity.  Struggle for national democracy until victory!

Justice for Ernesto “Ka Erning” Gulfo!

Stop the demolitions!

Struggle for national democracy in the Philippines!

Chicago, IL – On May 18, Filipino youth and student leaders from across the US convened at the Centro Autonomo community center, located in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago, for the historic Anakbayan-USA Founding Congress.  The congress established Anakbayan-USA as a nationwide organization and overseas national chapter of Anakbayan Philippines in the midst of city-wide protest marches and rallies against the ongoing North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit. This, according to organizers, is their symbolic protest and act of defiance against the global 1% represented by NATO.

The theme of the founding congress declared the purpose and direction of Anakbayan-USA: “Makibaka! Huwag Matakot! Unite and Strengthen the Filipino Youth Movement in the US to Advance the Struggle for National Democracy in the Philippines!”  The theme is aimed at calling on the youth to join the struggle against the increased repression in the US and to contribute to the struggle for genuine social change in the Philippines. 

“It [AB-USA Founding Congress] couldn’t have come on any other day than today, in the face of G8 and NATO.  This is our act of defiance.  Our coming here together as youth and students of our people is our act of defiance in the face of imperialism. We owe this to our brothers and sisters who have suffered and who have sacrificed their lives to fight for our people’s liberation,” said Yves Nibungco, elected founding National Chairperson of Anakbayan-USA. 

Over 60 delegates from Anakbayan chapters in Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, New Jersey, San Diego, East Bay (Oakland), Silicon Valley and Chicago, including delegates from affiliate organization, League of Filipino Students (LFS) – San Francisco State University came to the founding congress to approve a General Program of Action and elect the National Executive Committee of Anakbayan-USA. Those elected were Yves Nibungco of Anakbayan New Jersey as Chairperson, Janelle Quibuyen of Anakbayan Seattle as Vice Chairperson, Eric Tandoc of Anakbayan Los Angeles as Secretary General, Ivan Penetrante of Anakbayan San Diego as Education Officer, Noemi Teppang of Anakbayan Silicon Valley as Finance Officer and Lyle Prijoles of the League of Filipino Students-SFSU as Solidarity Officer. 

The keynote speech was delivered through a pre-recorded video by Jose Maria Sison, the exiled Filipino revolutionary and founding chairperson of the seminal Filipino youth organization, Kabataang Makabayan (KM). “We are certain that your congress will strengthen your resolve and will instruct you to arouse the Filipino youth throughout the US, expand and consolidate Anakbayan-USA and mobilize an increasing number of Filipino youth along the line of anti-imperialist and democratic struggle and militant support for the struggle of the Filipino youth and people for national liberation and democracy in the Philippines,” said Sison.

A live message was given via Skype by Renato Reyes, Secretary General of Bayan Philippines and founding chairperson of Anakbayan Philippines in 1998, in which he affirmed the role of Anakbayan in the US.  “Anakbayan can introduce Philippine history, society and revolution to a growing number of Filipino-Americans who long to understand their roots and the struggle in the homeland. At the same time, the Fil-Am youth experience first-hand problems of racism and discrimination as well as economic exploitation and imperialist war. Anakbayan should also organize the immigrant youth who are familiar with the severity of the crisis in the Philippines, often the reason why they have to migrate,” said Reyes.

Chanting “Makibaka! Huwag matakot!”, a protest chant popularized during the anti-Marcos dictatorship struggle in the 70’s, members of Anakbayan-USA pledged “to continue to expose the rotten character of the Aquino regime and to raise the struggle for national democracy to a new level of intensity.”  The delegates concluded the founding congress with a group oath-taking and singing of progressive Filipino songs.

Anakbayan-USA later marched with the “national liberation” contingent at the Coalition Against the NATO/G8 demonstrations in downtown Chicago comprised of Filipinos, Puerto Ricans, Palestinians, Canadians and others to denounce NATO and G8 as instruments of the “Global 1%” in exploiting third world countries like the Philippines. ###

Anakbayan chapters throughout the United States most vehemently condemn the violent and brutal dispersal of residents and stall owners of Parañaque’s Silverio compound and the forced eviction and demolition of their community by the combined forces of the Philippine National Police, paid goons, and security agents of business tycoon Henry Sy, on April 23. In their unjustified and unnecessary use of force, tear gas, and gunfire against unarmed civilians, at least one person was killed, 39 were severely injured, and another 30 were illegally arrested. These people were legally defending their homes, small businesses, and livelihoods from destruction. After the “hero’s burial” of Arnel Leonor–killed during the demolition–on April 29, with simultaneous protests throughout the country, President Aquino has yet to say anything about the young man’s death.

The Silverio compound, in which 28,000 urban poor reside, is set to be demolished for the establishment of condominiums for the Shoemart (SM) Development Corporation, owned by the Philippines’ richest business tycoon, Henry Sy. Despite the fact that the Parañaque city government had reportedly deposited P10.4 million to acquire the lot and allow the residents to pay for their property through a Community Mortgage Program, state and private business forces instigated the violent dispersal of this community for the continued super-profits of big businesses like that of Sy.

This incident is only one manifestation of the ongoing social injustice long suffered by the poor majority of Filipino people. We remember the residents of Corazon de Jesus in San Juan, Metro Manila who were violently evicted from their residences and whose homes were destroyed last year by over 400 police backed by a mob of security agents and a paid demolition team. We remember the Hacienda Luisita Massacre in 2004. The Aquino government’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) Programs legalize the profiteering of big landlords as well as foreign and national big businesses at the expense of the majority of the Filipino people. It creates the basis for the continued rampant demolition of poor Filipinos’ homes and livelihoods, which has become a trademark of the Aquino regime.

We condemn this human rights violation, as it represents no departure from President Aquino’s track record on issues affecting the youth. He demonstrates his neglect for public education through his administration’s budget cuts for state universities and colleges, and its recent approval of a new round of tuition and other fee increases for School Year 2012-2013. To the Filipino youth, it has always been clear that his administration treats the masses of Filipino people as second-class citizens in their own country. He readily destroys the future of the youth by abandoning state responsibility to provide access to an affordable education for all, in the same way that his police destroy the homes and livelihoods of the urban poor. He privatizes and commodifies education and, in the same vein, sides with business tycoon Henry Sy in displacing thousands in the Silverio Compound.

But what can we expect of a President who happily welcomes US soldiers to trample on the sovereignty of the Filipino people? Since his election to office, Aquino has continued the anti-people policies of his predecessors and has been ever-compliant in selling our lands and resources to foreigners through his PPP programs. Through his puppetry to imperialist nations, especially the United States, his policies are in line with those who have historically worsened conditions in the Philippines. To keep the economy afloat and alleviate unrest, his administration continues the virtual selling of Filipino workers through its Labor Export Policy (LEP), which systematically pushes Filipinos abroad for work.  This includes our very own families here in the United States.

As Filipino American youth, we recognize that we live in the country that maintains social, political, and economic hegemony over the Philippines. We recognize that the Philippine government’s prioritizes the interests of big and foreign businesses (including many American ones) over those of the Filipino youth and urban poor, thereby forcing our compatriots to leave the country every day in the thousands to find livelihoods abroad. Rather than implementing genuine land reform, promoting national industries, and providing decent jobs within the country for the benefit of the majority of Filipino people, the Aquino government faithfully protects the interests of the few who benefit from the current oppressive system in the Philippines. Furthermore, we condemn the Philippine government’s flagrant use of police brutality and fascist practices in suppressing the justified resistance of the people. We recognize chilling parallels to the fascist current in the US, with the passing of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Trespass Bill, and the murder of Trayvon Martin.

In an effort to resist the Philippine government’s subservience to big and foreign businesses, and to stand in solidarity with the Silverio compound residents defending their lives and livelihoods against state violence, we call on our fellow youth and Filipinos in the U.S. and their families to boycott all businesses owned by Henry Sy, including Banco de Oro and Shoemart (SM). The U.S. has the largest population of Filipinos outside the Philippines, amounting to over four million; our hard-earned money should not fund businesses that kill poor Filipinos in the name of profits.

At the Leonor’s burial, Gloria Arellano of Kadamay, an organization of urban poor in the Philippines, stated: “As Leonor is laid to rest today, we call for justice for the victims of the brutality of this state. We promise no let up in this fight. The Filipino masses shall soon be able to end this oppressive government and its anti-poor and fascist policies.” We stand in solidarity with the urban poor in demanding justice for the victims of the “Silverio Massacre.” We shall continue the fight for Philippine national democracy and justice against state violence both in the Philippines and the U.S.

JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE SILVERIO DEMOLITION!
BOYCOTT BANCO DE ORO AND SM!
END STATE VIOLENCE!
CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE FOR NATIONAL DEMOCRACY!

Click to view slideshow.

“Only through militant struggle can the best in the youth emerge.”
 - Jose Maria Sison

Today, as the people and working class all over the world militantly march for International Workers’ Day, we announce the upcoming Founding Congress of Anakbayan-USA on May 18, 2012 in Chicago.  As the first overseas national chapter of Anakbayan, we will continue to build the first nationwide Filipino youth movement that clearly recognizes the integral role of US-born and migrant Filipino youth in the struggle for national liberation and genuine democracy in the Philippines.

As soon as Anakbayan was founded in the Philippines, migrant and US-born Filipino youth heeded its call to continue the Katipunan’s unfinished revolution of 1896. Progressive Filipino youth and student organizations across the US immediately affiliated with Anakbayan and in 2002, finally established the first overseas chapter in Seattle. Since then, Anakbayan has spread across the country to major cities with large concentrations of Filipino youth, including Los Angeles, East Bay, New York, New Jersey, San Diego and Silicon Valley.

Anakbayan chapters in the US have been at the forefront of protecting the rights and welfare of our kababayans by linking and raising social justice issues here in the US to the struggles of the oppressed and exploited back home in the Philippines. Anakbayan has fought against education budget cuts, struggled to defend immigrant rights, linked arms with workers to recover stolen wages and sought justice for trafficked workers.

We are now confronted with a protracted global economic crisis and rising fascism. According to the US Department of Labor, 1 in every 2 youth is jobless while thousands continue to lose their jobs from mass layoffs. Meanwhile, higher public education remains inaccessible to most students as tuition fees continue to increase at an annual average rate of 8% nationwide, with some public universities raising tuition by as much as 31%. As private detention centers rake in profits, the Obama administration continues to systematically carry out record-breaking deportations, which have displaced 1.2 million immigrants since he was elected into office. Undocumented youth continue to live in a nightmare as the DREAM Act mutates into a selective military draft for immigrant youth to be used as frontliners in countless wars of imperialist aggression in our home countries.

In anticipation of a surge in people’s resistance, we see the rise of a fascist police state in the US through the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 (NDAA) and other repressive laws like Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) and HR 347 “Anti-Protest Law”.  While the civil and political rights of all Americans are being attacked, the US continues to impose its violence against people across the world in pursuit of increasing profits.

In the Philippines, the struggle continues to intensify as the crisis of the semi-feudal and semi-colonial society worsens and US military intervention increases to protect the economic interests of multinational corporations. True to his class, the landlord President Noynoy Aquino continues to faithfully serve imperialist, big business and big landlord interests by ensuring the increased exploitation of workers and even allowing US drones to drop bombs on our people. Clearly, the Filipino youth have no bright future within the current system. There is no other way for the youth but to fight back.

Through Anakbayan-USA, Filipino youth across the US are unifying and strengthening their community organizing efforts in order to carry forward the historic torch of courageous and daring youth that paved the way before us.  From the legacy of the anti-colonial resistance of the Katipunan and the Kabataang Makabayan that defied the iron fist of the Marcos dictatorship, we will continue to advance the struggle for national democracy in the Philippines until its eventual victory.  We play a crucial role here in organizing Filipino youth of all backgrounds and building international solidarity with all oppressed communities and countries.

We call on the Filipino youth to defiantly declare “Makibaka! Huwag Matakot!” Join the struggle and don’t be afraid! Let this call resound throughout the campus halls, workplaces, and in the streets. Let us unite and build this movement. Let us fulfill our revolutionary role as Filipino youth and serve the people!

Jersey City, NJ-  Activists, students and community members took a stand against labor trafficking after attending the community forum on the case of the Florida 15 workers last April 25 at Saint Peter’s College’s Pope Lecture Hall. The said forum was organized by Anakbayan New Jersey, National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) and the Saint Peter’s College Social Justice Program. 

Return to Sender: 5 Reasons to Oppose US Military Intervention in the Philippines

1. It violates the national sovereignty of the Philippines

The arrival of US forces invariably involves some form of military intervention including outright aggression, occupation and colonization. It would be like people storming into your house, moving their equipment into your bedroom, throwing out your stuff, ordering you to cook and clean for them, beating up your children and spouse, and informing you that you’d be responsible for continuing to pay rent as well as supplying them with meals and entertainment in return for protecting your home.

2. The American people pay without a say

The American people never agreed to send US troops to the Philippines. The current round of military exercises and deployment of US troops to the Philippines takes place under the terms of the Visiting Forces Agreement—a treaty that was never ratified by the US Senate, has no implementing law and is not self-executing, but has been in effect since 1999. And it costs American taxpayers millions of dollars every year without any agreement or oversight by the Senate—or the American people.

3. Civilian deaths, displacement of thousands of families, and other human rights violations will increase Even before US troops arrive, the US and Philippine military prepare miles of land for military exercises by conducting “clearing operations”— shorthand for kicking thousands of families out of their homes and even taking over schools to house US troops. Once the troops land, conditions get worse. US servicemen have fired on civilians, including children in the area whom soldiers “mistook” for wild pigs. The joint exercises between US and Philippine troops and use of US advisors to the Philippine military becomes even more questionable when you consider the Philippine military’s human rights record: 1,280 murders, 215

abductions, and 1,150 acts of torture against innocent civilians since 2001. If the Philippine military is perpetrating these atrocities, what are the US troops and advisors doing with them?

4. It is linked to increased prostitution, rape, and other sexual offenses, particularly against women and children Around US bases and military encampments, the development of an “entertainment” and “service” industry leads to a rise in the number of sex workers who are exposed to sexually transmitted disease and abuse US servicemen. Young girls have been subjected to rape. And it’s no wonder: A Marine Corps Times article published on April 8, 2012 said that “the Philippines also are known for their raunchy party atmosphere! Places such as Olongapo and Angeles City feature notorious red-light districts where alcohol and scantily clad women have attracted many Marines and sailors over the years!That’s what WestPac is: a lot of fun, a lot of good partying and a lot to do.” The Philippines is left to deal with the social costs from the rising sex trade and incidents of rape—with the perpetrators allowed to go free.

5. The military’s toxic waste pollutes the environment for decades and leads to deadly diseases Environmental damage due to military activities devastates communities for generations. Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines, through the conduct of numerous studies and investigations, is known to have toxic PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) that were left in corroding power transformers after 1991. In Subic, Filipino workers at the former base were forced to handle toxic waste, including burying it, and swimming through sewage to unclog pipes. Subsequent deaths of these workers and children near the area have called attention to the effects of these wastes. A recent study by KALIKASAN-People’s Network for the Environment revealed that 800 out of 4,000 residents near Subic Base are afflicted with asbestosis. Today, residents return to their villages after the military leave and find live ammunition, used shells and casings, and land laid to waste that used to be used for farming.

In the short-term and in the long-run, US militarization in the Philippines benefits no one— American or Filipino.

by: BAYAN-USA

What: Rally and march for workers and immigrants’ rights

[click here for facebook event]

Where: Union Square, NYC

When: May 1, 2012 | Rally 12pm-5:30pm, March 5:30pm onwards

Why: Every year we celebrate the victories and struggles of workers and immigrants. This year we will be raising the issue of  the Florida 15, Arizona 34 and other labor trafficking cases in the Filipino community. We will also be linking this to the overall struggle of workers and migrants all over the world.

*Wear a red shirt and look for the Anakbayan flag

For more information please email us at anakbayan.nynj@gmail.com