REAL-LIFE "SISTER STELLA L" JOINS FILIPINO-AMERICANS IN NYC FOR THE REAL-LIFE SONA

To view more pictures from this action, visit:http://s382.photobucket.com/albums/oo261/jonnabaldres/SONA%20in%20NY%202009%20-%2027%20July%202009/

REAL-LIFE "SISTER STELLA L" JOINS FILIPINO-AMERICANS IN NYC FOR THE REAL-LIFE SONA

New York, NY-- Nearly a day after watching Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's deliverance of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Manila, Filipinos in New York, unconvinced by Arroyo's speech, gathered for a in-door forum to discuss "the REAL State of the Nation Address" (SONA) at the BAYANIHAN Filipino Community Center followed by an outdoor march along Roosevelt Avenue in Woodside, Queens. Amongst the special guest speakers at the forum was none other than the real-life inspiration for the 1984 Filipino film "Sister Stella L" featuring actress Vilma Santos-- Mother Mary John Mananzan.

GABRIELA

Aside from serving as the Chairperson for the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP), Mananzan has the distinguished title of Chairperson Emeritus of GABRIELA Philippines, the largest federation of women's organizations in the country working for fundamental economic and social reforms.

While in New York, Mananzan was happy to be joined by fellow members of Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment (FiRE), one of only a handful of Filipino women's organizations in the US that are also members of GABRIELA-USA.

THE REAL S.O.N.A.

At the forefront of the topics discussed was the case of Melissa Roxas, an US citizen abducted and tortured in the Philippines last May, and its implications of the overall human rights situation in the country. A presentation on the Justice for Melissa Roxas Campaign was delivered.

"If you say the Philippines is a country full of poverty, hunger, joblessness, and landlessness, then you already know more about the real state of the Philippines than Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo," stated Bernadette Ellorin, Chair of BAYAN USA.

Also discussed were the concrete dangers to the Arroyo government's proposed changes to provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, more popularly referred to as Charter Change, or Cha-Cha, delivered by Rico Foz, Executive Vice President of the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns or NAFCON.

The final presentation came from Mananzan, who spoke candidly of the actual social and political climate in the Philippines under Arroyo, with emphasis on gross cases of the Arroyo administration's corruption. She spoke of the billions of dollars being pocketed by a few rich, powerful families in the Philippines that could literally resolve the poverty epidemic in the country.

"I've never cursed in my life. Gloria is the first president to make me curse on stage," Mananzan quipped.

"And to think she is a woman! We should expel her from the womankind."
After a Q & A session with Mananzan, participants walked outside for a march with banners and signs reading "Justice for Melissa Roxas" and "No to Con-Ass/No to Cha-Cha" around the Filipino business district along Roosevelt Avenue.

TRANSFORMERS

Not too far away, a street theater play with "DeceptiCON-ASS" and "Filipinus Prime", a creative take on the popular Transformers movies, was taking place at nearby Krystal's Cafe.
After a scene in which Filipino Prime successfully beats DeceptiCON-ASS with the help of the marchers chanting "Cha-Cha ni Gloria, Ibasura!" (Junk Gloria's Cha-Cha!) and "Justice for Melissa Roxas!", representatives from the Filipino community, including FiRE, GABRIELA USA, NY Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (NYCHRP), Anakbayan NY/NJ, SANDIWA National Filipino-American Youth Alliance, League of Filipino Students, NAFCON, and BAYAN USA, each spoke about why the Arroyo version of SONA is full of dishonesty and what the real situation in the Philippines is.

OBAMA-ARROYO MEETING

Ending the rally was a call to go to Washington DC for the upcoming meeting between President Barack Obama and Arroyo this Thursday. Several from the contingent agreed to travel to Washington DC to join in the activities scheduled there, including a prayer vigil in front of the White House.

It is expected that Arroyo making the trip to Washington DC with intentions to win Obama's support for Cha-Cha, as well as request for more economic aid for the Philippine government and military, including the long-term stationing of US troops throughout the Philippines and the re-establishment of permanent US military bases in the country.
Community members called on Obama to be remember his words spoken in his inaugural speech-- particularly about "those who cling to power through corruption and deceit, and the silencing of dissent..."-- by raising the issue of Melissa Roxas, the gross human rights track record of the Arroyo government, and the culpability of the Philippine military, with Arroyo herself. ###

FILIPINO YOUTH PREPARE FOR ARROYO'S FINAL SONA SPEECH WITH PROTEST IN JERSEY CITY

*FILIPINO YOUTH PREPARE FOR ARROYO'S FINAL SONA SPEECH WITH PROTEST IN
JERSEY CITY*

JERSEY CITY, NJ-- Anakbayan New York/ New Jersey, a Filipino youth
organization, joined by allied organizations under the National Alliance for
Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), held a silent protest last Saturday along Five
Corners in Jersey City. The action was meant to be a build-up for the
upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA) speech to be delivered by
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo this coming Monday, July 27th.

They stood side by side, wearing black shirts and sandwich boards saying:
“Justice for Melissa Roxas!” and “No to US tax dollars for Philippine Death
squads!” This, they said, is symbolic of what the state of human rights in
the Philippines has become under Arroyo.

“Ever since Arroyo came to power, numerous repressive policies and brutal
counter insurgency campaigns were put in to place. The state of human rights
can be easily but horribly summed up by just looking at the increasing body
count of the dead and the posted pictures of the disappeared”, said Yves
Nibungco, Deputy Secretary-General of Anakbayan New York/ New Jersey.

Nibungco expects Arroyo will deliver her speech on Monday, highlighting her
achievements and her vision for the future of our country. But young
activists doubt it.

“For the past nine years, what we heard are just litanies of lies. With
regards to human rights, there is nothing but a long trail of blood. In her
last year, we call on our kababayans here in the US and around the world to
be vigilant and ensure that this will be the end of Arroyo’s days in power,”
said Mr. Nibungco.

The youth organization also called attention to the scheduled Obama-Arroyo’s
meeting in Washington DC this July 30th. They demanded Melissa Roxas’ case
be put into the agenda. Mr. Nibungco continued, “Obama should stay true to
his word that he is for human rights. We demand that he put a hold on all US
military aid to the Philippines and that the Arroyo regime to cooperate with
ongoing and future investigations on Melissa Roxas’ case and other human
rights issues.”

The Philippines has been one of the biggest recipient of US military aid
since after the 9/11 attacks. In 2003 the Philippines, since it was also
considered as the second front on the US war on Terror. The Philippines
received $114M of military aid from the US, $164M in 2005 and $162M last
year. This is amidst America’s shrinking economy and decline in social
services due to budget cuts.

“We will continue to do this and launch more protest actions as long as
there dissent is being suppressed and that an illegitimate government
continues to exist. Our message to Ms. Arroyo is that they can never silence
the oppressed but definitely, her days are numbered," concluded Nibungco.

Anakbayan NY/NJ, along with several other Filipino organizations, is
sponsoring a community forum entitled "The Real State of the Nation Address"
in Queens on Monday, July 27, at 6pm. It will be held at the BAYANIHAN
Filipino Community Center, located on 40-21 69th Street off Roosevelt Avenue
in Woodside. For more information, email anakbayan.nynj@gmail.com ###

Filipino Youth Group Joins Health Care Workers in Struggle for Justice

July 9, 2009

Union City, NJ- Progressive Filipino youth group in Jersey city, joins health care workers rally for better wages and benefits at Castle Hill Nursing Home last July 8, 2009.

While carrying banners and placards, members of Filipino youth group Anakbayan and the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) gave solidarity messages to protesting workers by joining their picket last Wednesday in front of a nursing home, wherein a significant number of workers are Filipinos.

“As sons and daughters of immigrant and health care workers ourselves, we know how it feels to see our parents work hard and still not earn enough. We express our support to the workers in Castle Hill nursing home and to all the workers who are suffering the same fate.” Said Yves Nibungco, Deputy Secretary-General of Anakbayan New York/New Jersey.

Castle Hill is one out of four facilities under Omni Nursing Homes. Workers have been without a contract since 2007 and are paid less than $8/hour.

“These workers here in Castle Hill provide care for their patients, but who takes care of them? With their current wage and lack of benefits, it is clear that their employer doesn’t care about them,” said Kathleen Dy, a member of Anakbayan New York/New Jersey.

Rico Foz, Executive Vice-President of the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) said “an injury to one is an injury to all. The management should heed the demand of the workers! Or else, face the wrath of the people!"

In light of the global financial crisis, these enterprises increase their exploitation of immigrant workers. Immigrant workers take the full blow of the crisis as employers depress the workers’ wage and deprive them of benefits crucial to their well-being to drive up the company’s profit. This kind of abuse from management affects the quality of care provided by the nursing home workers and, in the end, harms the patients too.

Kathleen Dy said, “Only through our collective action, particularly with the workers, can we effectively oppose the financial crisis’ attacks on our basic rights and dignity.”

“We recognize the fact that the struggle of these Castle Hill workers is partly our struggle as Filipino immigrant youth as well. That's why we ccame here today to show our full solidarity to the Omni workers struggling for justice! Anakbayan New York/ New Jersey is with these workers up to the end until they attain victory, in Castle Hill, and everywhere in the world,” Nibungco ended.###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2009

References: Ivan Penetrante, Chairperson, Anakbayan San Diego, igpene@gmail.com Yves Nibungco, Deputy Secretary General, Anakbayan New York/New Jersey, yvesnibungco@gmail.com, Beverly Tang, Anakbayan Los Angeles, bev@anakbayanla.org, Sincere Born, Chairperson, Anakbayan Seattle, sincere9@gmail.com

Filipino American Youth Oppose Arroyo and Charter Change

Filipino Youth of BAYAN USA (League of Filipino Students-San Francisco State University and the US chapters of Anakbayan from East Bay (EB), San Diego (SD), Seattle, Los Angeles (LA) and Anakbayan York/New Jersey (NY/NJ) declare our full opposition to the Arroyo regime and its cronies’ push towards Charter Change (Cha-Cha).

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo knows the people will hold her accountable for her crimes when her term is up in 2010. Already standing neck deep in a track record of out-of-control rates of poverty, absence of social services, an ever-increasing list of human rights violations, and endless cases of corruption, Arroyo seeks to avoid prosecution and extend the reach of her power through Charter Change. Under Cha-Cha, Arroyo can impose Martial law and extend her stay in office indefinitely by changing the government to a parliamentary system, thus avoiding potential prosecution. “A dictatorship of Arroyo, whether under the guise of a parliamentary system or through declaration of martial rule, would certainly mean the death of our already ailing democracy and of our people’s dignity,” says Yves Nibungco of Anakbayan New York/New Jersey.

Charter Change will constitutionally allow the US and other foreign military forces unrestricted stay and operations in the Philippines. Already playing a puppet to US militarism, Arroyo continues to bow down to foreign business interest as well. Charter Change places Philippine national sovereignty at further economic risk. Under Cha-cha existing economic provisions can be eliminated, enabling foreigners 100 percent ownership of lands and other property. Foreign exploitation and plundering of natural resources will increase, causing more displacements of people and landlessness in the countryside.

Though an ocean apart, the Filipino youth of BAYAN USA understand our people should fight the Arroyo regime and her cronies in order for there to be a true democracy in the Philippines that addresses the needs of its people. Charter Change is a slap in the face to the Filipino people and the provisions gained in the 1987 Constitution. That is why we support Kabataan Kontra Cha-Cha (a broad alliance of youth groups and student councils in the Philippines) and their call for student walkouts on July 10, 2009. We vow to do whatever it takes to prevent Arroyo from installing emergency rule and rigging next year’s elections. We are proud to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Philippines for a better tomorrow!

BAYAN USA Youth calls upon Filipinos in the US to take a stand against Charter Change!