Jersey Artists, Youth, Students Unite for Typhoon Victims

Jersey Artists, Youth, Students Unite for Typhoon Victims

Jersey City- Filipino youth and student groups, in collaboration with local Filipino artists and musicians, held a benefit concert called The Aftermathlast Friday, November 6, 2009, at the Our Lady of Victories School. The said event was able to successfully raise $2000 for the typhoon victims in the Philippines which will be sent to Tulong Kabataan, a youth-led relief and rehabilitation campaign organized by Kabataan Partylist, Anakbayan, League of Filipino Students (LFS), Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP), National Union of Students in the Philippines (NUSP) and College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP).

The benefit concert was spearheaded by American Pin@y Organization of the Youth (APOY-HCCC), a fresh and energetic Filipino youth organization at Hudson County Community College. A number of young Filipino bands, artists, musicians and dancers contributed their time and talent to the said benefit event. Kapsula, Higher Ground, Salamanka, Second Verse, Paper June, Inspired, Nothing But Knowledge (NBK), Gessica Pecana, Donny Manuel and Taospuso lit the night with their meaningful performances as hundreds of youth attended the event.

“We chose The Aftermath as the name of our event because what matters most is what you do after the benefit concert. We, from APOY-HCCC, hopes that the aftermath of this event, when you go back to your homes, to your community and to your schools, will be a more concerned, aware and involved Filipino youth not just in disaster reliefs but also with the issues that bear down on our people here in the United States and back home in the Philippines,” said Yves Nibungco, the current Chairperson of APOY-HCCC as he concluded the event with a speech.

Youth “Involvement” and “Patriotism”

After the event, two themes stood out: youth involvement and patriotism. The young Filipino student group aims to encourage more Filipino youth and students to come out and get involved in their community, particularly regarding issues that really affect them. By responding to the current “humanitarian crisis” in the Philippines brought about by the typhoon, APOY-HCCC is hoping that this will send a clear message to other Filipino student groups to become more active in linking up and acting on issues concerning kababayans here and back home.

The Filipino youth and students are powerful forces of change that is slowly awakening to the necessity of their involvement, not just through the relief efforts, but also in actively involving themselves in the shaping of our society,” said Kathleen Dy, a member of Anakbayan NY/NJ, a local progressive Filipino youth group. “The Filipino youth and students have a rich history of social involvement and activisim to draw lessons from, coming from the Katipunan to the Kabataang Makabayan and up to the present.” Ms. Dy added.

“This benefit concert is just the start of a growing Filipino youth and student movement here in Jersey City. We, together with other Filipino youth and student organizations, vow to spark and spread the flame of patriotism among our fellow Filipino youth and students,” Yves Nibungco, Chairperson of APOY-HCCC concluded.

American-Pin@y Organization of the Youth is a new Filipino student organization at Hudson County Community College. It aims to raise cultural and historical awareness among the Filipino youth. It also aims to involve the Filipino youth and students in helping the Filipino community. For more information about APOY-HCCC, email them athcccfilipinoclub@gmail.com

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Jersey Youth, Students Proclaim "Tuloy ang Laban" for Typhoon Victims

Jersey Youth, Students Proclaim "Tuloy ang Laban" for Typhoon Victims

Jersey City- Filipino youth of Jersey City won't give up on their kababayans affected by the series of typhoons that hit the Philippines last month. With the theme: "Kapag Sama-sama, kayang kaya! Tuloy ang Laban!", American-Pinoy Organization of the Youth of Hudson County Community College (APOY-HCCC), in collaboration with other Filipino youth and student organizations, will be having "The Aftermath: A Benefit Concert for the Victims of Typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng" on November 6. The said event is to take place at 240 Ege Ave. Jersey City at the Our Lady of Victories School, from 7pm to 12 midnight.

Late September, a series of devastating typhoons hit the Philippines delivering a record amount of rainfall and destruction never before seen in decades. Over a million people have been affected by typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng, Quedan and Ramil, particularly the poor peasants, farm workers, and urban poor. Hundreds of thousands are still in limbo at covered courts and gymnasiums-turned-evacuation centers as disease outbreaks loom ahead.

"The Aftermath" is a benefit concert to raise funds for the relief and rehabilitation of typhoon victims in the Philippines. The event is also aimed at getting the youth more involved in the Filipino community. It will showcase a variety of young local Filipino talents from bands to dancers. Some of the performers will be Kapsula, Paper June, Shaka, Inspired and Taospuso. All proceeds will go to "Tulong Kabataan", (Youth Help) a relief and rehabilitation campaign led by a coalition of different youth and student organization such as Kabataan Partylist, Anakbayan, League of Filipino Students, Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, National Union of Students in the Philippines and College Editor's Guild of the Philippines.

"The Filipino youth and students must now open their eyes to the issues that affect our motherland, unite and get involved in the relief efforts and other efforts in the community" said Marlon Velasco, a member of APOY, a Filipino student organization at Hudson County Community College in Jersey City. "As students, we must also learn in the community. We can learn by helping and dedicating our time in serving our community. Organizing or coming to a benefit concert for our kababayans that were devastated by the typhoons is one way of getting involved." Mr. Velasco added.

The organizers of the said event are expecting hundreds of Filipino youth to attend the benefit concert. This, according to young activists, is a sign of a growing involvement among the Filipino immigrant and Filipino-American youth in the community and its issues.

“It is so inspiring to see the Filipino youth, whether immigrant or US-born, coming together in aid of our kababayans in the Philippines. The corruption ridden Arroyo government’s inability to provide relief to our people has taught us to unite and collectively act to help our brothers and sisters back home,” said Kathleen Dy of Anakbayan New York/ New Jersey, a progressive Filipino youth organization in based in Jersey City. “We call on the Filipino youth to unite and serve the people.” Ms. Dy concluded.

Endorsing organizations include Anakbayan New York/ New Jersey, Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment (FiRE), Kapatirang Pilipino Fraternity (Kappa Pi), Young Educators for Health and Empowerment of the Youth (Yehey), Lakas Diwa, Sandiwa National Alliance of Filipino-American Youth and Philippine Forum-NJ.

For more information regarding the concert and to reserve tickets please email APOY-HCCC athcccfilipinoclub@gmail.com. Ticket price is $10. Monetary donations are also suggested.