Anakbayan NYNJ, Kalusugan Coalition holds Free Health Screening at Sinugba Cafe

Anakbayan NYNJ held its first Health Screening, in collaboration with Kalusugan Coalition and Project Aspire.

Anakbayan NYNJ is looking forward to conduct more health screenings and other community service oriented activities in the future.

• If you are interested to become a volunteer
• If you want to give back to your community
• If you want to make a change
• If you want to SERVE the people

Contact us at (201)2535662 and look for Yves Nibungco or (201)2535765 and look for Kathleen Dy

" We are living under a system that prioritizes the interest of the few versus the basic neccessities of the majority, wherein the majority is deprived of its rights and social services. That is why Anakbayan NYNJ, is encouragingthe Filipino youth, immigrant and US-born, to study the society and serve the people. Only through this way we can find our value in society." said Kathleen Dy, a recently graduated nurse and also a member of Anakbayan New York/ New Jersey.

ABS-CBN Balitang America

You Are Invited to the BAYANIHAN Cultural Festival

FIRST ANNUAL BAYANIHAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL

Sunday, June 21 10am – 6pm
Hart Playground (37th Avenue and 69th Street)
Take the G,V,R trains to 65th St. or 7 train to 69th St./Fisk Ave. and walk north on 69th St.

The first ever celebration of Philippine Independence Day in the heart of the Filipino community in Queens, New York will feature Filipino American artists who will perform indigenous, folk and contemporary songs, dances and spoken word. Among the performers are Blue Scholars, BIBAK, Deep Foundation, Paaralang PIlipino, Paul the Magician, and more.

The festival also features a basketball exhibition, children’s corner with Filipino games, story-telling, and face painting, free health screening and free legal and immigration consultations, arts and crafts bazaar, and community organizations.

The whole-day festival on June 21 at the Hart Playground in Woodside, Queens is sponsored by Philippine Forum and the Bayanihan Filipino Community Center. Other sponsors are Jollibee, Western Union, Manila Gorilla and RCN. For more information, please call (718) 565-8862 or email filipinocenter@yahoo.com.

Anakbayan Rejects Gloria's Charter Change, Demands Justice for Melissa Roxas

Anakbayan New York/ New Jersey joins the Filipino Community in celebration of Philippine pseudo-independence day.

Last June 7, 2009, members of Anakbayan NY/NJ rejected Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's

charter change and has demanded justice for Melissa Roxas, the Filipina-American human rights worker who was just abducted and tortured.

Carrying 4ft placards that says, "Bagong Bayan says: No to Con-Ass! No to Cha-Cha!", Anakbayan New York/New Jersey called on the people, particularly the youth, to militantly oppose and resist against another tyranny in the making. The youth group condemned the house majority, who are mostly members of the administration party, for railroading House Resolution no. 1109 and for playing puppet to the whims of the Administration's cling to power.

H.R. 1109 is a bill that calls on the congress to convene for a constituent assembly, paving the way for a charter-change.

Charter Change under the Arroyo administration means a return to tyranny. Proposed amendments under their charter change includes lifting the ban on martial law, 100% foreign ownership of land and other properties, which is already a recipe for a full a national disaster.

Also, the said progressive youth group brings to light the case of Melissa Roxas, who was, abducted last May 19, 2009 in Tarlac, Pampanga, together with Eric handoc and Juanito Carabeo. After worlwide clamor for the government to surface them, Melissa was surfaced last May 25, 2009, 6 days after being subjected to continuous torture under allegedly military elements. This, the youth group said, is directly linked to US military aid that comes from US tax payers money.

"US-born and Immigrant Filipino youth here wants to deliver a warning to GMA and her

minions, that we are awake and that we are watching her every move. We shall prevent any attempt to plunge our motherland again into another dictatorship!" said a member of Anakbayan NYNJ

FILIPINO-AMERICANS IN NY SAY "10 YEARS IS ENOUGH! JUNK VFA!"

 

FILIPINO-AMERICANS IN NY SAY "10 YEARS IS ENOUGH! JUNK VFA!"

NEW YORK - BAYAN USA, with its member organizations and allies in the New York/New Jersey area, gathered on May 27 in front of the Philippine Consulate in 5th Avenue to call for an end to the 10-year-long Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), a treaty between the Philippine and the United States governments believed by the said alliance to have been detrimental to the Filipino people.

"May 27 marks 10 years of institutionalized atrocities against our people. But in fact, it's not only 10 years, but more than a hundred years, that we have been suffering in the hands of the US imperialist. The Philippine-American war of 1899 had been the blueprint of the US war of aggression, and the human rights violations inflicted upon our people are much worse than ever to this day," Gary Labao of the New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (NYCHRP) said.

BAYAN USA also lambasted the Philippine government and demanded its accountability for the abduction of Melissa Roxas, a Filipino-American activist and a member of Habi Arts, a cultural organization and a member organization of BAYAN USA in Los Angeles. Melissa came back to the Philippines in 2007 to work as a full-time health worker and was abducted by who were suspected to be military elements last May 19 in Tarlac with two other companions. Days later, Melissa and her companions were surfaced, but BAYAN USA remains firm in its stand to demand justice for the abducted.

"I personally know Melissa, and I know very well that she does not deserve these acts of monstrosity carried upon her by the Philippine government. This abduction of Melissa and her companions is part of the Philippine government's anti-insurgency program, Oplan Bantay Laya II, to serve its own economic and political interests. And as binded by the VFA, the US also takes part in this crime by funding the military activities and exercises of the Philippine government through the US tax dollars! And the US, now under the leadership of Obama, had just put one of its citizens in danger by letting Melissa get in the hands of these bloody perpetrators!" Bernadette Ellorin, BAYAN USA Chairperson, exclaimed in outrage.

Aside from the abduction of Melissa and countless other activists and civilians, the VFA has also resulted to the rape of Filipino women by US military elements. "Vanessa", a 22-year-old Filipina, was victimized by "John Jones," a US Marine and a member of the Joint US Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) operating in the Philippines under the guise of the Balikatan (translated as "shoulder-to-shoulder") exercises.

"The VFA paved the way for the US to exploit the bodies and the dignity of our fellow Filipinas. After Nicole, another rape victim, Vanessa, has come out but decided not to file a case because she was scared that the Philippine government would only favor the US, just like what happened in the case of Daniel Smith, who was acquitted from charges of raping Nicole. This is a clear indicator that the Filipino people has totally lost its trust in the Philippine government, as it only serves the whims of its master, the US imperialist," said Melanie Dulfo of the New York-based Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment (FiRE).

Valerie Francisco, Vice Chair of GABRIELA-USA, also added that aside from women, children are also directly being victimized by the VFA, "On February 19, Rafaela Polborido, a 16-month old girl was killed in a province in Bicol, after government soldiers bombed her home with grenades in preparation for the Balikatan exercises. These acts of terrorism against the people, especially children, must be condemned and should not be allowed to continue and prosper!"

Representatives of indigenous organizations who attended the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in New York City from May 18-29 also joined the protest action. Windel Bolinget of Cordillera People's Alliance (CPA) and Dulphing Ogan of KALUMARAN, also shared stories of cruelty that they have experienced under the Visiting Forces Agreement. From North to South, militarization has been rampant in their communities and their self-determination as indigenous peoples has been disrespected in many circumstances.

Yves Nibungco, Deputy Secretary General of Anakbayan New York/New Jersey, also criticized the Philippine government for spending too much on militarization and the Balikatan exercises instead of providing the Filipino youth with the much-needed books and classrooms.

Allies from International Action Center (IAC), Fight Imperialism Stand Together (FIST) and May 1st Coalition were also present and delivered solidarity messages.

After the action at the Philippine Consulate, the Filipino contingent marched towards the US Armed Forces Recruitment Station in 42nd Street in Times Square while chanting anti-VFA slogans. The whole BAYAN USA and GABRIELA USA contingents staged a die-in right in the middle of the famous New York tourist spot to deliver the message that the Filipino people want the US troops out of the Philippines and that they want the VFA scrapped.

Protest actions led by BAYAN USA were also held in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and teach-ins on the VFA were held in Seattle & San Diego.

For more information: http://www.bayanusa.org

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