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.
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