As part of the “Stop Trafficking Our People” or STOP Campaign, Anakbayan New Jersey will be holding a screening of Modern Heroes, Modern Slaves.

Co-sponsored by: Action 21, Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment (FiRE-NYC), Lakas Diwa , Kabalikat Domestic Workers Support Network and Philippine Forum-New Jersey.

RSVP HERE

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When: July 9| Monday | 5:30pm-8pm

Where: Gilligan Student Union Building, Social Space 2039 John F. Kennedy Blvd. Jersey City, NJ

Directions:

From NYC: take Path from 33rd > get off at Exchange Place and Take Light Rail to West Side Ave. > Walk to Culver St. towards NJCU

From NJ: Take Bus 80 or Bus 10 from Journal Square and Get off at Culver Ave.

For more information: email us at anakbayan.nynj@gmail.com or call Bea Sabino, (201)7796886

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Modern Heroes, Modern Slaves (1999) Directed by Marie Boti Each day, thousands of women leave under developed countries like the Philippines to seek work as domestics in more prosperous places. What little money they earn they send home to their families. This crucial source of revenue to their country’s economy has prompted the Philippine government to call these contract workers “modern-day heroes.” Starting from the case of Flor Contemplacion, the Philippine maid hanged in Singapore for the killing of her abusive employer, this film shows the human and sometimes tragic side of this organized labor trade: failed marriages, family break ups, and exploitation and abuse at the hands of unscrupulous employers.

Click here for additional details:

http://www.filmakers.com/index.php?a=filmDetail&filmID=849

KATARUNGAN (Justice): A Forum on the Case of Melissa Roxas and the Human Rights Situation in the Philippines

“KATARUNGAN (Justice) is a forum organized by BAYAN-USA Northeast to raise awareness about the human rights situation in the Philippines and what can we do about it.

Also, get to know Melissa Roxas and her ordeal as Filipino-American human rights activist/health worker who became the first US citizen to be a victim and survivor of enforced disappearance/abduction and torture in the hands of the Philippine military.”

RSVP here

Tuesday, June 19, 2012
6:00 to 8:00 pm
at NYU Langone Medical Center
550 First Avenue (by 33rd St.)
New York, NY 10016
Alumni Hall/Ground Floor/Alumni Hall A
Take 6 train to 33rd St.
MAP: http://goo.gl/maps/DL5F

Hosted by BAYAN-USA
Co-sponsored by Kalusugan Coalition and the National Lawyers’ Guild

For more information about Melissa Roxas and the human rights situation in the Philippines, please visit: http://justiceformelissa.org/

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!

For related news about Ka Erning’s murder

Malabon Junk Shop Owner Shot Dead

Group Condemns Anti-Demolition Leader’s Killing