Statements

Filipino Youth Overseas Demand an End to Government Corruption in the Philippines

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We, Filipino youth and students overseas, stand with our sisters and brothers in the Philippines who are taking to the streets in the “Million People March vs. Pork Barrel”.

We join the call to abolish the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the presidential Special Purpose Fund (SPF). For too long, these discretionary funds have been used to fatten the pockets of corrupt politicians at the expense of our people’s welfare.

We demand that the Philippine government prioritize funding our people’s needs and not their own luxurious lifestyles. In the upcoming 2014 National Budget, the Aquino administration is set to allocate P1.2 trillion ($28.2 billion) for the president’s SPF and P25 billion ($565 million) for congress and senate’s PDAF. Despite his “Tuwid na Daan” (“Righteous Path”) rhetoric, the amount of pork barrel fund has actually doubled during Aquino’s administration and government corruption has only worsened. We demand the immediate rechanneling of all these funds directly to vital social services that our poorest sisters and brothers need, such as public education, health, housing, protection and welfare for overseas Filipino workers and even flood control.

We also call for the immediate, independent, and thorough investigation and prosecution of all parties involved in the misuse of the people’s money. The Pork Barrel must be emptied and the stench of all corrupt politicians and public officials must be aired out. Investigation and trial must be led by independent entities and not the politicians in senate and congress themselves. This process must be made public and televised. We want justice and accountability.

We recognize that this is bigger than Janet Lim-Napoles and the corrupt politicians involved in the current Pork Barrel Scam. This is about a system that breeds corruption and serves the interests of the wealthiest few while neglecting the poor majority of our people. We understand that it is exactly this type of corruption that is one of the main root of the ongoing economic crisis in our homeland, which forces millions of migrants like our parents to search for livelihood in other countries.

That is why, though we are thousands of miles away from our motherland, we are one with the people in fighting against systemic corruption in the Philippines. August 26th is only the beginning. No damage control nor deception by Aquino’s public relations team can stop the growing tide of people’s anger. The entire corrupt system must be changed in order for future generations to live in a society that is truly just and free.

ABOLISH ALL PORK BARREL FUNDS NOW!

RE-CHANNEL FUNDS TO SOCIAL SERVICES!

INVESTIGATE AND PROSECUTE ALL INVOLVED IN CORRUPTION!

ORGANIZATIONAL SIGNATORIES

United States:

Active Leadership to Advance the Youth (ALAY)

Anakbayan- USA

Anakbayan Los Angeles

Anakbayan San Diego

Anakayan East Bay

Anakbayan Silicon Valley

Anakbayan Seattle

Anakbayan Chicago

Anakbayan New York

Anakbayan New Jersey

Asian American Student Union – Saint Peter’s University

Barkada – Farleigh Dickinson University

Filipino American Student Association at Oberlin College

Filipino American Student Association of the University of Washington

Filipinos Uniting Nations at Kean (FUNK) – Kean University

Filipinos Uniting Students in Other Nations (FUSION) – City University of New York, Baruch College

Kasama – University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Katipunan – University of California Riverside

Laya Migrant Youth for Change and Action, Daly City

League of Filipino Students – San Francisco State University

Maganda Magazine

PEACE – City College of San Francisco

Philippine Union of La Guardia Students Organization (PULSO) – City University of New York, La Guardia Community College

Pilipinos of Hunter (POH) – City University of New York, Hunter College

Kaibigan – Portland State University

Samahang Pilipino – University of California Los Angeles

Youth of Iglesia Filipino Independiente – Diocese of Tampa (Eastern USA & Eastern Canada)

 

Canada:

Anakabyan Montreal

Anakbayan Toronto

BAYAN- Canada

Binnadang – Migrante Canada

Filipino Student Association of Toronto (FSAT) – University of Toronto

 

Australia:

Anakbayan Melbourne

Netherlands:

SAMAKA – Netherlands

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To be a signatory now, click here.

Assembly Budget Committee approves Tuition Equality Act/A4225: NJ DREAMers, Students Celebrate First Step Towards In-State Tuition Victory in State Assembly

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For Immediate Release

June 18, 2013

References:

Vera Parra, American Friends Service Committee, (917) 519 7657, vparra@afsc.org

Bea Sabino, Anakbayan New Jersey, (201) 779 6886, bmb.sabino@gmail.com

Assembly Budget Committee approves Tuition Equality Act/A4225: NJ DREAMers, Students Celebrate First Step Towards In-State Tuition Victory in State Assembly

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Trenton, NJ– The New Jersey state Assembly Budget committee approved assembly bill A4225, also known as the Tuition Equality Act, after New Jersey DREAM Act Coalition, New Jersey United Students, Anakbayan New Jersey and more than a hundred dreamers, community and labor supporters packed the hearing this past Monday in Trenton.

Assembly bill no. 4225 or the Tuition Equality Act, was introduced by Assemblyman Gordon Johnson. The bill will allow undocumented students who have attended New Jersey high schools for a minimum of three years to qualify for in-state tuition rates in New Jersey’s public colleges and universities, on the condition that they have earned a diploma or GED from a NJ high school, and sign an affidavit promising to adjust their immigration status if given the opportunity to do so.

More than 20 people, including DREAMers and community leaders, testified in support of the Tuition Equality Act during the committee hearing. Speakers shared personal stories, and presented economic and moral platforms that garnered praises from assembly members.

“This bill is not only the morally correct thing to do, but the economically intelligent thing to do,” explains Giancarlo Tello, NJ DREAM Act campaign manager, during his testimony.  “Colorado’s fiscal note estimated the bill would increase revenue from tuition by about $2.0 million in FY 2013–14 and by about $3.0 million in FY 2014–15. Massachusetts similarly did a conservative estimate that said By the fourth year, new revenues from 756 to 876 undocumented students would total between $6.4 and $7.4 million.”

“In New Jersey we already invest over $200,000 in educating our DREAMers from elementary school through high school.  That is an investment that New Jersey, through its Out of State tuition policy, effectively kicks out to neighboring states such as New York, where tuition would be cheaper.  We then stand to lose all their tax dollars, expertise, and investments that would otherwise be put into New Jersey.” Tello continued.

Around 3:00pm, many at the assembly hearing erupted into cheers and applause when the committee members voted 8 out of 12 in favor of the bill. Following the Assembly budget committee vote, the coalition held a press conference to celebrate this important step and to call on the Senate to bring the bill up for a committee and floor vote.

“A4225 is only controversial to those who are not familiar with the undocumented student community’s moral and economic argument,” says Kamika Bennett, a student at Essex County College and member of the Essex County Dream Team.  “I ask the General Assembly to post and pass A4225.  I ask the Senate to post and pass the equivalent of A4225 now. We will work for as long as it takes to win tuition equality so that all students can access higher education in New Jersey,” Bennett concluded.

With overwhelming community support statewide, campaign organizers are confident the bill has the votes to pass in both the General Assembly as well as the Senate.  Student and youth leaders say they are also confident Governor Christie will choose to make this investment in New Jersey’s future when the bill reaches his desk.

Five months ago the youth and student coalition led by New Jersey United Students, the New Jersey Dream Act Coalition, and Anakbayan NJ gathered at the steps of the State House to announce the launch of New Jersey DREAM Act Campaign. Since then, they have continuously gained a growing number of supporters. There are over 70 student, community, labor and faith-based organizations that have signed on letters of support. Five City Councils, and two Counties have passed resolutions urging NJ State legislators to pass in-state tuition for DREAMers. Most recently, the New Jersey Presidents’ Council, representing all public and private 2-and-4-year colleges and universities in the state, and the New Jersey Council of Community Colleges passed resolutions in support of In-State Tuition for undocumented youth.

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For more information about the New Jersey DREAM Act Campaign, please visit www.njtuitionequity.wordpress.com

Thousands Rally Demanding Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Groups Call for Sustained Actions to Achieve Dignity and Justice for Immigrants

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 10, 2013

Reference: Bea Sabino, Chairperson, Anakbayan NJ

                 anakbayan.nynj@gmail.com; 201.779.6886

Thousands Rally Demanding Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Groups Call for Sustained Actions to Achieve Dignity and Justice for Immigrants

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Jersey City, NJ- Anakbayan New Jersey, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and Action 21 marched with other community organizations, union members, church groups and families who gathered by the thousands at Liberty State Park on April 6.

People from across New Jersey mobilized to demand the immediate passage of a Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) bill. They carried signs saying, “We are not invisible. We are immigrants” and “NJ Demands Fair Reform,” while shouting, “The time is now for immigration reform!” U.S. legislators are expected to release a CIR proposal upon their return from Spring Recess this week.

According to Anakbayan, the inefficient, inhumane, profit-oriented character of the U.S. immigration system has been exposed throughout the years. In addition to the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. with no path to legalization, millions more are held up in the limbo of decades-long backlogs in visa processing for family and work-based petitions. Moreover, U.S. taxpayers spend an average of $2 billion a year on detaining immigrants in private prisons contracted by the government in its crusade to eliminate the undocumented.

“Ideally, the CIR proposal should address pressing issues such as separation of families, human trafficking and modern day slavery. It should also recognize the global system that perpetuates poor living conditions in developing nations, which lead to the influx of migrant workers to the US,” said Bea Sabino, Chairperson of Anakbayan NJ.

“We aim to promote migrant people’s narratives, and continue to organize the immigrant community in order to sustain the people’s movement for genuine immigration reform. We demand a realistic path to legalization for all migrants, just and fair working conditions, equal access to education regardless of immigration status, and an end to criminalization and illegalization of immigrants,” concluded Sabino.

Anakbayan NJ and its allied organizations urge the community to participate in the conversation about CIR and take an active role in holding elected officials accountable to upholding the rights of immigrants at the local, state and national level.

CIR is long overdue. “Panahon Na (The Time is Now)! A Community Forum on Comprehensive Immigration Reform” is taking place on Sunday, April 21, 3-5pm at Pope Hall, St. Peter’s University, 115 Glenwood Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306.

Everyone is invited to listen to stories of immigrants from different backgrounds who are coming out of the shadows to fight for immigrant rights. The forum will also discuss how immigration reform will affect the community and how individuals can get involved in making history happen.

For more information on how to take part in the campaign for Comprehensive Immigration Reform in Jersey City, contact Anakbayan NJ at anakbayan.nynj@gmail.com. ###

Filipino Youth in New York and New Jersey Celebrate “Florida 15” Victory

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Press Statement

27 February 2013

References:
Bea Sabino, Chairperson, Anakbayan NJ
Matthew Cheirs II, Chairperson, Anakbayan NY
Contact: anakbayan.nynj@gmail.com

FILIPINO YOUTH IN NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY CELEBRATE “FLORIDA 15” VICTORY

Anakbayan Vows to Keep Up the Fight Against Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery

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The “Florida 15” at a Press Conference in Woodside, NY. Photo by Jonna Baldres

On February 18, the “Florida 15” (F-15) labor trafficking survivors announced the approval of their T-Visas and issuance of employment authorization cards in a press conference with Atty. Felix Vinluan and members of the Stop Trafficking Our People (STOP) Task Force led by the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) at the Bayanihan Filipino Community Center in Woodside, NY.

The F-15, surrounded by community organizations and supporters, declared their continued commitment to speak out against labor trafficking and to demand justice for other migrant workers experiencing unfair, slave-like labor conditions in the United States.

The “Florida 15” Inspires Us

Anakbayan congratulates the “Florida 15” and the STOP Task Force for reclaiming the workers’ legal right to live and work in the United States. The F-15’s former employer and owner of San Villa Ship Management Co., Jose “Jojo” Villanueva, deprived them of that right when he failed to renew the workers’ H2-B visas without their knowledge, leading them to overstay in the US without proper documentation until the approval of their T-Visas in the beginning of February 2013.

For the F-15, the truth in their shared experiences is the only weapon against the injustices that they suffered. They sacrificed time with their families, safety and security, and even risked unemployment in the name of exposing the plight of migrant Filipino workers. They chose to fight rather than to surrender, despite the obvious challenges of going public with their case.

For these reasons and more, Anakbayan is grateful for the inspiration that the F-15 has given its membership and the community. The F-15 opened their homes to us, shared their stories and their goals with us, and most importantly, helped build people power among the Filipino community. They proved that youth and students united with the workers in struggle makes for a strong movement that genuinely responds to the interests of the broader population.

The Struggle Continues

The efforts to achieve justice for the F-15 are far from over. Villanueva and his cohorts have yet to pay back-wages and costs to all damages imposed on the trafficked workers. Villanueva is currently in hiding from several civil lawsuits filed against him.

Anakbayan is calling on the community to hold Villanueva accountable, and make him face the allegations against him in court. If you have any information regarding Jose “Jojo” Villanueva’s whereabouts, please contact Michelle Saulon, NAFCON Regional Coordinator, at michelle.saulon@gmail.com or call (347) 867-1550.

“Modern Heroes”, Slaving Without Protection From the Government

The F-15 is only one group out of the increasing number of Filipino workers coming out of the shadows of labor trafficking and modern-day slavery. NAFCON has been handling over a hundred individual cases of human trafficking since its founding in 2003.

Anakbayan challenges the Aquino government to be accountable for the gross failure of the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the Philippine Embassy and Consular Offices across the United States to protect and uphold the rights of Filipino workers.

The estimated 12 million Filipinos living abroad are hailed as “Modern Heroes” because of their significant contributions to the Philippine economy. Overseas Filipino Workers’ (OFWs) remittances accounted for 10% of the Philippines’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2011. Additionally, OFWs sent $17.3 billion in remittances from January to September 2012 alone.

Despite these figures, OFWs run the risk of being involved in unfair labor operations, various forms of employer abuse, detention and deportation, while also dealing with family separation for indefinite periods of time.

Anakbayan demands that the Philippine government take its duty to protect the rights and welfare of OFWs seriously. We cannot allow any more instances of worker exploitation, abuse and death among the people who contribute so much to the wealth of our nation but receive very little in return.

Scrap the Labor Export Policy

An average of 4,600 Filipinos, coursed through government agencies such as the POEA, decide to leave the Philippines each day to take their chances in other countries in order to provide for the education, healthcare and livelihood of their families.

The Philippine government’s weak attempt at industrializing the country is by selling our people and resources to foreign investors and companies. This has led to low-paying jobs and widespread unemployment at home, compounded by rising costs of basic commodities and privatized social services.

The commodification of the Filipino people as export products to boost the country’s economy has been in place since the 1970s. Anakbayan believes that genuine land reform and national industrialization of vital industries is the only way to truly revitalize the Philippine economy. This will end the nation’s dependence on exporting people and resources for cheap in exchange for expensive imported goods and services that majority of the Filipino people cannot afford or benefit from.

Filipino Youth United for Immigrant Rights

The victory of the Florida 15 is a product of sustained collective action from individuals and organizations that united for immigrant rights.

Anakbayan is urging Filipino-American youth to take a stand against labor trafficking and modern-day slavery. Get involved in the Stop Trafficking Our People Campaign by contacting Yves Nibungco, Coordinator of the STOP Task Force and Secretary General of Anakbayan NJ, at yvesnibungco@gmail.com or call 201 253 5662.

Join Anakbayan’s “Youth for Immigrant Rights” contingent at the International Workers’ Day March in Union Square, NYC on May 1st, and the Philippine Independence Day Celebration on June 2nd.

The youth must be active participants on the side of the workers and not just neutral spectators to these injustices. As inheritors of this society, we are in the position to critique the Philippine government and the global system that forces our people to endure such hardships just to survive. As inheritors of this society, we are also in the best position to push for, and implement, alternatives that would ensure a brighter future for immigrant communities in the US.###

Filipino-Americans Lend Voices, Urge More Support for Continued Opposition to Philippine Cybercrime Prevention Act, aka “E-Martial Law”

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Press Release
January 15, 2013

Reference: Jackelyn Mariano, Deputy Secretary General, BAYAN USA, depsec@bayanusa.org

Filipino-Americans Lend Voices, Urge More Support for Continued Opposition to Philippine Cybercrime Prevention Act, aka “E-Martial Law”

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Filipino-Americans are lending their voices to the continuing opposition to what many are calling “E-Martial Law”, or the Philippine Cybercrime Prevention Act, which was first proposed by the administration of President Benigno Aquino III last October. Today, protests resumed in the Philippines as the Supreme Court (SC) hearings over to the constitutionality of the Act began.

After being met with massive protests- both online and offline- the Supreme Court was forced to issue a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on the Act’s implementation until February 6, 2013.

Incidentally, today’s SC hearing began as the many internet freedom activists around the world mourn and pay tribute to Aaron Swartz, the young American computer programmer who dedicated his life’s work to the cause of freedom of information on the internet.

“The Cybercrime Prevention Act is a tool of the reactionary Philippine state to curb public protest against its anti-people policies. It essentially uses the tenets of the repressive Martial Law era, just now it’s applied online,” said Bernadette Ellorin, Chairperson of BAYAN USA. “People can be fined, jailed, and targeted with state violence for simply liking a post on Facebook that critiques the government.”

Critics of the Act denounce its supposedly good intentions to combat crime on the Internet and instead see it as a repressive mechanism to criminalize Internet users. GABRIELA, an alliance of progressive women’s organizations, insists that the cyber sex provision of RA10175 will neither punish patrons who exploit Filipino sex workers, nor work to solve deep-rooted economic problems in the country that forces the latter to sell their bodies for a living. It will only continue to criminalize sex workers from a moral standpoint, a majority of whom are women and LGBT.

Ellorin emphasizes how the fight for freedom of speech and opinion on the internet in the Philippines is connected to struggles around the world. “At this day and age, during this global financial crisis, oppressed and working people around the world have a relatively easier way to share each other’s struggles and build solidarity on the web. By shutting down this connection, however, people’s protest will not be silenced. It will only be further aggravated and grow fiercer as it reaches the millions of internet users worldwide!”

BAYAN USA urges all people who utilize the internet as a means of expression, who voice their political opinion freely, and understand that having these internet freedoms is not a crime to register their opposition to the Cybercrime Prevention Act and take a stand by signing this petition initiated by the Kabataan (Youth) Partylist in the Philippines:http://www.change.org/petitions/junk-the-cybercrime-prevention-law?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=url_share&utm_campaign=url_share_before_sign

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BAYAN-USA is an alliance of 18 progressive Filipino organizations in the U.S. representing students, scholars, women, workers, artists, and youth. As the first and largest international chapter of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN-Philippines), BAYAN-USA serves as an information bureau for the national democratic movement of the Philippines and as a center for educating, organizing, and mobilizing anti-imperialist and progressive Filipinos in the U.S.

Thank You for an Awesome Year! Keep Serving the People!

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To all our friends, allies and supporters,

We want to thank you for a memorable and productive 2012. We also want to wish you a happy and meaningful New Year. Throughout 2012, you have supported our work in educating, organizing, and mobilizing for our people’s rights and welfare, both here in the US and in the Philippines.
ABCollage2012
Here are some of our accomplishments for this year

  • Raised awareness and organized community support for the fight against labor trafficking, particularly for the case of the Florida 15 workers [1]
  • Raised awareness on the environmental situation in the Philippines; gathered hundreds of signatures in support of environmental protection in the Philippines and raised thousands of funds for relief effort back home during times of calamity (Typhoon Sendong, Typhoon Pablo) [2]
  • Raised awareness and mobilized community to take a stand in defense of Civil Liberties and against the Cyber Crime Prevention Law in the Philippines
  • Organized and participated in local grassroots relief work in New Jersey and New York after hurricane Sandy [3]
  • Held community forums on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Immigration Reform [4]
  • Participated in the founding of Anakbayan-USA, a progressive national Filipino/Filipino-American youth movement in the United States [5]

We wouldn’t have accomplished all of these without you. We hope you continue to support our work through 2013 and beyond in serving our people. Again, salamat! Mabuhay and maligayang bagong taon! (Thank you! Long live and happy new year!)

With love and solidarity,
Anakbayan New York & New Jersey Family 🙂

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Here are some ways you can help and support Anakbayan:
1. Join the movement! Become a member of Anakbayan now. Email us at anakbayan.nynj@gmail.com
2. Make a donation ($5, $10, $25+ ) to Anakbayan by clicking here
3. Stay updated and spread the word about us through social network accounts (twitter, facebook: Anakbayan NJ, Anakbayan NY)
4. Support our on-going fundraiser for the survivors of Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) in the Philippines by clicking here

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PLEASE DONATE TO OUR ON-GOING TYPHOON RELIEF EFFORT

And in the spirit of the holiday season, we are asking for donations for relief efforts for Typhoon Pablo which hit the Philippines early December and has affected over 5 million people. All funds raised will go towards BALSA Mindanao, a network of churches, schools, and disaster response working to provide relief efforts to support typhoon victims. Funds can be sent online or by mail, through the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON). Click here for the full details:http://nafconusa.org/2012/12/nafcon-ramps-up-relief-efforts-to-support-typhoon-victims/

NAFCON has established cash and check collections centers throughout the U.S and will take donations via Paypal at http://tinyurl.com/nafconrelief3.

For mailed checks please make payable to “Tulong Sa Bayan” and send to 519 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013.On memo please write: NAFCON Bayanihan Relief and your city of residence. Donations of $250 or more will be tax deductible.  Please include return address with donations.

For more information on regional collection centers, fundraising and relief activities in your area please contact NAFCON regional coordinators nearest you or go to our website.

Northeast:    Anne Corotan          ne@nafconusa.org      (516) 901 – 1832

Midwest:       Lorena Buni             mw@nafconusa.org    (224) 678-1897

Norcal:           Ryan Leano              nc@nafconusa.org      (626) 534 – 4971

Socal:              Alex Montances       sc@nafconusa.org       (253) 381 – 7444

Local Monetary Drop/Send Sites All checks payable to “Tulong Sa Bayan”

Northeast: Philippine Forum: 40-21 69th St. Woodside, NY

Midwest: Good Shepherd Congregation: 4707 W. Pratt Ave Lincolnwood, Il 60712

Norcal: Filipino Community Center: 4681 Mission St. SF, Ca 94112

Socal: Tulong Sa Bayan 519 S. Spring St., LA, CA 90013

 

Jersey City Filipino Youth Group Starts Post-Sandy Relief Efforts

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 2, 2012

Reference:

Bea Sabino, Chairperson, Anakbayan New Jersey

Contact: 201.779.6886; anakbayan.nynj@gmail.com

Hanalei Ramos, Operation Kaligtasan Hudson County Coordinator

Contact: 347.829.9802; operation.kaligtasan@gmail.com

Jersey City Filipino Youth Group Starts Post-Sandy Relief Efforts

Jersey City- Filipino youth organization, Anakbayan New Jersey, mobilizes community support after hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc along the east coast last Monday, Oct. 29.  The Filipino youth organization calls on the local Jersey City government to prioritize assistance for working class and immigrant communities.  The said efforts are part of “Operation Kaligtasan/ Operation Safety”, a Filipino volunteer based emergency disaster response team.  After the storm, members of Anakbayan New Jersey conducted a preliminary assessment of the effects of hurricane Sandy and the immediate needs of the Filipino Jersey City community.

Community left in the dark

Working class and immigrant communities are literally and figuratively left in the dark due to power outage and lack of information dissemination from the city government.  Based on the assessment that Anakbayan NJ made, the major concern among the community is the extended power outage and its effects on the people’s livelihood. “A majority of the city has been out of power since Monday.  In a predominantly immigrant and working class community such as Jersey City, not being able to work for an extended period of time means no food on their families’ plates, delayed bill payments and unstable living conditions,” said Bea Sabino, Chairperson of the local Filipino youth organization, Anakbayan New Jersey.

Also based on the assessment, most Jersey City residents are frustrated by the City of Jersey City’s inefficient methods of disseminating information. Dissemination of updates about resources available to the community have been limited to an unstaffed City Hall and inaudible police patrol car announcements. This, according to the youth organization, left the community relying mostly on word-of-mouth for information. “There are shelters, food and water distribution services available in certain locations across the city. However, the communities who are in dire need of these services are neither receiving this information nor can access it due to the ineffective communication systems between local city government and residents,” Ms. Sabino added.

Power to the people

With frustration building-up and uncertainties piling up, community members are coming together to save themselves. Conversations between concerned citizens and community leaders are leading to an effort to unite the diverse neighborhoods of Jersey City to voice out these clear cases of government neglect of working class and immigrant communities.

“We call on Mayor Healy, and the local Jersey City government to not leave our communities in the dark. We demand immediate government assistance for the residents of Greenville, Bergen-Lafayette, West Side and Journal Square. We also demand to immediately address the long power outage in our neighborhoods and lastly, to improve information dissemination regarding updates on what the city is doing by working closely with grassroots organizations,” concluded Ms. Sabino. In the following days, Anakbayan NJ, in collaboration with local community organizations will be conducting more surveys and will be distributing information sheets for relief and assistance in Jersey City. 

Anakbayan NJ is calling for volunteers for survey teams. For more information contact them at anakbayan.nynj@gmail.com or visit them at www.anakbayannynj.wordpress.com.

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A partial list of resources can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/okjerseycitylink to resource map at http://goo.gl/maps/K9HZh

To contact the 24-hour hotline to the Jersey City Mayor’s Action Bureau, call (201) 547 5563 ATMs

  • Downtown – PNC Bank,  95 Christopher Columbus Drive
  • Downtown, ATM at Wayne and Grove Streets outside Las America
  • Downtown, Provident Bank, 239 Washington Street
  • Journal Square, PNC Bank, 26 Journal Square
  • Heights, Chase Bank, 374 Central Avenue

Free Charging Stations: (electrical outlets available for free to charge for devices)

  • Pershing Field Community Center, 201 Central Avenue (Summit Avenue and Manhattan Avenue), Open 9 am to 7 pm daily
  • Joseph Connors Senior Center, 28 Paterson Street off Central Avenue
  • Mira Fruit Market, 500 West Side Avenue (by Williams St.)
  • Lowe’s Bayonne, Bayonne Crossing Way
  • NJ Lightrail Parking lots on West Side Avenue and Claremont Avenue, or call  800 436 7734

Gasoline (as of 11/2/2012; availability changes quickly)

  • Hess, Marin Blvd. and 14th Street
  • Quick Check, 54th St. in Bayonne
  • Gulf Gas, along route 1&9 & Duncan
  • Hess, Tonelle Ave.
  • EZ Gas, Tonelle Ave.
  • Shell, Tonelle Ave.

Meals/Food Distribution:

  • Pershing Field Community Center, 201 Central Avenue (Summit Avenue and Manhattan Avenue)
  • Jersey City Armory, 678 Montgomery St. (by Jordan Ave., Journal Square area)
  • Dr. Ercel Webb Pool, Johnston Avenue Pool (Johnston Avenue Entrance), 395 Johnston Avenue. (by Van Horne St.)
  • MLK Hub, Martin Luther King Dr. and Ege Avenue West Side Avenue Light Rail Station, Claremont Avenue on West Side Avenue

Pet Food

  • Liberty Humane Society on Jersey City Boulevard across the street from Liberty Science Center.
  • Joseph Connors Senior Center, located at 28 Paterson
  • Maureen Collier Senior Center, located 335 Bergen Avenue

Water & Ice Distribution

  • NJ Lightrail Parking lots on West Side Avenue and Claremont Avenue, or call  800 436 7734

Oxygen re-fills are available at these Fire Departments:

  • 255 Kearny Avenue, between JFK and Country Road 605/West Side Ave.
  • 355 Newark Avenue, by 5th Street in Downtown Jersey City
  • 715 Summit Avenue, by Jefferson Ave. in the Heights
  • 595 Palisade Avenue, by Congress St. in the Heights
  • Or call (201) 547 5681

Red Cross Stations/ Shelter:

  • Jersey City Armory,  678 Montgomery St. (by Jordan Ave., Journal Square area)
  • Dickinson High School and PS #7 have closed to prepare for school reopening

“Organize and Fight for Genuine Immigration Reform,” says Anakbayan-USA

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New Jersey – National Filipino youth organization, Anakbayan-USA, calls on the Filipino youth and community to organize and struggle for genuine immigration reform.  This, according to the youth group, is in response to President Barack Obama’s recent executive order concerning DREAM Act eligible youth, called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA.

“Seeing the thousands of youth lining up to apply for deferred action only reaffirms the need to organize and intensify our struggle for genuine immigration reform,” said Yves Nibungco, national chairperson of Anakbayan-USA.  “Clearly, DeferredAction is not the DREAM Act and it is most certainly not a path to legalization for our brothers and sisters,” Nibungco continued.

Deferred Action is an executive order by President Obama relieving DREAM Act eligible youth under age 31 from deportation providing that they qualify and fulfill its requirements.  It also allows them to apply for a work permit and in some states, a driver’s license.  This application comes with a fee of $465. An estimated 1.7 million youth are supposed to benefit from this administrative relief.  

But according to Anakbayan-USA, this recent development is a clear political maneuver by Obama in relation to the upcoming presidential elections this November. “Deferred Action is not a gift from Obama, rather it is a testament to the strength of the collective action of thousands of immigrant youth who took to the streets to put pressure on the government,”said Nibungco.  

Anakbayan-USA calls on the youth to be cautious in applying for Deferred Action.  As an executive order, Deferred Actionis not a law and may be subject to change at any time.  According to the youth group, this makes undocumented youth serve as “political hostages” in President Obama’s bid for a second term as presidential candidate. The youth group said that immigrant communities should not forget that under Obama’s administration, 1.1 million immigrants have been deported since 2009, higher than any other president since the 1950’s. Meanwhile, presidential candidate, Mitt Romney has said that he will veto the DREAM Act if he gets elected.   

That is why, according to Anakbayan-USA, Filipino immigrants should join the fight and push for legalization for all. “We call on the Filipino youth and the community to come together and take a stand on the side of immigrants. Let us organize and fight for genuine immigration reform here in the U.S. and an end to the Philippine government’s exploitative labor export program,” Nibungco concluded. 

The United States is home to the largest population of overseas Filipinos, numbering more than 4 million. With one million estimated to be undocumented, Filipinos are heavily impacted by the current inhumane immigration system, such as decade-long waiting periods for petitions of family members, rampant detentions and deportations.

These numbers continue to rise as the Philippine government intensifies its the Labor Export Program. This program that has led to the forced migration of Filipinos at the rate of over 4,700 leaving the country daily. Remittances from the nearly 15 million overseas Filipinos continue to remain at an all-time high contributing to 12% of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).  Last year alone, remittances from overseas Filipinos reached $20 billion. The Aquino administration has substituted this for genuine land reform and national industrialization as foundations for national development.*

Chapters of Anakbayan-USA nationwide will be conducting more info sessions regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. For more information contact anakbayan.usa@gmail.com

Anakbayan-USA Tribute to Atty. Romeo T. Capulong

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Anakbayan-USA mourns the passing away of the great people’s lawyer, Attorney Romeo T. Capulong.  As Filipino youth overseas, we are inspired by his lifelong dedication to valiantly defending the rights of the oppressed and exploited in the Philippines.  His courageous fighting spirit, selflessness, humility, work ethic, discipline, and thorough attention to detail are the marks of a genuine revolutionary committed to serving the people to the best of his ability.

In the arena of the reactionary legal system, he was time and again able to effectively prove the justness of our people’s struggle.  However, he was unwavering in asserting that the political struggle through collective action was more decisive in fighting against injustice and realizing genuine social change.  He firmly believed in the strength and militant unity of the people as the primary means to achieve victory.  He urged aspiring people’s lawyers to not only provide services to the poor who cannot afford legal aid, but to unite with the people’s struggle for a just and humane society that can only be achieved through a complete change of the social system.

Ka Romy also demonstrated a great example of how Filipinos overseas are an integral part of the people’s movement in the Philippines.  He played an important role in the fight against the Martial Law dictatorship and was forced to flee to the US in 1979, where he was granted political asylum from 1980 to 1986.  As an overseas Filipino in New York, he continued to practice public interest law and defend the rights of Filipino immigrants while building international solidarity links between Philippine and US human rights organizations.  At the same time, he continued to directly contribute to the struggle in the Philippines by founding the Filipino Lawyers Committee for Human Rights and documenting human rights violations committed by the Marcos dictatorship until its fall.  He demonstrated the impact that Filipinos can make in the belly of the beast, and the importance of always connecting our struggles here to the primary struggle back home in our motherland. 

We will ensure that future generations of Filipinos in the US continue to learn about and draw inspiration from the revolutionary life Ka Romy lived.  We will do our best to honor him by further arousing, organizing and mobilizing our compatriots to complete our people’s unfinished struggle for national liberation and genuine democracy.

 

“Drop the charges against the Le Jardin 4!” says Fil-Am Youth Group

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“Drop the charges against the Le Jardin 4!” says Fil-Am Youth Group

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USA – Anakbayan-USA condemns the violent demolition at Le Jardin and the illegal arrest and detention of the “Le Jardin 4”. The youth group demands that the Philippine National Police (PNP) of Talomo District and the City Prosecutor’s Office of Davao immediately drop the charges against the Le Jardin 4.

“The Le Jardin 4 were acting on their inalienable rights to defend their communities against the provocations of the members of PNP who used excessive force against the protesters. Also, this is clearly a land grabbing effort by the Carlos Villa Abrille & Sons Incorporated and Filinvest Lands against the residents of the Bariquit compound. It is only right that the youth and the residents resist against these injustices” said Yves Nibungco, National Chairperson of Anakbayan-USA. “Therefore, we demand that charges against the Le Jardin 4 be immediately and unconditionally dropped,” Nibungco added.

The “Le Jardin 4” is coined to refer to the four youth and student activists who were arrested at the Le Jardin, Bariquit Compound, Davao City. Last August 25, 20 members of the PNP Talomo District under the direction of Superintendent Dionisio C. Abude came to Bariquit compound fully armed, in order to implement the Villa Abrille’s fence permit. Residents and members of progressive groups resisted the attempted destruction of the passage used to enter and exit the compound. During the commotion, the police used excessive force at the youth and residents.

The “Le Jardin 4” are Joselito Lagon, Jr. 23, regional spokesperson of Kabataang Artista para sa Tunay na Kalayaan (KARATULA); Wyrlo Enero, 19, member of the League of Filipino Students (LFS); Johnny Boy Urbina, 24, and John Michael Lim, both members of Anakbayan-Davao. They were beaten and electrocuted before being loaded in the police mobile. The Le Jardin 4 has been released after posting bail and after mounting pressure from a series of international protests launched by supporters online and in the community.

Fighting the Villa Abrilles since the 1970s

Le Jardin, also known as Bariquit compound, has been a disputed area since 1973.  The powerful Villa Abrilles family, who is trying to grab the land, sued Marcela Camomot for allegedly living in the lot illegally.  However, Camomot was able to prove in court that her family had been tilling the land since 1962.

Currently, the residents are fighting against the joint landgrabbing efforts by Carlos Villa Abrilles & Sons Inc. and prominent realty firm Filinvest Lands. The Ville Abrille’s have been more aggressive in evicting families from Le Jardin in order to continue a join venture with Filinvest Lands to build a high-end residential subdivision.  Reports of shootings by the security hired by the Ville Abrilles occur almost every day. It is employed as an intimidation tactic to force the remaining 13 families from Le Jardin.  

Many of their crops and fruit trees have also been destroyed, causing youth activists to work with the community in a gardening project to make up for lost crops.  Last month, the community’s electricity and water were officially cut off, making living conditions more difficult.  Earlier this year, there were 60 families living in Le Jardin, but soon vacated after being paid off by the Villa Abrilles.  

Migration and Displacement

Recently, members of Anakbayan-USA’s Los Angeles and San Diego chapters joined a medical mission in Mindanao. They had the opportunity to visit Bariquit compound and talk to its residents in order to understand their struggle against the common practice of gentrification or “land grabbing” by the landed elite in the Philippines.

“I have integrated with urban and rural communities (Davao City, Diwalwal, Pantukan and Talaingod) in Mindanao for the last two months and all have expressed that the major reasons why they are being displaced is because of foreign and national investments destroying local businesses and a lack of genuine land reform where families are able to find a sense of livelihood. Members of the Philippine military and police have committed human rights violations against its people to enforce these interests,” said Eugene Gambol, member of Anakbayan San Diego. 

These, according the young activists, are the same reasons why thousands of Filipino leave the country in search for greener pastures.

“As a Filipino-American, whose parents migrated due to dire economic conditions, I clearly identify with the plight of the residents of Le Jardin,” said Rose Dominguez, also participant to the medical mission and a member of Anakbayan Los Angeles.  “Though we’re thousands of miles away, we must realize that we are integral to the struggle of our people for social justice and dignity. ” said Dominguez.

Eugene, Rose and other young Filipino-Americans like them said they will continue their activism highlighting the case of the Le Jardin 4 and the residents of Bariquit Compound when they come back in the United States.  They urge the Filipino American community to support the Le Jardin 4 in their struggle against displacement and land grabbing.