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Washington, D.C. On Novermber 30, the U.S. Congress finally granted national recognition to the 260,000 Filipino and American soldiers who served under the United States Army Forces of the Far East (USAFFE). They have waited for more than 72 years.
Congressional Gold Medal NaFFAA Statement on CGM FilAmVote Region 5 Region 10 Region 3E Membership Form
The House of Representatives approved S.1555, the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015, passed by the Senate via unanimous consent in July. The bill now goes to President Obama for his signature.
“Today is truly a great day, a significant seminal period in American history – second only to the liberation of the Philippines and surrender of the Japanese Imperial Forces on August 15, 1945,” says Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba (Ret), chairman of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP). “Now we can tell our veterans with pride in our hearts that this grateful nation has, at last, granted them recognition for the selfless sacrifice they endured in war, and restored their dignity and honor in service to their nation.”
Congress Approves Congressional Gold Medal for Filipino World War II Veterans
Seventy years ago this past February, the Congress passed the Rescission Act of 1946, a bill that stripped Filipino soldiers the benefits promised them by President Roosevelt. In hailing the bill’s passage, Taguba recalls the many conversations he’s had with veterans who endured “a lifetime of injustice and indignation” inflicted by the Rescission Act. “Yet, they remained steadfast and resolute, hoping our country they willingly defended would right the wrong brought upon them. Their courage and strength were their salvation. They placed their trust and expectations on their sons and daughters, on members of Congress, and the American people who believe in them.” Long overdue Sen. Mazie Hirono (center), who sponsored the Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015 in the Senate, pose with leaders and members of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP), shortly after Congress approved the bill granting recognition to Filipino World War II veterans. (Photo courtesy of Sen. Hirono’s office).
“I’m very happy because this recognition is long overdue,” says 99-year old Filipino World War II veteran Celestino Almeda of Gaithersburg, MD, one of the less than 7,000 surviving veterans residing in the U.S. today. “We responded to President Roosevelt’s call to serve and risked our lives fighting under the American flag. But after the war was over, we were treated unjustly, which was painful and humiliating.” Photo: Google images Rudy Panaglima, 86, of Arlington, VA. has also harbored the same disappointment and frustration over the years, but is nonetheless “thrilled that the U.S. has now recognized us. It’s better late than never.” Panaglima was only 13 when he served with guerilla forces near his home in Cagayan, as a courier and scout. In 1995, he availed of the naturalization benefits granted to Filipino World War II veterans and immigrated with his wife Pura to the U.S.
“If Alberto Bacani were here today, you would see him beaming with joy,” says Marla Miranda Mooney of Stafford, Va. “On behalf of my grandfather and all our family, we are grateful for this timely recognition bestowed on World War II Filipino veterans and for all who worked diligently on their behalf for this day to become a reality. For my grandfather and all the veterans we honor with this award, the price to ensure democracy and restoration of peace worldwide meant risking personal safety. Though some were not professional soldiers, all of these extraordinary individuals answered President Roosevelt's call to service. To them, we were not two separate people -- we were One; united against anyone and anything which threatened our lives, liberty, and our pursuit of happiness.” Bacani, who fought in Corregidor as a Major in the Philippine Commonwealth Army, died in November 2013. 1
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Paving the way The Filipino Veterans of WWII Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015 garnered bipartisan support from 312 cosponsors in the House of Representatives and 71 in the Senate, paving the way for Congress to bestow the Congressional Gold Medal, which – along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom - are the highest civilian awards in the United States. The CGM bill was introduced in June last year in the Senate by U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), with U.S. Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) as lead co-sponsor, and in the House by U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-2), with U.S. Rep. Joseph Heck (R-NV-3) as lead co-sponsor. “We did our due diligence by securing more than the two-thirds majority required in both chambers, to ensure its passage,” says Marie Blanco, FilVetREP’s legislative director. “We know how much it means to our veterans and their families.” She adds: “We are extremely grateful to Sen. Hirono and Sen. Heller, and to Rep. Gabbard and Rep. Heck for their leadership in pushing this bill through to the finish line. We are appreciative as well of the senior leadership in both the House and Senate, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) and, of course, to all the cosponsors and their staffers for championing this very important legislation.”
Arrangements for President Obama’s signature for historic legislation to be announced Historic step In a statement released earlier, Sen. Mazie Hirono paid tribute to Filipino World War II veteran Domingo Los Banos of Kaua’i, who joined the Senator last week aboard the USS Missouri “to recount how these veterans were instrumental to our victory in the Pacific, but had to fight for decades to receive the benefits they earned. The unanimous support this bill earned in the Senate and the overwhelming backing it has in the House honors the sacrifice so many of these veterans made for our country.” “For months, we have said that time is running out to recognize Filipino World War II veterans for their brave service,” adds Hirono. “Today’s House passage is the culmination of decades of work by these veterans and their families to recognize their key role in the Allied victory, and their decades-long fight for benefits.” U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who sponsored the Congressional Gold
Medal Award legislation in the House, congratulates Filipino World
“Today, the United States Congress took an historic step forward War II veteran Rudy Panaglima following passage of the Congresin honoring the more than 200,000 Filipino and Filipino-American soldiers sional Gold Medal bill. (Photo courtesy of Rep. Gabbard's Office). that served our country during World War II. With unanimous support from the United State Congress, our bill now heads to the President’s desk,” said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. “Our Filipino WWII veterans have waited decades for this recognition alongside units like the Tuskegee Airmen and Hawaii’s own 442nd/100th Infantry Battalion with the Congressional Gold Medal—our nation’s highest civilian honor. With just 18,000 of these Filipino World War II veterans still alive today, we cannot afford to wait any longer. I urge the President to sign this bill into law before the year’s end, and honor our veterans with this long-overdue recognition.” U.S. Rep. Coleen Hanabusa (D-HI-lst), in her remarks during the House proceedings, acknowledged former Senators Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka, for championing the cause of Filipino World War II veterans during their many years of service in the Senate. “They fought to repeal the Rescission Act,” Hanabusa said, “and they did everything they can to restore their rightful benefits. They would be proud to know that Congress finally did the right thing.” Grassroots support Ben de Guzman, FilVetREP’s Outreach Director, expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support for the national effort to raise awareness about the critical role Filipino World War II veterans played in the Pacific Theatre. “A coalition of national advocacy groups serving Filipino Americans, Asian Americans/ Pacific Islanders, veterans service organizations, and countless local organizations and advocates at the local level took part in this national campaign. Their engagement with their senators and representatives in the last 17 months was instrumental in moving the CGM legislation forward,” de Guzman said. “Without grassroots support, it would have been difficult to mount the kind of campaign needed to bring us to this historic moment, which we celebrate with pride today.” Among the advocacy groups that assisted in the nationwide effort is the San Francisco Veterans Equity Center (SVEC), which has helped hundreds of Filipino World War II veterans over the years. “They are so delighted to finally receive the recognition they have been waiting for a long time,” says SVEC Exec. Director Luisa Antonio, who is also a FilVetREP Board Member. “Leo Ansis, an 89-year-old New Philippine Scout, felt that his service has been forgotten, but very excited to hear of the bill’s passage. Mrs. Lourdes Poblete, a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and a recognized guerrilla who served from 1942 to 1944 is also overjoyed to receive the honor while she is still alive. She is 92 years old." 2
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Preserving an American story The stories of veterans Almeda, Ansis, Los Banos, Panaglima and Poblete have inspired the work of the Bataan Legacy History Society (BLHS), which has been educating the American public since 2012 about the role of Filipinos in World War II. In 2014, it started working with the California Department of Education to have their stories taught in public classrooms, a program that was finally approved in July. "The recognition of their sacrifices and valor comes at an auspicious time when we are about to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines,” points out BLHS Exec. Director Cecilia Gaerlan. “The Filipinos formed the majority of the USAFFE and they forged an unbreakable bond with their American brothers in the trenches of Bataan and Corregidor. Their forces were able to delay the timetable of the Imperial Japanese Army despite suffering from massive disease and starvation and fighting without any air support. These facts are now included in the U.S. history curriculum framework for Grade 11 in California.” “Indeed, our heroes accomplished their mission and we are deeply and eternally grateful to them for defending our country, for preserving our freedom, and granting us to live free for generations to come,” Taguba said. “Now, we have to accomplish ours by ensuring that this American story is preserved for posterity.”
NAFFAA Celebrates Congressional Gold Medal Award for Filipino World War II Veterans Washington, D.C. “Recognition of our Filipino World War II veterans’ service and sacrifice has been achieved, finally, and we celebrate this historic milestone with much gratitude to everyone who made it happen,” says NaFFAA National Chairman Brendan Flores. “This long-awaited action by the U.S. Congress is a culmination of many years of struggle by our community to regain the rights and benefits promised our veterans.” On November 30, the House of Representatives unanimously approved the Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015, a measure passed five months earlier by the Senate. This prestigious civilian award grants recognition to the 260,000 Filipino and American soldiers who served in the United States Army Forces of the Far East (USAFFE). President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law before he steps down in January. After the bill was introduced 17 months ago in the House and Senate, NaFFAA adopted as a top priority among its advocacy initiatives the Congressional Gold Medal legislation. NaFFAA’s national leadership gave its full support to the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP), which spearheaded the nationwide campaign. Several NaFFAA leaders served in the FilVetREP Board as regional directors and executive committee members. NaFFAA also directed regional coordinators to mobilize members to engage their senators and representatives in Congress and secure their cosponsorship. Making a difference “It’s heartening to know that all our dedicated hard work and outreach made a difference,” says Giselle Rushford, a member of the Board of Governors (BOG) and national FilVet coordinator. “We are ecstatic that our veterans don’t have to wait any longer.” In acknowledging the leadership of FilVetREP Chairman Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba and the diligent efforts by several individuals and organizations, Flores also conveys the community’s gratitude to Sen. Mazie Hirono and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for introducing the CGM measure; to Sen. Dean Heller and Sen. Harry Reid, for championing it in the Senate; and to Rep. Joe Heck, Rep. Mike Honda and Rep. Judy Chu, who heads the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). For more than a year and a half, NaFFAA’s members and affiliates, including many young people, contacted their representatives through emails, letters, petitions, phone calls, personal visits and tweets. Regional coordinators held regular conference calls to ensure that congressional engagement was moving forward. Regional conferences included workshops and plenary sessions on the veterans issue. And the last National Empowerment Conference highlighted the work of FilVetREP on the Congressional Gold Medal. Making an impact “To have secured 71 cosponsors in the Senate and 312 in the House was a tremendous collective effort by hardworking individuals from various national and local organizations,” says Region 1 FilVet Co-coordinator Lidy Chan of Boston, Mass. “It was also a valuable experience for me paying my district representatives with a personal visit at their Washington, DC offices. Talking face to face with them and their staff definitely raised the importance level of the CGM bill. I’m just glad recognition of our veterans is now a reality.” Adds Region 8 Chair Myrna TF Reyes of San Diego, CA: “The coordinated work of local grassroots, regional and national organizations made an impact on members of Congress, who were reminded of our veterans’ courage and patriotism. I am emotionally touched just knowing what we, in our own small way, have accomplished for them – given their noble sacrifices for our country.” Securing justice for Filipino World War II veteran has been a major advocacy initiative of NaFFAA since its founding in 1997. The more than 1,000 community leaders who gathered in Washington DC that summer marched with dozens of veterans to the White House demanding equity and justice. Some of them chained themselves to the White House fence. Continued on next page 3
In 2007, NaFFAA also worked in coalition with other veterans advocacy groups in pushing for the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation (FVEC) Fund, which awarded one-time lump sum payments to veterans residing in the U.S. and in the Philippines. In 2015, then NaFFAA National Chairman JT Mallonga appointed FilVet REP Coordinators as a way of ensuring the organization’s complete engagement with the veterans issue. “We assured General Taguba that winning the Congressional Gold Medal Award was our number one goal,” Mallonga said. “I’m proud of what we have achieved in honoring the valor and and fighting spirit of our brave heroes.” “Now that the CGM measure passed Congress, we will now focus our attention to raising funds for the 20,000 bronze replicas that will be awarded to deserving veterans,” says Gloria Caoile, NaFFAA National Vice Chair Emeritus and FilVetREP Fundraising Director. “We don’t want them to carry the burden of paying for their own award. It is our mission now as a community to provide the resources needed, and I know we can do it.”
Congratulatory Messages
Armin M Sayson Chair NaFFAA Region 3West
“Now that it's official that Congress has passed the Filipino Veterans Congressional Gold Medal (CGM) bill, I would like to thank everyone who played an active role in NaFFAA Region 3E and helped us get US Senators and US Representatives in Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio to cosponsor the CGM bill. I especially want to recognize the following individuals who directly helped me within NaFFAA Region 3E: Willie Dechavez, the NaFFAA Region 3E FilVetREP Coordinator; Alberto Reginaldo, NaFFAA Michigan FilVetREP Representative; Roel Campos, NaFFAA Iowa Chair; Victoria Villareal, NaFFAA Kentucky Chair; Kelly Ilagan and Odee Dammarell with the Philippine American Society of Central Ohio, Gaye Lops, President of Filipino-American Association of Michiana; Ron Falconi, Mayor of Brunswick, Ohio; Sherry Carran, Mayor of Covington, Kentucky; and others that put "boots on the ground" to get people to write their US Senators and US Representatives and ask them to cosponsor the CGM bills. Now, I need your help in identifying Filipino Veterans that served during WW II that live within our region.”
“I am so proud to personally witness on behalf of my dad passage of the historic Congressional Gold Medal Award for Filipino WW11 veterans. So proud of you dad and your 260,000 comrades who've waited so long for this well-deserved recognition. It's time America says thanks. Thank you Sen Hirono, Rep Gabbard and the 71 Senators and 312 Reps who cosponsored the bill. And to the FilAm community and various national groups and individuals who helped make this moment possible. And of course to Gen. Taguba and the FilVetREP team for leading this effort. Mabuhay ang mga beterano!” Jon Melegrito NaFFAA Communications Director
NaFFAA Region 5, A Community Partner of APIA VOTE Phone Banking Mid October 2016, NaFFAA Region V became a community partner of Asian Pacific Island American (APIA) Vote which enabled Region V to do phone outreach to Colorado APIA voters in three sessions. Each session is about four hours long, with one hour training including debrief. We logged on to the APIA Vote database which provided the voter's name, inperson or drop box voting location, called the voters, explained the reason for the call and input the voters' responses to the survey questions into the database. Below were the volunteers of varying ages and backgrounds: Chris Duran, Kerry Golden, John Rushford, Soleil Medina, Angela Van, Mark Espero, Marian Evans, Bea Oliva, Pat Ramos, Jack Rushford; I was the lead phone banker. The experience gave us an appreciation of the importance of engaging voters who were surprised to hear from APIA volunteers encouraging them to vote; some of them said "thank you for your commitment to civic engagement." NaFFAA Region 5 is very proud of its legacy in advocacy especially in implementing the NaFFAA Fil-Am Vote initiative during this election cycle. We look forward to participating in future political empowerment opportunities such as voter registration, vote education, voter protection: get out the vote. 4
Ladies and Gentlemen, At 5:29pm, Nov 30, 2016, we witnessed from the gallery in Capitol Hill, the passage by Act of Congress of the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015. Simply, this was a highly emotional and historic period in US history. This historic act by the United States Congress to recognize the gallantry, selfless sacrifice, and honorable service of the 260,000 Filipino soldiers – men and women – who served under the United States Forces Far East in defense of the United States and Philippines has been long awaited. It took nearly 75 years to gain this recognition. While we all know and appreciate what the veterans had done to accomplish their mission, how they suffered deeply the injustice and indignation, and how their courage and loyalty to country carried their hopes through these long years, their day of justice became reality on Nov 30, 2016 – on the eve of Dec 8th – the day the Philippines was attacked by the Japanese Imperial Forces. The Congressional Gold Medal is now their symbol of dignity and honor restored, and the triumph they had sought for a very long time. I want to personally thank each and every one of you for accomplishing this mission for the veterans and their loved ones. We did this all for them and nothing more. There is no greater act we could have done than help them with their cause to be recognized, at last, by a grateful Nation and by an Act of Congress. They deserve this more than we can ever imagine. We are deeply and eternally grateful to them for preserving our lives in this country and Philippines. They will always serve as the beacon of inspiration for all Filipinos, Filipino-Americans, and Americans alike. But the work does not stop here. We have much more to do in the near term. I would hope you will continue to help endure the FILVETREP mission and extend the legacy of the veterans, and the significance of the Congressional Gold Medal for generations to come. We have now elevated and preserved their prominence in American history. Thank you for your volunteerism and service. HOOAAAAH! Sincerely, Tony Taguba Major General, US Army Retired Chairman, FILVETREP
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NaFFAA Hails Growing Civic Participation of Filipino Americans Washington, D.C. “While the 2016 election results may be delightful to some and disappointing to others, we are nonetheless heartened by the growing participation of Filipino Americans who exercised their democratic right to choose the person who will lead our country in the next four years,” says NaFFAA National Chairman Brendan Flores. “We are also encouraged by the number of Filipino Americans who ran for public office in local and state elections. This is what community empowerment is all about, and they proudly demonstrated these aspirations on November 8.” NaFFAA’s FilAmVote program was notably successful in San Diego, Calif. where voter registration rates increased by 15 percent. “We estimate a 10 percent increase nationwide, thanks to the tremendous voter outreach conducted by our NaFFAA members across the country,” says FilAmVote National Coordinator Juanito Amor. “Voter turnout was also high among Asian Americans as a whole, as indicated by early CNN exit polling, but we don’t know just yet the share of votes casted nationally by Filipino Americans. I appreciate the tireless efforts of the many Filipino American groups to register voters, educate them about the issues and get them to the polls.” In acknowledging the outcome of the election, Flores states that he is heartened by President-elect Donald Trump’s assurance that he will be president for all Americans. “We wish him well as he takes on this challenging task,” Flores said. “Fear, hate and bigotry dominated the political rhetoric of the presidential campaign. We hope that he will indeed, ‘bind the wounds of division’ so we can all ‘come together as one united people’ regardless of partisan differences. "NaFFAA stands ready to work with the new administration under President-elect Donald Trump to ensure that the voices of the millions of Filipino-Americans across the United States are heard. We call on the new administration to fulfill their promises in empowering all Americans through FilAmVote National Director Juanito Amor and NaFFAA Region 10 leaders Myrna TF Reyes and Aurora Cudal (right) led education, creating safe communities, providing equal justice and represenNaFFAA's nationwide voter registration, voter education and tation under the law, creating uplifting policies for better job creation and get-out-the-vote campaign. (NaFFAA Communications). helping businesses, and by giving recognition and respect to all Veterans." An inclusive America “Hillary Clinton and her supporters are to be commended as well for their determined efforts and for the causes they championed,” Flores asserts. “Her long public service record is truly remarkable and we owe her an enormous debt of gratitude for her selfless dedication. We are also inspired by her call to build an America that is ‘hopeful, inclusive and big-hearted,’ one that is fair to people of all races and religions, for immigrants, for LGBT people and people with disabilities.” The plight of veterans, the men and women who served in the military, was also a concern of Clinton when she was a U.S. Senator and of Trump when he was running for president. “Our Filipino World War II veterans have yet to be recognized for their service and sacrifice, an emotional issue that widely resonated with voters,” Flores notes. “Fairness and justice demand the passage of the Congressional Gold Medal bill which is pending in Congress. We call on House Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy to act now and get this legislation passed this year.” This measure was approved by the Senate in July and enlisted 310 cosponsors in the House. NaFFAA members across the country engaged their Senators and U.S. Representatives, through emails, personal visits and tweets in securing their support. Empowerment aspirations “To the Filipino Americans who ran for elective office or reelection to their current positions, our community owes you its deepest appreciation for your dedication to public service,” Flores adds. “We congratulate all the candidates who succeeded, and we commend those who tried but fell short. Your efforts to represent us and give voice to our issues are inspiring examples of leadership. They are integral to our empowerment.” The following are the candidates who ran for various offices across the country: Rob Bonta, the first Filipino to serve in the California legislature, was reelected to a second term as assembly member for district 18 in Alameda County. In Hercules, Calif. Andrew Gabriel, a 23-year-old law student, won a seat at the Rodeo-Hercules Fire Board, while newcomer Roland Esquivias won and placed second in the three open seats of the Hercules City council.
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In Vallejo, Calif., Bob Sampayan won as Mayor. A retired police officer, he has served in the City council since 2011. Hermie Sunga and Rozzana Verder Aliga were elected city council members while Ruscal Cayangyang won a seat in the school board. Mae C. Torlakson put up a good fight but lost the Dist. 14 assembly contest for Contra Costa and Vallejo area In Daly City, Juslyn Manalo, a former community service worker who fought for the rights of Fil-Am veterans, became the first Filipina to win a council seat in San Mateo County’s largest city. Former Daly City Mayor Mike Guingona lost his bid, however, for northern San Mateo supervisor, Glenn Sylvester, a retired officer of the San Francisco Police Department, won as council member of Daly City. In their bid for elective posts, success eluded Marjan Philhour, a Filipina-Iranian candidate for San Francisco Dist. 1 supervisor; Magdalena de Guzman, for San Francisco District 11 supervisor; former Hercules mayor Ed Manuel, for Concord city council; Council member Jim Navarro, for Union City mayor; Tony Daysog, for Alameda City Council, Evelyn Centeno, for the Martinez Unified School district, and incumbent Zachary Mallet, who lost his reelection to the Bart board district 7. In Bergenfied, New Jersey, businessman and community leader Salvador “Buddy” Deauna won a city council seat. A farmer’s son from Camarines Norte, Deauna is the eldest of 16 children. This is his first time to enter the political arena. Jonathan Wong didn't quite make it to become Mayor of Mahwah, New Jersey. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes won reelection to the post he was elected to in 2012. Reyes is the first ethnic minority to become the Attorney General of Utah and hold statewide office in Utah. He sat on the APIA Advisory Board for the Trump Campaign. Mae Cendaña Torlakson sums up best these electoral aspirations: “Together, we fought for our working families, for our children, and for our environment-- and, I am deeply proud of that fight. I may have lost the race to represent Assembly District 14, but I have not lost my drive to fight for the people of Contra Costa and Solano Counties. I will continue to work to improve the lives of our community members, and I am grateful that you gave me this opportunity.”
Higher voter registration rates and FilAms running for public office are among positive indicators of engagement in the electoral process. Moving forward Two prominent Filipino Americans who have served in state legislatures are encouraged by the showing at the polls and the number of candidates from the community who threw their hats in the ring. They urge the Filipino American community to continue to be energized by the electoral process. Republican Delegate Ron Villanueva of the 2lst District of Virginia and a member of the Trump Asian American Advisory Board, says “we have a lot of work ahead to advance our communities and make America great again, like fixing a broken immigration system, sustaining jobs here in America, restoring our prominence in the international community and having government work for us instead of against us. America is great because of its people, so let’s all unite, work hard and move our country forward.” Villanueva was elected to the Virginia state assembly in 2009.
Filipino American millennials, from left, John Victoria, Denise Diokno, Paulene Madrigal, Emil Trinidad, and Jc Videna, deploy their laptops and cellphones to reach out to 26,000 voters in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia as part of NaFFAA Capital Region's voter outreach. They fielded calls providing voter information and directing them to their voting precincts. (Photo by Bing Branigin).
In her 9th year as delegate to the Maryland Assembly, Democrat Kris Valderrama calls on the community to welcome President-elect Trumps vow to be “president for all Americans,” but to also be “vigilant in protecting our civil and religious rights. I am deeply concerned by some of the hateful and frightening things he said about Filipinos during his campaign, particularly his plan to ban Filipino immigration to the United States, along with those from most Arab countries, which he considers a threat to national security. Such an action would ignore the many contributions that our community has made over the last century.”
Valderrama also thanks President Obama for his leadership in the last eight years, which he assumed “with grace, humility and with a touch of humor,” and for enacting the Filipino WWII Veterans Parole Program, which allows the families of certain WWII veterans to come to the United States and be united with their loved ones during their last years. Voter Outreach During the election season, NaFFAA encouraged the active participation of Filipino American millennials in voter registration and outreach. NaFFAA’s Capital Region partnered with APIA Vote and deployed more than half a dozen students from area colleges to make phone calls, reaching 26,000 voters in the Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia region. “It’s my second year phone banking,” says JC Videna, a graduate of George Mason University. “It’s a civic responsibility for me as a Filipino-American to encourage people to vote. We are already marginalized in terms of numbers, but we do not want to further marginalize ourselves by failing to turn out at the polls. Every great change in the world has started with leadership, and in this country, that leadership is voted on. I did my part, and I hope others did the same.” Continued on next page 7
Adds John Victoria, a former US Navy Academy student: “The most fulfilling part about the entire experience was being on the frontlines as a direct touchpoint to our community. I am confident that our phone calls and voicemails may have been tipping points for some members of our community who had been on the fence about voting, or who may have felt their vote and their voice did not matter.” To Victoria, the most important lesson was being able to connect with Filipino American voters, regardless of their party affiliation, so their voices can be heard. “Low voter turnout makes it easy for elected officials to discount what we have to say because why should they care about the issues we voice in our community if we won’t affect election results?” Challenges ahead NaFFAA’s mission of community empowerment was put to the test in the last few months, and it will be tested again in November next year when voters elect their goverYouth volunteers spurred NaFFAA's Fil- nors in New Jersey and Virginia. There’s also the mid-term elections in 2018 when House AmVote program in Denver, Colorado. and Senate candidates vie for electoral support. (NaFFAA Communications). “Off-year elections are a great way to maintain momentum of voter turnout from the Presidential election,” Flores said. “It would remind elected officials that we will remain engaged in shaping our government at all levels and at all times, and that we will continue to hold them accountable for their campaign promises. Let us lead in safeguarding our civil rights, protecting vulnerable communities from hate crimes and unfair treatment, encouraging diversity, inclusion, partnership and collaboration to help rebuild America and its future. “Our resilience as a community, as borne out in our history of struggle and resistance, will see us through as we face tomorrow’s challenges. As President Barack Obama aptly puts it, ‘No matter what happens, the sun will rise again in the morning.’”
NaFFAA National is a monthly newsletter with the goal of circulating information on NaFFAA’s advocacy events and projects, appointments, messages from leadership and other related activities in the Filipino American community.
Save the Date: July 28-30, 2017 Region 3East Conference
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