ANAKBAYAN SILICON VALLEY

Join us for our open house tomorrow to celebrate our 1-year anniversary! Performances, food, and community at the Filipino Youth Coalition at Welch Park, San Jose, CA.

RSVP here: http://www.facebook.com/events/357224571000563/

Website link: http://anakbayansv.com/2012/05/01/anakbayan-silicon-valley-open-house/

On May 1, Anakbayan Silicon Valley (ABSV) gathered for International Labor Day in solidarity with many thousands of workers and peoples worldwide to shed light on the unfair and unjust working conditions of workers everywhere and, particularly for the US, the inhumane immigration system and lack of recognized rights for all workers and im/migrants.

ABSV marched from Story and King, San Jose, to the San Jose City Hall with the May 1st Coalition, the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), Pilipino Association of Workers and Immigrants (PAWIS), Filipino Youth Coalition (FYC), and many other Silicon Valley-based organizations. The Filipino contingent was around 30 amongst the one thousand who attended the rally and march overall. From the Filipino contingent, Michael Tayag (ABSV) and Jude Carpio (PAWIS) spoke during the opening rally, and Noemi Teppang (ABSV) spoke during the ending rally. These speakers decried the Philippine Labor Export Policy (LEP), which systematically exports cheap Filipino labor to richer countries like the US rather than providing jobs and basic necessities to the people within the country, and the worsening conditions of workers, immigrants, and youth in the United States in the midst of global economic crisis. Their calls resound:

End the criminalization of immigrants!
Stop inhumane detention and abuse of immigrants!
No to Philippine Labor Export Policy!
Long live workers and immigrants!
Dignity and livelihood for all!

US Filipino Youth Gather In Solidarity with Im/migrants and Workers in Silicon Valley

International Workers Day - May 1st!

For Immediate Release
May 1, 2012

Reference: Marienne Cuison, Anakbayan Silicon Valley Chairperson, absiliconvalley@gmail.com

On May 1st, Anakbayan Silicon Valley (ABSV) will gather in solidarity for International Labor Day, alongside many thousands of workers and peoples worldwide. ABSV will be gathering at Story and King at 3pm and will be marching with the May 1st Coalition, the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), Pilipino Association of Workers and Immigrants (PAWIS), Filipino Youth Coalition (FYC), and many other Silicon Valley-based organizations. The gatherings will shed light on the unfair and unjust working conditions of workers everywhere and, particularly for the US, the inhumane immigration system and lack of recognized rights for all workers and im/migrants.

In the Philippines, the Aquino government continues to profit from the remittances of millions of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) through its Labor Export Policy (LEP), compelling Filipinos to look for jobs abroad while charging them fees and guaranteeing no protection from abuse. This dehumanizing systematic export of Filipino workers has led to rampant cases of human trafficking, as exemplified by the case of the Adman 11. Here, eleven Filipino workers were brought to Mississippi (instead of Virginia and Colorado as written in their contract) and were compelled to work for half of the salary they were promised. The recruitment agency that trafficked these workers was government-registered and authorized.

The poor majority of the Filipino people are experiencing the consequences of the global 1% exploiting the land for resources and people for labor. Every day, over 4000 Filipinos leave their homeland due to the lack of jobs and worsening social and economic conditions. For example, peasant communities experience continual land grabbing with no sign of genuine agrarian reform from the government. Urban poor communities continue to experience demolition after demolition for the building of “development projects” for the benefits of foreign businesses and their local agents in the Philippines. Ultimately, the Philippine government does not provide basic necessities to the people, who are given no other option than to pack up and move to other countries to find decent wages, in order to provide for their family members in the Philippines.

In light of these local and global conditions, we, the Filipino immigrant youth of Anakbayan Silicon Valley, stand strong in our commitment to expose and oppose such injustices against immigrants and workers — some of the most oppressed and exploited, yet undeniably vital individuals of our society. We call on our fellow youth and students to join us as we work with and for immigrants and workers to effect real and lasting positive change. We celebrate their essential contributions to our communities and raise our voices in demanding that their rights are upheld and protected.

End the criminalization of immigrants!
Stop inhumane detention and abuse of immigrants!
No to Philippine Labor Export Policy!
Long live workers and immigrants!
Dignity and livelihood for all!

###

Anakbayan Silicon Valley (AB-SV) is a comprehensive national democratic youth and student mass organization. AB-SV upholds the interests and demands of the Filipino youth and people by educating, organizing, and mobilizing them to fight for education, employment, land, democratic rights, and social services for Filipinos in the U.S. and/or the Philippines. We believe that all youth are agents of social change and thus aim to build unity among Filipino youth of all backgrounds — immigrants, those born and raised in the US, students, workers, LGBTQ individuals, women, artists, etc. — to effect systemic change. We aim to unite Filipino youth to achieve genuine freedom and democracy in the Philippines. Please contact us atanakbayansv@gmail.com to learn how you can get involved!

artivista:

APRIL 16 IS THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION TO PROTEST THE INCREASING U.S. MILITARY PRESENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES AND THE ASIA/PACIFIC REGION.

JUNK THE VISITING FORCES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE US & PHILIPPINES!

US TROOPS OUT OF PHILIPPINES RALLY. APRIL 16, 2012.
7-8 PM @ SF FEDERAL BUILDING
90 7th St (@ MISSION), SF, CA

Candlelight vigil and guerilla theatre to join the rest of the world for a day of action for an international call for US troops out of the Asia-Pacific.

kulturalguerilla:

On April 16, 2012, at the start of Balikatan joint US-Philippine military exercises, Bayan USA in Northern California and ILPS member organizations will mobilize in San Francisco, California as part of the international call for US troops out of the Philippines, the Asia-Pacific, and everywhere.

Join us on April 16 at 7pm in front of the US Federal Building located on 7th and Mission Streets in a vigil and street theater action as we expose and oppose the effects of US militarization in the Philippines.

US OUT OF THE PHILIPPINES!
US OUT OF ASIA!
JUNK THE US-RP MUTUAL DEFENSE TREATY!
JUNK THE US-RP VISITING FORCES AGREEMENT!
UPHOLD PHILIPPINE NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY!
LONG LIVE INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY!

For more information, please visit:
bayanusa.org
ilps.info

Check out this film showing tomorrow night, 3/30, at the San Jose Peace and Justice Center (on 7th St. right next to SJSU). The stories of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) depicted in this film will give a closer look at the effects of forced migration that drives over 4,500 Filipinos to leave the Philippines everyday.

Watch the film, discussion after, and kick it with ABSV on a Friday night! Thanks to the San Jose Peace and Justice Center for organizing and co-sponsoring with ABSV and Pilipino Association of Workers and Immigrants (PAWIS).

Additional Links:
Facebook Invite - http://www.facebook.com/events/328515630529304/?ref=ts
SJ Peace and Justice Center - http://www.sanjosepeace.org/
PAWIS - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pawis/144612275622280?sk=info

The National Alliance for Filipino Concerns in Northern CA (NAFCON-NorCal) presents in commemoration of Flor Contemplacion Day …

Migrants for E.X.P.O.R.T ~

Community sharing and dialogue on the danger and exploitation of the Labor Export Policy (LEP),

facilitated by Professor Robyn Rodriguez

Saturday, March 17, 2012

5pm - 8pm

@ the Bayanihan Community Center

1010 Mission Street

San Francisco, CA 94103

On March 17th, 1995, Flor Contemplacion, a Filipina domestic worker, was executed by the Singaporean government for allegedly killing another Filipina domestic worker and the child she cared for.

Her death sparked protests by Filipinos around the world rivaling those that brought down the Marcos dictatorship. Protesters believed that Contemplacion had been framed by her employer and that she was not given a fair trial by the Singaporean government. Protestors were especially enraged at the Philippine government for not preventing Contemplacion’s execution despite the fact that it hails migrants as its “new national heroes” and profits from the billions of dollars that migrants send home.

On the anniversary of Contemplacion’s death this year, NAFCON (National Alliance of Filipino Concerns) NorCal member organizations will be discussing the Philippine government’s labor export program (LEP) that sent Contemplacion to Singapore and continues to send thousands of workers to hundreds of countries around the world. The organizations will share the work they are doing to address the problems that the LEP creates for Filipinos in the U.S. This includes blatant violations of migrant workers’ rights such as wage theft; race, language, and national origin discrimination; and even labor and human trafficking. These organizations have been waging successful campaigns to defend and advance the basic rights of migrant workers, right here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Though many U.S. immigrant rights activists attribute exploitation, abuse, discrimination, deportation and family separation suffered by immigrants to bad employers and problematic U.S. labor and immigration policies, this educational discussion tries to link U.S. Filipinos’ struggles to the LEP. This event will also give an opportunity to share and hear stories on how US Filipinos experienced/experiencing the impacts of LEP and how we as a community can take actions in addressing the root causes of LEP.

The discussion will be facilitated by Robyn Rodriguez who is an Associate Professor of Asian American Studies at UC Davis. She also works closely with the Filipino Community Center on the CARE Project, a participatory-action research project that aims to study the issues facing caregivers but more importantly to empower caregivers to tell their stories and stand up for their rights. Rodriguez’s recent book, MIGRANTS FOR EXPORT (University of Minnesota Press, 2010) focuses on the LEP.

For more info., please contact Angelica Cabande from NAFCON at awake3eye@yahoo.com or check out www.nafconusa.org

Please support these essential youth programs and services in Union City. They have been defunded and are in danger of closing. To support and get involved, please attend the following events:

MARCH 12TH we will be meeting at the PYC office to help decide what our speakers should say on Tuesday at the City Counsel meeting

MARCH 13TH the Union City counsel meeting to show how high the support for PYC is and to convince them to decide to fund us

For additional information, click here: http://www.facebook.com/events/310305269030946/

Check out all these Silicon Valley events for this coming week!

3/3 Saturday: International Womyn’s Day March and Fair @ San Jose City Hall
more info: http://www.facebook.com/events/132732023516955/

3/5 Monday: March for Education in Sacramento (buses provided by De Anza) (geared to be the one of the largest actions for education since the 1970s!)
more info: https://www.facebook.com/events/223930074363300/

3/8 Thursday: International Women’s Day Action @ Hyatt Santa Clara
more info: http://www.facebook.com/events/319782661390111/

3/10 Saturday: Sandiwa Youth Conference @ Stanford University
more info: http://www.facebook.com/events/349266845091177/

If you’d like to roll out with us to any of these events, send us a facebook message or email us at absiliconvalley@gmail.com