Anakbayan South Seattle April Newsletter
Updates from the PH Consulate Outreach visit in Tacoma, revolutionary study, Southend banner drops, and our perspective on the upcoming elections.
After mobilizing in March to call for Justice for the New Bataan 5, we ended the month in Tacoma at the Philippine Consulate Outreach site. In April as we near Election Day on May 9, we’re aiming to unite Filipinos and allies in South Seattle to oppose the Marcos-Duterte tandem in the reactionary Philippine elections. From the killings of martial law under the Ferdinand Marcos regime in the 1980’s to the extrajudicial killings of Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war and militarized COVID response, we know that the children of the dictators Bongbong Marcos and Sarah Duterte will only worsen the human rights and economic crisis - tightening the grip of U.S. imperialism on the Philippines. Mobilize with us to two banner drops this month in the Southend! Youth remember People Power! Never again to Marcos! Never again to martial law!
STATEMENT
March 30, 2022
Philippine Consulate Outreach Visit in Tacoma
Anakbayan South Seattle members joined a group of concerned community members petitioning the Philippine mobile Consulate in Tacoma on March 30th. Over 280 people signed the petition demanding improved services and a permanent consulate in WA.
With over 160,000 Filipinos in Washington state and no permanent consulate, online booking for appointments ran out within ten minutes.
Many Filipinos seeking services traveled hours and took time off work, some even renting hotel rooms in order to wait in line outside for days. There were only a handful of chairs and a small covered area for the large number of people waiting. Many openly expressed their rage and frustration at the way they were treated and the inconvenient process.
Volunteers from the Filipino Community Alliance (FCA) were overtasked, working for long hours with insufficient resources attempting to problem-solve issues with those in line when it is the consulate’s responsibility to ensure that there is adequate facilities, staff, and capacity.
Petitioners delivered the letter to the consul general to cheers and applause from the crowd waiting in line.
What did the consulate general have to say upon receiving the open letter?
Vice Consul Adrian Audrey L. Baccay paused the entire consulate operation to berate the petitioners on a PA system. His response to the open letter only underscored the validity of the complaints it contained-- he was very proud to announce that their brief 5-day visit in Tacoma was the longest consular outreach trip so far, and that it completed 1,400 appointments (serving less than 1% of WA’s Filipino population).
Instead of admitting the inadequacy of the PH government, the consulate representatives blamed the long wait on community members for speaking out and advocating for better services, better communication, and a permanent consulate in Washington state.
Anakbayan South Seattle condemns this shameful response from representatives of the Philippine government who are paid in tax dollars to serve the Filipino people.
As The Duterte regime pours billions of pesos into the NTF-ELCAC and other measures to crush dissent, overseas Filipinos are neglected. While the Vice Consul claimed that establishing a consulate in WA is a highly complicated diplomatic process between the PH and US governments, both governments have just launched the largest ever Balikatan joint military exercises this March 28, 2022. The Duterte regime’s priorities are clear: counterinsurgency and collaboration with US imperialism are more important than serving the Filipino people.
To the Consul General, we say 5 days is not enough! What about the other 360?! The next consulate visit will not be until October - 7 months from now.
Sign the petition and join in the call of our kababayan for a permanent Philippine Consulate in Washington: tinyurl.com/WAConsulateOpenLetter
COLLECTIVE STUDY
MARCH 26-27
Philippine Society and Revolution
We conducted our first Philippine Society & Revolution course of the year (and our first as a chapter). Being one of the basic studies of the National Democratic movement, PSR is a comprehensive course based on the book by Jose Maria Sison, written under the alias Amado Guerrero. During these two days, we were able to revisit the true history, the current situation, and the underlying root problems of the Philippines that necessitate the need for revolution! We were glad to see new members facilitating sections of this in-depth educational discussion, and we were joined by students from Rainier Beach High School, UW, and Seattle Central.
Come study with us! We conduct PSR as often as we can to remind ourselves of the need to organize, and the need to fight for national democracy. Mabuhay!
MOBILIZATIONS
APRIL BANNER DROPS
Defeat Marcos-Duterte 2022 Banner Drops
Interested in attending or participating in our banner drops in April? Save the date for April 8 (today!) and April 22 at 3:30pm. As the Marcos-Duterte running mates gain popularity in the polls, we must raise our voice to oppose this tandem, whose regimes have historically only brought violence against the people. We’ll be near Franklin High School, aiming to pass out flyers about People Power and showcase our banner at the footbridge. Reach out if you’d like to join in these efforts, our DMs and email are open.
What are the lasting impacts of the Ferdinand Marcos and Rodrigo Duterte regimes? What can the youth do about it? See this short film below from Anakbayan LA & Migrante LA.
Solidarity Calendar
Come out this May Day and stand with the farmworker families who feed us and bring beauty to our lives! After years of wage theft, enduring harsh climate conditions, and working without proper protective equipment, tulip workers courageously walked off the job and organized a strike at Roozengarde tulips last month to demand improvements to conditions and pay. Within three days they secured direct negotiations with the company and won most of their demands! As farmworker families organize to stand up for themselves, community solidarity has bolstered morale and confidence. Come out this May Day to celebrate the victory in the tulip fields with the workers and let them know you will continue to stand with them for the long haul fight for a just food system!
To volunteer go to: Tinyurl.com/MarchaCampesina22
#marchacampesina #farmworkerjustice
Take Action
Sign on to the Open Letter to the Philippine Consulate General
Sign on to endorse the Philippine Human Rights Act
Donate to Anakbayan South Seattle: Venmo @anakbayan-southsea