SiGAw! | SISTERS OF GABRIELA, AWAKEN!

For Immediate Release

June 7, 2012

Reference: Jackelyn Mariano, Deputy Secretary General, BAYAN-USA, bayandepsec@gmail.com, 347.669.0661

“THE PHILIPPINES IS NOT FOR SALE!”— BAYAN USA Filipino Americans Decry Aquino and Binay U.S. Visits as Business Deals to Further Trample on Philippine Sovereignty, Increase US Military Presence in Country

BAYAN-USA, a national alliance of progressive Filipino organizations, commenced the month of June by mobilizing the Filipino community to voice their outrage and concern to the Philippine President Benigno “NoyNoy” Aquino III and Vice President Jejomar Binay on their respective visits to the United States. BAYAN-USA condemns the Aquino administration for pushing policies that have prioritized opening up the Philippine economy to mainly cater to foreign economic and U.S. military interests, as well as the interests of the ruling classes in the Philippines at the expense of the rights and dignity of the majority of poor Filipinos. Binay visited Los Angeles this past June 2nd, while Aquino is slated to meet with US President Obama this Friday, June 8.

Binay declared his visit to the U.S. was to meet with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden to ask for help in defending the rights of trafficked Filipino teachers in Maryland. However, protesters from BAYAN-USA doubt Binay’s interest in workers’ rights due to the very fact that he was staying at the Hilton LA Airport, a boycotted hotel by a hotel workers union, which includes Filipino members. The union called for a boycott to ensure that the workers’ rights to unionize be upheld as well as the fair treatment of workers across the board.

President Aquino, on the other hand, will be meeting Obama at the White House to discuss increasing U.S. military presence in the Philippines. Aquino may discuss the Philippines signing onto Obama’s Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), a U.S.-led neoliberal free-trade agreement - often referred to as the NAFTA of Asia - which will further liberalize Philippine markets to deregulate foreign business ownership, clearly violating Philippine sovereignty and self-determination. Many economists have pointed to the TPPA’s design to secure US economic dominance in the Asia-Pacific region, while isolating super rival China’s emerging economic influence.

With every US military shift dictated by a US economic agenda, BAYAN-USA recognizes these meetings as Aquino’s subservience to U.S. economic and military interests, as he allows the increase of U.S. military presence in the Philippines in exchange for the tripling of U.S. military aid to the Philippines. His visit is in line with the Pentagon’s recent announcement of a 60% strategic shift to the Asia Pacific region set to be completed by 2020. As the Obama administration uses military bullying to dictate and project its economic power in the Asia-Pacific region, it continues to justify its actions by sowing an anti-China scare campaign reminiscent of Cold War-era messaging. Filipinos in the U.S. and in the Philippines declare, “The Philippines is NOT for sale!” and will conduct protest actions in both countries to condemn the U.S.-Philippine military alliance, which will only perpetuate more human rights violations against the Filipino people and aggravate the threat of war, putting the Philippine nation in direct danger of unwarranted military action.

Join BAYAN-USA in nationally-coordinated protest actions to demand that President Aquino uphold Philippine sovereignty and protect the rights and welfare of the Filipino people!

Friday, June 8, 2:00PM EST

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest

Sidewalks between East & West Executive Avenues Washington, D.C.

Contact: Jackelyn Mariano, Deputy Secretary General, BAYAN-USA, 347.669.0661

Friday, June 8, 5:30PM PST

Hilton LAX Los Angeles, California

Contact: Theresa Jaranilla, Southwest Coordinator, BAYAN-USA, 213.373.5154

Sat, June 9 & Sun, June 10,

12pm-5pm PST Seattle Center, Pagdiriwang Festival commemorating Philippine Independence Seattle, Washington

Contact: Chel Cendana, Pacific Northwest Coordinator, BAYAN-USA, 360.990.9424

UPHOLD PHILIPPINE SOVEREIGNTY! THE PHILIPPINES IS NOT FOR SALE!

U.S. TROOPS OUT OF THE PHILIPPINES!

U.S. TROOPS OUT OF THE ASIA PACIFIC!

NO TO THE TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT!

DOWN WITH U.S. IMPERIALISM! ###

Vice President of the Philippines Jejomar Binay puts on the charade that he supports Overseas Filipino Workers but his actions will speak louder than words as he proceeds to cross the picket line of the many Filipino workers at the LAX Hilton who have called for a boycott of the hotel for its exploitative working conditions and anti-union activities. On Saturday, June 2^nd Binay will attend a Philippine “Independence” gala at the LAX Hilton, and SiGAw will be there to fight for the 99% by upholding workers rights and by exposing Binay for crossing the picket line. Binay shows he does not really care for our kababayan, otherwise he would uphold their right to unionize.  Binay should also address the root problems of the Philippines, which cause the mass exodus of Filipinos from our homeland, and stop the Labor Export Policy, as well as the US-led Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement.  Join us as we take on the 1% on June 2^nd, 6pm at the LAX Hilton (5711 W. Century Blvd, LA 90045). Free 2 hour street parking available on 98^th street (behind the Hilton). 

On June 8^th, SiGAw will protest Philippine President Benigno Aquino for trampling on our homeland’s sovereignty by continuing to allow US troops on our country’s soil and drones to fly overhead while allowing the endless bloodshed of our people at the hands of the Philippine military and mutli-national corporations. Come voice out against these injustices as we slam the door on Aquino on his first presidential visit to LA. Time and location to be announced – stay tuned through our website sigawla.tumblr.com or contact us at (213)537-8278 or sigaw.la@gmail.com.