Author: j.martinez2

The borough of Queens is the most diverse borough of all New York and Filipino Americans have made a home in Woodside, Queens. Just walking down, the strip of Roosevelt Avenue between 61^st and 70^th Streets are dedicated to the Filipino community with its restaurants, bakeries, and other establishments.

“Woodside is home away from home” said Luis Mendoza 54, a retired construction worker. 38,000 Filipinos reside in Queens the 2010 Census reported. Not only Filipinos are living at Woodside, but Irish, Indian, and Ecuadorian. A melting pot of diversity.

The No. 7 train is the main mode of transportation for woodside locals. The neighborhood’s two stops at Woodside 61st and and 69th Street are within walking distance for the entire neighborhood and get straphangers into Manhattan in half an hour on the local or less on the express.

According to Woodside resident Geraldine Torres, 34, “If you want authentic Filipino meal you must go to Kristal Cafe.” Krystal Café is Filipino restaurant known for its modern of classic dishes and bake goods. The Flan is most popular pastry, but they also sell different pastries like Coconut cakes and Ensamanda ,

Filipino fast food chains, Jollibee and Red Ribbon are only in Woodside. Jollibee, the fried chicken fast food chain in Philippines has 1,800 stores worldwide, “Forget about KFC, sells delicious Fried Chicken” said Javier Ocampo, 34, Woodside Resident.

 

Interview with Glen Aiagasi

Lately the residents of Woodside, are in fear of gentrification. Neighboring  Long Island City and Sunnyside have already seen their fair share of gentrification. The average rent is $1,500 to $2,000. Some Filipinos business are nervous their stores can be priced out by high real estate. Glen Aiagasi the owner of Sari- Sari Deli, is seeing some changes, “If you go to Woodside Avenue, some new condo buildings are being built, but I have faith the culture will remain” said Aiagasi.

Amidst all the commercial stores and restaurants in the Manhattan neighborhood of SoHo, New York City, many New Yorkers do not know about one of the oldest Roman Catholic Church devoted to the Filipino community. Located at 378 Broome Street between Mulberry and Mott Streets, San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel was established in 1926 as The Church of the Most Holy Crucifix. At that time it was for the Italian community, as the church is close to Little Italy.

The Church of the Most Holy Crucifix closed down in 2005 and the Archdiocese of New York renovated it and renamed it as the San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel “Church of Filipinos” by Archbishop Edward Cardinal Egan on June 2005.

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz is a Filipino saint; His canonization took place at the Vatican on October 18, 1987 by Pope John Paul II. Many Filipinos come to a special mass celebrating Saint Lorenzo Ruiz canonization every September at the chapel, but it has changed, The Feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz, has moved to Saint Patrick’s because there is more capacity.

“The Chapel is beautiful, but is not in a Filipino community and is far,” said Mark Mendoza, 34, who live in Woodside, Queens. In a neighborhood have the most Filipinos in New York City. Mendoza travels to the church every other Sunday because he feels like he is at home in Davo. He said his local church at Woodside, is more dedicated to the Filipinos as they have mass in Tagalog.

The Mass Schedule in San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel only offers Wednesday night, Sunday morning and afternoon. The rest of the week is closed. It has a capacity of only 250 people. Going to a Sunday mass approximately only 50 people come to mass and mostly are not Filipino. Most of the churchgoers are from the neighborhood of Little Italy and Chinatown.

“Even though the church is dedicated for the people of the Philippines that live in the tri-state area, I love coming here. It is really peaceful, and the church is always with open arms,” said Maxie Brown 45, from the Lower East Side.

Paul Costiglio from the department of the Archdiocese of New York Communications and Marketing said, “The Archdiocese of New York is working with the Filipino Apostolate to work the modest following problem,” but also stated “ The Church is not only for Filipinos, but for all New Yorkers,”

Junior Martinez

Last week, President Donald Trump signed an order to cancel President Obama climate change regulations, keeping his promise to support the coal industry during his campaign.

 

During the U.N press briefing on Friday March 31^st, U.N Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General stated The head of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Patricia Espinosa took note of recent iorder and stated the UNFCCC works with all parties to advance climate action and take forward the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

 

If I was assigned on this story on the climate change future going forward, the U.N is a key source because they are the key players in climate change action throughout the world. I would have asked the Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq if the U.N have conversed with the Trump Administration regarding this issue.

 

It is a busy Saturday afternoon at the Red Ribbon Bakeshop in Woodside, Queens, home to the largest Filipinos community in New York City. 38,000 Filipinos reside in Queens the 2010 Census reported. As many Filipinos are enjoying bake goods back from home, the talk of the community has been about the president back at home.

 

Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte has the world in shocked with his operation the war on drugs, according to the Human Rights Watch, since taking office on June 30, 2016, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has launched an abusive and violation “war on drugs” that has resulted in the deaths of more than 6,000 Filipinos to date. Many have called this extrajudicial killing; the term means it is the assassination or murder of a person by governmental authorities without the sanction of any judicial proceeding or legal process.

 

There has been a drug problem in the Philippines. According to the Philippine Dangerous Drugs Board it estimated a total of 1.8 million drug users. The two of the most used and valuable illegal drugs in the country are methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) and marijuana, it has led to many illegal drug trading.

 

The leader of Philippines vowed to eliminate all drug offenders during his presidential campaign and currently. “If I couldn’t convince you to stop, I’ll have you killed… if you’re into drugs, I’m very sorry. I’ll have to apologize to your family because you’ll surely get killed.” Said Duterte.

 

The Republic Act No. 9189, otherwise known as “The Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003, all citizens of the Philippines abroad, at least eighteen (18) years of age on the day of the elections, and who are registered overseas voters, may vote for the President.

 

When elections were held in May last year 2016. Duterte won the overseas vote. In the United States primarily he got 24,789 votes from the Filipinos community. In New York City, there are some mixed opinions about president Duterte actions.

 

“My young nephews at home is living in fear because they can die without no reason,” said Geraldine Ocampo, 32 a Woodside resident from the Philippines. Ocampo’s family resides in Davo, in which Duterte was mayor of the city.

 

“Dutrerte is doing what no other president has done over the last decade; Clean the streets” said Flushing resident Thomas Zabala, 56, his family reside in the capital Manila. The city of Manila has painted the massive “war on drugs” killings according to The Philippine National Police’s data indicates that police killed at least 2,250 in Manila “suspected drug personalities” from July 2016 to January 2017.

 

There have been protest throughout New York City over the past months organized by human rights activists and Filipino American organizations. Emily Sanderson is organizer of Vocal NYC and Health Gap, just recently organized a protest in front of the Philippines Consulate on 5^th Avenue.

 

“It is unacceptable that Rodrigo Duterte is not responsible for the killings of innocent people with drug abuse and no help by the Duterte government” said Sanderson.

 

The Philippine leader just recently stated in a conference in china “Filipinos in America are not Filipinos,” because “The Filipinos in America are not Filipinos anymore, they’re Americans. Their attitude is American.” The younger generation of Filipino Americans is taking action. The New York University’s International Filipino Association is home to the NYU Filipino students.

 

Ruthie Ofrasio 20, a junior year student at New York University, is concern on how Filipinos Americans has not raised their voice. “The Voice Filipinos everywhere is important even if they are not home, what is happening in my country is devastating and we as Filipinos have make actions” said Ofrasio.

 

Filipinos concern at home.

As Americans are dealing with a president, that is out of touch with its people. Filipinos in the U.S are also dealing with their president at their homeland; Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has begun the war on drug, and he promised to wipe out all the people involved in drug trafficking. According to USAtoday, The total body count of suspected drug dealers or users tops 6,000. More than 2,000 were killed in police operations, and the other 4,000 died in vigilante or extrajudicial killings.”, Human rights activists have called Duterte actions inhumane.

Back in the U.S, Filipinos are allowed to vote during Philippines elections. Which makes me wonder how many Filipinos in the U.S agree with Rodrigo Duterte plans? What do Filipinos American thank about the war of Drugs in the Philippine?

So far I have contacted with one of the representative of Filipinos of New York and currently trying to get in touch with GABRIELA-USA and BAYAN-USA group. Also I will be doing man on the street interviews in Woodside, Queens, that holds more than 13,000 Filipinos residents.

Source:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/01/06/rodrigo-duterte-philippines-drug-war/96062066/

 

The Economist is one of the oldest international news organizations. It was established in 1843 in Britain. The Economist offers insight and opinion on international news, politics, business, finance, science and technology. They have sections from Europe to the Middle East Africa.

They release their print version every Fridays. As more readers are heading to digital. The Economist also offers a variety of web-only content, including blogs, debates and audio/video programs.

Their covers for their print versions remind me a lot of Time Magazine Covers. Just recently their covers have been about the Donald Trump Presidency. In the January 28^th issue, their cover has Donald Trump throwing a Molotov cocktail.

http://www.economist.com/printedition/covers/2017-02-02/ap-e-eu-la-me-na-uk

This semester I want to focus on Filipino community. Rodrigo Duterte the president of the Philippines has began the war on Drugs. According to the New York Times more than 2,000 people have been killed since the war on drugs have started. In Woodside, Queens there is a large Filipino community. Just recently in December there was a protest in the Philippine Consulate General, The protest was conducted by the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, who want peace and want Rodrigo Duterte to stop unnecessary killings.