Category: Philippines
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“Re-turning”
In Pinoy Capital a book about Filipinos in Daly City, Benito “Sonny” Vergara Jr. discuss the act of “re-turn” as an alternative to assimilation for this community. He writes: “repeated turning…through political activism, assertions of ethnic pride, nostalgia, consumerism or just vague remembering. Re-turn is obliquely opposed to the narrative of assimilation. The tension between…
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Motherland
I just finished watching this really heartbreakingly real documentary called Motherland on POV/PBS. I started and stopped and started it again about 5 times because I was crying my eyes out. I’m not exactly sure what to write about but I am feeling compelled to think through writing. There’s no context or interviews or voiceover. Throughout…
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How to Raise Feminist Kids
A New York Times published a piece called, “How to Raise a Feminist SonHow to Raise a Feminist Son” written by Claire Cain Miller popped up on my Facebook feed a couple of days. And of course, since the arrival of my son (my partner and I chose to keep the sex of our baby secret until…
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On Post-Colonial Rage and Not Being Mad at Big Brother aka US Imperialism
First of all, let me be CRYSTAL CLEAR, President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs” is unconscionable. Thousands of people and innocent bystanders have been slain in the name of “cleaning up” the Philippines. Without due process, the Philippine National Police have become the prosecutor, judge, jury and executor of Filipinos who may or may…
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4 Reasons Why Filipinas/os Should Support Black Lives Matter
I have been struggling the past few days. Here, I’ve put my words down again to implore my community to join in solidarity and support the #BlackLivesMatter movement. 4. Anti-Black racism has plagued our community. As a young darker-skinned Filipina, I was often taunted as “Black Beauty” and told never to go under the sun…
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The Problems with “The Problem With Filipinos”
So, an article called “The Problem With Filipinos” has been posted and shared on social media over the last couple of days. A friend and colleague, Dr. Akissi Britton, shared and tagged me and a Pinay kasama-sista-scholar, Dr. Johanna Almiron-Johnson on it to get our takes on it. First of all, especially, as tribute to…
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Filipinos in Costa Rica
While in Costa Rica last week, me and my crew took an excursion to the Manuel Antonio national park to take in the beautiful, lush greenery that is Costa Rica and follow a trail to a popular local beach. When we were walking towards the entrance of the park, we wandered into a souvenir shop.…
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Diwang Pinay for academics
In 2009, I had the privilege of being part of a dynamic group of people that did research, wrote and acted in a play and built very strong basis for community-building and migrant worker organizing in New York City. That year, Diwang Pinay as a theatrical production was the first and most impactful way we…
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Legal Trafficking is The Philippines’ Labor Export Policy
Forced migration puts hundreds of migrant workers to Louisiana to work long hours without fair wages and indentured servitude. Their living conditions are cramped in substandard facilities. They are kept from the passports and freedom of mobility, therefore kept from their family. This has got to be a scene out of Django. Nope. Its about…
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http://www.interaksyon.com/article/33424/aquino-signs-ilo-convention-to-protect-domestic-workers-rights “The committee is chaired by Sen. Loren Legarda. We must act fast if we want the Philippines to be the second state party of the ILO to ratify the convention, next to Uruguay, (although Uruguay has not deposited yet the ratification instrument with the ILO) … The convention requires at least two ratifications to…
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