NEW YORK – Filipino-Americans supporting the tandem of Sen. Noynoy Aquino and Sen. Mar Roxas gathered together Dec. 12, Saturday at a community center in the Upper West Side to launch "US-Pinoys for Noynoy-Mar," an organization of the tandem’s Filipino-American supporters.
Community leader and philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis led the New York host committee in welcoming community members to the meeting – with some coming from Connecticut – and explaining why the Aquino-Roxas tandem is the best for the Philippines.
"Skills, executive ability can be learned, but character, hindi. Right now, what we need is somebody who has character, somebody who is strong and hindi siya masisilaw sa pera," Lewis said, extolling Sen. Aquino’s untarnished image, and responding to criticisms that the senator does not have enough experience to run the country.
The host committee played a video message from Sen. Aquino during the meeting. In it, he thanked his supporters for all the efforts they have given so far.
"Nakakagalak po sa ating puso ang patuloy na suporta ng mga kababayan natin. Malapit na po nating makita ang liwanag. Panahon na para ibalik natin ang tama sa ating pamahalaan," Aquino said.
The senator also thanked the growing number of overseas Filipinos, especially those from the United States, who are joining their campaign.
"Bagamat malayo kayo sa Pilipinas, siguro eh napaalis na kayo dito sa kakulangan ng pagkakataong umasenso ay damang-dama pa rin ninyo ang pagmamahal sa ating bayan," he said.
Also during the event, Lewis announced the launching of the Aquino-Roxas tandem’s website – www.noymar201.com, where donations to the campaign will be received.
During her speech, Lewis also lamented the way overseas Filipinos, particularly those here in the United States are treated when it comes to voting in the national elections in the Philippines.
"We were not extended the right to register. August 31, tapos na. Ni hindi ninyo alam. Hindi rin ibinigay sa atin the power to vote by mail. Filipinos in London can do it by mail, pero sa ating US Pinoys, no.
They also did not want us to vote at first, so NaFFAA filed a case in the Philippine Supreme Court and salamat naman that they agreed with us and gave us the right to vote," Lewis shared.
Together with her sister, Mely Nicolas and other members of the New York host committee, Lewis rallied the audience and called on them to exercise their influence and make their voices count.
"Minemenos nila ang influence nating mga US Pinoys, but we will show them, with noymar2010.com and this campaign that we can make a big difference," she said.
For someone who has business and humanitarian projects in the Philippines, Dr. Allie Ragaza travels to the Philippines three to four times a year and she knows what the Filipinos there need at this point.
"I love the Philippines and I want my homeland to get up from where it is now, to improve and do better because the Filipino people are really suffering and I care for them," said Dr. Ragaza, a New Haven, Connecticut resident who joined the meeting with her husband Edgardo.
The couple hopes that the tandem of Aquino-Roxas can bring forth the much-needed change that the Philippines badly needs.
"We need incorruptible people like them to stop the corruption. We believe that they are not traditional politicians and that they are men of integrity and honesty," Ragaza added. (Momar G. Visaya/AJPress)
( Published December 16, 2009 in Asian Journal Los Angeles p. A1 )
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