Carlos Sinnung has been pushing for the Filipino community's participation in the political process, and he believes that his election to the Board of Education in Passaic back in 2001 is a step in the right direction.
The veteran civic leader and accountant topped the school board elections in the City of Passaic, N.J., back then as he bested eight other candidates in a hotly contested race.
A native of Pamplona town in Cagayan Valley, Sinnung came to the United States in 1969.
“I started putting people together when I came here. Because of my experience and the experiences of my friends, we felt that the only way that we can get a piece of the recognition, inclusion and respect is to band together and do social work first,” Sinnung told the Asian Journal.
He organized social activities in the city, among them the annual Philippine Day parade and festival as a way to show the strength and numbers of the Filipinos in the area.
It is also a little-known fact that their group has always highlighted the cause of the Filipino war veterans and that they have a monument in Passaic to honor these veterans. “We knew already the importance of highlighting that so that the public will know that we Filipinos have been serving this country even during the war,” he shared.
After laying the groundwork came the next step, a seat at the local school board, which was to test the strength and the level of acceptance in the community.
Sinnung holds a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce from the Far Eastern University and worked in the field of accounting and auditing.
He is actively involved in numerous organizations, and was the founder of the Filipino Association of Northern New Jersey, the Filipino-American Voters' League of Passaic and Philippine Day Organizing Council.
“I am very pleased to share to the city that I can do the job, and I am happy that they are confident that I can do it. As an accountant and auditor, I show to the public that my line of work is proper and appropriate to safeguard the use of education monies,” Sinnung shared.
Sinnung takes pride in the fact that members of the Filipino community in Passaic work together to make sure that their voices are heard.
“Through political empowerment, we are able to fight for the jobs. Filipinos are qualified and must be given a chance to apply for different kinds of jobs – from the cafeteria to teachers to custodians and up to the controllership,” he added.
According to the 2000 U.S. census, there are 95,063 people in New Jersey reported Filipino descent. In Passaic County, that number was 4,505. Close to 900 lived in the city of Passaic, according to the census results. (www.asianjournal.com)
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