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August 12th, 2008
Filipinos for Obama March for Hope
Posted by Angelica Jongco
The Filipinos for Obama effort hit the streets this past Saturday to spread the message that Senator Obama is the candidate for the Filipino American Community. With a large contingent, the FFO campaign passed out "Filipinos for Obama" stickers and buttons, and energized the crowed chanting "YES WE CAN" at Pistahan, a jam-packed Filipino culture festival and parade in San Francisco. (More photos here.)
FFO volunteers were met with much enthusiasm, engaging scores of
Filipino Americans who have never been engaged in the political process
but find hope in Senator Obama’s Campaign. The FFO effort registered
dozens of new voters and signed up over a hundred motivated volunteers
who are ready to do their part to elect the next president.
This effort inaugurated the national Filipinos for Obama campaign to
reach out to voters in Battle Ground states, particularly targeting
those with high populations of Filipinos such as Nevada and Virginia.
The official campaign kickoff will be on August 19 in San Francisco,
and will rally hundreds of seasoned community leaders and political
neophytes alike. Filipinos for Obama is clearing a novel path,
re-engaging new communities to take leadership in national politics.
For more information about the Filipinos for Obama Campaign visit www.filipinosforobama.org
Story courtesy of Dexter Ligot-Gordon of Filipinos for Obama.
August 13th, 2008 at 1:18 am
Congrats Fil-Dems in SF !
I wish I can see the same level of support in Metro DC.
I believe that Obama leads McCain 70-30 now but remember Ohio 2004 and remember Florida 2000. Do not underestimate the RNC. We have captured the hearts of the people, next we must have a Dem rep in every precinct to challenge any more of these caging or other RNC tricks.
Asians must unite for Obama. Ignore the naysayers.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:25 am
Understanding the election mindset of Filipino Americans, thoughts for the Obama-Biden Ticket.
As the US presidential elections enter fever pitch, let me share some thoughts on how to target the four million Filipino-American (FILAM) voters.
Apart from the usual demographic profiling of this voting constituency, there needs to be a concrete grounding on deeply rooted Filipino psychology and how it plays into the electoral arena.
First and foremost is to understand America from the point of view of immigrant Filipinos.
A lot of the immigrants entered the United States and worked 2 to 3 jobs. The impetus for this is a zealous commitment to succeed and help relatives at home. Usually, when these folks go home to the Philippines, they try to project themselves as success stories despite the hardships experienced in the US. There has to be a real affirmation on the part of the Democratic Party and its standard bearers OBama and Bidden that FILAMS are a positive economic and political force. In other words, a pat on the back and showing that the Democratic Party cares in specific and not in superficial terms would endear the immigrants. Moreso, since majority of FILAM immigrants are Catholic, they frame their life experiences as part of their journey towards physical and spiritual salvation. For them, the United States represents the promised land and salvation and deliverance of the hardships of their lives in the Philippines.
Second is to leverage the value system of immigrants in targeting succeeding generations of FILAMS. Succeeding generations of FILAMS, or those who are born in the U.S. are already acclimatized along American values and for all intent and purposes are mainstream Americans already. The core message for succeeding generations of FILAMS is that the Democratic Party by and large is the political party cognizant of the immense contribution of immigrants to the country’s wealth and power. Emphasis is to be given on a long track record of making sure that immigrants benefit from a strong educational, health care, and welfare system that empowers FILAMS to be productive citizens.
Third is to send a clear message of doing concrete steps for the betterment of Philippines.
The Veterans bill is a start, although it is not as compelling as it was once before. Simply put, a lot of the veterans of world war 2 have died and the base of support is dwindling. A more compelling argument for the Obama-Bidden ticket is to help bring actual peace to the Philippines, a strong commitment parallel to what it is doing to the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. There must also be a strong push to empower the Armed Forces of the Philippines. An increase in Aid and Investments with an end in view of having a strong economic and development alliance between the two countries envied by others in the region but be put forth. Nothing excites FILAMS more than seeing the motherland again becoming a strong political, economic, and military ally of the US. The operative word is “Decisiveness”. FILAMS needs to feel that the Philippines is at the center of the South East Asia or even the Asian stage as a major power. In other words, the Philippines must be part of the Obama-Bidden dinner table.
Fourth is to appeal to the Filipinos in the Philippines to ask their relatives in the States to vote Obama-Biden.
Nothing beats direct appeal to the locals in the Philippines to endorse an Obama-Bidden ticket to the ones in the States. The strong ties that bind Filipinos across the continents is the very foundation of support that moves the diaspora forward. Information Technology like text messaging, phone calls, e-mails, would be the main driver of communication. Folks from both countries are now conversing everyday through text and email. The use of media outlets in the Philippines to place ads on what the Obama-Biden ticket will do for the Philippines and FILAMS and an appeal to locals to get in touch with their loved ones in the States is a compelling methodology. There are media outlets in the Philippines and in the States which specifically reach the FILAM audience. The operative word for this methodology is “personalize”. The Obama-Biden ticket must be part of the FILAM dinner table. On a practical note, US citizens in the Philippines, numbering around 200,000 still has to see the Democratic Party reaching out to them.
In a closely contested match between the Republicans and Democrats for the white house, the need for personalized micro-targeting will have a big sway on the turnout. Florida, California, and Nevada, all swing states, all with a sprawling mass of FILAMS.
Eero Brillantes
http://www.mindbullet.org
http://www.brainbang-mindbullet.blogspot.com
September 10th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
you know what when pelosi killed the veterans bill, that really hurts me. not for all the pinoys but those guys who enlisted in the US army to fight the japanese in WW2. WE as a nation could be like the thailander, they remained neutral but we fought, we have that option, well our grandparents did not want that. They maybe were given a promised that they will be given some monetary compensation but that is not the case, monetary is not the case in those time even if you asked the veterans now. A year after the war it all changed, though the veterans needs the pensions, they need to be acknowledge. WW2 was not our war but the filipinos then fought along with the americans and after that we are relegated to nothingness(the vets). Personally I still want Obama to win because I just dont like fox news