JFAV UPDATES
March 08, 2015

LONG LIVE THE FILIPINA WOMEN MILITANT STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY AND JUSTICE

Los Angeles—The Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV), The Association of Widows, Advocates, and Relatives for Equality (AWARE) and the Seniors for Filipino Americans Community Empowerment (SPACE) militantly hail and greets all the fighting women a militant Women’s Day, today, March 8, 2015.

In the Philippines, the MAKIBAKA celebrated the first women’s day with an all-women’s march at Plaza Bustillos, Sampaloc, Manila on March 8, 1971. A year after ,martial law was declared and the US led Marcos dictatorship was imposed all over the land.

And yet, despite the 14 years of martial law, the Filipina women again, persisted and played an important role in toppling the dictatorship. Thousands of woman fighters gave up their lives for democracy and freedom. Many were jailed and torture and were missing but they fought on.

During the snap elections of 1986, the fascist dictator became more unpopular when he referred to his political rival in an insult to all women that “ the place of a Filipina woman was in bed”.

After he rigged the elections, he was replaced by the martyrs’ widow- Corazon Aquino who became the president and who restored the landlord capitalist democracy in the Philippines.

Ongoing and Unrelenting Struggle

Today, we pay tribute to millions of working women especially the peasants and the workers who still represent the majority in the Philippines. All throughout during the 333 years of Spanish occupation and more than 50 years of American colonization, the Filipina sheroes led our people in struggle for independence and democracy.

Hundreds of thousands of wives and widows as well as women partners of our FIlipino World War II veterans were our real sheroea. They shared their weal’s and woes during the war and in the time of peace caring for the family, children and veterans. Until today, in th
e whole of the 69 years they remained unrecognized and neglected both in the Philippines and here in the United States.

They are still in continuous struggle and still the bear the crucible of struggle. Here in the United States, our Filipina sisters and mothers still struggle against systemic racism and unbridled national oppression in this continent where they made it a second home away from home during the more than one hundred years of our community.

We will continue to struggle for woman’s liberation, total freedom and equality and will not rest until we all gain total victory!

Mabuhay ang nakikibakang kababaihan at komunidad!

MAKIBAKA, Huwag Matakot!

JFAV National Committee
March 8, 2015

***