Komunidad
September 29, 2014

Presidential Snub

By Arturo P. Garcia

When Malacañang on Sunday, September 28, denied accusations that President Benigno Aquino III deliberately snubbed a Filipino community in California during his trip to the United States last week, they actually confirmed the presidential snub of the Filipino-American community in the United States.

Former FQS activist and now Presidential Communications Secretary just rubbed the salt into the wounds by saying “LA (Los Angeles) was not in the itinerary from the start.”

Coloma even said. “ he was not aware of any plan for Aquino to visit Los Angeles.” further confirming the snub.

Just like any presidential spokesman, he made excuses, “We ask for their understanding. The President’s itinerary was quite hectic: 94 events in 11 days in 7 cities across continents and time zones,” he explained.

Former UP Student Council member Hermie Coloma was reacting to media reports that the Filipino-American community in Los Angeles was upset that Aquino did not take time to visit them despite dropping by a gun shop and a hamburger restaurant in San Francisco, also in California.

LA community leader Dr.Orly Cagampan was more brutally frank, “He was already there and he have time to visit a gun store to satisfy his hobby. He’s able to satisfy his stomach by going into [McDonalds] but the community was never given any sense to be with the president.”

US Pinoys for Good Governance President Rodel Rodis. A known Aqunio III supporter was more vocal and unapologetic when he said in a studio interview: “ that a meeting with Aquino would ( have) dispel notions that the president takes the contributions of overseas Filipino workers for granted.

While PNoy could have had as much right to go shopping for an hour and enjoy burgers before his flight as ordinary people do, this kind of stories just add insult to injury for Fil-Ams who felt the community had been snubbed by the President.
After all, the Fil-Ams have been the number one remitters of dollars to the Motherland, helping keep the Philippine economy afloat. They thought

Aquino should have at least appropriated time to meet with our kababayans here. He has not included the overseas Filipino community, any mention of them in his State of the Nation Address. That’s 12 million people who contribute at least $24 billion a year to the Philippine economy, and it’s not worth mentioning in his State of the Nation Address. Even a shout out that says we thank the sacrifices of the overseas Filipino community, anything like that, would be greatly appreciate,” Rodis said.

Arturo Garcia of the Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) said in the news report that their group has been trying to invite the President since 2012 to visit the FACLA Hall, which is believed to be one of his father, Ninoy Aquino’s last public stops before his assassination.

Senator Ninoy Aquino Jr. spoke at FACLA on July 28, 1983, exactly lees than a month before he traveled to the Philippines and met his martyrdom at the hands of Marcos assassins at the Manila International Airport on August 23, 1983.

Austin Baul, president of FACLA, told Correspondent Steve Angeles on Balitang America, “Inisip natin ng ipangalan ito ng kanyang ama na papalanganan itong FACLA Ninoy Aquino Center o ng Kalayaan or Ninoy Aquino freedom center. Pero hindi nasagot ng mga email ko. Kung para dumaan sya sa lugar na ito,”

Another media man said” all emails to the President goes directly to the spam. That what happened to champion skater Martinez. When wrote the president. Maybe that’s what happened to Mr. Baul’s email to Malacanang.” To the laughter of the crowd.

Another media man told another story the last time Aquino III was in LA in 2012. “ we were all waiting for a promised press conference with the president for hours, just to be infomed that the press conference was cancelled because he just left the airport for Manila.”

But Coloma’s lame excuse was, “We ask for their understanding. The President’s itinerary was quite hectic: 94 events in 11 days in 7 cities across continents and time zones,” he explained.

Well, we may have to accept the fact the politicians always remember the Filipino American community during elections time. This is where they get donations of precious dollars for their campaign kitty. After the elections , when they got what they want they forget them

President BS Aquino III is no exception. He is a part of that general rule .

***