Pinoy Power Comes to Hawaii!
September 29, 2006
A powerhouse lineup of U.S. and Philippine political, business and community leaders will troop to the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu from Sept. 28 – Oct. 1, to address delegates to the jointly held 4th Global Filipino Networking Convention and the 7th National Empowerment Conference of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA).
Along with delegates representing Filipinos from the global diaspora, U.S. senators Daniel Akaka and Daniel Inouye, U.S. Rep. Mike Honda, former Hawai‘i Gov. Benjamin Cayetano and current Gov. Linda Lingle will join former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos and current Philippine House Speaker Jose de Venecia and House Minority Leader Francis Escudero at the “convention of conventions” that coincides with the centennial of Filipinos in Hawai‘i.
“Their presence is a testament to the serious business that we have dedicated ourselves to address,” said NaFFAA national chair Loida Nicolas Lewis.
Referring to the Global Filipino Networking Convention, which began at the Moscone Center in San Francisco in 2002, and which was attended by 4,000 delegates, Lewis said, “At this gathering of Filipinos from different places across the globe, we will harness Pinoy Power worldwide and strive to make a difference in the communities we live in,” she said.
Inouye, Akaka and Honda have championed the Filipino Veterans Equity Bill in the U.S. Congress that would restore the veterans’ benefits that the U.S. Congress rescinded in 1946. Akaka is also the main sponsor of the amendment to the Senate Immigration Bill that would expedite the granting of immigrant visas to sons and daughters of the WWII veterans.
DeVenecia and Escudero will discuss the proposed Philippine Charter change, from a bicameral-presidential to a unicameral-parliamentary system, as well as the suffrage rights of global Filipinos. Overseas voting rights and dual citizenship will be addressed at the Hawai‘i convention, which will also celebrate the recent Philippine Supreme Court decision upholding the right of Filipinos who are dual citizens to vote in Philippine national elections. Lewis and other U.S.-based dual citizens, on behalf of NaFFAA, had petitioned the Supreme Court last year to compel the Philippine Commission on Elections to allow them to exercise their voting rights.
“It’s very important to make the point that dual citizens enjoy the same rights as absentee voters,” Lewis said. “I’m glad the Supreme Court agreed with our position on this principle.”
A mass oath-taking of dual citizens is planned for the Friday plenary session, which will be administered by the Philippine Consulate General of Honolulu, the host of the conference of Philippine Consul-Generals in the U.S., which is being held in conjunction with the Global Convention. Newly appointed Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Willy Gaa will also address the assemblage.
NaFFAA delegates will also tackle the issue of political empowerment in the U.S., with Filipino American democrats and republicans discussing ways and means to mobilize the 3.5 million Filipinos in the U.S. to become a potent political force. Included in the workshops will be sessions on leadership development, voter registration and education, political action and coalition building.
“With the U.S. mid-term elections coming up, we need to ensure a large voter turn-out to demonstrate to policy makers in the White House and Congress that we care about issues like voting rights, immigration and veterans equity,” said Gloria Caoile, former national vice chair of NaFFAA.
Delegates, including representatives of the global Filipino media, will hear Philippine National Press Club president Roy Mabasa and noted columnist Conrado de Quiros deal with the issue of “Safeguarding Press Freedom,” focusing on the spate of killings, which have claimed the lives of dozens of Filipino journalists and civil rights activists in recent years.
Among the major topics at the convention will be Diaspora Philanthropy, which will cover the projects that overseas Filipinos can support to more effectively help their compatriots.
The convention will also feature the premiere screening of the Smithsonian Institute’s Sandaan (One Hundred), a one-hour documentary that relates the Filipino American story. Written and produced by noted filmmaker Sonny Izon, the film describes the civic engagement of the pioneer generation in the 1906-56 period, not just as permanent residents but as fully participating U.S. citizens.
NaFFAA, a federation of over 500 Filipino American community organizations, will also hold national elections at the conference with Lewis stepping down after four years at the helm of the organization that was formed in Washington, D.C. in 1997. Vying to succeed Lewis are Greg Macabenta, national vice chair, and Alma Kern, NaFFAA Pacific Northwest Region chair. Running for national vice-chair are Rozita Lee, Nevada Region Chair, and Ed Navarra, Midwest Region Chair.
A Saturday Night Gala is planned to cap the convention, with local and international stars providing the entertainment.
For more information about NaFFAA or the Hawai‘i convention, please visit www.NaFFAA.org
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