‘We will fight the bully’
Not your traditional ‘dragon dance.’ Photos by Elton Lugay
About 150 Filipino Americans mostly wearing yellow shirts gathered at the United Nations headquarters on First Avenue to protest China’s incursions in Philippine waters and vowed never to stop “fighting the bully.”
Community organizer Steven Raga said, “I’m from here in New York not the Philippines. I grew up here with Chinese Americans, Korean Americans, Vietnamese Americans. But even though I’m here and they tell me the Philippines is on the other side of the world, that’s not your country, this is your country, I still know the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong. The Chinese government illegally trying to occupy Vietnamese territory is wrong! The Chinese government illegally trying to occupy Filipino territory is wrong!”
A longstanding maritime territorial dispute between the two countries has escalated in recent years after China was alleged to have annexed the West Philippine Sea off Zambales. The Philippines has accused Chinese ships of being visible or “coming and going” around the region believed to be rich in natural resources. The United States has urged both countries to resolve the issue peacefully, and President Obama has also cautioned China from using “intimidation and coercion” against its neighbors.
Businesswoman Loida Nicolas Lewis, who led the July 24 rally and other previous FilAm protest marches against China, explained the country’s seeming obsession with the Philippine sea.
“Why is that? Because it has 3.26 trillion barrels of oil,” she told The FilAm “Napakayaman ng Pilipinas! The Philippines is so rich that’s why China wants it.”
Exactly a year ago, she said Beijing has declared that the West Philippine Sea belongs to their country.
“They said all the 100 square kilometers of the Spratly Islands now belongs to Xianjian Xue Prefecture,” she said. “In one stroke of the announcement, sa kanila na lahat ang Spratly Islands or West Philippine Sea.”
Simultaneous anti-China rallies were held in various parts of the world on July 24, including key cities such as San Francisco, Hong Kong and Makati.
The UN Arbitral Tribunal has begun hearings on the case filed by the Philippines seeking a ruling on which country has a right to the disputed West Philippine Sea.
“Narito ang United Nations Arbitral Tribunal,” said Lewis. “They are going to make a decision. They are considering it now. The three judges are going to make a decision. They have to give it real decision, real thought.”
Lewis said that China has 12 submarines, 10 warships, 24 jet planes and 1 million soldiers and navy. The Philippines has 0 warship; 0 jet plane; 0 submarine.
“But we have worship. We believe in the Lord that He gave us all this oil and all the mineral gas and therefore the might of China is not right. Might does not make right,” she said.
FilAms working in Manhattan who used their lunch break to join the rally were among the protesters. Also in attendance were community leaders from all over the East Coast.
Broadway actress Liz Casasola performed the “Lupang Hinirang” and young singer Kirby Asunto led the singing of “Ako ay Pilipino.”
A dragon dance was performed, depicting the dragon as China about to be slain by the decision of the UN arbitrators.
Protesters Kirby Asunto, Rena Avendula, Lumen Castaneda and unnamed man say a short prayer at the start of the rally.
