Spring Break
Filipino groups march to honor and make a case
for WWII vets
Marcos Blanco
Issue date: 10/27/08 Section: News
Members of the Akbayan Pilipino Club and other Filipino-American students at SJSU marched from the Student Union Amphitheater to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library with candles and signs in hand to honor Filipino veterans of World War II as part of the Paint the Nation Brown Candlelight Vigil held on Thursday night.
The march was preceded in the amphitheater with opening words by Asian-American studies professor Estella Habal.
"It really is important to do this every year," she said. "The veterans of today deserve that respect and equality."
The two Filipino veterans who were being honored, Andy Ragsac and Claude Estolano, each spoke to the crowd of students about their experiences during World War II, the punishment inflicted upon them by the Japanese army during Bataan Death March in 1942 and the anger at the Senate for turning down the Filipino Veterans Equity Bill of 2007, which would have given surviving veterans in the U.S. a lump sum of $15,000 and $9,000 to veterans in the Philippines.
"We should have the same rights and privileges as other veterans," Ragsac said. "Sixty-three years that we have been fighting for our rights. It is an insult to our sacrifices. They should change the name of the bill to a funeral expense."
Ragsac encouraged students to get involved in the effort to get the bill passed and to get into politics.
"You think about it and I hope this will motivate you. We will salute you," he said.
"That equity bill that they turned down … that is an insult. It's a shame."
After the veterans spoke, the march began. Along the way, some students in the march held lit candles while a few held signs that read "Dump the lump sum," "Full equity now," "Recognition" and "Paint the nation brown."
The students also yelled out chants from their event booklets such as "The people united will never be defeated!"
The march ended in front of the King Library at about 7:20 p.m., and was followed by other activities. The club's choir sang "Lupang Hinirang," the national anthem of the Philippines, and "The Star-Spangled Banner." It was then followed by a performance from the Mabuhay Cultural Club from Independence High School.
The march was preceded in the amphitheater with opening words by Asian-American studies professor Estella Habal.
"It really is important to do this every year," she said. "The veterans of today deserve that respect and equality."
The two Filipino veterans who were being honored, Andy Ragsac and Claude Estolano, each spoke to the crowd of students about their experiences during World War II, the punishment inflicted upon them by the Japanese army during Bataan Death March in 1942 and the anger at the Senate for turning down the Filipino Veterans Equity Bill of 2007, which would have given surviving veterans in the U.S. a lump sum of $15,000 and $9,000 to veterans in the Philippines.
"We should have the same rights and privileges as other veterans," Ragsac said. "Sixty-three years that we have been fighting for our rights. It is an insult to our sacrifices. They should change the name of the bill to a funeral expense."
Ragsac encouraged students to get involved in the effort to get the bill passed and to get into politics.
"You think about it and I hope this will motivate you. We will salute you," he said.
"That equity bill that they turned down … that is an insult. It's a shame."
After the veterans spoke, the march began. Along the way, some students in the march held lit candles while a few held signs that read "Dump the lump sum," "Full equity now," "Recognition" and "Paint the nation brown."
The students also yelled out chants from their event booklets such as "The people united will never be defeated!"
The march ended in front of the King Library at about 7:20 p.m., and was followed by other activities. The club's choir sang "Lupang Hinirang," the national anthem of the Philippines, and "The Star-Spangled Banner." It was then followed by a performance from the Mabuhay Cultural Club from Independence High School.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Jonothon RD
posted 10/27/08 @ 1:02 PM PST
This is a decent story but more info should have been given about the history of what the students were marching for. There is alot more behind the story. (Continued…)
Jonathon RD
Jonothon RD
posted 10/27/08 @ 1:05 PM PST
This is a decent story but there is a lot more to the history of what the students are marching for that I feel should have been mentioned.
TRUTHH
posted 10/27/08 @ 2:55 PM PST
Hoy Marcos,
Good Job
It's great that you are looking out for the Pilipino Community.
Not a lot of Fil-Ams know about this injustice.
Mabuhay ka Pare
Garret
posted 10/28/08 @ 12:44 PM PST
What does "Paint the World Brown" mean? (See first paragraph.)
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