Pinay consular sa New York, pinagmumura sa loob ng tren

ni Ronalyn Seminiano Reonico | June 13, 2021

Nabiktima ng hate crime laban sa mga Asians ang isang Filipino consular officer sa New York noong Biyernes matapos siyang makaranas ng verbal harassment sa sinakyang tren papasok sa trabaho.

Ipinost ni Consul General Elmer Cato ang insidente sa kanyang Facebook account at aniya, “On Friday, one of our colleagues at the Philippine Consulate General in New York became the latest victim of anti-Asian hate. Our colleague, a female consular officer, was verbally assaulted while on board the B train on her way to the Consulate yesterday morning.”

Nilapitan umano ng isang lalaki ang naturang Pinay at saka ito minura. Aniya pa, “An individual on board the train accosted her as soon as she stepped on board by asking her: ‘Where’d you come from? Where’d you come from?’ The individual went on with his race-based tirade by saying: ‘We don’t need you here! We don’t need you here! F**k you! I hope you all die and everybody on this train!’”

Ini-report na rin umano ang insidente sa New York City Police Department at saad pa ni Cato, lubos na nakababahala ang mga ganoong insidente dahil ilang Pinoy na rin umano ang nabiktima ng hate crimes.

Saad pa ni Cato, “We are deeply disturbed by this incident which came a few days after a member of the Filipino Community sustained injuries after he was violently assaulted in a subway platform in New York City. “A few months ago, a kababayan got his face slashed in a hate-crime incident also in the subway.

“The hate incident involving our colleague is the 14th such incident involving a member of the Filipino Community reported to the Consulate so far this year.”

Aniya pa, “We join the Asia-American and Pacific Islander Community in condemning these incidents and in expressing our serious concern for the safety of our kababayan and other Asian-Americans in New York City.”

Nanawagan din si Cato sa mga awtoridad ng New York City na dagdagan ang presensiya ng mga pulis sa mga subway ng nasabing lugar para sa kaligtasan ng publiko.

Saad ni Cato, “We call on authorities of New York City to take additional measures to make our kababayan and other Asian-Americans feel safe when outside their homes by increasing police presence especially in the subways and addressing the mental health concerns that reportedly affect as many as 40 percent of homeless individuals in the city, a number of who have also been involved in recent hate crimes against Asian Americans.”

70% target, hinahabol sa Independence Day… Libreng beer sa magpapabakuna sa US

ni Mary Gutierrez Almirañez | June 3, 2021

Pinaplano ng America na mamigay ng libreng beer sa lahat ng mga magpapabakuna kontra COVID-19, ayon kay United States President Joe Biden.

Aniya, "That's right: get a shot, have a beer."

Nakipag-ugnayan na rin aniya ang White House sa mga malalaking brewer katulad ng Anheuser-Busch.

Paliwanag ni White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, "We're making it even easier to get vaccinated, which we've seen is the key to increasing numbers and getting more shots in arms."

Layunin ng "libreng beer kapalit ng bakuna" na mabakunahan kontra-COVID-19 ang 70% na populasyon ng America sa pagsapit ng Independence Day.

"We're asking the American people for help. It's going to take everyone… so we can declare independence from Covid-19 and free ourselves from the grip it has held over our life for the better part of a year," sabi pa ni Biden.

China, binuweltahan ang US sa isyu sa WPS

ni Ronalyn Seminiano Reonico | March 23, 2021

Bumuwelta ang Chinese Embassy, Manila sa United States kaugnay ng pagsuporta nito sa Pilipinas sa West Philippine Sea matapos mamataan ang diumano’y 220 maritime militia vessels ng China sa Julian Felipe Reef noong March 7.

Sa official Twitter account ng Chinese Embassy Manila, mababasa ang tweet ng isang news site na: “US Embassy on Chinese ships at Juan Felipe Reef (Whitsun): Chinese boats have been mooring in this area for many months in ever increasing numbers, regardless of the weather.

We stand with the Philippines, our oldest treaty ally in Asia.”

Pahayag naman ng Chinese Embassy, “The United States is not a party to the South China Sea issue. Fanning flames and provoking confrontation in the region will only serve the selfish interests of individual country and undermine the regional peace and stability.”

Saad pa ng embahada, "Both China and the Philippines are sovereign and independent countries. We have the will, wisdom and ability to properly handle relevant issues through bilateral channels.” Una nang pinabulaanan ng China na "maritime militia" ang mga naturang vessels at nanatili lamang daw ang mga barko sa reef dahil sa “rough sea condition.” Samantala, umaasa ang Malacañang na madadaan sa usapan ang isyu ng bansa sa China.