‘Pinoy power’ discussed in NYC symposium

The growing power of the Filipino community in the United States was among the topics discussed in a recent symposium in New York attended by organization leaders, Filipino-American local government officials, and youth and senior community members.

According to Consul General Mario L. De Leon Jr., the strength of the Filipino community in the US is undeniable, and may be the key to further uplift their "rising image" in what he calls their "second home."

During the symposium, held last January 31 in New York City and organized by the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), various speakers, including prominent business owners, urged Filipinos to take advantage of their status as the second largest Asian ethnicity in the US.

Gil Quiniones, CEO of New York Power Authority, said they could use their numbers to elect more Filipino-Americans in important positions in the US government.

De Leon agreed to this, saying by getting involved in policy-making, the community can “gain the respect and cooperation of your second home, the US.”

Through these efforts, second-generation Filipinos could also be given more influential roles in community-building organizations and foster their interests in the Filipino community.

At least 30 Filipino-Americans were in the running during the November 6, 2014 elections.

De Leon also noted that aside from their number, US-based Filipinos are also starting to be known for their leadership roles in various sectors as well as for dynamism, adding that more and more young Filipinos are breaking out in their participation in the community and the society.

NaFFAA-Pennsylvania member Ernie Gange, meanwhile, urged participants to help in lobbying for Filipino-Americans fathered by American servicemen formerly assigned to US military bases in the Philippines to reunite them with their fathers.

There are 3.4 million Filipinos—mixed or otherwise—in the US, making them the second-largest Asian nationality in the country, according to the 2010 US Census. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

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