Filipinos Start Drive to Gain More Political Clout in U.S.

The Filipino-American community, long divided by political conflict, held its largest meeting ever Saturday in Anaheim to form a national organization aimed at gaining more political influence in the United States.

More than 800 people from 18 states attended the weekend convention and adopted the first constitution of the National Filipino-American Council. The group pledged to make Filipino-Americans more influential nationally and create more support in the United States for the Philippines.

“Never before in the history of the Filipino-American community has such an assemblage been held,” Alex A. Esclamado, founder of the group and publisher of the Philippine News in San Francisco, told the audience. “If we are to have political power, what we do today is a must.”

Message From Aquino

Speakers at the convention at the Anaheim Hilton included Rep. Stephen Solarz (D-New York), chairman of the House subcommittee on Asian/Pacific Affairs, Mayors Tom Bradley of Los Angeles and Dianne Feinstein of San Francisco and Lt. Gov. Leo McCarthy.

Philippine President Corazon Aquino also sent a videotaped message and two members of her Cabinet. And the council also received commendatory letters from President Reagan, Senate Majority Leader Robert C. Byrd and House Speaker Jim Wright.

“I know there are some among you who wonder whether Filipinos can be sufficiently unified to have a political impact,” Solarz said. “Let me remind you, that unity does not require unanimity.

“There is absolutely no reason why you cannot do for the Philippines what the Jews in America have done for Israel.”

Some speakers called the gathering historic because it signaled unity between those who had supported ousted President Ferdinand Marcos and the supporters of Aquino’s “People Power” revolution last year.

Virgie Lovely, who did not support Aquino and is still a resident of Manila, said she believes that the new government can work and that it can be helped by a united political force in the United States.

“I think next year this organization will be really influential,” she said. “I can see it, I can feel it; we are united.”

Esclamado added: “There was reason not to unify (under) Marcos; the community was divided. We are now moving forward and healing the wounds of that divisive situation.”

Esclamado estimated the Filipino-American population at almost 2 million, nearly half of that in California. More important, he said, it is the second-fastest-growing ethnic population, behind Mexican-Americans, with up to 100,000 new immigrants a year.

Without Political Power

The Filipino population was also described as above average in income and education, yet without political power because of apathy.

“We forget people in our own country fought and died for the right to vote,” said Irene Natividad, chairwoman of the National Women’s Political Caucus. “Here, we take it for granted.

“Every aspect of our lives . . . is influenced by a piece of legislation that is produced by a group of predominantly white males in the Congress of the United States. The only way we can have any influence is to elect our own representatives.”

Esclamado said the group first met last year in San Francisco and decided to start a national organization. In the year since, an executive board has drafted the constitution that was adopted Saturday.

Lobby for More Money

Esclamado said the group will address general problems in the Filipino community among youth, women and senior citizens, as well as problems of discrimination against the Filipinos.

He said it will also lobby the federal government to give more money to the Philippines, where a troubled economy remains a threat to the new democratic government.

Esclamado said he hopes the council will be influential enough next year to play a role in the 1988 presidential race. He said he plans to invite the two major party nominees to the council’s next annual convention.

“The target is to enable the Filipino community to be recognized for the first time by a major American presidential candidate,” Esclamado said. “We have been divided so long . . . so we are working at an accelerated pace.”