By A collaborative effort between Associate Students Inc. Senators, CSULB Divest, and Anakbayan, a Filipino student organization, yielded significant results. Their proposed OPPOSE PERA resolution was successfully passed.
The bill’s proposal advocates to stop the United States’ militarization of the Philippines and opposes the U.S. Senate’s proposed Philippine Enhancement Resilience Act.
Last week during the ASI meeting, the resolution was passed, confirming the student body’s unified opposition to PERA.
This will then be sent to state legislators and representatives to express CSULB’s ASI position.
With the resolution passed, the ASI Lobby Corps will need to work with Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations and lobby legislators to oppose PERA.
Members of La F.U.E.R.Z.A, a student association, endorsed the passing of the resolution through work with CSULB Divest.
“Essentially we’re calling for ASI to represent and advocate for our students on campus and our communities on and off campus,” Natalie Monzon, representative with La F.U.E.R.Z.A., said.
“The ASI Executive VP, Matt Melendrez, reached out to our organization to collaborate on writing the resolution. The resolution is titled ‘OPPOSE PERA,’” Emmanuel Ronquillo, a member of Anakbayan, said.
The Philippine Enhanced Resilience Act, or PERA, was introduced in April. If passed, the bill will allocate $2.5 billion in U.S. aid to the Philippines, specifically for strengthening the country’s defense. The funds will be directed toward the defense budget of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, enhancing the nation’s military capabilities.
However, the AFP is known for its gross violations of human rights in the Philippines, including silencing, disappearing and exploitation of the Filipino people.
“On a day-to-day basis, the lives of Filipinos in the motherland constantly affect our lives here in the United States, and for many, our ability to focus on our college education,” ASI Vice President of Finance Andre Achacon said.
With over 200,000 Filipinos in Long Beach and nearly 1.5 million in the greater L.A area, many with strong ties to the Philippines, the passing of PERA could potentially have great impact.
“PERA would directly harm the family members, friends, and community of hundreds of thousands of Filipinos in the U.S., let alone in the Philippines,” Ronquillo said. “The people that will be affected aren’t just statistics, but are students’ families and loved ones.”
The passing of the resolution is focused on creating a better understanding between Filipinos in the United States and how they want to help their home country.
“As a Filipino American, it is important to me that the United States cultivates a positive relationship with our mother country, a relationship that does not promote violence and oppressive systems,” Achacon said.
The proposed resolution also calls on the official voice of CSU students, Cal State Student Association, to reaffirm support for Filipino people across the CSU system.
