Tag Archives: Filipinos

Diversity, International, Race Relations

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU TO RECLASSIFY FILIPINOS FROM ‘ASIAN’ TO ‘PACIFIC ISLANDER’

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imageWASHINGTON, D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles) – For decades now, Filipinos living in the United States have been lumped with the ‘Asian’ demographic subgroup by the Census Bureau. That is about to change starting with the 2020 population census.

The bureau announced today that it has decided to reclassify Filipinos to ‘Pacific Islander,’ citing several significant reasons:

  1. The Philippines is an island nation that is not connected to the main Asian continent.
  2. The country sits in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, in close proximity to other Pacific Island nations like Fiji, Guam, and the countries of Polynesia.
  3. Its tropical weather is very similar to the rest of the Pacific Island nations.
  4. The Philippines uses the Latin alphabet (ABCDE) , unlike other Asian countries which use logographics  like kanji, hanja and hangul (漢字).
  5. Most important of all, unlike their Asian counterparts in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam, the Filipinos do not use chopsticks.  They use silverware or eat with their hands.

Filipino communities in places like Daly City, Honolulu and Jersey City immediately praised the decision by the Census Bureau.

So beginning in 2020, Filipinos will identify as P.I. — Pacific Islanders from the Philippine Islands (P.I.)

Government, Human Interest, International

FILIPINO VICTIMS OF 2013 TYPHOON YOLANDA ASK UNITED NATIONS FOR ‘REFUGEE STATUS’

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Filipino victims of Typhoon Yolanda (2013 file photo by Reuters)
Filipino victims of Typhoon Yolanda (2013 file photo by Reuters)

Tens of thousands of Filipinos displaced by typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013 are clamoring to be re-classified as “refugees” so that they can find permanent homes and better living conditions in Europe and other countries that have opened their borders to Syrian refugees.

Yolanda slammed Eastern Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013, leaving more than 6,000 people dead.

Back in January this year, Vice President Jejomar Binay said that a total of 205,128 houses were needed for Yolanda victims in 116 cities and municipalities.  As of the end of 2014, a total of only 2,100 housing units have been completed.

Binay  was chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and head of the Yolanda Resettlement Cluster before his resignation from President NoyNoy Aquino’s cabinet in June this year.

The Aquino government had said that it is targeting to finish  the construction of  an additional 120,000 housing units by the end of this year.

That still leaves tens of thousands more who would need  roofs over their heads.

Feeling almost hopeless about their dire situation, the displaced typhoon victims have petitioned the United Nations to re-classify their status to “refugees,” saying that with the ineptitude of the Aquino government, their only hope is to find refuge elsewhere.

The governments of China, Australia, Canada and some countries within the European Union (EU) have reportedly expressed willingness to accept the Filipino “refugees.”

Ironically, the Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday announced that the Philippines is ready to take in Syrian refugees in response to the humanitarian crisis in Europe.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said the Philippines could be a temporary destination as refugees await acceptance from a host country for resettlement.

Entertainment, Music, Travel

SINGER CHRIS BROWN HELD UP IN MANILA, LEARNS HIS LESSON NOT TO MESS WITH FILIPINOS

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Brown
Brown

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) –  Grammy Award-winning singer Chris Brown has been in trouble many times before, but this time around, he chose to get in trouble in a country that would not put up with his shenanigans.

Brown was barred from leaving the Philippines because of a contract dispute, the official Philippines News Agency reported Wednesday.

Brown was stopped Wednesday morning while preparing to depart on a private jet from Manila’s international airport on his way to Hong Kong for a concert, the news agency said.

The Philippine Department of Justice said that an order had been issued Tuesday night to stop any attempts by Brown, 26, to leave the country.

Brown performed in a Manila concert that evening as planned, but the order was put in place to compel him to pay back money that promoters said was owed to them after he failed to appear for a previous appearance scheduled for last New Year’s Eve.

Encouraged by the departure hold order, promoters of the New Year’s Eve concert amended their complaint against Brown, asking the Department of Justice that they not only be paid what was owed to them but an additional 50% interest compounded monthly.(We’re not good at math but we suspect that with now almost six months since Brown incurred the “debt,” it could mean lots and lots of money for the aggrieved promoters.)

The promoters have the full backing of Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares whose agency is sure to benefit from taxes that will be collected from promoters if and when they get paid by Brown.

Rumors are circulating that Brown is currently detained in an airport holding cell and is being fed rice and chicken adobo three times a day. He had earlier requested for a McDonald’s cheeseburger but the request was denied.

It wasn’t clear how long Brown will be held in Manila but he certainly has learned the lesson of his lifetime: not to mess with Filipinos!