With extreme sadness and grave concern, I have read news articles about the increasing assaults and crimes committed against Filipinos and other nationalities of Asian descent in the United States. Most recent of these is the assault of a tourist from Cebu in Manhattan, New York City.
These recurring incidents are doubly worrisome because not only are they acts of hatred borne from racial discrimination but also a blatant disregard for safety in inter-country tourism and cultural exchange. In the Philippines, there’s a strong culture of hospitality that we always go “all out” when welcoming and embracing tourists, going as far as treating them as friends and families. It is then truly unfortunate that our very own tourists are apparently not always accorded the same dignity and regard in the United States.
We thus highlight that any form of discrimination against any race, gender, age, socio-economic background, religion, and political beliefs, must be strongly condemned and never ever tolerated.
I and the people of Northern Samar call on the Department of Foreign Affairs specifically through our Philippine Consulate General in New York to condemn, in the strongest terms, those violent and discriminatory acts. We also implore Department of Foreign Affairs and concerned government agencies—both of the Philippines and the United States—to conduct thorough investigations of not only this New York City incident but of all others where Filipinos and other Asian nationalities are victimized.
We earnestly call on our brothers, sisters, and kins of all nationalities in the United States to uphold values of peace, respect, and unity amid diversity. The world is undergoing significant challenges and we are all called upon to practice not just tolerance but a culture of respect and non-violence.
Truly, we are all called upon to be instruments of peace.
– Representative PAUL R. DAZA (1st District, Northern Samar)
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Image Viviana Rishe at Unsplash
