Kwentong Kapuso: Uniting Pinoys in New Jersey

This column appeared on the Filipino Reporter, a content partner of GMA News Online Last Friday evening, in Jersey City, N.J., the entire ticket of the Steve Fulop for Mayor Team, which includes Filipino-American incumbent Councilman Rolando Lavarro, Jr., held a spirited Town Hall meeting with the city’s Filipino community. The city’s estimated 20,000 Filipinos make the city’s politicians think of a best way or ways on how to win the votes of this block, which could sway the outcome of an election. Or, for those who belong to the old school of traditional politicking, they seem to be applying the old trick of dividing the votes of the Filipinos. Since 1985 (remember Joe Bunao and Flor Alcantara Medel? (now Reyes), when both ran against each other, the Filipinos in this city, in almost every election, had been the victims of politics of division, Jersey City style. Pinoys, wittingly or unwittingly, were lured and agreed to run under opposing tickets. As a result, they were unable to send a Filipino to City Hall despite their number. But that seems to be a thing of the past. In 2011, a principled young man, Rolando Lavarro, Jr., entered the city’s political scene without opposition from a fellow Filipino. Pinoys in the city rallied behind his candidacy. He won and was elected councilman-at-large. Lavarro is running again for re-election in the May polls for a full-term of four years.   To prove a point, mayoral candidate Fulop told his Filipino audience during last Friday’s Town Hall meet that the first person he invited to run with him in his ticket was Lavarro. “Filipinos are high in my list,” said Fulop. Steve Fulop emphasized that his team’s campaign is centered on honesty and ideas. The topics discussed during the Town Hall meet were judicial appointments and good government.    Mr. Fulop also told his Filipino audience that if elected city mayor in May, with a revised appointment procedures in place, he will recommend acting Municipal Chief Judge Carlo Abad, a Filipino-American, for a permanent position. (The candidate received a loud applause for that pledge from his enthusiastic audience.) Candidate Fulop advised that, in effect, the Abad issue is now moot and academic because the judge is now occupying the position that many wanted him to occupy in the first place. He was appointed to the post by a New Jersey superior court judge after Fulop’s group in the City Council rejected Mayor Healy’s nomination due to timing, it, being the eve of an election. (To us, the appointment of Judge Abad by another more senior judge, and not by a mayor, was more transparent process and free from suspicion of being tainted by politics.) Mr. Fulop asked Filipinos in Jersey City to remain united and not to allow certain politicians divide them again, as were done in past elections.    A Filipina in the audience aptly put it this way, “Let’s not make Filipinos become victims again.” *** I guess it’s, indeed time, for Councilman Lavarro and company to move the campaign in Jersey City to a higher level. I think the Fil-Am councilman has already explained his controversial “no” vote very well.    After two weeks of temporary “derailment” because of the Abad story, I think it’s time to leave the story behind and proceed with legitimate issues that concern the 200,000 residents of our city. After all, these officials represent the best interests of all the people. This is true, especially in the case of Councilman-at-Large Lavarro. Though, I believe he has the best interests of the Filipinos at heart, he represents the interests of all the residents of Jersey City in the City Council. I understand the Fulop Team has lined up a good number of subjects and proposals that they intend to present to the people of Jersey City. The Dreamers Resolution authored by Councilman Lavarro and co-authored by Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez is just one of those proposals. During last Wednesday’s session of the Jersey City Council, the two officials sponsored a resolution pressing New Jersey state officials to pass two pieces of legislation that would allow “DREAMers” (undocumented children in New Jersey) to qualify for in-state tuition and access to state financial aid at New Jersey’s public colleges and universities. DREAMers is the term often used for undocumented children who came to the United States at a young age. DREAMers’ undocumented status makes them ineligible for state financial aid and requires them to pay prohibitive out-of-state tuition — as much as double in-state rates — if they seek to attend public colleges and universities, despite their long-term residency in the United States. “Jersey City is home to many DREAMers and these are our children,” said Lavarro. He added, “They have worked hard, earned good grades, and dreamed big dreams. Many of them have known no other home. All they want is the opportunity to continue their education, and give back to their state of New Jersey.”   There is a growing movement in America towards normalizing rights for DREAMers. This movement was spearheaded by undocumented Filipino-American journalist Jose Antonio Vargas. Twelve states, including New York, have already enacted tuition equity laws, with five other states considering similar laws. And just last year, President Obama enacted a policy called “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals,” which provides eligible DREAMers with temporary relief from the threat of deportation and a two-year work permit. I am excited as to what more, this Fulop group, has in store for us, Jersey City’ans. - Filipino Reporter