NEW YORK CITY -- On Friday, December 14, Filipino youth organization Ugnayan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Linking the Children of the Motherland) held the cultural event MAGDIWANG to celebrate the organization's 3rd anniversary and its victories of 2007, and to launch an unpaid wages campaign for Filipina youth worker Adriane Padilla.
Adriane, a 23-year old Filipina immigrant, is seeking compensation from her former employers, Santiago Manlapaz and Lilia Reyes, owners of the restaurant and bar formerly known as Barrio Fiesta in Woodside, Queens . Throughout her employment, Manlapaz and Reyes failed to pay Adriane minimum wage, overtime compensation, and additional spread of hours pay. They also engaged in tip stealing and withheld her wage for approximately eight months, threatening to terminate her when she complained.
Manlapaz also created and perpetuated a hostile work environment by regularly making explicit and lewd comments about the bodies, sex lives and personal relationships of Adriane and the other female waitresses.
Adriane, with the support of Ugnayan and allied organizations, is demanding from her former employers her unpaid wages, a formal apology, and respect for the rights and dignity of all workers.
“Hopefully this campaign will help other young people to stand up and not be scared,” said Adriane. “I know other youth are experiencing what I did. And I hope other Filipino restaurant owners will not do the same thing as Sonny [Manlapaz].”
Adriane's speech was one of the highlights of MAGDIWANG which was attended by about 100 youth, supporters and allies. The event had an all-Filipino youth line-up of poets and musicians who shared their experiences using various creative means such as spoken word, hiphop and acoustic rock. It also featured an immigrant youth testimony by Aby Pinon, as well as performances by YanYon, Ugnayan's all-female band; musician Myke Christian; poets Marvin Kwong and Feliza Mirasol; and hip hop acts New York's Finest Pinoys (NYFP) and ML.
There were also speeches and letters of solidarity from allied organizations CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities, DAMAYAN Migrant Workers Association, Kabataang maka-Bayan (Pro-People Youth, USA ), and Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines . Ugnayan honored these and other allies and supporters with certificates of appreciation.
The performances and speeches exposed the true experiences of Filipino youth and the larger Filipino community, especially the domestic workers and low-wage workers. They included performances by US-born Filipinos and children of immigrants expressing dislocation from the homeland and erasure of our people's history. Other parts of the program, especially the testimonies of Pinon and Padilla, revealed the experiences of educated, skilled immigrant youth who were forced to migrate because of the lack of opportunities in the Philippines , then upon arrival in the US were pushed into low-wage service work and made vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, sexual harassment, and racism.
“My father was an engineer in the Philippines , but was downgraded when he came here to the US ,” said Aaron Rigodon, 21-year old student, 2nd-generation Filipino and member of Ugnayan. “My parents came to the US because of the American Dream, but we know now that the American Dream doesn't exist. I learned from Adriane that if we don't fight, we are allowing slavery to continue in this country.”
The enthusiasm and commitment of the youth to effect change both locally and in the homeland, where the roots of our community's migration lie, follows the tradition of Andres Bonifacio, leader of the 1896 Philippine Revolution against Spain, whose birthday, November 30, Ugnayan celebrates as its anniversary. Bonifacio led the Katipunan (Movement) that fought the Spanish colonizers and eventually formed Magdiwang which asserted the leadership of the Katipunan. Magdiwang is also a Filipino word meaning “celebrate”.
“I was honored to have been part of MAGDIWANG,” said Adriane, “And to have the support of community organizations like Ugnayan and Damayan. I'm very hopeful and looking forward to this campaign.”
Ugnayan with its allied organizations vow to continue the Justice for Adriane Campaign in 2008, and launch various creative forms of action such as petition-signing, education forums, and street actions to gather support for Adriane and raise awareness about the situation of Filipino youth restaurant workers.
To read the testimonies and speeches delivered at MAGDIWANG, view more photos, and for more information about Ugnayan and the Justice for Adriane Campaign, please visit www.ugnayan.blogspot.com .
