JFAV Update
January 6, 2008
San Francisco, CA

Filipino-Americans hold town hall meeting; Ask for support to homeowners, immigrants and veterans

San Francisco—More than a hundred Filipino American community leaders held a year end-Community town hall meeting last December 10, 2008 and after a spirited discussion read a letter to be sent to the President –elect Barack Obama who will assume office on January 20, 2009.

In a belated telecast on December 31, 2008 and January 1-2, 2009 of the community town hall meeting held at the ABS -CBN Broadcast Center at Redwoods City south of San Francisco, the Filipino American leaders were united and were filled with optimism with the coming New Year despite the threats of global recession.

Filipino Veterans Represented

The Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) was well represented in the event and figured prominently in the discussion of issues especially about the World War II veterans.

A letter to President-elect Obama the Filipino American community composed by the town hall meeting declared “that with the victory of Obama, the Filipino American community is not invisible anymore.”

The community letter addressed to the president elect recommended the following:

1.Long term solution of financial literacy on all levels of education to the problem of foreclosures;

2. Using the $ 700 B bail-out to alleviate the suffering of the foreclosed homeowners;

3. Support a bill that will recognize the Filipino World War II Veterans, give them the benefits and family reunification;

4. Legalization and a pathways to citizenships to all undocumented immigrants and

5.Appointment of Filipino- Americans in key positions in the government.

ABS-CBN anchor Gel Santos Relos and ABS-CBN New Bureau Chief Ging Reyes presided over the town hall meeting.

For more information please call Al P. Garcia call (213)241-0906 or email at jfav_us [at] yahoo.com or