Bayanihan Beyond Borders: The Ancient Filipino Spirit That Rebuilt a Family After Fire

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Dale Asis

Bayanihan was once neighbors carrying a house together.

Today, it looks like a GoFundMe campaign surpassing ₱90,000.

Roman & Annabile’s home in Bicol, Philippines, burned to the ground in February  2026

On the night of February 2, 2026, a fire tore through the ancestral home of Roman and Annabile Yanesa in the Philippines. By morning, the walls stood — but little else did. Their roof was gone. Their livestock were lost. Their livelihood, built slowly and carefully over years, had turned to ash overnight.

What happened in the days that followed is a story not about destruction — but about the enduring power of community, love, and the Filipino values that bind us across time zones, oceans, and generations.

A Community Answers the Call

(seated left to right): Annabile and Roman Yanesa are surrounded by their children, standing

Within days of the fire, relatives and friends across the Philippines — and as far away as Canada — united around a single GoFundMe campaign. The goal was $1,000. The community surpassed it almost immediately. By the time the campaign reached its momentum, it had raised over $1,600 — more than ₱90,000 — enough for Roman and Annabile to purchase new livestock and begin the work of repairing their home.

Cousins donated. Titas pledged. Friends from across the diaspora gave what they could. None of it felt like charity. All of it felt like love.

Three Values. One Story.

To understand why this community responded the way it did, you have to understand three Filipino values that are woven into the fabric of who we are.

Roman and Annabile Yanesa are standing in the middle of the fire rubble, saying thank you to all who have helped

Kapwa tao — shared humanity. The recognition that your pain is my pain. When Roman and Annabile stood in the ruins of their home, holding a hand-painted sign that read “Maraming Salamat — Thank You,” those of us watching didn’t see strangers in tragedy. We saw ourselves. We saw our parents. We saw our childhood homes. Kapwa tao is what made it impossible to look away.

Bayanihan — the spirit of collective action. In the old tradition, bayanihan meant neighbors literally lifting a family’s house and carrying it together to a new place. The image is poetic but the principle is timeless: no one should carry their burdens alone when community is within reach. Today, bayanihan doesn’t require proximity. It requires only willingness. A GoFundMe link shared across family group chats became the digital equivalent of neighbors showing up with their hands and their hearts.

Tulungan — to help one another. Not to give from a place of pity, but to give from a place of solidarity. Tulungan is the quiet act of showing up. It’s the cousin who donates before they’re even asked. The tita who makes a pledge from across the world. The friend who shares the link one more time because they believe someone in their network might be moved to help.

What ₱90,000 Really Means

For many in the diaspora, $1,600 is a dinner out or a weekend trip. For Roman and Annabile, it is a fresh start. It is the pigs they will raise again to earn a living. It is the roof beams that will shelter them through the next rainy season. It is the proof — tangible, undeniable — that they have not been forgotten by the people who love them.

But beyond the pesos and the repairs, there is something harder to measure that this campaign delivered: the knowledge that you are not alone. That is, perhaps, the most powerful gift diaspora giving can offer.

The Invitation

Roman and Annabile’s story is one of thousands unfolding across the Philippines right now. Families who have lost everything to fire, to flood, to hardship — and who are quietly wondering if anyone out there still remembers them.

The Bayanihan Foundation exists because we believe the answer should always be yes. We believe that the diaspora — spread across continents, time zones, and decades — still holds an unbroken thread back to the people and places we came from. And we believe that thread is strongest when we pull it together.

If you have been moved by Roman and Annabile’s story, we invite you to carry it forward. Share it. Give to causes like theirs. Start a campaign for someone in your own family who needs the community to show up.

Because that’s what bayanihan looks like today. And it still works.

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Bridging the Past and Present: Our Shared Heritage with the Manide Tribe

Posted on January 30, 2026 by Dale Asis

Manide Tribe in Bicol Highlands (Gemini generated image) Jan 2026 PIC

In a powerful display of community spirit, the Bayanihan Foundation joined forces with local business MPR Sabon Outlet in December 2025 to deliver over 600 lbs. of rice, clothing, and treats to the Manide tribe in the Bicol Highlands. This impactful journey, a continuation of our mission to serve indigenous communities, highlighted the immediate needs and resilient spirit of the Manide people.

A Living Link to Ancient History

Nestled under the shadow of Mt. Labo—a majestic, potentially active stratovolcano straddling Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Quezon—the Manide (also known as the Kabihug) represent a living link to the Philippines’ ancient past. Recent genomic studies suggest they are among the first peoples of the archipelago, with a history in these mountains stretching back over 50,000 years (Larena et al., 2021). This incredible lineage makes them invaluable to understanding the very foundations of Filipino identity.

The Journey into the Wild

Accompanied by Gian Carlo Aceron, Administrative Officer at Kabatuhan Integrated School, I set out for what I thought would be a simple trip from the provincial capital, Daet. It quickly became an unforgettable trek. We navigated a lush green jungle, crossed two rivers, and hiked through verdant tropical forests. Just as the wilderness seemed endless, a public elementary school appeared at the top of the forest canopy—a beacon of education in the heart of the highlands.

A Warm Welcome at Kabatuhan

Waiting for us were approximately 40 children and their families, representing both the local Filipino and Manide communities. The atmosphere was one of immediate action and warmth. Teachers and school staff moved quickly to organize the bags of rice, clothing, and chocolates we had brought.

For the Manide, also known as Abian (“friend”), life is a delicate balance between ancestral tradition and modern survival. Historically nomadic hunters and gatherers, many have now adapted to seasonal work like wild honey gathering and charcoal making. Seeing the smiles on the faces of the children as they received the chocolates—a special donation from Will Dix—was a reminder of why these connections matter.

A Legacy of Giving

This mission was made possible through our partnership with MPR Sabon Outlet, a small enterprise in Daet and Labo. Owners Margee and Prax Rajas have been quietly serving their community for 14 years, donating essentials to local schools every Christmas. We are deeply grateful for their continued partnership in helping schools and the less fortunate in Bicol.

Unveiling Our Shared Ancestry: New DNA Discoveries

The deep historical roots of the Manide tribe are not just an academic curiosity; they are a profound revelation about the shared heritage of all Filipinos. Recent DNA analysis published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has provided compelling evidence that modern-day Filipinos and the ancient Manide tribe share a significant common ancestry.

These groundbreaking studies suggest a genetic thread connecting us directly to the earliest inhabitants of the Philippine archipelago. This means that when we interact with the Manide, we are not just engaging with a distinct group, but with a living testament to our collective past. Our connection runs deeper than geography; it is etched in our very DNA.

To learn more about the invaluable work being done to preserve and understand the Manide’s rich history, watch this insightful video from Gian Carlo Aceron. He and the staff at Kabatuhan Integrated School have been instrumental in introducing the Bayanihan Foundation to the Manide tribe. In this visit last July 2026, they went up to the Bicol Highlands to distribute essential solar equipment to help light the homes of the community:

Looking Forward

The Bayanihan Foundation is immensely grateful to Gian Carlo Aceron and the dedicated staff at Kabatuhan Integrated School for their tireless efforts and commitment to these students and the Manide tribe.

We recognize that many Filipinos share a genetic heritage with the Manide. In helping them, we aren’t just helping “a tribe”—we are supporting our own history. We look forward to many more joint programs in the Bicol Highlands as we continue to honor this ancient legacy (The University of Sydney, 2021).

References:

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Bayanihan in Bloom: Partnering to Support Bicol’s Oldest Indigenous Community

Posted on December 28, 2025 by Dale Asis

Bayanihan Foundation and MPR Sabon Outlet donate used clothing, rice to Filipino indigenous children, the Manide tribe (December 2025)

In a powerful display of community spirit, the Bayanihan Foundation joined forces with local business MPR Sabon Outlet to deliver over 600 lbs. of rice, clothing, and treats to the Manide tribe in the Bicol Highlands.

Nestled under the shadow of Mt. Labo—a majestic, potentially active stratovolcano straddling Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Quezon—the Manide (also known as the Kabihug) represent a living link to the Philippines’ ancient past. Recent studies suggest they are among the first peoples of the archipelago, with a history in these mountains stretching back over 50,000 years (Pnas.org)

(from left) Dale Asis overlooking the river crossing a tropical jungle in the Bicol Highlands (December 2025)

The Journey into the Wild

Accompanied by Gian Carlo Aceron, Administrative Officer at Kabatuhan Integrated School, I set out for what I thought would be a simple trip from the provincial capital, Daet. It quickly became an unforgettable trek.

We navigated a lush green jungle, crossed two rivers, and hiked through verdant tropical forests. Just as the wilderness seemed endless, a public elementary school appeared at the top of the forest canopy—a beacon of education in the heart of the highlands.

Filipino and Manide children and their parents waiting (December 2025)

A Warm Welcome at Kabatuhan

Waiting for us were approximately 40 children and their families, representing both the local Filipino and Manide communities. The atmosphere was one of immediate action and warmth. Teachers and school staff moved quickly to organize the bags of rice, clothing, and chocolates we had brought.

For the Manide, also known as Abian (“friend”), life is a delicate balance between ancestral tradition and modern survival. Historically nomadic hunters and gatherers, many have now adapted to seasonal work like wild honey gathering and charcoal making. Seeing the smiles on the faces of the children as they received the chocolates—a special donation from Will Dix—was a reminder of why these connections matter.

(from left to right: Dale Asis, Prax Rajas, Margee Rajas) MPR Outlet entrepreneurs Margee and Prax Rajas welcomes Dale Asis as part of their annual gift giving (December 2025)

A Legacy of Giving

This mission was made possible through our partnership with MPR Sabon Outlet, a small enterprise in Daet and Labo. Owners Margee and Prax Rajas have been quietly serving their community for 14 years, donating essentials to local schools every Christmas.

We are deeply grateful to:

  • Margee & Prax Rajas for welcoming the Bayanihan Foundation into their 14-year tradition.
  • Gian Carlo Aceron and the staff at Kabatuhan Integrated School for their tireless dedication to these students.
  • The Manide Community for allowing us to visit their ancestral home.

Recent DNA research shows that many Filipinos share a genetic heritage with the Manide. In helping them, we aren’t just helping “a tribe”—we are supporting our own history. We look forward to many more joint programs in the Bicol Highlands (The University of Sydney, 2021)

Posted in culture, Diaspora Giving, history, identity, philanthropy | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why donated books from Bayanihan Foundation are more than just reads—they’re a legacy at Pililla, Rizal

Posted on November 19, 2025 by Dale Asis

On October 2025, Dale Asis visited the University of Rizal Pililla in Pililla, Rizal and saw the thousands of books donated to the university library over the past few years during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

University librarian Ana Capistrano-Martinez put together the donated books into a wonderful collection that the university students could enjoy and use for years to come. 

(pictured left to right: University of Rizal librarian Ana Capistrano-Martinez and Dale Asis)

The Bayanihan Foundation wishes to acknowledge the generosity of multiple donors, including Vicky Geaga, Robin Alexander, and Willard Dix, who sent thousands of books to the university library. Special thanks go to Lizabel Lozano, a long-time volunteer and supporter of the Bayanihan Foundation, who was instrumental in connecting the foundation with the university library. Lizabel’s family are also long-term residents of Pililla, Rizal.

Many thanks are also due to the numerous volunteers who packed the books, ensuring they arrived safely at the University of Rizal’s Pililla Campus. Most of all, we extend special appreciation to university librarian, Anna Capistrano-Martinez, for carefully receiving the books and for promoting the crucial goals of literacy, lifelong learning, and quality education. These book donations are also made in honor of the late Evelyn Castillo, the foundation’s long-time liaison, who initiated the initial contact and made this successful book donation possible.

University of Rizal Pililla Ana Capistrano-Martinez acknowledged that some of the books were also donated to the local community center in Pililla, Rizal extending the gift of reading and learning beyond the local university (see video below):

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Kindness Is Not a Weakness But a Conscious Choice

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Dale Asis

Dale Asis, President of the Bayanihan Foundation Worldwide, shares this personal essay on his challenges in giving. Many excerpts are from The Portable Carl Jung and the YouTube video below.

Dale Asis, President of the Bayanihan Foundation Worldwide 2025

The Idea Behind the Bayanihan Foundation

In 2009, I had the idea for the Bayanihan Foundation. I garnered the innate goodness of Filipinos in the US and abroad to help Filipinos at home but had no formal channel to direct their giving and intention to help. From this germ of an idea, the Bayanihan Foundation emerged.

In 2025, the spirit of Bayanihan (community giving) continues. So far, the Bayanihan Foundation has raised over $400,000 through individual donors. It has operated with few overhead costs: 97% of all donations go directly to long-term sustainable programs. In addition, I have given considerable support to my extended relatives during the COVID-19 pandemic years.

Plans for 2025 and beyond

For 2025 and beyond, the foundation plans to support the long-term legacy projects it has invested in for the last 10 years:

  • Supporting educational and community projects in Giporlos, Samar, in honor of the late Evelyn Castillo, the foundation’s long-time Philippine Liaison
  • Supporting educational projects in Iligan City, Mindanao, and elsewhere in the Philippines in honor of Dr. Vicente Saavedra and Mrs. Luz Saavedra, the foundation’s long-time supporters
  • Supporting youth development and environmental sustainability projects in Cebu City, Cebu
  • Supporting abandoned and neglected children at risk in General Santos City, Mindanao, and helping them build a future for themselves

The Bayanihan Foundation also plans to support local Filipino community organizations in the US that promote its vision of long-term sustainability and growth for Filipinos in the US and at home.

Personal Challenges I Recently Faced in Giving

The Bayanihan Foundation has had its share of challenges over the years. Many of the foundation’s bulwark supporters and donors have recently passed away, including Dr. Vicente and Mrs. Luz Saavedra, who have supported the foundation over the years. The Bayanihan Foundation’s Liaison, Evelyn Castillo, passed away; she had guided the foundation’s sustainable growth for the last 15 years. In 2024, my mother, Shirley Pintado, also passed away; she inspired me with her generosity and nurturing of community and family over the years. The loss of these giants that have guided the foundation has been earth-shattering. I felt the ground beneath me shook. I felt alone even though many people have supported and donated to the Bayanihan Foundation.

Then, the COVID-19 pandemic happened, and the foundation’s many giving programs in the Philippines had to be suspended.  So, I turned my giving to helping extended relatives in the Philippines ascend from poverty. However, over the three years of helping them, I felt increasingly ignored, and, at many times, they took the help I had given them for granted. I was helping an extended relative go to college, and they only contacted me if they needed some money. They didn’t even share a single photo of them on campus. I felt like their personal ATM. What happened?

I reflected deeply on my altruism and kindness. I asked these two key questions:

  1. Can helping others be seen as a sign of weakness and losing respect for others?
  2. Does giving to others have the negative effect of minimizing, exploiting, or belittling the giver?

I found that I was not respected. My altruism and kindness became a source of suffering rather than a fountain of joy. I was seen as weak and an opportunity to be taken advantage of.

Reflecting on the Wisdom of Carl Jung and His Thoughts on the Psychology of Giving

I recently stumbled upon the works of Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist and psychologist who founded the school of analytical psychology. Jung’s words of wisdom were revealing to me. He says boundless kindness is seen as a weakness; humans are wired to test these boundaries. During the pandemic, I helped another extended relative get on their feet. I helped them pass their US Citizenship exam so they could have better job opportunities and take advantage of the social benefits that US citizenship affords. I helped them with the bureaucratic labyrinth and integrated them into US society.

However, they progressively stopped working throughout the three years of the pandemic.  In 2024, they stopped working, and I was left holding the bag and sending money back home to his relatives to keep them afloat. In 2025, I decided to stop sending the money since I felt they were taking advantage of my generosity. I learned from Jung and his psychological studies that this phenomenon is called the “benevolence exploitation effect.” The shadow of generosity is the risk of becoming invisible. I was being taken for granted, and I existed only as a function of giving, nothing more. Did my kindness and generosity through my giving create this phenomenon? I felt sad and betrayed. My generosity had devolved into something that hurt me.

I have often signaled to my extended family that I was ending my financial support. But when the time came, they were shocked that I did it. They were even mad. Jung says, “If people want to see the good, they will see it. If they want to see the bad, they will see it.” My altruism was seen as an inexhaustible resource, always available and possibly never-ending. I should have set my boundaries early on. I learned that giving without boundaries leads to a vicious cycle. I should have learned to say no more.

There are people out there who are not ready to receive altruism. I have seen this repeatedly with my philanthropy through the Bayanihan Foundation. They think I have an ulterior motive. They kept asking me if I was running for local office or doing all this giving to help a political candidate. They see this selfless giving as weak. Some people view kindness with suspicion, as if it always expects something in return. However, my kindness acts as a mirror and a reminder that there is another way other than quid pro quo. My altruism or my giving through the Bayanihan Foundation challenges this transactional worldview.

I have also been confronted with the idea that my generosity is naive or even seen as a threat. When Dr. Vicente and Mrs. Luz Saavedra, long-time supporters of the Bayanihan Foundation, helped me serve thousands of meals to Filipino Muslims during Eid-Al Fitr without asking for anything, many local officials and leaders felt threatened by our generosity. It challenged their worldview of calculation and self-interest. So, they disparaged our help in serving meals and providing sacks of rice to people experiencing poverty to keep their cynical worldview intact. Jung refers to the shadow as the hidden part of one’s psyche, the view that we refuse to accept about ourselves. My generosity challenges their shadow. This acceptance of altruism forms distrust and hostility. People scoff at altruism because they are not ready to accept it. They are not ready to see beyond the worldview of a dog-eat-dog world.

Jung says, “Kindness is not a weakness but a conscious choice.” 

People will continue to resist the idea that there is an alternative to the capitalistic, transactional nature and that I give because I want something in return. Many people adhere to the patterns of power and opportunism. However, my kindness forces hostility because it confronts their deep worldview of quid pro quo.

Giving With Measure is the Best Lesson

These significant and painful challenges made me pause and think – should I stop giving? Should I stop helping others? Should I succumb to the notion that I give because I want something in return? I resolve to keep giving and helping others because that’s who I am. It gives me joy to help others. However, my most significant reflection is that giving also has a cost. My needs must balance this, or I risk being taken for granted.

I should learn to set boundaries and clear expectations for my giving. I should have defined my limits and communicated them. Carl Jung says, “No one can have a clear conscience without knowing their shadow.” The shadow Jung refers to is the set of repressed impulses humans have.

If I want my kindness to be appreciated rather than exploited, I must learn to manage my giving wisely. My generosity should have boundaries, or my goodness will be the source of suffering. I learned this psychological lesson from Carl Jung in balancing light and shadow. I should always establish measures and boundaries. Generosity is valuable only when it is given with awareness. Giving with measure prevents my giving from being invisible to the receiver’s eyes.

Posted in crab mentality, Diaspora Giving, philanthropy, Philippine poverty, psychology of giving | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Bayanihan – The Spirit of Community Giving

Posted on December 2, 2020 by Dale Asis

In this holiday season, Bayanihan – the spirit of community giving is alive and well. Despite the Covid19 pandemic and the restrictions to travel to the Philippines, the Bayanihan Foundation found ways to continue the spirit of community giving. You can donate and support that community spirit of giving. Donate any amount and 95% of your donation will go directly to programs that will support livelihood programs, education, and emergency relief to help flood victims in the Philippines.

You will support emergency relief to families affected by super typhoons in the Philippines

Flood villages in Vinzos, Camarines Norte, PHilippines where the foundation plans to support emergency relief

You Will Help Distribution of Masks to Prevent Spread of Covid19 in Cebu and in Giporlos

Bayanihan Foundation supports “Kinabuhi Mo, Kinabuhi Ko” (Your Life, My Life) local campaign to distribute masks locally in Cebu, Philippines

You can donate and help support local distribution of much needed masks in Cebu and in Giporlos, Samar. These masks will help stop the spread of Covid19 and keep low-income families in these islands safe.

You can Support Sustainable, Livelihood Programs in General Santos City

Donate any amount you can and your support will help build livelihood programs in General Santos City with the Marcellin Foundation. The Bayanihan Foundation plans to support the livelihood programs there to support out of school youth in General Santos City.

Donations to support Marcellin Foundation’s livelihood programs in General Santos, Philippines

Your Donations Will Help Education and Long-Term Sustainability

Your generous donation will also support building libraries in University of Rizal Pililla and in several high school and elementary schools throughout the islands. The Bayanihan Foundation plans to build libraries in Tuguegarao, Cagayan; in Giporlos, Samar; and in Linamon, Lanao Del Norte; Your donation will go a long way in all three regions of the Philippines – Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Willard Dix (far right) donating books to Linamon High School

Robni Alexander donated 10,000 books to University of Rizal Pililla in honor of her late father

You can donate books or you can donate cash to help us send these books to build much needed libraries and promote education in the Philippine islands.

Support Social Justice and Advocacy for Filipino Amerasians

Bayanihan Foundation photo of Filipino Amerasians

Your donation will also support advocacy for Filipino Amerasians, the long-lost forgotten children of the United States, left behind when the US closure of military bases there. The Bayanihan Foundation supports social justice issues like advocating for Filipino Amerasians.

Bayanihan Spirit is Alive and Well

Despite the Covid19 pandemic, the Bayanihan Foundation continues to plug away and help their Filipino kababayan. The Bayanihan Spirit is alive and well. It lives in you in your continued support. Donate any amount now and you can make a difference. Maraming salamat po!

Posted in Diaspora Donors, Education, environmental sustainability, philanthropy, Philippine poverty | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Coronavirus disproportionately affects Filipino nurses in the US, Philippines

Posted on September 13, 2020 by Dale Asis

Details of this blog post came from “Why the US has so many Filipino nurses” by Christina Thornell, VOX June 2020

I have over 20 cousins, relatives and extended family who are nurses or healthcare workers in a critical healthcare setting during this Covid19 pandemic. My family is not an outlier. Many Filipino families like mine face the same outsize proportion of exposure to the pandemic. The Covid19 pandemic laid bare many deep fissures in health care inequality. Filipino nurses have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus in the US. And that’s because they make up an outsize portion of the nursing workforce in the US. About one-third of all foreign-born nurses in the US are Filipino (Vox, June 2020).

The Covid19 pandemic laid bare the ongoing healthcare deficiency in the Philippines and the coronavirus exacerbated the ongoing severe nursing shortage in the islands. The Philippines has a current shortage of 20,000 nurses. To stem the hemorrhaging, the Philippine government enacted a  temporary ban of Filipino health care workers migrating to the US or abroad as a stopgap measure (Manila Bulletin, September 2020). Is it enough to stem the tide? I don’t think so.

The Covid19 pandemic also laid bare that the long-term migration and recruitment of nurses from the Philippines to the US might not be sustainable. The trend of nurses migrating to the US and other countries has been going on for over 50 years (Vox, June 2020). You can trace it further back when the Philippines was a colony of the US. In the early 20th century, the Americans instituted “benevolent assimilation” and established Americanized hospital training system in the Philippines during their colonial rule. This set up laid the foundation of ongoing recruitment and pipeline of nurses migrating from the Philippines to the US (Choy, Empire of Care, 2003). The constant push and pull of migration of Filipino nurses to the US further exploded when the US enacted the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) of 1965.

The Covid19 pandemic will someday be over and everything will return to the way it was. So should the status quo of constant migration of Filipino nurses to the US continue? How about the the racial discrimination of Filipino nurses in the US; the ‘glass ceiling’ of  having only lower paying nursing positions of bedside care available to Filipino nurses; the ‘English only’ discriminatory rules; and the lower pay compared to native born nurses?

Both the US and Philippine governments have benefited from exporting nursing labor. The Philippines cannot just stop and turn off the spigot of nursing migration. It needs the remittances these workers send back home. Remittances accounts for more than 10% of the country’s GDP. The Philippines is also the largest exporter of nurses in the world, sending over 20,000 nurses to the US and worldwide every year and the critical care they provide to the US healthcare system is badly needed (Vox, June 2020).

To make a long story short – it’s complicated. At the same time I don’t think the status quo should remain. There must be a better solution to this healthcare inequality both in the US and the Philippines. If this is not solved, the outsize toll on Filipino healthcare workers will continue. My cousins who are nurses and health care workers and generations more of nurses coming through the pipeline will continue to bear the brunt of this health care inequality.

Posted in colonialism, government, Immigration, Labor | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Philippine English is Legit. Oxford English Dictionary Says So

Posted on August 28, 2020 by Dale Asis

 

Zoom Call Philippine Embassy Spain & Dr Salazar Oxford English Dictionary Aug 2020

Zoom Call with Philippine Embassy Spain and Dr. Danica Salazar of Oxford English Dictionary (August 2020)

Major portion of this blog post comes from ABS-CBN News “Philippine English is Legitimate, Says Oxford English Dictionary Editor” August 2020

It’s official. Philippine English accent is a legitimate variety of the English language, according to Dr. Danica Salazar, world English editor for the Oxford English Dictionary, the principal historical dictionary of the English language.

“The Philippine English is not slang. It is not wrong. It is not carabao English, or any other derogatory word that’s been used over the years,” Dr. Salazar said during a Zoom call with the Philippine Embassy Spain celebrating “buwan ng wika” (Language Month) last August 2020.

Dr. Salazar said that just like British, American, Australian, and Singaporean variants, Philippine English plays an important role in the historical development of the language, which the Oxford English Dictionary seeks to document.

“Philippine English, just like American English or British English, or Indian English or Singapore English, are all part of the same story,” she added. “We all have a role to play in this. Philippine English has as much of a place in the history in the lexicon of the English language as all these other varieties,” Dr. Salazar said (Philippine English is Legitimate, ABS-CBN News August 2020).

PHILIPPINE ENGLISH ACCENT Is Acceptable Like British English

Salazar also pointed out how Filipinos have their own unique way of speaking in English, and that this is something that should be embraced and not be ashamed of.  She noted how some people try to sound American or British, under the impression that this is the “right” way to communicate using the English language.

“I’ve been living in the UK for seven years now, and nobody’s ever told me, ‘I don’t understand you.’ And I speak with a totally Philippine English accent,” Dr. Salazar said.

“The accent and the words that we use, these are a reflection of our identity, of our culture,” she explained. “And adapting languages to suit a communicative means is something that everyone does. Americans adapted British English, Australians did the same, people in New Zealand do the same. So why can’t we do the same?”

I’ve grew up thinking that Philippine English accent is not acceptable and that we always have to sound ‘American’, or even better sound ‘British’. Years ago, some of my younger relatives were trying to correct the accent of my mother who was clearly speaking with a totally Philippine English accent. Not anymore! Philippine English accent is legit. Speakers of the Philippine English accent, rejoice. “Hindi na ito ikanakakahiya” (we should not be ashamed) of this accent. This hiya (shame) of speaking with an accent is part our long-term colonial mentality; if we can only sound like our colonial masters.

Philippine English – “Hindi na ito ikanakakahiya” (we should be ashamed) of this accent 

Dr. Salazar went on to share that the Philippine accent is “one of the most understandable accents in the world. This is one of the reasons why our call center industry in the Philippines is so successful,” she said.

“We don’t need to sound American to speak English correctly,” she stressed, adding, “We don’t have to waste our time in the classroom trying to twist our students’ tongues in shapes that they can’t make.”

 

 

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Fill Out Your 2020 US Census Form

Posted on August 3, 2020 by Dale Asis
200117-2020-census-magazine-ad-filipino-ew-445p_57d482b723213ef369d4b4e5e113d7e9.fit-2000w

The 2020 Census magazine ad in Tagalog promoting Filipinos in the US to complete their US Census Form (photo courtesy of 2020 US Census)

The Bayanihan Foundation encourages all Filipinos in the US to fill out their 2020 US Census form, regardless of their US Citizenship status. Conducted every 10 years, the census is used to decide the number of seats awarded to states in the House of Representatives, how representative boundaries are drawn, and how more than $675 billion a year in federal funds is distributed. It’s also used in determining which states and counties are required to provide voter language assistance according to the Voting Rights Act. Asian Americans are least likely to fill out the census form — and most concerned their answers will be used against them — according to a survey released in January 2019 by the Census Bureau.

Some people in the community, especially those who are undocumented, are concerned about the confidentiality of the census results after the Trump Administration tried to add a citizenship question to the census form. The U.S. Supreme Court blocked the move, but that hasn’t assuaged the fears (Medill Reports, March 2020). Concerns remain regarding the citizenship question, despite a Supreme Court decision in June that ruled otherwise.

Top Five Highlights of Filipinos Living in the US, 2018 US Census Community Survey

US Census reveals so much information about Filipino Americans in the US. Be counted, In 2018, here’s five top highlights of Filipinos living in the US (Migration Policy Institute, July 2020):

  1. Filipino immigrants represent the fourth-largest, foreign born group in the US following from Mexico, India, and China. In 2018, just over 2 million Filipinos lived in the United States, accounting for 4.5 percent of the country’s 44.7 million immigrants.
  2. Filipinos in the US continue to be concentrated in California. In the 2014-18 period, immigrants from the Philippines were highly concentrated in California (43 percent), followed distantly by Hawaii (6 percent). The next four most populous states—Texas, Illinois, New York, and Nevada—were home to 18 percent of the Filipino population collectively. The top four counties by Filipino concentration were Los Angeles and San Diego counties in California, Honolulu County in Hawaii, and Clark County in Nevada. Together these counties accounted for 25 percent of Filipinos in the United States.

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    Top Metropolitan Areas of Residence for Filipinos in the United States, 2014-18 (courtesy of Migration Policy Institute)

  3. Filipinos in the US are slightly older than other immigrant groups, many arriving before 2000. In 2018, Filipinos were older than the overall foreign- and U.S.-born populations. The Filipino median age was 51 years, compared to 45 years for all immigrants and 36 years for the native born. This is largely due to the disproportionately high number of Filipino seniors: 24 percent of Filipinos were 65 or older, versus 16 percent of both the overall foreign- and native-born populations.
  4. Significant portion of the Filipino population in the US continue to be undocumented. Although the vast majority of Filipino immigrants in the United States are legally present, approximately 313,000 were unauthorized in the 2012-16 period, according to Migration Policy Institute (MPI) estimates, comprising approximately 3 percent of the 11.3 million unauthorized population. MPI also estimated that significant portion of the population did not participate in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program when it was introduced in 2012.
  5. ‘Padala’ remains king. In 2019, Filipinos living abroad sent more than $35 billion in remittances to the Philippines via formal channels, according to the World Bank’s estimate. Remittances more than doubled in the past decade and represented about 10 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019.

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    ‘Padala’ Annual Remittance Flows to the Philippines, 1990 to 2019 (courtesy of Migration Policy Institute)

 

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The Poor Hit Hardest in US and Philippines Covid-19 Struggle

Posted on July 12, 2020 by Dale Asis

Both the United States and the Philippines are hit hard by Covid-19. As of July 2020, the US have a staggering 3.2 million cases and over 137,000 deaths (New York Times, July 2020). Many of those afflicted are in the South and West, including California where almost half of all Filipino Americans live. The Philippines is also reeling from Covid-19 as the pandemic shut down the country and literally slammed the breaks in the economy. This caused untold pain for millions of Filipinos, with hunger and begging on the rise (National Public Radio NPR, July 2020). The ones who are most afflicted are the poor; they were disadvantaged even before Covid-19 hit. Now they’re situations are worse, including the abandoned children and orphans at Marcellin Foundation in General Santos City, Philippines.

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Dale Asis (far right) and Evelyn Castillo (second to the right) joins a class of orphans and abandoned children with the Marcellin Foundation in General Santos City, Philippines (January 2019)

Supporting orphans in General Santos City, Mindanao

In 2019, the Bayanihan Foundation started supporting abandoned children and orphans in General Santos City, Mindanao. The city is located in the southern tip of Mindanao island with over 500,000 residents. International boxer and politician Manny Pacquiao hails from the city of GenSan, as many locals call their city. The Bayanihan Foundation partners with the Marcellin Foundation with Brother Crispin Betita, FMS with the Marist Brothers Catholic congregation.

(left to right): Evelyn Castillo, Bayanihan Foundation Liaison; Brother Crispin Betita, FMS; and Dale Asis at Marcellin Foundation (January 2019)

The Marcellin Foundation is part of a growing international community of Catholic Religious Institute of Brothers (FMS). In 1817, St. Marcellin Champagnat, a priest (Marist Father, SM) from France, founded the Marist Brothers, with the goal of educating young people, especially those that are most neglected.  Brother Crispin established the Marcellin Foundation following that same vision of providing quality education to youth who are most vulnerable and disadvantaged.

However, Covid19 has hit hard the Marcellin Foundation as the orphanage funding sources have started to dry up. Bayanihan Foundation wants to step in and help as much it can and support much needed food, rice, and supplies for the orphan boys under Fr. Crispin’s care.

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(left to right): Brother Crispin Betita, FMS and one of the boys staying at the Marcellin Foundation share a light-hearted moment.   The orphanage is geared towards Filipino Muslim and indigenous orphans and abandoned children in General Santos City, Philippines.

The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation and the ones that are the most afflicted are the poor and disadvantaged including the orphan children at Marcellin Foundation. They’re situation is worse. Would you be able to help? Any amount is welcome and will provide much needed food and supplies to these orphans. 100% of your donation will go directly to help these vulnerable children.

charitable donations to help orphan children affected by Covid-19

Help the most vulnerable orphans and abandoned children in General Santos, Philippines

$20.00

Posted in Diaspora Giving, Disaster Relief, homelessness, Poverty, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment