Fil-Ams commemorate People Power by calling for a "new brand" of People Power: GMA Watch and BAYAN USA calls for increased action in the US against Arroyo

Contact:Rob McCauleyGMA WATCH(206) 383-7209rob.mccauley@teamsters763.orgJeff RiceBAYAN USA National Officer(206) 291-8078edjop82@gmail.comJoanne AlcantaraGABRIELA-USA(206) 427-2994gabrielawomen@gmail.comThe US Chapter of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, or BAYAN USA, will join its mother alliance's call for commemorative week long actions surrounding the anniversary of People Power 1. On Monday February 25th, the umbrella group BAYAN Philippines will be joining a broader call of church leaders, civil libertarians, and business leaders for the immediate resignation of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, following a high-end dialogue of various Philippine sectors in the Makati Business Club last Tuesday.The Arroyo clan has recently been exposed of high dealings in graft and corruption as ZTE-NBN Broadband scandal star witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada testified last week to the Philippine Congress."We agree that Gloria will be facing a 'new brand' of people power, certainly one where more Filipino-Americans will take a stand, make more noise, and contribute to the anti-corruption, pro-democracy movement in the Philippines," states BAYAN USA Finance Officer Jeff Rice. "We are calling on all patriotic Filipinos in the Seattle area who are concerned with the state of the Motherland to join together in this time of crisis."BAYAN Philippines Secretary-General Renato Reyes Jr. noted, "Perhaps the difference with people power today is that its seeds are emerging from various sectors of society despite there being no Cardinal Sin to call for it. People power is springing forth from the grassroots, the schools, factories, communities, businesses, with various political formations are coming together. It is spreading despite the limitations of the church hierarchy.""Now more than ever, we need to recall the lessons of people power and so we can come up with an improved version for our times. The new people power will not simply be led by any religious leader a la Cardinal Sin. Nor will it just seek to replace one regime with a worse one. We have certainly learned lessons from EDSA 1 and EDSA 2," Reyes added.The theme of the BAYAN protest actions will be People Power Pa Rin! (People Power Still!), a call that is growing popular even among overseas Filipinos in various countries. BAYAN USA has a considerable number of second and third generation Filipino members in the US who fully unite with the call and understand its relevance."Nothing is impossible. After 20 years of living under the iron fist of Marcos, the Filipino people made the so-called 'impossible' happen with People Power 1, and again with Estrada with People Power 2. These experiences prove that the Filipino people can make this new brand of People Power possible-- one that will reject the corruption and moral bankruptcy of Trapo (traditional politician) politics, and one that will not allow another Trapo to simply replace Gloria. Even second-generation Fil-Ams can smell what is rotten about Arroyo from 30,000 miles away and know that the Philippine system needs to change," states BAYAN USA Chair, Chito Quijano.BAYAN USA hopes to mounts actions with allies and friends in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and other cities in the US calling for the resignation or ouster of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo next week. BAYAN USA also calls on all sympathetic forces in the United States to mount creative actions calling for the immediate removal of Arroyo.In Seattle, a series of actions will take place calling for the ouster of the Philippine President. All events are sponsored by GMA Watch, Bayan USA and GABRIELA USA. The week of March 10th, Edith Burgos, mother of missing farmer and activist Jonas Burgos, will travel across the nation in a national speaking tour to raise the level of awareness on the ongoing forced disappearances of activists in the Philippines. She has presented her case to the United Nations Commission for Human Rights and has garnered the attention of the international community on the state of human rights abuses under the hands of the Philippine government.THURSDAY, February 28, 8pm.Nationwide Candlelight Vigil for Victims of the Arroyo RegimeUniversity of Washington Red Square in front of Suzallo LibraryFRIDAY, February 29.5:30pm Rally at Komo News 46:30pm Vigil at Seattle Center FountainMONDAY, March 3rd, 6-8pmPotluck Dinner and Community Teach InGran Oriente (117 - 15th Avenue South, Seattle)SATURDAY, March 8th, 12noon.International Women's Day Rally to Oust GMAFeaturing First Quarter StormJose Rizal Park (1008-12th Avenue South, Seattle)TUESDAY, March 11, 6:30pmEdith Burgos, mother of human rights victimSpeaking Event at Bethany UCC6230 Beacon Avenue SouthWe call on all Filipino people, friends and allies to stand against a corrupt government and say "Enough is enough! People Power Pa Rin! We demand an accountable government in the Philippines! Oust Gloria Now!