{"id":27685,"date":"2014-10-02T16:41:00","date_gmt":"2014-10-02T08:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=27685"},"modified":"2014-10-02T16:59:39","modified_gmt":"2014-10-02T08:59:39","slug":"despite-warnings-from-consul-filipino-groups-unify-with-hk-protest-movement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2014\/10\/02\/despite-warnings-from-consul-filipino-groups-unify-with-hk-protest-movement\/","title":{"rendered":"Despite warnings from consul, Filipino groups unify with HK protest movement"},"content":{"rendered":"
\""Mong<\/a>
“Mong Kok protesters sitting down blocking Nathan Road, a hugely busy Kowloon thoroughfare. Quite a sight #HongKong” (Photo courtesy of Katy Lee on Twitter)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

HONG KONG\u2014\u201cWe brought along our kids because this is a teaching opportunity for them to learn that, \u2018You know, your freedom, you have to fight for it,\u201d stated \u201cMang Ben\u201d (not his real name); one of many Filipino permanent residents of Hong Kong who have decided to take part in the ongoing protest for democracy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe brought them so that they will also be aware of what\u2019s going on. It\u2019s not just for fun. It\u2019s also a teaching moment for them,\u201d he added, as he was interviewed by reporters from the Inquirer.<\/p>\n

The student-led \u201cUmbrella Revolution\u201d began four days ago; fueled by demands for China to allow the city to hold fully democratic elections.<\/p>\n

Pro-democracy demonstrators, numbering in the thousands, gathered at major thoroughfares \u2013 disrupting traffic, bus routes and subway operations \u2013 near government offices on Sunday to decry China\u2019s decision to limit political reforms in the semi-autonomous city. The protest targets, in particular, the elections in 2017.<\/p>\n

Filipinos in Hong Kong were strongly urged by the Philippine Consulate General taking part in the demonstrations, but residents like \u201cMang Ben\u201d \u2013 who has resided in Hong Kong for the last 25 years \u2013 feel otherwise.<\/p>\n

\u201cHong Kong has given us so much economic benefits, for Filipinos particularly. [W]e want to give back,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

There are an estimated 185,000 Filipinos living and working in Hong Kong; 15,000 of whom have acquired permanent resident status. The latest figures from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas pegs the number of Filipino in Hong Kong at 195,000.<\/p>\n

The Filipinos came out with their cameras and yellow-ribbons, a throwback to the Philippines\u2019 EDSA revolution in 1986, which “Mang Ben” recounted is what the Hong Kong demonstration is akin to.<\/p>\n

Despite having been dispersed with tear gas on Sunday by police, the crowd has swelled in the Admiralty district, in the areas of Causeway Bay, the Wan Chai nightlife district and the harbor in Mong Kok on the Kowloon peninsula.<\/p>\n

Since the incident, however, police have mainly observed the demonstration \u2013 largely peaceful in nature \u2013 from behind barricades.<\/p>\n

\u201cMang Ben\u201d pointed out that the protest is very well-organized; noting the courtesy displayed by fellow-protestors. He also commended the student leaders for their knowledge and efficiency at answering queries about the demonstration.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re very well organized. We interviewed some students and they know the issues. That is surprising. They have a good grasp of the issues, what\u2019s at stake. That\u2019s why we were encouraged,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Philippine Consul General Bernardita Catalla reiterated the consulate\u2019s earlier request for Filipinos not to get involved with the protest.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we believe in democracy\u2014our heroes fought and died for freedom and many of our countrymen were imprisoned or went to the mountains for freedom\u2014I would just like to remind everyone that we are here to work and we know there are limits to what we can do here,\u201d Catalla said, as she spoke before a group of Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong on Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, stay away from the areas where protests are [going on], we don\u2019t want to be involved. Let\u2019s always remember that Hong Kong is part of China. Hong Kong is China\u2019s Hong Kong,\u201d she stressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd my priority is to keep your life and employment protected. We are here to work. This is not our country. Our families are back in the Philippines. Let us not get involved,\u201d Catalla added.<\/p>\n

\u201cMang Ben\u201d and his group \u2013 comprised of more than 20 Filipino men, women, and children \u2013 expressed, however, that an atmosphere of safety prevails in the areas of demonstration.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fear is there would be a Tiananmen Square-style crackdown so [the protesters] are also careful. But it\u2019s very safe here. And with you, the press, focusing here, I don\u2019t think that will happen. I hope they will not,\u201d he told the Inquirer media representatives.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs permanent residents of Hong Kong, we are part of Hong Kong society and we have the rights and the freedoms \u2026 so we also share in supporting, being one with the Hong Kong people,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

HONG KONG\u2014\u201cWe brought along our kids because this is a teaching opportunity for them to learn that, \u2018You know, your …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":27227,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1482,1145,17],"tags":[8054,8053],"class_list":["post-27685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-breaking","category-headline","category-news-w","tag-hk-protests","tag-umbrella-revolution","mauthors-angie-duarte","mauthors-philippine-canadian-inquirer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27685"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27685\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}