Fil-Ams split in the coming US election

There are clear indications that many Filipino Americans around the United States are split on who they will vote for in the coming US election. I suppose it only follows on what most indicative polls say that it will be a toss-up between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump.

I was in Cleveland, Ohio upon the invitation of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs (CCWA) president, Ambassador Heather Hodges, to speak before the Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations on the topic of “regional security in Southeast Asia.” I’m told Ohio has a vibrant Filipino American community coming from the medical profession.

A member of the World Affairs Council of America, the CCWA is a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 1923 whose mission is to raise awareness on foreign affairs and promote global understanding through international exchanges, student initiatives, public diplomacy programs and speaker programs where think tank and academic experts, government officials, as well as current and former diplomats are invited to explore timely international topics.

The CCWA “brings the world to Cleveland,” in a manner of speaking, through the many engagements it arranges with key officials and individuals on relevant global issues such as the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East. I was therefore very happy to engage with key figures and thought leaders present and “bring the Philippines” to Cleveland, especially during the fireside chat that followed my speech.

I have in fact been doing the rounds of speaking engagements, traveling from Washington, DC to several states around the US to fulfill my mandate of raising the profile of the Philippines in the United States amid the upcoming US presidential election. I talk about US-Philippines relations and the continuing security and defense cooperation between our two countries, the challenges that we face in the West Philippine Sea in light of the continuing aggression from China, but more importantly, I highlight the numerous investment opportunities in various sectors, knowing full well that this will go a long way in achieving economic prosperity, which is key to achieving economic security.

During the well-attended CCWA event, I spoke about US-Philippines relations and the strategic challenges in the South China Sea, sharing our efforts to defend the rules-based international order. We know very well that the South China Sea is a vital and critical global artery whose economic significance cannot be over-emphasized. It is one of the busiest maritime routes where about 64 percent of the world’s total goods are transported, which is why protecting it is crucial to the preservation not only of regional peace but also global peace.

As a small nation of peace-loving people, the Philippines has always focused on its internal and domestic challenges until our sovereignty was threatened by a giant nation. But to this day, we continue to fight for what is rightfully ours – always guided by diplomacy and international law because we don’t want to see conflict erupt in our part of the world.

Despite the unrelenting aggression and coercion exhibited by the China Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippines continues to explore measures such as preventive diplomacy and dialogue, keeping communication channels open, sustaining dialogue at various levels and seeking an atmosphere conducive to sincere and meaningful discussion. We also maintain regional engagement with ASEAN, strengthening partnerships with other claimant states in the context of the Code of Conduct negotiations and through bilateral engagements. Alliances and partnerships with like-minded nations across the globe are also reinforced as we amplify our call for adherence to international law and the international rules-based order.

There was a lot of interest during the question-and-answer segment, and I was very pleased to meet many of the attendees who told me they have been in the Philippines and have a very strong affection for Filipinos. This is not really surprising because we have a very strong Filipino American community in Cleveland and in Ohio itself (which is perceived to be a Republican state – although the residents of Cleveland are divided between Republicans and Democrats, from what I am told).

Cleveland is famous for being the location of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (or simply, the Rock Hall) museum that houses a treasure trove of memorabilia from some of the most iconic rock and roll artists such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. It has exhibits that document the roots and history of the music genre and the pioneers of rock such as Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley.

During my visit, I also had lunch with community leaders and our Honorary Consul in Cleveland, Dr. Susan Flores, at the Philippine-American Cultural and Civic Center for the Fil-Am History Month that is celebrated in October. I also had the opportunity to be a guest of Gabriel Kramer, WKSU radio host, where we discussed most pressing current issues like the West Philippine Sea and the upcoming US presidential election.

We have a very dynamic Fil-Am community in Cleveland, many of whom are doctors, nurses and engineers, and they are very active in promoting Filipino culture with meaningful activities. One of their initiatives is to build a Philippine cultural garden at the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. Located at the 254-acre Rockefeller Park, the Cleveland Cultural Gardens features a collection of gardens by various nationalities and their heritage, reflective of the growing diversity in the area.

Members of the Filipino American community pooled their own resources to build the Filipino cultural center which gives us an indication that when we need to, we can always unite – but as expected, politics more often than not divides us.

*      *      *

Email: [email protected]