It has been a great experience volunteering for the John Avalos for Mayor campaign with everyone from Filipinos for Avalos. It only reconfirmed my support for John and what he’s trying to do.

I’ve always been one to be pessimistic about politicians and the whole political system in general. You can’t study history and not be somewhat apathetic. We’ve seen many candidates speak of very populist ideas, but eventually be eaten up by their own ego and individual aspirations.

What I’ve seen in this campaign is exactly what we should see everywhere if we’re truly trying to be a democracy. A campaign not run by huge amounts of corporate money. A campaign supported by an army of community volunteers who really believe in the candidate, not people looking to build a resume or climb up the political ladder. A campaign that emphasizes building a movement of people, not placing all our bets on one person.

Whether it is phone banking or door knocking or putting on door hangers or passing out fliers or forwarding facebook or twitter updates, people from all different walks of life and places have contributed to this campaign. This was a community effort if I ever saw one. No natter what the numbers say, we’ve won. I know that’s what every other campaign will say, but we’ll be able to say it while spending a lot less money, no debt, and on the way to building a long-term movement.

This campaign was never all about John. Sure, he’s the guy we rallied around and his name we’ve been talking about non-stop for weeks. But his ideas come from the struggles and triumphs of people. We all knew from the beginning that whether got John to be mayor or not, we have to build a stronger people’s movement for change in the city. Only then can we have enough people power to fight off the influence of the big banks and corporations. To build a more progressive San Francisco.

John started off the campaign later than others and with little money. Now he’s the main challenger to current mayor, Ed Lee. Money shouldn’t run democracy. People should. Now let’s prove it in San Francisco.

Dear Kuya E.,

It really sucks having to write this to you right now. Everything feels really heavy right now. There’s a part of me that wants to believe that I’m still sleeping and this is just some horrible nightmare. I’ll wake up and I’ll see you tweet about today being the last Giants game.

I found out this morning when my sister woke me up with a phone call. I thought it was going to be about me flying to San Diego this weekend. She sounded distressed, asking if what people were saying about you was true. Trying to gather my thoughts, I went to the only place that would confirm everything: facebook.

There I had my worst fears confirmed. As I scanned my newsfeed (which, by the way, as much as we’ve complained about it, worked out for a day like this), I saw post after post express sadness/ confusion/ disbelief/ appreciation for who you are. As each post passed by, any hope that this was just some kind of cruel joke crumbled away

But as the darkness of accepting your departure from this world entered, the light of your memory shined through each heartfelt sharing from your friends. In the end, that will overtake whatever sadness we feel. Because we know you gave everyone so much joy and happiness.

That was the funny part about you. You always wore dark clothing. You wouldn’t pretty up your opinions with flowery words. You were are real. You’re a big, intimidating Filipino dude with tats and piercings. But what you gave to people was far from darkness or fear. I will never forget your matching laugh, grin, and hugs. They were all big, warm, and truly genuine. Your honesty didn’t just come in the form of sharp criticisms, but in how much you loved, cared, and missed them. That’s what made you different from a lot of us. You always told people how you felt about them, without fear of being too vulnerable or looking like too much of a sap.

You embody some of the best characteristics of our community (community as in Filipino/ Fil-Am/ Asian/ Asian-Am/ theater arts, Bay Area/ etc. however you want). You didn’t need a college degree or formal letters before and after your name to prove your worth to the community you served. You proved to many of us that being present in the struggles of people is the most important thing. The youth you worked with didn’t treat you with respect because of some hierarchical or authoritarian relationship, but because they respected you as one of them. You embodied the South of Market immigrant community and the struggles they go through. At Bindlestiff. you helped remind us that theater should serve and be there for the under-served SOMA community. Especially when those of us from other parts of the world would forget.

Personally, I want to thank you for all you’ve done and will continue to do for me. You helped me get adjusted in my first few years here. As much Bay Area/ SF pride you have, you showed much love to us out-of-towners and never made me feel like an outsider. You helped look after me, especially after my sister moved back to San Diego. The lessons and discussions we’ve had over the years will stick with me for as long as I’m on this Earth.

We would spend days (literally) discussing politics (local and global), religion, music, films, theater, rants on stupidity and just general “fuckery”. Even if we didn’t agree on everything, we never let that ruin the foundation of unity and friendship we built. I’m grateful for our road trips to San Diego and you got to meet mine and my sister’s family.

Through all these emotions that have raced through my body today, I know the most important thing is continue the legacy you left us. We should always tell our folks that we love then, without fear or hesitation. We need to continue to fight for people and their basic needs. We should greet everyone with a big hug and smile. Because, as we’ve seen today, it makes a world of difference.

I really regret losing touch with you the past few years. I was looking forward to seeing you more with the re-opening of the theater.

Speaking of which, I am truly grateful and will always treasure being there with you the day Bindlestiff re-opened. The last thing we talked about was our excitement for the Family Reunion Show and the return of 8th Wonder. I remember telling you “I’ll see you at the Family Reunion”. Little did I know, it had a more significant meaning than just a show. The last direct contact I had with you was via instagram after I posted a picture of the Stiff. You said to me: “good times brother. We’re home.”

You’ve gone home, to where we’ve all come from. I’m sure I’ll see you there someday. To greet me with a giant hug and smile.

Your brother from this life till the next,

Lylito

On the way here, I got to check off one thing from my bucket list: fly into a Tokyo airport. I’ll say this about Japan: outside of the city, it’s hella green. I don’t think they waste one acre of land. But that’s just based off what I saw on the descent.

When I finally got into Manila (after about 15 hours of flight), past memories started to come back. That’s the funny thing about airports, its always your last memory and the thing that greets you when you return. It helps with the adjustment process.

When you walk off that plane, the humidity smacks you in the face like a good wake up call: you’re not in Kansas anymore.

After you grab your boxes and head out of the airport, you’re faced with the reminder why you’re here: the people. Many of whom are waiting for their loved ones to arrive, some looking to snatch something from an unsuspecting newcomer. And when you walk out, you’re surrounded by your fellow travelers, some very well off (yeah, I see your very expensive luggage), others who were just barely able to afford the airfare. By the way, there were some creepsters on my flight. Like “To Catch A Predator”-kind-of creepsters. Simply, it was uncomfortable.

Luckily, I didn’t have to wait long for my greeters, Carlo and Brutus to find me (sorry for sending you my itinerary late). We loaded up a taxi and then I was met with the number sign that I just arrived from America: I tried to put on a seat belt. Silly me.

So my internet cafe time is ending and the last thing I’ll say is that it’s fraking raining like a mother here. I got caught without a jacket or an umbrella the other day. It felt like I got caught in an outdoor hot shower. Thank you rainy season.

Till the next time.

Sucker Punch – 2011 – Dir. Zack Snyder – 120 min. – U.S.

In today’s movie landscape, there are three (general) types of movies. One that relies on a compelling story and excellent acting (i.e.  The King’s Speech). Another that relies on stunning graphic effects and the more-often-than-not gimmicky element of 3-D (it’s like adding stickers to a car…neither really make it that much better). The third is a rare one that is able to blend the visual effects with solid story (i.e. The Dark Knight). Sucker Punch tries to be that third type and might be a bit more successful at it…if movies like Inception and Shutter Island didn’t come out the previous year.

Zack Snyder has established a unique visual style as seen in 300 and Watchmen, with a lot of slow motion and blood spattered all over the place. But while he’s able to make your eyes feel like they’re having sex with the movie screen, none of his movies have been incredibly strong in the story/ character development department. That leads me to Sucker Punch (which has been, so far, his worst reviewed movie on Rotten Tomatoes).

The film starts out with a visually and musically beautiful sequence to explain the back story. This was my favorite part of the whole movie:

After this, you travel through multiple layers of realities as the main character, Babydoll (played by Emily Browning) leads a pack of other institutionalized girls to escape the iron bars of their mental institution. It makes you feel like you’re in a teenager’s version of Inception, flashy and underdeveloped.

My main beef with the film is how it’s devoid of character and story development. The film starts out with enough promise, then falls flat once Babydoll starts talking (which is about 25 min. into the film). Babydoll proceeds to have the exact same expression on her face for the next hour and a half. I saw more character from her in the beginning sequence than in the rest of the film. Her fellow escapees give you even less. Some of it is internal to the script, some of it is lame acting, for at least half it’s both (take a guess).

Babydoll just doesn’t show a lot of desperation or emotion when it comes to escaping the arrival of the High Roller. As their plan of action races against the time of the High Roller’s arrival, she doesn’t do anything but state facts (“he’s coming in ___ days”). She doesn’t do anything to build up the pressure of running out of time, which takes the suspense out of it. It’s even worst because none of her other co-conspirators are working on a time crunch, so no one seems to be in any rush to get out of there…when it’s the entire premise of the movie! Then when the build up comes for the “twist” at the end, instead of feeling like a big revelation (which I believe was the intention), I thought to myself “well…she seemed indifferent about it anyway, so that’s not surprising.” If she doesn’t care about getting lobotomized, as an audience member, why should I?

Through all this lack of giving a f— about the characters, you’ve supposed to weave through a story that tries to seem smart, but gets lazy in the middle and gives up. You think “oh cool, alternate reality in ANOTHER alternate reality.” Except…you forget there is another reality and they no way try to link the different realities together and show how they relate so in the end, the multiple layers don’t really matter.  They could have intertwined the various realities together much better and have them interact with each other, instead of keeping them separate entities that made you forget which one you were in. And no, just because she stabbed someone at the end doesn’t make up for the lack of thoughtfulness throughout the movie.

Would it have been a better movie if it were an R rating? Perhaps. It would have given the filmmakers more freedom to explore different issues and scenes without the fear of censorship. And no I’m not just saying that just to see more skin or sexy-time moments. Sometimes directors and producers are too worried about making sure the regulators are happy instead of creating a complete story.

But there were parts of the film I did like. As I mentioned earlier, the opening sequence was great. The way Snyder blends music and action sequences together is truly his strength. I wish he would stick to making music videos or being a cinematographer. This film was kinda marketed like 300, but instead of half-naked guys with swords you had half-naked girls with guns. I’m glad Snyder is an equal opportunity skin and weapon person.

Oh, and what was up with explaining the moral of the story at the end? I hate that. It’s like admitting that you didn’t do a good enough job explaining it in the movie or you think your audience is that dense. It’s like if after the end of Schinlder’s List, they said in a voice “don’t exterminate an entire group of people” or at the end of Independence Day “there’s only one race…the human race.” Okay, so Bill Pullman said it in his speech…it wasn’t a great movie anyway.

Overall, it was a very pretty movie. But you don’t pay money just to watch something pretty. You can go out and explore nature for free. So don’t waste your money on this. In fact, watch the best scene in the movie for free on youtube. The only reason to watch this is to see girls shoot a bunch of guns and kill steam-powered Germans. Leave it to Zack Snyder to make you feel cheap while shelling out a ton of money. He now moves onto directing the next Superman reboot. Hopefully with Christopher Nolan as a producer, Snyder won’t be able to get away with another lackluster effort.

I watched a handful early in the year, then stopped when I had to move. Started to pick up a little more towards the end of the year. Oh, and as you can tell, I was only able to watch more mainstream stuff. So no international and super-indie films. But I always welcome recommendations.

(in no particular order)

1) Inception

Director: Christopher Nolan

-So lets start out with the most popular one out of my list. Yes, this got hyped beyond belief. It seemed like a lot of people who saw it turned into film experts overnight. And these same people, when upon learning you hadn’t seen it yet, would treat the spoilers like government secrets. I waited until I went to San Diego for Comic-Con to watch it. Normally with hype, I turn into a cynic and anticipate the giant expectations not to be matched. But after watching this, I had to admit defeat and say it was actually really good. Did it deserve all the hype? I don’t think so. Was it the best movie I had ever seen? Nope. But you had to admit it was well made and the thing that always separates the good films from the bad ones: the details. You could tell Nolan took his time and made sure he thought about everything. And to this day (despite article after article discussing it), debates arise over what the meaning of the ending is. This was the default movie-to-watch for 2010.

2) Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Director: Edgar Wright

-If you didn’t see this movie…don’t feel bad. Really, nobody did. And it’s quite a shame too because this was definitely a very unique film. It tried to fit several books of the Scott Pilgrim series all in less than two hours. Quite a task and is at least part of the reason why the pacing of the film made you feel like you were running the 100-meter dash. It’s kinda “Napoleon Dynamite”, in the sense that it’s a film that has a very different style to it, thus will be very polarizing. I know people who loved it and people who thought it was horrible. The amount of video game references made my heart weep and some of the scenes are so over-the-top, it had to have come from a comic. The viewing experience was really fun and it’s sad how not enough movies give you that. And I’ve always wanted a pee bar to show up every time I go to the bathroom.

3) Kick-Ass

Director: Matthew Vaughn

-Another film based on a comic book. Another film that was just a lot of fun. But a whole lot more violent. You get to see the evolution of a teenager, who has no superpowers, as he turns into a masked crime fighter. I loved pretty much everything about this movie; the theme, action, acting, music, etc. And who can’t love a film where a really young girl curses up a storm and kills dozens of grown men? Okay, I can think of a few people, but not myself. I loved that most of the action scenes required little to no special effects…just pure imagination and a really small stunt double. I can’t wait for a sequel to come out soon.

4) The Social Network

Director: David Fincher

-My main gripes with this film is its factual inaccuracies and horrible portrayal of women. Everything else about it has made it a lock for the annual awards shows. Looking at it from a film making, storytelling lens, it’s a compelling story. It’s full of drama, betrayal, power, greed, etc. Everything that keeps one interested in a movie. The acting performances were great…yes, that’s including Justin Timberlake. The soundtrack was done by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (who just won a Golden Globe for Best Score)…nuff said. As a movie, it was great. But that’s not to downplay the first two negatives about the film. Ultimately, that’s what will stop this film from being on a lot of lists. Let’s see if it’ll cost it an Academy Award for Best Picture.

5) The Town

Director: Ben Affleck

-I’ve never been a big fan of Ben Aflleck’s work. Acting, directing, and yes, writing. But when my sister kept telling me to watch this film when I was back home for Christmas, I knew I had to give it a chance. And I was definitely surprised. Crime movies always have a special place in my heart, with The Godfather trilogy being a staple in my family and early memories of watching Heat with my brother. This film was about more than shooting, stealing, and drugs. It centered on a community and the relationship the people have with each other. How some people get caught up in a lifestyle and have to made the hard choice to either continue and eventually meet a messy end or find a way to get out. But the action scenes are great and hold up with the best of its genre. And they got people from the neighborhood they focused on to be in the film. Even though Aflleck isn’t from that community, he made the effort to make it authentic. He may have a future in this film industry after all.

Honorable mention: Toy Story 3

Director: Lee Unkrich

-I haven’t seen this yet, but everything I heard was positive and caused a lot of crying. This gets a nod because I’m sure this would be on my list if I had seen it. I mean…I was an actual kid when the first one came out so this trilogy has a special place in my heart. Yes, right next to The Godfather.

-Overall, the event itself was great. Met a lot of dope folks who I hope to see do some big things in the near future. Had the chance to get to know some fellow grads a little better (graphics committee!) while getting a lot of work done. And of course, seeing my family the day of. They were the main reason why I did it and it meant to world to see most of them there. Also, figuring out what “graduation” means to me and how that differs from how others may see it. This was a journey that didn’t end on the actual day.

2) San Diego Comic-Con

-Second time going. Even better than the first. This time I was able to go to the panels and they were dope. Definitely worth the wait in all those lines. Seeing random celebrities was dope, whether they were at scheduled events or you just happened to see them pass by on the floor. Free stuff is always dope. Lots of free stuff. Everything: dope. Also, taking Brandon to his first one before he moved to the Philippines and seeing the joy on his face made me feel like a parent who took their kid to Disneyland for the first time. What made everything even more awesome was I wasn’t even sure how we were going to get in up until the minute we got to San Diego, haha. Now, I have made it my mission to take a newbie with me every time I go. If I’m there for this years, Charles is on deck. I definitely recommend people should go, even if they don’t consider themselves a “nerd”. They pretty much have something for everyone.

3) 3rd International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees in Mexico

-Man…I’m still processing that whole trip. Life changing, life threatening, awesome, exhausting, cold, hot, and a whole lot of other adjectives that would fill 10 more entries. To be in the same room with so many inspiring individuals from all over the world. Many of us didn’t speak the same languages, but we all understood our relationship with one another and how that relates to each others liberation. These international conferences and assemblies really remind you that you’re not alone and what we struggle for here at SFSU/ the Excelsior/ San Francisco/ Bay Area, also exists all over the world. We can’t get too tunnel visioned, especially when we understand that the real problem is systematic. Long live international solidarity!

4) International Sporting Events!

-Look, I’m a sucker for these things. I know…many of these giant international sporting events are bias towards the big, industrialized countries and usually exploit the local host populations. But if you follow me on twitter, it was all I could talk about. First was the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. Filipinos got another dose of cultural pride with speed skater J.R. Celski and my nighttime routine consisted of a whole lot of Curling. And the one where they ski and shoot guns…that one seems more like a another reason to shoot guns instead of an actual sport. But I guess Norway needs to build some self-esteem. After that was the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Though the anti-imperialist in me wanted to dislike the U.S. team, I couldn’t help but find myself cheering for them just a little. It was also interesting how it was used as another venue to talk smack about North Korea, bless their hearts. For me it was more exciting in the early rounds, instead of the playoffs. 1/8 of myself (Spain) ended up winning…though the Netherlands could have won and I would have cared pretty much the same.

5) Meeting and rediscovering awesome people

-Some folks know I was in a somewhat self-induced social exile from the world for the past couple of years. I just needed to be by myself. But after some internal shifting around, along with finally feeling comfortable interacting with other human beings again, I began the slow, but steady process of connecting and reconnecting. And at where I stand right now, I can say it has paid some dividends and I’ve met/ re-met some people who will hopefully be around for a while because they’ve made a lasting impact on me. If I haven’t told you already, thank you from my deep, dark, cold soul.

Let me be clear: I really wish the Chargers made the playoffs this year. I was pretty depressed after that loss to the Bengals and after seeing the Raiders give the Chiefs a good ol’ beat down, I felt even worse.

But as a way to cope, I figured making a list of reasons why not making the playoffs is actually great, then that will help me get through until the beginning of next season. Or at least distract me from the heartache for a couple hours. Either way.

1) HIGHER DRAFT PICKS

-Throughout the year there were some pretty glaring holes in the team that they were able to plug up with temporary solutions. With higher draft picks, hopefully they can get better talent to shore up some of our weak spots so we don’t make the same mistakes next year (yes, I’m looking at you special teams).

2) NO INEVITABLE PLAYOFF MELT/LETDOWN

-While it has been great seeing the team go into January strong year in and year out, something always seems to happen where we go from a Super Bowl favorite to early playoff loser. Marty, Norv, it doesn’t matter. They both underachieved.This takes a toll on us fans. We build up this confidence and have expectations…only to see them crash and burn in front of a national audience. Now we don’t have to go through that! Because we already did! And luckily it was after Christmas, so we had some shinny new toy to keep us distracted. Now we can have January to ourselves so we can…you know…do winter stuff…in San Diego. Yeah…!

3) MORE TIME TO GET MENTALLY PREPARED FOR ANOTHER SEASON OF PADRES BASEBALL

-With all the sports hype going to the Chargers, we always seem to forget their younger, cheaper brothers: the San Diego Padres. And sure, they just got rid of their best hitter and are going into the season with one of the lowest payrolls in baseball…again. BUT! They actually had an exciting team last year who were in the playoff hunt until the last day (which is something the Chargers can’t say). And they had a winning record against the eventual World Series champs! And, you know…they’re all we have until football season starts up again. And no, the Lakers don’t count. Last time I checked, L.A. isn’t in San Diego. Sorry. So here’s to the spring training countdown!

4) SAVE MONEY ON PLAYOFF TICKETS/ PARTY REFRESHMENTS

-We all know that even though the recession is technically “over”, most of us are still struggling to get by. But when playoff time comes, we feel the pressure to get together and party. Or splurge for playoff tickets. But now, we can save that money/ credit card debt for more important things…like rent, food that won’t destroy your long-term health, and paying off past credit card debt. Or better yet, spend that weekend going outside and doing something for free. Your pocketbook will thank you for it.

5) CLEANSE THE PALLET FOR NEXT YEAR

-One of the things that did the team in for this year was injuries. They lost some key players for long stretches of time. Some with lingering injuries that’ll take months to heal. And just overall, the team needs to clear out their heads. When you lose to the Raiders twice in a year, you really don’t deserve to make the playoffs. There were billions of distractions this season that made for great TV drama, but not for on-the-field play. Maybe our (the fans) and the teams expectations became too much. Of course, I’d want the team to always come with the mentality that they should win the Super Bowl that year. Maybe they looked past their easy schedule and were already booking tickets to Dallas. Who knows. Let’s put this awful season behind us and learn from it. To put this into context: the last time we went 9-7 (in 2006), the team won 14 games the next season, and when we went 8-8 (in 2008), the team won 13 games the next. See a pattern? Is there an absolute reason why the team seems to be a tad bipolar every other year? Probably. Does this guarantee anything in 2011? Of course not. But keep hope alive.

If you’ve been a fan of San Diego sports long enough, the pain you feel right now should be familiar. And yes it sucks and you just wish the team would win a freakin’ Super Bowl already. And yes, it would be easier to cheer for other teams and ride bandwagons all day long. I know you’ll hate me for mentioning them, but I learned a lot from living in the Bay Area the past few years and seeing my SF Giants friends celebrate their World Series victory this past Fall. And I’m talking about the true fans, the ones who supported the teams when they weren’t good. Seeing their unshakable faith year after year, supporting a team who had come close many times only to finish just short, and to see their loyalty payoff this year…this is what keeps my spirit up. I don’t really care about other fans who mock me for cheering for the Chargers every year. For me, this loyalty has been built for as long as I can remember. And on the off chance they never win a Super Bowl in my lifetime, I’d happily go to my grave with the knowledge that I supported my hometown team till the bitter end. That I stayed loyal to a team my entire life.

But for the love of God, win a fucking Super Bowl already. 2012 is next year. WE DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT!!!!!!

Okay, see you next season! (if there is a next season)

PRESENT?!?! WHAT COULD IT BE?!?! Photo: Faye Lacanilao

Since I probably won’t have internet access on Christmas Day, I wanted to make sure I got this through. Thank you for dealing with my randomness, long-winded entries, and weeks/ months of inactivity. I truly believe in gifts that keep on giving. So my present to you are two videos that really define the holiday season…and make me laugh no matter how many times I watch them (courtesy of Saturday Night Live). Enjoy and have a good and safe holiday weekend (go Chargers)!

First up, a very classic skit and one of my all-time favorites. If you need ideas for Christmas deserts, this one is for you.

(NPR’s Delicious Dish Schweddy Balls)

Last but definitely not least, a video that represents giving to the fullest. I challenge anyone to give this gift during a white elephant game!

(SNL Digital Shorts: D*ck In A Box)

Anyone who thinks Mark and his family came here to “take advantage of this country’s welfare system” really need to find that thing in their heart called “compassion” and hold onto it. You really have to put yourself in his family’s position and ask “would I do the same to save my family?” And if Mark doesn’t deserve to be here, what makes any of us think we deserve it more? Do people like Sarah Palin really deserve to be here more than Mark? We definitely need to rethink our immigration policies if folks like Mark are deemed threats to this country.

Please sign the petition!: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/markfarrales/

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http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-deport-20101219,0,3308780.story?page=1
Mark Farrales, whose family sought political asylum when he was 10, is to be sent back to the Philippines. The Harvard alumnus hopes Congress will consider a private immigration bill.

Mark Farrales figured his time in America could be up when he answered the door at his Reseda home to find two men standing there in black bulletproof vests emblazoned with three large white letters.

“It read ICE,” he said. “My heart just sank.”

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were there to arrest him for being in the country illegally.

Brought here by his parents as a child, the now-31-year-old Farrales faces imminent deportation back to the Philippines. His only hope appears to be for Congress to pass a private immigration bill that could grant him citizenship, a legal maneuver that is rarely successful.

Farrales arrived abruptly in the United States as a 10-year-old in 1990, just days after two alleged hit men shot his father twice in the head outside their home in Quezon City in the Philippines, he said in a telephone interview from the Mira Loma Detention Center in Lancaster.

His father, Jaime, who survived the attack, was a prominent lawyer who often spoke out against government corruption and had just announced a bid for congress.

Fearing for their lives, the family escaped to Los Angeles using visitor visas and sought political asylum. Jaime Farrales argued that the politicians he’d rallied against had tried to have him killed. “I never got to see my house again after that night,” Mark Farrales said. “I was completely uprooted from my life there.”

As their father repeatedly applied, was denied and appealed for legal status in the U.S., Farrales and his three sisters assimilated and thrived.

Farrales went on to become valedictorian at Belmont High School, graduated magna cum laude from Harvard with a degree in government, earned a master’s degree at UC San Diego and was pursuing a doctorate there. “I was in the process of finishing my dissertation on corruption reform,” he said.

When his father died in 2006, so did the battle to legalize the family. Meanwhile, a deportation order and warrant for Farrales’ arrest were issued, said Leon Hazany, a Los Angeles immigration attorney who represents him.

Last month, the immigration agents were knocking at his door. “I was shocked. I didn’t know,” Farrales said. “I didn’t go digging around after he died. I just keep living my life.”

The agency contends that immigration courts have “consistently held that Mr. Farrales does not have legal basis to remain in the United States. He remains in ICE custody while the agency makes preparations to carry out the removal order,” the agency said in a statement.

Hazany said the family’s former attorneys botched Farrales’ father’s case and gave Farrales poor advice, landing him in this predicament.

Before leaving for Harvard, Farrales asked the attorneys if he should pursue his own political asylum application or apply for a student visa. They told him neither was available to him because he was included in his father’s case, Hazany said.

Two of his sisters obtained legal status when they married U.S. citizens, and the third is seeking to do the same. One sister has petitioned to get legal status for their mother.

Hazany has asked the Board of Immigration Appeals to reopen Farrales’ case and hopes that even the introduction of a bill will delay the deportation long enough to mount a successful legal defense.

The introduction of a bill would “give Mark a fighting chance to pursue his own avenues for relief to remain in the United States and give him, for the first time, his day in court,” Hazany said.

In cases in which a private bill is introduced on behalf of an illegal immigrant, ICE has an agreement to delay deportation once it receives a request for an investigative report on the case from the congressional committee with jurisdiction, the agency said.

The agreement stays in effect for 45 days after the end of the congressional session. The current session is expected to end this week.

Hazany has contacted the offices of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Rep. Brad Sherman (D- Sherman Oaks) in hopes that they will introduce a bill on Farrales’ behalf.

Boxer’s and Feinstein’s offices said Friday that they were reviewing the case.

Sherman’s office is looking into the private bill option and investigating any other appropriate actions that could be of assistance to Farrales, spokesman Matt Farrauto said.

Each session of Congress receives a few dozen to more than a hundred private bill introductions, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service. The vast majority of them amount to nothing.

On Wednesday, Congress approved two private bills — the first approvals since 2005.

One bill would grant legal status for the Japanese widow of a Marine from Tennessee who was killed in Iraq before the birth of their son.

The other, co-introduced by Feinstein, would grant citizenship to a Japanese man in San Diego whose mother was killed in a car accident when he was a teenager. He went on to live with a family member but was never legally adopted.

President Obama would have to sign the bills for them to become law.

Farrales has tried to make the best of his time at the detention center, where he sleeps on a bunk bed in barracks with about 70 other detainees. He began an impromptu English class there, teaching the language to about 10 detainees from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Somalia. He holds class daily and even assigns homework. “I have always wanted to contribute by learning something and sharing it,” Farrales said of his passion for teaching.

Mostly he reflects on the 21 years he has lived in the United States, a place he considers his home. He said he is most thankful for the good fortune of receiving an education and maintaining the friendships he made as a child in his Filipinotown neighborhood.

“I’m saddened but not angry,” Farrales said. If deported, “I wouldn’t be going home — I’d be forced to leave my home again.”

This is just another example of how the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) directly violates the sovereignty and independence of the Philippines. It shows who really is in control of the Philippines and that even in their own country, Filipinos are subordinate to foreigners (particularly, U.S. imperialists).

What were the U.S. soldiers trying to hide? Why are they scared of journalists doing their job? It’s not like they were in a hidden bunker deep underground, this was outside and visible to the public.

We need more journalists to hold people accountable and to defend their right to report the truth. The VFA just shot itself in the foot.

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Journalists slam US forces for ill treatment

By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 09:28:00 12/21/2010

Filed Under: Media, Military, Justice & Rights, Agreement (general)