13 May 2015 – Philippine Consul General Mario De Leon, Jr., paid a courtesy call on Congressman Donald Norcross on May 06. Together with him were 25 members of the Filipino community from Camden County, Southern New Jersey. as well as other parts of New Jersey. Consul General De Leon led the dialogue with Congressman Norcross that highlighted the West Philippine Sea and Filipino Veteran’s Recognition issues. The discussions also touched on domestic issues of concern to Filipino-Americans, such as employment and health care for the elderly.
Congressman Norcross welcomed Consul General De Leon, Consul Felipe Carino, and members of the Filipino community. He relayed his rise from the ranks to becoming a first-time Congressman last November 2014, when he assumed the unexpired term of his predecessor. Congressman Norcross currently sits in the Congressional Defense Service Committee.
Consul General De Leon explained that Filipino-Americans are now the second-largest ethnic group in the U.S., numbering about 3.4 million, with 340,000 Filipinos living in the U.S. Northeast. Based on the latest US Census, there are about 11,500 Filipino-American residents in the First District of New Jersey.
Consul General De Leon said that the community was seeking the support of Congressman Norcross for House Bill (HB) No. 535 or the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act, in recognition of the bravery and sacrifice shown by Filipino fighters during WW II. Being a firm supporter of veterans’ welfare, Congressman Norcross promised to support H.B. No. 535.
On the West Philippine Sea issue, Consul General De Leon briefed the US congressman on the Philippines’ official position upholding the rule of law and pursuing arbitration in settling its maritime issue with China. He said that China is changing the nature of the dispute amid growing international concern over its considerable reclamation activities. Recently, the G7 Foreign Ministers and ASEAN leaders have both conveyed their serious concerns on China’s reclamation activities that have an impact on regional peace, security and stability, as well as freedom of navigation.
Consul General De Leon further said that a bipartisan US Senate Statement re-affirmed the significance of the Philippines-US Mutual Defense Treaty and warned that the reclamation in the disputed areas could place US interests, as well as its allies, at considerable risk. He said that a similar statement coming from the US House of Representatives would contribute to the attention given by the US and the international community, in general, and that support from Congressman Norcross for such a statement from the US Congress would help greatly.
Congressman Norcross reacted that China was “flexing its muscle” with its use of submarines. He further said, “They are a big concern for us and all the cybersecurity issues happening around are hurting the U.S. economy. In NASDAQ, cyberattacks are taking place on a daily basis and are being done by countries not friendly to the U.S. These acts are just as devastating, where billions are lost from document to military hardware theft.”
Consul General De Leon conveyed that in the Philippines, 80% of business process outsourcing (BPO) firms are U.S.-owned and are reliant on online operations. The PHL government is looking into improving data protection in light of attacks which also saw many government sites hacked.
The Philippine Consul General and his host, the US Congressman, also discussed the history, friendship and cooperation behind the Philippines-US Friendship Caucus. The former extended an invitation to the latter to join the Caucus, to which Congressman Norcross conveyed his willingness to be a member.
Filipino community members also took the opportunity to raise their local concerns with Congressman Norcross and seek his help in support of legislative measures, such as the doctor-nurse practitioner ratio contained in HB No. 2009 “Nurse Practitioner Practice Law,” veterans’ compensation benefits, seniors’ break on property tax, and elderly health care.
During the course of the courtesy call and dialogue, Consul General De Leon was ably assisted by community stalwarts in Southern New Jersey, led by Ms. Gwen De Vera of Voorhees, and leaders of the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations; Filipino Executive Council of Greater Philadelphia; US Pinoys for Good Governance; Philippine American Federation of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware; Filipino-American Legal Defense and Education Fund; and the Filipino Nurses Association. END