“In this age of darkness, there are two ways of spreading light. You may either be a candle, or the mirror that reflects its light.” - Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr.
Guided by this powerful statement written by former Philippine senator Benigno Aquino Jr. while he was in prison, a group of Filipino-American lawyers have banded together to be both - candle and mirror - in order to be of service to the community.
The group formed the Filipino American Legal Defense and Education Fund (FALDEF), a non-profit organization that provides pro-bono legal services to immigrants in distress due to heir origin, status and financial situation. After collectively working on a case involving Filipino immigrants suffering injustices, they decided to create an organization that was dedicated to serving the migrant community.
“The vision was that this was going to be the first ever legal defense fund that will not only have lawyers as active members of the board, but also non-lawyers. Of the 15 original members, ten are not lawyers, they are community leaders. The idea was for FALDEF to always be in service to the community,” said JT Mallonga, FALDEF President.
Since its founding back in 2008, FALDEF has successfully helped Filipinos. Actively collaborating with the Philippine Consulate General in New York and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), FALDEF has been able to take on cases throughout the United States.
2012 was a banner year for FALDEF.
The group was able to successfully close a deportation case in Texas. John Quidilla was picked up by ICE on his way to classes and detained just a few months shy of his college graduation. His mother found FALDEF by chance and contacted them immediately.
“We are proud to say that we made every effort to help this young man whose “American Dream” was to graduate from college and support his family-a dream that has successfully been fulfilled,” Mallonga added.
FALDEF also assisted the Regional Public Defender’s Office in Texas with a case involving Gabriel Hall, a Filipino adoptee on death row. Officers of FALDEF flew to the island of Cebu in the Philippines to help with background research.
Early in its inception, FALDEF officers helped Dr. Pedro Servano and his wife Salvacion, who were then both set to be deported. After consultations with several lawyers, he was told his case was hopeless. They were introduces to FALDEF through the Filipino community in Philadelphia and NaFFAA. FALDEF lawyers were able to stop his deportation and are now in the process of assisting him and his wife on obtaining status.
The Gulfin couple was detained with their son Miguel for six months in a detention center in New Jersey. FALDEF took on their case and successfully got them out of detention. Their deportation was stopped.
“We have very strong ties with the consulate. Most victims of legal injustice here are Filipino nationals. We work with the NAACP legal defense fund, AALDEF, the 37-year old NYIC, an advocacy group,” Mallonga shared.
“When we founded FALDEF three years ago, we provided timely access to pro-bono legal services to the immigrant sector. We sought to empower them so that they could achieve their full potential as productive contributors to their families and communities. Bound by a common desire to help one of the currently most vulnerable groups in our society, volunteers from both legal and non-legal professions have devoted their time and efforts to extend relevant assistance where they are most needed,” he added.
Now, FALDEF is not just composed of lawyers, but community leaders such as Dr. Angie Cruz, author Jen Furer and documentary film director Diane Paragas.
Having gone through a tumultuous relationship with lawyers, Furer said that it is a welcome change now that she is working with a group of lawyers who are actually able to help those in need.
“I wish I knew back then what I know now,” Furer said.
The organization envisions a vibrant Filipino American community whose members can freely share their knowledge, talents and resources to fully advance the welfare of their family and society without fear of unjust treatment due to their heritage.
And this is what Paragas, a filmmaker wants to achieve.
The director is working on her first narrative feature film called Yellow Rose. The story is loosely based on her life growing up as the only Filipina-American in her small Texas town. After 10 years of developing this project, Diane felt that it was time to tell her story, not only for herself but for the Filipino-American community.
“If I saw this film when I was that troubled 15-year old, it would have changed my life as I know it will change the life of so many people who feel their voices are never heard,” Paragas said.
Indeed, FALDEF is a community undertaking, a collaborative effort of community leaders wanting to share their years of experience in order to help out kababayans.
(www.asianjournal.com)(NYNJ Mag February 22, 2013 pg.2)
Click HERE to view the online edition of the Asian Journal, Feb 20, 2013