Philippines 101, a series of four workshops on Philippine history, the roots of its socio-economic problems and the Filipino progressive movement's response began on March 24 at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan.

Jointly sponsored by Ugnayan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Linking the Children of the Motherland) and the John Jay College Puerto Rican/Latin American Studies Department, the workshops are from 6:30 to 9:00 pm on four successive Mondays in Room TBA at the college on 445 West 59th Street at 9th Ave.

The workshops are free but registration has been required due to extremely limited spaces. Previous classes were composed of people from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities ranging from activists to professionals to college students, including US-born and immigrant Filipinos.

The series of workshops and their topics are:

Workshop 1, March 24: Weaving Our Collective Story (Paghahabi ng Ating Kolektibong Kuwento) - We can begin to weave our collective story by looking at our personal experiences as Filipino youth. We tackle the critical issues that affect us as Filipino youth, from our education and jobs to our encounters with US institutions such as the mass media and the justice system. What have been the community's common experiences throughout our history of migration?

Workshop 2, March 31: Revisiting the Past (Muling Pagbisita sa Kasaysayan) - Building on the first workshop, we begin to uncover the roots of our migration and explore: pre-colonial history, colonization and occupation up to the current socio-economic and political state of the Philippines. What are the underlying problems that have kept at least 75% of the population in perpetual poverty? This workshop covers our people's history with a focus on western economic and military intervention and issues of globalization, military bases and international trade.

Workshop 3, April 7: Landlords, Loopholes, and the Prevalence of Corruption (Mga Panginoong Maylupa at ang Pananatili ng Korupsyon) - The third session will allow us to gain an understanding of the two other major issues faced by Philippine society: land control and the power of the local ruling elite. Well over half of Filipinos are farmers yet most do not own the land they till. Who controls the land and how does the system affect the Filipino people?

Workshop 4, April 14: The Filipino People's Response (Ang Tugon ng mga Mamamayang Pilipino) - How have Filipinos responded to the problems the Philippine nation faces? Examine the approaches the progressive movement in the Philippines has taken over the years, from lobbying for legislative reforms to armed struggle. We will discuss the many different sectors, from farmers and indigenous peoples to women to the GLBT community and how they work together for social justice. Finally, we will discuss how local organizations, including Ugnayan, have responded to political and social issues in the Philippines and linked our people's history with our experiences in the US and the NYC/NY area.

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