Fil-Am Groups Blast Marcos Over ‘War Rehearsals’ in Asia-Pacific

BAYAN US NE PHOTO

NEW YORK CITY - Anger and defiance erupted outside the Philippine Consulate in Manhattan as Filipino community organizations and anti-war groups staged a fiery protest against the upcoming Balikatan military exercises, warning of rising tensions and deepening hardship for ordinary Filipinos.

Chanting slogans and holding placards, protesters demanded the immediate cancellation of the annual war drills set to begin April 20 now expected to be the largest in history, with over 17,000 troops from the United States, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand taking part.

The demonstration, organized by BAYAN USA Northeast, Malaya Movement Northeast, and the New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, began with a teach-in exposing what they described as the “dangerous expansion of militarization” in the Asia-Pacific.

“These are not just exercises they are war rehearsals,” protesters said, warning that escalating military presence could drag the Philippines deeper into global conflict, particularly amid growing U.S.-China tensions.

Protesters took direct aim at President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., accusing him of prioritizing military alliances over the urgent needs of Filipinos struggling with inflation, oil price hikes, and economic instability.

Emotional testimonies gripped the crowd, including Inaro Devero of BAYAN USA Northeast, who shared a deeply personal account of how poverty and U.S. military presence shaped his family’s painful history.

“My father and I are here today because of U.S. imperialism… desperate Filipino families would even sell their babies to American GIs,” Devero said, linking historical hardship to present-day economic struggles faced by Filipinos.

Meanwhile, Al Imadonut of Malaya Movement Northeast slammed the Philippine government’s acceptance of $2.5 billion in military aid, arguing that resources are being diverted away from essential public services.

“What could have been used for education, healthcare, and jobs is being turned into weapons used to suppress the Filipino people,” Imadonut said, warning of increased repression against activists.

The protest also put a spotlight on powerful players in the U.S., including Cerberus Capital Management, a Manhattan-based firm that acquired the Subic shipyard, and Hanwha Shipyard in Philadelphia, both accused of contributing to the Philippines’ growing military infrastructure.

Demonstrators warned that such investments could pave the way for the deployment of advanced and potentially nuclear-capable submarines, raising fears of a regional arms race.

A day before the New York rally, a similar protest shook Philadelphia, reinforcing calls to scrap the Balikatan exercises and halt defense-related projects tied to the Philippines.

Closing the protest, Olivia Mooney of the New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines delivered a powerful message:

“These imperialist forces know no bounds… We demand the cancellation of the war rehearsals. We demand divestment and we demand the U.S. out of the Philippines.”

As the crowd swelled in the heart of Manhattan, one message rang loud and clear:

“STOP THE WAR GAMES NOW!”