Filipino group gets online flak over event
By Royston Sim And Amelia Tan, The Straits Times, 16 Apr 2014
By Royston Sim And Amelia Tan, The Straits Times, 16 Apr 2014
The online response came as a shock, they said, though they still intend to proceed with the celebration on June 8 at Ngee Ann City's Civic Plaza, pending approval of permits from the authorities.
The Pilipino Independence Day Council Singapore (PIDCS), a group of Filipino volunteers, put up a post on Facebook about the event last weekend and drew fire almost immediately.
Negative comments from Singaporeans flooded in, with Facebook page "Say 'No' to an overpopulated Singapore" urging locals to protest on the PIDCS page.
The page, which has 26,000 "likes", is against the celebration of the Philippine Independence Day here and said that festivities should be confined to the Philippine Embassy compound.
It took issue with the PIDCS for using the Marina Bay skyline in a logo for the event, which is meant to celebrate the Philippines' independence from Spain on June 12, 1898.
It also opposed the PIDCS using the terms "two nations" and "interdependence" in posters for the event.
The PIDCS decided to take down the Facebook post after it drew hundreds of anti-Filipino comments, with many slamming the PIDCS for holding the celebration in Orchard Road.
Its co-chairman Rychie Andres said the vitriol took him by surprise and that it was "sad and disheartening".
He said the intent of the event is to celebrate by reaching out in the host country, and added that the slogan about interdependence had been misunderstood.
"We are not saying that we are trying to take over. Our drive is to be part of the community and try to open up to other nationalities," he said. "Interdependence doesn't mean Singaporeans depend on us, but that we all help each other."
In the run-up to the celebration, the PIDCS organised a blood donation drive and a visit to an elderly home. Mr Andres said the council has held celebrations in past years at Hong Lim Park and Suntec City, but has never received criticism on this scale.
Ms Cecilia Lim, 28, a self- employed Singaporean, felt some of the online comments were excessive. She said: "People should have the right to celebrate their independence day if they are granted the permits, just as we celebrate Singapore Day overseas."
Organisers of Philippine event targeted
They receive anonymous phone calls demanding carnival's cancellation
By Amelia Tan And Priscilla Goy, The Straits Times, 17 Apr 2014
They receive anonymous phone calls demanding carnival's cancellation
By Amelia Tan And Priscilla Goy, The Straits Times, 17 Apr 2014
ORGANISERS of a Philippine event in Orchard Road which has ignited anti-foreigner comments online have now become the targets.
But these attacks have prompted some Singaporeans to speak up against the xenophobic comments, which they said have gone overboard.
The event organisers said they have been harassed with anonymous phone calls demanding the cancellation of the June 8 carnival at Ngee Ann City's Civic Plaza. "The callers say we have no right to hold the event in Orchard Road," said organiser Rychie Andres of the Pilipino Independence Day Council Singapore (PIDCS).
"We do not dare to pick up phone calls now if we don't recognise the number."
Many calls have been filled with expletives and are often made late at night, said the non- profit group, which is made up of about 20 Filipino volunteers.
The organisers do not plan to report the calls to the police because they do not want to escalate matters, they said.
They had posted their mobile numbers online to allow people who are interested in celebrating the Philippine Independence Day to contact them.
But they did not expect their post on Facebook, which was put up at the weekend, to draw such brickbats from Singaporean netizens. They were criticised for a range of things, from holding the celebration in Orchard Road to using the Marina Bay skyline in a logo, prompting the group to take down the Facebook post.
Still, the full-day carnival will proceed, said PIDCS, which hopes to draw more than 10,000 people. The group has support from local experts and netizens, who condemned the negative comments, and stressed that the majority of Singaporeans do not share these views.
National University of Singapore sociologist Tan Ern Ser said some Singaporeans see Filipinos as competitors for jobs and "harbour a sense of insecurity".
"However, I doubt the majority share the same strong negative sentiments, even if they would much prefer less competition for jobs, space, amenities, and infrastructures in Singapore."
Many Singaporeans, who spoke up against the vitriol on the Straits Times Facebook page, agreed that most locals are welcoming of foreigners.
Retiree David Kwok, 63, said: "The comments made on Facebook are generally from people who overreact. They are a loud minority."
Assistant product manager Lee Li Ling, 25, added: "The reaction is unjustified and pretty shameful, almost to the point of embarrassment."
Institute of Policy Studies senior research fellow Leong Chan Hoong called on Singaporeans to be generous. "We have our Singapore Day in public parks in London and Melbourne. Why can't we allow foreigners to do the same?" said the analyst of migration and cross-cultural issues.
Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng said netizens have the right to express their feelings but should not "go overboard".
"The Filipino community has been contributing to Singapore in the workplace and helping to take care of Singaporean families," he added.
Filipinos here said they were saddened by the comments, but will take them in their stride.
Finance executive Nilo Lopez, 42, a Singapore permanent resident, said: "Sometimes people don't think before they post comments online. I have never encountered a Singaporean who has been rude to me in person in the 17 years I have been living here."
Many worry over foreigner-bashing
By Jalelah Abu Baker, My Paper, 17 Apr 2014
By Jalelah Abu Baker, My Paper, 17 Apr 2014
AN INNOCUOUS Facebook post inviting Filipinos to celebrate their national independence day in Orchard Road has led to an outcry by some Singaporeans.
The reaction of this minority of Singaporeans, who posted comments online, has left experts and other Singaporeans both surprised and worried.
Senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies Mathew Mathews, who examines issues surrounding societal cohesion, said that some may have felt that the Filipinos were "taking over" their space, by celebrating in Orchard Road, which is seen as a Singapore icon.
Sociologist Paulin Straughan, from the National University of Singapore, said that there is no justification for such behaviour, and that it is worrying.
She said that since the debate on the Population White Paper, some people have found it acceptable to "foreign-bash" without valid reason. "We must be more cautious and culturally sensitive when we are making race-related comments," she added.
The event is to be held at Ngee Ann City's Civic Plaza on June 8.
Event organiser Pilipino Independence Day Council Singapore (PIDCS) had to take down the poster for the celebration on its Facebook page, following the backlash.
Mr Rychie Andres, co-chairman of the PIDCS, told The Straits Times that organisers had been harassed by calls and texts asking for the event to be cancelled. "The callers say we have no right to hold the event in Orchard Road," he said. "We do not dare to pick up phone calls now if we don't recognise the number."
Lawyers told My Paper that there is no law preventing the celebration of a community's independence day in public, as long as appropriate event licences have been sought and obtained.
The people behind "Say 'No' to an overpopulated Singapore", a Facebook page that has more than 26,000 "likes", had earlier urged Singaporeans to protest on the PIDCS page.
They said in a post that they were against the use of the Singapore skyline in the logo for the independence day event and using the terms "two nations" and "interdependence".
They updated their post with news of the taking down of the "offending" poster.
On the other hand, other Singaporeans took to the PIDCS Facebook page to show their support, wishing Filipinos a happy independence day, and calling those against the celebration "black sheep".
A 35-year-old Filipino, who has lived here for five years, said she felt that those who were upset were overreacting.
"If it had not been posted on Facebook, no one would have known about it and been upset. There are some people always online, waiting," she said.
There are about 180,000 Filipinos in Singapore.