A publication of the University of San Francisco Center for the Pacific Rim Copyright 2006 Volume VI · Number 1 15 May · 2006 Special Issue: PHILIPPINE STUDIES AND THE CENTENNIAL OF THE DIASPORA Editors Joaquin Gonzalez John Nelson Philippine Studies and the Centennial of the Diaspora: An Introduction Graduate Student >>......Joaquin L. Gonzalez III and Evelyn I. Rodriguez 1 Editor Patricia Moras Primerang Bituin: Philippines-Mexico Relations at the Dawn of the Pacific Rim Century >>........................................................Evelyn I. Rodriguez 4 Editorial Consultants Barbara K. Bundy Hartmut Fischer Mail-Order Brides: A Closer Look at U.S. & Philippine Relations Patrick L. Hatcher >>..................................................Marie Lorraine Mallare 13 Richard J. Kozicki Stephen Uhalley, Jr. Apathy to Activism through Filipino American Churches Xiaoxin Wu >>....Claudine del Rosario and Joaquin L. Gonzalez III 21 Editorial Board Yoko Arisaka The Quest for Power: The Military in Philippine Politics, 1965-2002 Bih-hsya Hsieh >>........................................................Erwin S. Fernandez 38 Uldis Kruze Man-lui Lau Mark Mir Corporate-Community Engagement in Upland Cebu City, Philippines Noriko Nagata >>........................................................Francisco A. Magno 48 Stephen Roddy Kyoko Suda Worlds in Collision Bruce Wydick >>...................................Carlos Villa and Andrew Venell 56 Poems from Diaspora >>..................................................................Rofel G. Brion 57 Reflections on Philip Vera Cruz and the Filipino Diaspora >>..................................................Joaquin L. Gonzalez III 59 An Interview with Philip Vera Cruz, Spring 1971 >>.....................................................................Sid Valledor 61 Yuchengco Media Fellowship Announcement, Spring 2007 >>........................................................................................... 64 Asia-Pacific Social Science Review Call for Papers >>........................................................................................... 65 USF Centennial Conference Announcement >>........................................................................................... 66 Asia Pacific: Perspectives is a peer-reviewed journal published at least once a year, usually in April/May. It Asia Pacific: Perspectives welcomes submissions from all fields of the social sciences and the humanities with relevance to the Asia Pacific Center for the Pacific Rim region.* In keeping with the Jesuit traditions of the University of San Francisco, Asia Pacific: Perspectives com- 2130 Fulton St, LM202 San Francisco, CA mits itself to the highest standards of learning and scholarship. 94117-1080 Our task is to inform public opinion by a broad hospitality to divergent views and ideas that promote cross-cul- Tel: (415) 422-6357 tural understanding, tolerance, and the dissemination of knowledge unreservedly. Papers adopting a compara- Fax: (415) 422-5933 tive, interdisciplinary approach will be especially welcome. Graduate students are strongly encouraged to submit [email protected] their work for consideration. * ‘Asia Pacific region’ as used here includes East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Oceania, and the Russian Far East. Downloaded from http://www.pacificrim.usfca.edu/research/perspectives USF Center for the Pacific Rim Asia Pacific: Perspectives · May 2006 capital formation to develop? We began with the assumption that the evolutionary process of intertwined transnational spiritual and political Apathy to Activism through capital formation amongst Filipino immigrants in the San Francisco Bay Area illustrates a form of ‘counter-hegemony’ Filipino American Churches grounded on the early critical points raised by Marx, Friere, by Claudine del Rosario, M.A. and Weber, Gramsci, and Ileto on social revolution and the church. After discussing the conceptual underpinnings of this Joaquin L. Gonzalez III, Ph.D. perceived counter-hegemony, we gathered historical evidence of both state-church hegemony and the resulting civil society counter-hegemony in the more than 300 years of colonization Abstract and hispanization under Spain and the more than a hundred This study provides some answers to the question: given that accumula- year old relationship of colonization, neocolonization, and a tion and accounting of social, cultural, economic, and political capitals exists and is performed, has this critical mass translated to societal continuing process of Americanization. Following the empowerment for Filipino migrants? Del Rosario and Gonzalez Filipino diaspora across the Pacific, we compiled more mate- acknowledge that Catholic and Protestant churches have been utilized as rials on the movement of this counter-hegemonic socializa- an effective hegemonic ally by colonizing states, like Spain and the tion and behavior to the United States through the Filipino United States, to pursue their political and economic self interests within diaspora of pastors, religious workers, and parishioners— their colonies. But due to reverse colonization, del Rosario and Gonzalez argue that the Filipinized churches in San Francisco have become mod- many THAT came early on as agricultural workers and later ern day counter-hegemonic spaces and structures where advocacy and on as professionals. Crossing to America also meant that we activism tactics are learned and immigrant rights are discussed. These needed to extend our initial speculation. Essentially, this counter-hegemonic actions are then directed at US laws that displace, mass movement of people and culture from the Philippines repress, and discriminate against new immigrants. constitutes a form of reverse colonization, where American political, social, and economic institutions and spaces experi- Immigrant religious leaders and their followers have ence varying degrees of Filipinization. The scope of this become a major source of spiritual, cultural, social, and politi- counter-hegemonic impetus is evaluated in more depth cal capital formation in many gateway cities in America. through two cases studies comparing the growth and devel- Hence, their ‘organized force’ in society versus dysfunctional opment of fused transnational spiritual and political capital policies could definitely be seen as counter-hegemonic. The formation in pre-dominantly Filipino Catholic churches and San Francisco Bay Area, home to more than 350,000 Filipino how they use this to constructively engage local and national immigrants and their numerous spiritual congregations, is no public policies which have negative effects to their communi- exception. After all, the acceptable political and spiritual ty. We conclude with some common lessons from the cases socialization Filipino immigrants subscribe to deviates from and challenges to the sustainability of this unique process. what the larger American society prefers and is exposed to— a dichotomized path for spiritual and political life. Church Revisiting Hegemony and the Church and state should be separated by clear mental and institu- There is a growing body of research about religion and tional boundaries, particularly in government spaces. City congregation based political organizing. The nature of the hall is the appropriate venue for politics, policy, and advoca- relationship between church and politics has always been cy while the cathedral, mosque, and synagogue are the prop- controversial with philosophers writing about it for centuries er spaces for prayer, rites, and worship. Public policies and policy-makers who have been trying to avoid stepping should reflect this dichotomy in terms of process and prod- on matters of religion and faith. There is, however, a few uct. Not to the Filipino immigrant psyche it seems. works that looks at the dynamic and praxis within emerging Our initial participant observations (shared in Gonzalez Filipino diasporic communities, particularly in the United and Maison 2004), led us to explore further the dynamics of States. Hence, this is the area where we wish to make a con- this socio-political phenomenon guided by the following tribution. Our thoughts in this study are grounded on the thoughts: Given the large influx of Filipino pastors, Filipino classic works of theorists such as Karl Marx, Max Weber, religious workers, and Filipino members of various Christian Paolo Friere, Antonio Gramsci, and Filipino historian faiths into the United States and the many acculturation and Reynaldo Ileto. immigration issues that emerge, what kinds of unique civic Even after societal moves to bar churches in much of the engagement and incorporation exchanges between and among congregants, state, and society have resulted? From a western world from intervening in the smooth conduct of more radical standpoint, have Filipinos been effective at state affairs, the power of religious teachings continued to be using their immigrant spiritual politicization as a Trojan identified as a major stumbling block to effective governance horse which would allow them to get into the core of and economic productivity. This moved Karl Marx to argue American society and make positive inroads into its hege- strongly that “religion is the opiate of the people” and elabo- monic structures? Most importantly, what are the conditions rated further in A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s that have allowed a fused transnational spiritual and political Philosophy of Right that: www.pacificrim.usfca.edu/research/perspectives