Filipinos were among 2 million people who flooded the streets of US cities on Sunday in a peaceful day of women-led protests a day after the inauguration of US President Donald Trump.
Pinay expatriate Cassie Panal, who participated at the main "Women's March on Washington," called on the new administration to uphold and protect women's rights.
"I think it's important for us to stand for what we believe, most importantly women's rights. For me, women's rights are human rights,' she told ABS-CBN News.
Another Filipino, Arvin Parco, said he joined the mass action "to show that men are also supportive of women, for all that they're fighting for and for human rights they're supporting."
"It's all about unifying and coming together. It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman. It's all about supporting each other," he added.
Also present in the rally were undocumented workers alarmed by Trump's hard stance against immigrants and his plans to repeal the affordable care act.
Tina, an undocumented caregiver shared, "I'm afraid because of the new president, a new command. He doesn't like other people... The healthcare, I am very worried of that."
Organizers of the Washington march estimated the turnout at 1 million, with huge crowds joining sister marches around the country -- and tens of thousands more marching worldwide.
Rain does not stop thousands of demonstrators participating in Women's March in San Francisco | via @RommelConclara pic.twitter.com/YYELOJuWLX
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) January 22, 2017
LOOK: Protesters in Nevada take part in the Women's March on Washington | via @bevllorente pic.twitter.com/ygmK0GA4ME
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) January 22, 2017
Trump has angered many people with comments seen as demeaning to women, Mexicans and Muslims, and worried some abroad with his vow on Friday to put "America First".
The newly inaugurated president has also vowed to repeal the Obamacare which aimed to ensure healthcare for the millions of Americans who are neither covered by public insurance, nor by their employers.
The Philippine Embassy in Washington said it recognizes the rights of Filipino-Americans to join the protests against Trump.
"It is part of their democratic process at nirerespeto po natin iyun, pati na rin po ang karapatan ng ating Filipino Americans na makibahagi," said Darell Artates, third Secretary and vice Consul of the Philippine post.
(It is part of their democratic process and we respect that, as well as the right of Filipino-Americans to participate.)
The Embassy has not monitored any untoward incident during the rallies, but Artates urged Filipinos in America to be vigilant.
The Filipino community in America, which has some 3.4 million documented members, is one of the fastest growing communities there.
-- With reports from Reuters; Agence France Presse; Henni Espinosa, Steve Angeles, ABS-CBN News
source: news.abs-cbn.com
