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BAYAN USA supports June Reyno, Filipina homeowner resisting eviction from her home

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Contact: Berna Ellorin
Secretary General, BAYAN USA
secgen@bayanusa.org

The US Chapter of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, or BAYAN USA, an alliance of 12 Filipino organizations across the US, salutes the spirit of resistance demonstrated by Ms. June Reyno, a Filipina homeowner who has chained herself to her home of 20 years in San Diego, California, after being issued an eviction notice by the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.  Like many property owners in the United States, Reyno is part of a growing section of the US population facing displacement from their homes as the global financial crisis hits the middle class hard and workers even harder.

Reyno, like many Filipinos in the United States, aspired to live the American dream of owning a home and having a career. But market instabilities eventually led to her losing both. Presently unemployed, Reyno is being evicted because she no longer has the income to keep up with the skyrocketing mortgage rates, and even though she has been approved for another loan to purchase back her home, the greedy bank is not willing to re-negotiate but instead is taking steps to kick her family out of the house.

June Reyno is not alone. Like many homeowners in the US facing the same reality, the intentional relaxation of mortgage rates by the greedy banks duped many, including Filipinos, into believing their American dreams were possible. Little did they know that one day, the financial shenanigans of the deregulated banks would cost them their dreams with the current mortgage meltdown. In 2008 alone, there were over 3.2 million filings for foreclosures and over 750,000 jobs lost in the United States, making Reyno’s predicament very common.

Now Reyno is resisting, and demanding that US Congress bailout homeowners like herself versus dishing out trillions to bailout the banks that duped her in the first place. There are over 4 million Filipinos who live in the US today, making them one of the largest ethnic communities in the country. Reyno’s story debunks the claims of Malacanang that the global financial crisis will not affect Filipinos, particularly overseas Filipinos like Reyno. In fact, it was Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who was among the first world leaders to wholly support the $700 billion bailout bill issued by US Congress last month.

Reyno’s militant actions are needed at this particular time in our history, as the looming financial depression around the world will certainly carry grave political implications. As evictions, foreclosures, and mass job lay-offs are on the rise, resistance must step up against all other forms of repression against justifiable dissent from the people. Filipinos in the US and around the world must be amongst the decisive forces opposing the financial oligarchs and accelerate the fall of greed and financial tyranny!

BAILOUT THE PEOPLE, NOT THE BANKS!
JUSTICE FOR JUNE REYNO!
LONG LIVE PEOPLE’S RESISTANCE!

Join BAYAN-USA, SEIU Local 721, Hermandad Mexicana Nacional and the International Action Center’s Caravan to San Diego for a: Neighborhood Rally to Stop the Foreclosure of June Reyno’s Home

When: Thursday October 30th at 8:30 AM
Where: Meet at SEIU Local 721, 500 S. Virgil Ave., Los Angeles (near Virgil and 6th)
Contact: (310) 677-6407