Filipino Kalayaan Club teaches Filipino culture and languages at LAC workshop

LBCC’s Filipino Kalayaan Club hosted the Celebrating Our Culture workshop which taught students different Filipino languages and the history and culture of the Philippines at the LAC on Oct. 29.

The interactive workshop allowed students and faculty alike to attempt basic weaving techniques, try Filipino foods and to try speaking the different languages in the Philippines.

“These are my roots. I think it’s important to pass it on for others to learn, especially during Filipino American History month,” said Justin Torres, a member of the Filipino Kalayaan Club. 

Attendees were split into three large groups around the room with each group having a club member to teach Tagalog, Bisayan or Ilocano.

“Filipino culture is so much more than just our food and our music. We have a rich history that I hope people were able to learn about from today,” professor in life sciences Peter Paulino said. 

Paulino also informed participants at the event about a new and incredibly fast moving issue that is affecting people indigenous to the Philippines. 

^{Instructor reads a presentation on Pax Silica and why its harmful for the Filipino community during the Celebrating Our Culture event on Oct. 29. (Akiel Archer)}

“The indigenous cultures of the Philippines are in danger due to the Pax Silica, and it’s important that we pass on to you guys what we can so that we’re able to try and preserve it and raise awareness.”

The Pax Silica is a US-led initiative that is aiming to build data centers in the Philippines for the purpose of having a secure AI supply-chain, specifically one that can rival that of China.

“The construction of these new data centers displaces lots of the Indigenous population,” Stefanie Lira, an assistant professor in ethnic studies, said. “When you lose your land, you lose a big part of your culture.” 

Lira concluded the club’s presentation by playing a video of indigenous Filipinos who were removed from their land and had to move elsewhere because of the construction of the data centers.

“Even from here in the US we can make our voices heard if we raise awareness about why this is such a bad thing,” she said.

The club will be participating in protests in Los Angeles on Nov. 15 and 16 with other groups protesting the initiative.