This past Monday, newly elected President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III of the Philippines delivered his state of the nation address (SONA). Filipino-American activists, however, weren’t about to sit there idly and listen to false promises. Simultaneous protests took place in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, New York and New Jersey. While a lot of people are overjoyed that the grossly incompetent and corrupt past president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, is unseated, they are reluctant to celebrate Noynoy’s victory.

In the one month that he’s been elected, there have already been 5 political killings: Mark Francisco, 27,  a teacher at San Isidro Elementary School; Francisco Baldomero, a local coordinator for the Bayan Muna Political Party; Pascual Guevarra, 78, a peasant advocate from Nueva ...