Who actually benefits from a sister cities agreement between the Philippines and San José?

🤔 A Critical View of the SF Philippine Consulate and Sister Cities

As of Oct 2023, the Philippine Consulate General in SF has been working to establish more sister cities in Santa Clara County, which might sound harmless, but in reality:

• Sister city agreements have been used to create direct trade agreements between cities.
• This agreement would spur more foreign investment in the Philippines, which has led to more Filipinos suffering under abject working conditions.
• The public has no say in this decision.
  
  Bonus Resource:
  🔗 Fact Sheet: PCG SF & San Jose Sister Cities Agreement

Who is the SF Consul General? 

Neil Ferrer has been serving as the Consul General in San Francisco since 2021. So far, he’s prioritized profit over people:

• May 2023: Spoke at a panel at USF to promote APEC, ASEAN, and US Partnerships
• April 2023: Met with San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan to “promote mutual trade and investment,” among other topics (Image source)
• 2022: Supported the speaking engagements of the Anti-Terror Council’s visit to the United States

Who is the Consulate do? 

The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco (PCGSF) claims to serve and advance the interest of Filipino communities, but instead has furthered the neglect of Filipino migrants and workers.
Whether it be the Rainbow Bright workers or the seafarers staffing the Grand Princess Cruise Ship, the PCGSF failed to advocate for their safety and ultimately their deserved justice.

Why do sister cities exist?

Sister city programs were posed to build prosperity and peace through cultural, informational, and trade exchanges. In reality, sister cities have been used to create direct trade agreements between cities.
There is no formal community vote or process to become a sister city. They are established when the highest elected or appointed official from both communities sign off on an [agreement].
A sister city agreement between Silicon Valley and the Philippines would mean more business deals to increase the wealth of the 1%, while Filipino workers bear the brunt of exploitative and oppressive working conditions.
We’ve already seen that increased foreign investment has led to more Filipinos suffering under abject working conditions in “digital sweatshops” for AI, call centers, and special economic zones.

🗣️ What Malaya South Bay Believes

In order to truly improve the economy of the Philippines, we must continue to expose and oppose schemes such as these sister city agreements which are, in reality, trade agreements that intend to sell out the resources and people of the Philippines to the United States.

Opposition to sister cities and other unequal trade deals must also go hand-in-hand with promoting an independent and self-reliant economy.

🤔 What do YOU think? How will this impact the Philippines and us here locally, in San José? Do you have another perspective? Tell us in a comment down below.

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