The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Saturday confirmed another case of hate crime against an elderly Filipino in the US.
DFA issued the update after a 74-year-old Filipina was reportedly assaulted by an unidentified Black woman in the morning of August 24 while she was just walking in Midtown Manhattan.
According to DFA, the Philippine Consulate General in New York already issued an advisory reminding Filipinos in Northeastern United States “to be vigilant and (to) exercise the necessary precautions at all times while on the streets or the subways.”
The Philippines government also informed US officials regarding the matter. The latter, in response, gave assurance that they are taking it “very seriously” and taking steps to address it, DFA said.
Currently, there are 450,000 Filipinos in 10 US States under the jurisdictions of the New York Consul General, DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said.
There were 43 cases of race-based violence and harassment involving Filipinos recently reported, mostly committed in Manhattan and Queens in New York City, Daza added.
“We assure our fellow Filipinos that our Consulate General in New York will continue monitoring these incidents accordingly and is ready to assist hate crime victims and other distressed Filipinos in the area,” DFA said in a statement.