SF mayor has meet-and-greet with Fil-Am leaders ahead of polls

Filipino American community leaders and members showed their support for San Francisco Mayor London Breed (in yellow blazer) and Yes on Measure A for affordable homes in San Francisco. INQUIRER/Jun Nucum

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor London Breed recently held a meet-and-greet with with Filipino American community leaders and advocates to mark Filipino American History Month and solidify their support for her reelection.

Breed came to the event with her Fil-Am deputy chief of staff and senior adviser Marjan Philhour, who is now the Filipino community’s main contact person in City Hall.

Philhour explained that one of first things Breed did when she took office as mayor was to bring the Filipino community around the table to show how she prioritizes their voices and values.

“The Filipino community has been so much as a backbone of our working class here in San Francisco — middle class in San Francisco, business owners, of community leaders – and the mayor really recognizes that,” Philhour believes.

“It means so much to her that we meet with her today and she is very much looking forward to the Filipino American History Month celebration.”

Philhour also urged the Filipino community to continue raising their voices, work together, and ensure that future generations are empowered here in San Francisco and the region.

Daz Lamparaz, main organizer with Philhour of the meet and greet cum-re-election fundraiser together with Philhour, said the event was held to enable Filipino Americans to see the mayor face-to-face and listen to her program and what the Filipino community can expect.

Left to right: Rodel Rodis, Rudy Asercion, Mayor London Breed, Daz Lamparaz, Marjan Philhour and Iloilo Circle President Michael Pangilinan entertain comments, suggestions, and questions from meet-and-greet attendees. INQUIRER/Jun Nucum

“Mayor Breed readily accepted our invitation. We were basically left behind in the last administration and this is our opportunity to show that we are here and together we can make a difference in the city,” stated Lamparaz.

Staunch Republican (among a group of Democratic supporters) Rudy Asercion is also upbeat like Rodis and Lamparaz that Filipinos finally have access to City Hall and have a channel for airing their concerns taken through Philhour.

“It is not that I am a Republican and she is a Democrat. I love the city and I love Filipinos. I want to make sure that whoever is elected to run the city is the most qualified,” Asercion clarifies.

“Right now, I am supporting her because of all the people who are running, she is the most qualified to run the city. My allegiance is to the city and not to the candidate.

Asercion realizes that there is animosity between the White House and the left-leaning City of San Francisco.

Breed admitted that it may not be possible to sweeten the city’s sour relationship with the current White House, which has tried to put the city in a bad light. The Environmental Protection Agency, now led by Trump loyalists, has accused the city of letting homelessness befoul the environment.

“We can have differences,” said Breed. “There is nothing wrong with differences of opinion and that both sides can argue and even fight about it.  But we have to have certain core values, and it starts with making sure that there is truth.”

Breed maintained that she is determined to cut red tape to provide people access to affordable housing and to help the homeless leave the streets.