by Jaime Pimentel
I’m happy to report that the Filipino contingent at the Anzac Day parade marched as one today ~ if divided. And I marched as the only former ROTC cadet (from the Ateneo de Manila Air ROTC company) with no objections from either the APSL Inc. or the APSL NSW.
Until about 10 minutes before we marched, however, the APSL Inc. group and the APSL NSW group took formations at separate positions in the parade line-up: One group stood behind the Indonesian contingent and the other behind the Vietnamese contingent.
Twice I approached a “Deputy Marshal” of the State RSL to ask him to instruct the two separate groups to move to a single formation but without success. On my third request, however, another “Deputy Marshal” followed me to the group behind the Vietnamese contingent where he instructed its leader to take formation behind Jun Javier’s Blacktown City Band which was positioned immediately behind the APSL Inc. group.
There was a brief standoff when one group asked the “Deputy Marshal” to order the other group to take off their official hats and large banner at the front of their lines. After some negotiations back and forth, the “Deputy Marshal” settled the standoff by allowing the group to keep their hats and their banner but issued a warning to both groups that, at next year’s march, the two groups must find a way to march as one contingent.
At the end of the march at the corner of Bathurst Street and Elizabeth Street, the groups went their separate ways ~ one group turned left into Elizabeth Street and the other to the right.
There is no doubt in my mind now that the State RSL is well aware of the deep division and ill feeling between the APSL Inc. and the APSL NSW. This does not speak well of the whole Filipino community in the Sydney area. I call on the PCC-NSW and the Filcca again, despite being outsiders in the conflict, to use their influence to get these two warring groups to settle their differences.
Somebody please mediate. I do not wish to take sides in this conflict; but cannot turn a blind eye to acknowledging what is happening here. Frankly, it is the APSL Inc. that refuses to come to the table for settlement talks. I call on Chris Pilao and Atoy Sayas to agree to a civil meeting between the two sides. I felt embarrassed and a bit irritated when, at approaching a “Deputy Marshal” to ask him to intervene, he responded with a hint exasperation: ”Now what’s the problem with these two groups?”
Gentlemen, get off your high horses and settle down.
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