WASHINGTON D.C. - Filipino-Americans living in the Greater Washington DC region are getting ready to welcome “kababayans” from across America and the world, who’ll be witnessing the inauguration of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday.

Community leader Ben de Guzman revealed the schedule of activities for local as well as out-of-town Fil-Ams.

On Saturday, a panel discussion at the George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia aims to give a Fil-Am historical context to the ascension of the first African-American to the presidency. “We do this for those who came before us and for those coming after us,” explained De Guzman.

In the evening, Fil-Am Obama supporters will jump the gun on inaugural festivities by holding a party in DC that will be joined by top Fil-Am political and community leaders from all over the US.

Different ‘party’
But human rights group Katarungan is planning a different kind of inaugural “party”.

They plan to picket the Philippine Embassy here on Inauguration Day to demand that outgoing President George W. Bush be arrested and prosecuted for alleged crimes against humanity, and also to urge incoming President Obama to take a more critical stance with the Arroyo administration in Manila.

“Undoing the mess of the last 8 years under the Bush-Arroyo tandem must include cutting US government aid to the Arroyo government and ending diplomatic relations until (Pres. Gloria Macapagal) Arroyo steps down and is held accountable for her crimes,” Katrina Abarcar, Katarungan coordinator, said in a statement.

The Fil-Am activities will also include a Fil-Am Caucus meeting under the Asian-Pacific Islander alliance on Sunday, that will discuss opportunities for political and civic engagement under the Obama administration.

Veterans legislation
On Monday, the Fil-Am community honors aging World War II veterans who continue to fight for justice by pushing equity legislation on Capitol Hill.

The equity bill scored a historic victory in the Senate in a near-unanimous vote to provide recognition and pensions to surviving Filipino World War II veterans. However, a efforts to pass a companion bill in the House of Representatives are stalled.

Ambassador Willy Gaa will host an invitation-only reception for Fil-Am leaders attending Tuesday’s inauguration.