Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday said the brutal assault on a 65-year-old Filipino woman in New York recently "will influence" the country's foreign policy amid rising anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States.
"This is gravely noted and will influence Philippine foreign policy. I might as well say it so no one on the other side can say we didn’t know you took racial brutality against Filipinos at all seriously. We do," Locsin said in a Twitter post.
However, Locsin did not elaborate how exactly it will change the country’s foreign policy.
Locsin made the statement after a police video and another video taken by a bystander showed the Filipina being attacked in broad daylight in midtown Manhattan in New York City.
The attacker, who has been identified by the New York police, yelled, "You don't belong here," then kicked the woman several times on the head and stomach.
Reports showed that no one came to the victim's aid, and a doorman who witnessed the attack in front of a building where it happened closed the door on her.
In February, the Philippine Embassy in Washington advised Filipinos in the United States to exercise "utmost caution" amid rising incidents of hate crimes against Asians in the country.
"We note with concern the rise in attacks on Asian Americans in various parts of the country. Filipinos are advised to exercise utmost caution in view of these incidents," the embassy said.
US media outlets have recently reported a wave of attacks against Asians and Asian-Americans in several states, prompting calls for action and vigilance among Asian communities.
The embassy called on federal, state and local authorities to further ensure the protection of persons of Asian descent, including Filipinos. Filipinos who experience attacks are advised by the embassy to immediately call 911 to report incidents.