MANILA - The Philippines has sent a note verbale to the US State Department after an elderly Filipino was attacked on the New York subway, its envoy said Monday.

Earlier this month, Filipino administrative assistant Noel Quintana was slashed on his face from ear to ear.

• Elderly Pinoy attacked in New York subway, got no help from co-passengers

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo that he filed the note verbale "just about a week ago."

"I wrote letters to some senators, (sa) justice committee nila tsaka 'yung sa racial discrimination committee ng US Senate," he added.

(I wrote letters to some senators, to their justice committee and racial discrimination committee.)

Hate crimes against Asian-Americans began to increase since September, Romualdez said.

"We already called the attention of the State Department at sinabi namin sa kanila na mukhang binibiktima ang Asian-Americans dahil ang tawag nga ng gobyerno dito noon ay China virus," he said.

(We already called the attention of the State Department and we told them that Asian-Americans are being victimized as the former administration called COVID-19 China virus.)

Some 4.5 million Filipinos reside in the US, with its largest community in California with 1.5 million members, according to the envoy.

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