[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 159 (Friday, September 29, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E918-E919]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH RESOLUTION

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. ED CASE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 29, 2023

  Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, each year our country recognizes October as 
Filipino American History Month, a time for all Americans to celebrate 
the incredible past, present and future of our fellow citizens whose 
heritage lies in the great country of the Philippines.
  I am especially humbled to do so as the Representative of Hawaii's 
First Congressional District, where some 190,000 Filipino Americans 
live, more than any other of our 435 districts throughout the country. 
With Hawaii's Second Congressional District that has the second largest 
Filipino Americans population at about 180,000, our Fil-Am community in

[[Page E919]]

Hawaii stands at 370,000. In total, fully a quarter of all Hawaii 
residents are Filipino Americans, by far the largest percentage of any 
state or territory.
  We observe Filipino American History Month in October because the 
first recorded arrival of Filipinos in the continental United States 
took place on October 18, 1587, when the ``Luzones Indios'' came ashore 
from the Manila-built galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza in Morro Bay, 
California. Today, across the country Filipino Americans have a 
population of approximately 4,400,000 and are the third largest Asian 
American and Pacific Islander group in the United States.
  Many of the early Filipino immigrants were young men who came to the 
United States seeking a better life. Most found work in Hawaii, 
California, Washington and Alaska. This first generation of Filipino 
immigrants are commonly referred to as the Manong generation (Ilocano 
for first-born male). They worked mostly physically demanding jobs in 
tough conditions for very little pay. Over the years, they fought 
against discrimination, found a way forward and made a better future 
for themselves and their future generations. They became respected 
members of communities throughout our nation.
  The history of the Fil-Am community in Hawaii is particularly rich 
and echoes the national story. In 1906, the first 15 sakada contract 
laborers arrived in Honolulu from the Philippines aboard the SS Doric, 
marking the first sustained immigration into our country and the humble 
beginnings of Fil-Ams in Hawaii. These first immigrants, those that 
followed and the subsequent generations eventually became trailblazers 
in politics and government, the military, business and 
entrepreneurship, journalism, popular culture, music and the arts and 
more.
  Domingo Los Banos was Hawaii's first Filipino American school 
principal and a loyal veteran of the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment 
that fought in the Philippines during World War II.
  Carolina Dizon Wong broke a glass ceiling when she obtained an M.D. 
degree and became the first Filipino American to start a medical 
practice in Hawaii in 1952.
  Peter Aduja became the first Fil-Am elected to public office in the 
United States when he was elected to the Hawaii Territorial House of 
Representatives in 1954.
  Ines Cayaban was the first Filipino American graduate of the School 
of Public Health, Nursing and Social Work at the University of Hawaii. 
She received the prestigious Jefferson Award in 1986 for her service.
  In 1994, Ben Cayetano was elected the Governor of Hawaii, becoming 
the first Filipino American governor of a state in our union.
  In 2019, Roy Macaraeg became the first Fil-Am to become a general 
officer in the history of Hawaii's citizen soldier ranks.
  In Hawaii, we also regularly honor the over 250,000 Filipinos who 
answered the call to protect and defend America and the Philippines in 
the Pacific theater. In 2016, President Obama signed into law the 
Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act to 
bestow Congress's highest honor upon those veterans. With my colleagues 
in the House, I have introduced our Filipino Veterans Family 
Reunification Act, which seeks to reunite World War II Filipino 
soldiers with their children, so that we can honor those living in our 
community who fought to protect the free and open Indo-Pacific that we 
have today.
  Each and all of these lives of achievement are but a small sampling 
of a broader community that has achieved so much and contributed so 
much to the rich fabric of our country. And the story of Filipino 
Americans is still in its early chapters.
  This is why it is important that we take the time to recognize groups 
like Filipino Americans. The story of Filipino Americans, and to an 
extent, the stories of all of our various ethnic groups, is the story 
of America. From very humble beginnings, they have risen through hard 
work, sacrifice, commitment to advancing the next generations and 
mutual support to achieve so much already. That well describes Filipino 
Americans overall--embracing the responsibilities and opportunities of 
America while honoring and treasuring the rich heritage of their 
ancestral homeland.
  All of this is why I joined my friends and colleagues Congresswoman 
Michelle Steel, Congressman Bobby Scott, Congressman James Moylan and 
others in introducing this bipartisan resolution to express support for 
the designation of October as Filipino American History Month. We urge 
our colleagues' support to promote an ongoing appreciation of the 
contributions of Filipino Americans to our country and the rich 
diversity of our nation.
  To Fil-Ams everywhere, ``Maraming Salamat Po'' and ``Dios ti 
Agngina''--congratulations. I truly look forward to partnering with 
them on their next proud chapters.

                          ____________________