UNITED States President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are paying tribute to the contributions of Filipino Americans this October as the country marks the annual recognition of Filipino American History Month.
The White House released a statement saying Filipinos and Filipino Americans “have helped forge the very idea of America.”
The country is home to 4.4 million Filipinos and Filipino Americans, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, making them the third largest Asian group.
“This Filipino American History Month, the Biden-Harris Administration is proud to honor generations of Filipino Americans who have ensured our nation remains a land of hope, opportunity, and optimism,” the White House added.
Meanwhile, Biden took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to say he and First Lady Jill Biden are “thrilled” to celebrate the month, which honors “the rich heritage and traditions of millions of Filipino Americans.”
“To our Filipino American community: Thank you for all you do to ensure our nation continues to be the land of opportunity,” the president said.
Meanwhile, Harris remarked that the community contributes “contribute to our nation’s success every single day.”
The celebration of Filipino American History Month in October commemorates the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States, which occurred on October 18, 1587, when “Luzones Indios” came ashore from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza and landed at what is now Morro Bay, California, according to the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS).
October 1992 was the month dedicated to Filipino Americans was celebrated in the United States, a year after FANHS passed a proclamation.
In 2009, U.S. Congress declared October as Filipino American History Month, and in 2015, then-President Barack Obama celebrated the first FAHM at the White House.
For 2023, FANHS shared this year’s theme as “1898: Recognizing 125 years of Philippine-American History,” marking the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Paris agreement between Spain and the United States that ended the Spanish American War and led to the U.S. annexation of the Philippines.
“As a result of the Treaty of Paris, Filipino people gained access to the U.S. during an era when other Asian countries were prohibited from doing so,” FANHS wrote.
Through the treaty, Filipino migrants were considered U.S. nationals until 1965 and could migrate to the U.S. and its territories without restrictions. With this, many Filipinos contributed to the agricultural labor force in Hawaii and the west coast of the U.S.
The Pensionado Act of 1903 paved the way for Filipino students to attend U.S. universities until 1943, while American curricula and educational systems were introduced to the Philippines, FAHNS shared. This resulted in English proficiency and the recruitment of Filipino nurses, teachers and other professionals to the U.S.
“The year 1898 also marks an important year in Philippine history. After centuries of Filipinos fighting against Spanish colonizers – with the most successful uprising being the Philippine Revolution (1896-1898) – the people of the Philippines declared their independence on June 12, 1898,” according to FAHNS.
Throughout October, areas across the U.S. proclaim their own recognitions of the month, host celebrations and festivals, and other activities to highlight the community’s contributions to the country’s history. n
