City Council proclamation lauds city’s Fil-Am community
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO – Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Ferrer took part in the first-ever official celebration of Filipino American History Month in South San Francisco, California, spearheaded by the city’s first Filipino American Mayor Mark Nagales and first Filipino American Vice Mayor Buenaflor Nicolas on October 4, 2022.
The city’s first Filipino American History Month celebration also marked the first time the Philippine national flag was unfurled from the balcony of the South San Francisco City Hall.
During the occasion, Mayor Nagales presented to Consul General Ferrer the proclamation by the South San Francisco City Council, declaring October 2022 as Filipino American History Month in the city.
In its proclamation, the South San Francisco City Council said that “immigrants from the Philippines and their families truly have enriched our nation, state, and city through their work and contributions in agriculture, their service in the Armed Forces, their offerings, skills and expertise as engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, accountants, teachers, lawyers, nurses and doctors, and their participation in public offices, civic affairs and community activities.”
“Diversity represents one of our greatest strengths, and by recognizing the contributions and accomplishments of Filipino American men and women, our City celebrates the importance of inclusion to build a brighter future for all of our citizens,” the City Council proclamation also reads.
In his remarks, Consul General Ferrer thanked Mayor Nagales and Vice Mayor Nicolas for their leadership and took pride that “for the first time in the city’s 114-year history, two Filipino Americans are serving together in the top two posts of the South San Francisco government.”
Consul General paid tribute to Filipino World War II veterans as the Philippines and the U.S. mark the 80th anniversary of the Fall of Bataan and the Bataan Death March this year, which is part of the shared history between the two countries.
“Through the collective efforts of our veterans, the community and champions in government, Filipino World War II veterans were conferred the highest civilian award the U.S. government can bestow — the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal. Philippine World War II history is also now part of California’s curriculum for Grade 11 students,” Consul General Ferrer said.
The Philippine Consul General also said that he looked forward to the “reinvigoration of our economic, cultural, and people-to-people ties through the Pasig City-South San Francisco Sister City relations.”
On October 18, 1587, sailors from the largest Philippine island of Luzon arrived in Morro Bay, California onboard the Spanish galleon ship “Nuestra Señora de Esperanza.” Their arrival in coastal California is considered the first recorded presence of Filipinos in continental U.S., an event that is remembered yearly through the Filipino American History Month.
