More than four centuries have passed since the Saturday when Filipinos first set foot on the North American continent. Now, Filipino Americans are working to maintain a cultural footprint.
During the celebration of October Filipino American History MonthMany Filipinos seek to have their cities recognized as “Filipino Cities” – a cultural district designation similar to Chinatown, Japantown, and Koreatown that highlights the contributions of expatriate and immigrant populations to the overall identity of the metropolis.
This recognition can be done through landmarks, event support, or even permanent signage. Three years ago, Los Angeles’ historic Filipino District — first designated as a neighborhood in 2002 — built a gateway arch, and Little Manila in New York City’s Queens borough debuted an official street sign. Now, Las Vegas has joined the club.
The official “Philippine City Cultural District” street sign was unveiled last week to great fanfare — six months after Clark County commissioners unanimously approved a resolution affirming that distinction.
“That was a great day,” Rosita Lee, the Filipino-native Las Vegas City Council Chairwoman, recalled of the county’s approval. “It is a great day because we realized that the government recognized us Filipinos as a good and powerful entity here in Nevada. We were all very happy.”
Lee, 90, has lived in Las Vegas for nearly 50 years. I saw a 1.2-mile (1.6-kilometer) corridor east of the Strip thriving with small Filipino businesses, a radio station and chains like Seafood City Supermarket and Jollibee. Last year, the first step the Philippine City Board took was to collect data to support their proposal. Filipinos are the largest Asian group in the Las Vegas metro with more than 200,000.
They also spread the word among business owners.
“We visited people who were in the area because we had to knock on doors and tell them about the possibility of naming this area after Philippine City, and whether they would support it,” Lee said. “Everyone said yes.”
Now that he has resigned from the board, Lee is currently planning to create a Filipino American museum.
Current Chairman Bernie Benito is looking to make the Philippine city a location that tourists will take note of.
“What we will try to do is just promote it culturally,” Benito said. “We will work to entice developers and investors to come to the area to establish their businesses.”
The Filipino scouts landed aboard a Spanish galleon—a heavy, square-shaped sailing ship—on October 18, 1587, at Morro Bay, California, making them likely the first known Asians to reach the United States. It would take nearly 200 years for Filipinos to settle here starting from Louisiana and the West Coast.
Before World War II, there were some Filipino enclaves composed mostly of single men. It was not as widespread as Chinatown and Japantown. Many of them have either been torn down or faltered with the departure of some of the men, said Joseph Bernardo, an assistant professor of Asian Pacific American Studies at Loyola Marymount University.
American colonial rule ended The Philippines From 1898 to 1946 it led to Filipinos studying the English language and assimilating Western culture.
“They are fluent in English, which does not necessarily connect them to the racial economy of survival in the United States,” Bernardo said. “They can get jobs as nurses, accountants, lawyers, doctors, etc., more easily than other Asian immigrants.”
The US Census estimates that 4.5 million Filipinos live in the United States and less than half of them are immigrants. A registered nurse is the most common profession, according to data from AAPI, a research and policy organization.
“More Filipino Americans care about cultural pride and want a community space that reflects that,” Bernardo said.
Today, there are many Philippine cities, some more bustling than others. Stockton, California’s vibrant Little Manila, was demolished by a crosstown expressway in the 1970s. But there are historical walking tours hosted by the advocacy group Little Manila Rising. In San Francisco, the artist-run Philippine Cultural Heritage District known as SOMA Pilipinas includes a community center and public artwork. Toronto, Canada, also has an active Little Manila area.
More than two dozen residents excitedly posed for photos in May in front of a brand-new Seattle Street Car outfitted with a branded “Filipinotown” wrap. For them, it was a tangible symbol of their Filipino hometown, which the Seattle City Council officially recognized in 2017. Devin Cabanilla, executive director of Filipino City Seattle, is also a contract worker for King County Metro Transit. Apply for a private tram.
“I think having this tram has really motivated us because I mean to some extent the general public doesn’t care. So what if you had a law that says you’re Filipino? What are the visible signs of that?” Cabanella said. “People want something tangible.”
Cabanilla’s aunt and uncle, Dorothy and Fred Cordova, are credited with creating Filipino American History Month in 1992 through their organization, the National Filipino American Historical Society.
Filipinotown is part of Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. Besides the restaurants and shops, Cabanilla hopes visitors will stop by to enjoy landmarks like the Dr. Jose Rizal Bridge, named after the writer who championed Philippine independence. Or Uncle Bob’s Place, an affordable housing building named after local Filipino American civil rights activist Bob Santos.
Future goals for Filipinotown include an official sign and events such as poetry sessions and a summer party.
“Our basic vision is to bring back the solidarity that we had when the international district was at its peak and was a multicultural place,” Cabanella said. “I want white people to understand that it’s not just about Chinese, Japanese and East Asian things. It always includes Filipinos who support and live in the region.”