by Edwin Quinabo
YEAR-IN-REVIEW: The first half of 2023 was dominated by the usual toxic politics swirling in Trump orbit and his new legal woes. It was the same gravitas pitched by the mainstream media 24/7 since the real estate-mogul-turned politician burst onto the nation’s political sphere – an import of crisis proportion.
Relative to the truly heart-thumping, momentous news events that rocked the nation and world in previous years – COVID-19, deepest recession since the Great Depression, Capitol insurrection, Ukraine war and sky-rocket inflation crisis – 2023 mid-year rolled out fairly quietly as news goes.
In fact, Olivia Rodrigo’s wildly successful sophomoric album “Guts” and all the Billboard records it broke in the U.S. and international charts were high up in news worthiness and attention along with the “woke” movement and conservative cultural pushback to it that included book bans and white supremacist rallies.
At mid-2023, journalists’ preoccupation was on the humdrum do-nothing of Congress where gridlock was the top story as a chaotic Republican-led house experienced unprecedented in-fighting that eventually led to Rep. Kevin McCarthy being ousted as speaker of the House. It was the first time in 113 years that the House has voted to vacate the speaker’s chair.
In the first half of 2023 the big news was more futuristic of what 2024’s election would be like between two highly unpopular candidates in a rematch most Americans are not looking forward to. What would a second Trump presidency do to the nation’s fragile democracy? An AP-Norc poll found 62% of adults say democracy in the U.S. could be at risk if Trump wins in 2024. As for Biden, could an aging Biden really govern? A majority of Americans found Biden’s age as problematic as Biden announced his reelection bid in April. These were the questions media and Americans were asking.
The Republican primary debates were hardly newsworthy as the party’s top poll-getter Trump dodged participation in any of them. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, fresh off an overwhelming gubernatorial re-election was initially neck and neck with Trump in some of the early polls. But as the nation got to know more of DeSantis, registered Republicans recoiled from their nascent enthusiasm.
Two Indian-Americans — Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy – injected fresh diversity to the GOP, if only they were real contenders polling better than they have been. Haley, the former ambassador to the United Nations and former South Carolina governor, had surpassed DeSantis for second place by the end of 2023. Ramaswamy, brilliant and a self-made multi-millionaire, arguably could have been polling much better given his right-wing brand of politics in a right-wing GOP ecosystem.
But it’s hard not to argue that a majority of Republicans couldn’t see pass his color or religious background. Still, their candidacies were groundbreaking for the Republican party and captured the imagination for some in the Asian American community whose loyalty in practice remained with the Democratic Party, according to polls.
Just as Americans thought 2023 would close out with relatively softer news than usual like the Chinese spy balloon spotted over the U.S. or the 33-page report on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), two historic late-year catastrophes occurred.
First in August the nation experienced the worst brush wildfires in decades in Maui then second in October the militant Islamist group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel that left hundreds dead and triggered the ongoing conflict most are calling a genocide in Gaza. More on these two events later.
The following is the HFC’s top 10 Year-in-Review for 2023. Original articles appeared in HFC cover stories, editorials, news or topics written by columnists. In each article, HFC presented a Filipino-community angle reporting on and for our niche audience.
#1 Wildfires devastate Maui, worst U.S. wildfire in decades
Topping the list of news in 2023 is a no-brainer for the state of Hawaii – the wildfires in Maui on August 8 struck hardest the resort town of Lahaina. HFC did two cover stories on the fires, first immediately after the outbreak then a follow-up two months later.
Historic Lahaina town in Maui was leveled to debris in what the National Fire Protection Association called the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in more than a century. State officials say just under 100 people were killed and more than 2,500 structures (1,800-1,900 homes) were destroyed. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green estimated damages to be $6 billion.
Hawaii’s Filipino community was severely impacted by the fires. Lahaina is considered a Filipino enclave. Its population is mostly Filipino and the workforce of Maui’s visitor industry. The Filipino population — a combination of newly arrived immigrants and those whose multi-generational families are rooted in Maui – make up some 40% of Lahaina residents.
Officials say the wildfires traveled about a mile per minute. Powerful wind gusts generated from hurricane Dora hundreds of miles south of the Hawaiian Islands-chain caused hot embers to leap from home to home, neighborhoods to neighborhoods, igniting everything in its path. Fires moved quickly through overgrown grasslands, which experts believed intensified the blaze and its spread. Maui residents describe the fire’s aftermath as apocalyptic, a level of devastation that came as a complete surprise, even as Maui residents are used to frequent brush fires.
Wailuku, Maui resident, director of Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce Kit Zulueta Furukawa describes to the Chronicle the perilous situation. “Nobody was prepared to handle a disaster on this scale.” Besides losing family and friends to the fires, she said “what is lost here is not just generational homes and memories attached to material possessions. It is not just the livelihood, historical buildings, schools, churches and the colorful vibrant town. We have lost a sense of place and especially for the locals, they lose a part of their identity.”
Two sisters who fled to the water spoke with CBS Mornings. Amelita Tingson said, “We spent six hours in the water. We jumped into the ocean because we were trapped.” Her sister Nelen Cesar counts on her blessings. “You know, our life is the blessings [we take from this tragedy]. We are thankful for this. It’s so sad. Everything is gone.”
#2 Hawaii’s Filipino community rally to aid Maui
Hawaii’s Filipino organizations rallied with fervor and focus to assist Maui residents impacted by the wildfires. The Filipino Maui Chamber, Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii, FAUW and UPAAH are only a few of many organizations that offered various assistance from cash and in-kind donations to donation drives.
Hawaii’s Filipino media helped to get recovery assistance known to the public. “Every bit of assistance to the victims of Maui’s wildfires makes a difference,” said Chona Montesines-Sonido, publisher and managing editor of the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle (HFC). “But it takes community outreach and dissemination of information through traditional media and alternative media such as HFC to ensure our community is made aware of what’s available.”
Cecille Piros, vice president-general manager of KPMW-FM (MIX 105.5 FM, Maui’s only Filipino FM radio station, said “while we understand that Lahaina will never be the same, it’s crucial to adopt a long-term perspective to this recovery effort. I believe we should focus on key areas such as community engagement, cultural preservation, collaboration and partnerships, and economic diversification.”
Federal, state and county officials said full recovery from the wildfires will take years. Zulueta Furukawa said “the Maui spirit remains strong. The sense of community driven with purpose is overwhelming. The challenge is to sustain this momentum once the cameras go away and once the headlines change. We hope you stick with us for the long haul.”
#3 Hamas Attack on Israel triggers genocidal-level response, U.S. plays major support role in conflict
Israel’s current war with Hamas was triggered by Hamas’ surprise attack that left hundreds of Israelis killed and 240 taken as hostages on October 7. But the Israeli occupation of Palestine that has resulted in ongoing conflict started back in 1948 when the state of Israel was founded and forced mass displacement of Palestinians that same year in what is called the Nakba.
Currently, Hamas still has 140 Israeli hostages, and the death toll of Palestinians in Gaza is more than 21,000 and counting. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war campaign against Hamas will continue for months as he readies the IDF for a ground force operation into Gaza. The bombing by Israel cumulatively is said to be equal to two atomic bombs, military experts say.
Israel is accused of breaking international law by targeting mass Palestinian civilian population in what’s called “collective punishment,” as well as violating laws that forces mass migration or displacement, use of white phosphorous and blocking food, water and humanitarian aid from reaching Gazans.
The U.S. has offered its support for Israel and recently President Biden approved the sale of millions in weapons to Israel, bypassing Congress. It was the second such approval in the month of December. The U.S. presence in the Red Sea to stop the attacks of cargo ships by Yemen’s Houthis – who got involved in the war in response to Israel’s bombing of Gaza – stands the risk of expanding the war into a regional conflict.
#4 Political fallout of Gaza Genocide Causes Split in Democratic Party and Favors Trump in His Bid for a Second Presidency
Like the surprise attack of Oct. 7, the political fallout also caught politicos off guard. Prior to the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and the following bombing campaign, most polls showed President Biden leading Trump between 1-4 percentage points. Since the war, Biden has lost favor among the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, younger voters (Gen Z and millennials) and Arab-Muslims because of his support for Israel and inability to persuade Israel to change course on their war strategy.
In key battleground states where the outcome of the presidential elections lies, Biden now trails Trump in six of seven battleground states between 3 to 6 percentage points, paving the way for a potential Trump win in 2024. Biden’s reelection campaign is reeling and hardly anyone expected the dramatic turnaround caused by the war.
#5 Social media spurs global resistance to Gaza bombings
As the first war unfolding in real time on social media, the Gaza genocide triggered unprecedented global protests from London and New York City to Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Sydney and South Africa. Because of social media, images and reports that previously would have been filtered by western corporate media, were instead made public for the world to see which spurred an anti-war global movement never seen before, or in the U.S.’ case., an intensity not experienced since the Vietnam war.
Attempted muzzling of freedom of speech at universities and boycotting of corporations due to war at a massive scale are adding new dimensions to the war-time phenomenon. What politicos also has found unique to this specific war is the level of distrust of American and western corporate media and the western governments’ spin on warfare. Never have we’ve seen this level of doubt and scrutiny against governments and media in wartime, politicos say. Again, which they largely attribute to social media arriving in prominence as the co-dominant channel for global communications along with traditional media.
#6 Banner year for Philippines sports – women’s soccer team and Filipino men’s basketball compete at World Cup
Filipinos around the globe beamed with pride and excitement over the Philippines team sports competing at two international competitions for a first time. In July the Philippine women’s soccer team competed in the 2023 FIFA World Cup. Later in the year Gilas Pilipinas Men’s Basketball competed in the FIBA Basketball World Cup. Both teams had to qualify to make it to this highest level of international competition. The aura, prestige and buzz surrounding the World Cup which is equal to the Olympics are well beyond sports and known to be an event that arouses national and ethnic pride.
Both the women’s soccer team and men’s basketball team did not advance to the second round but drew massive fan support. The women’s soccer team competed in host country New Zealand, but a large Filipino fan base represented the Philippines well with attendance of global Filipinos running in the tens of thousands. A sea of Philippines flags waved at the main soccer stadium when they competed against host New Zealand. The FIBA men’s basketball tournament broke all previous FIBA men’s attendance records. The electric support among global Filipinos were reminiscent of the passion aroused during Manny Pacquiao’s hey day and his streak of championship boxing wins.
#7 Filipino American role models shine in 2023
Filipino Americans nationally and locally had another banner year. Locally, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) selected Dr. Lee Buenconsejo-Lum to be their new interim dean. Her selection, praised by many in the university system to be well-deserved and merited, made history as she became the first Filipino dean at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Also locally, Allisen Corpuz became the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open winner, the first American to win the U.S. Open since 2016 and the second U.S. Open winner of Filipino ancestry since Filipino Japanese Yuka Saso won the championship in 2021.
On the mainland besides Olivia Rodrigo’s monster sophomoric album (mentioned earlier), Filipino Americans hit the entertainment big time with the Broadway musical Here Lies Love which featured Broadway’s first all-Filipino cast. Telling the story of former Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos and her family’s rise and fall, the major production debuted in the Broadway Theatre on June 17 and ran for most of the second half of 2023.
Filipino American engineering teacher and robotic instructor Joseph Alvarico was honored with the 2024 California Teacher of the Year Award. The 2023 James Beard Award Chef and Restaurant Winners included three Filipino American restaurants-chefs, two nominees apart from the three who won, and a FilAm winner of the James Beard Award in the social media category (promoting food).
#8 Trump Indictments
In March Trump became the first former president to be indicted in a criminal case following a grand jury investigation into hush money payments made on his behalf during the presidential campaign. Trump, who announced a third run for the presidency, would later face federal charges in June over classified documents, and charges in August in federal court and in Georgia over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. Trump called his indictments “witch hunts” and attempts at undermining his presidential run.
#9 AI and tech continues to replace American workers
AI, robotics and tech have been replacing lower-skilled jobs in multiple industries for a while now, but advancements to AI have infiltrated the creative industries that include writers and journalists’ employment. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on a months-long strike over the use of artificial intelligence when it comes to scriptwriting in Hollywood. The WGA also represents some newsrooms. The entire industry of journalism is gradually using AI for some non-analytical news stories.
Digitization, automation, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) are rapidly changing the labor market and often rendering occupations obsolete affecting workers across the spectrum, including Filipino Americans. AI expert-venture capitalist KaiFu Lee predicted that 40% of the world’s jobs will be replaced by robots in the next 15-25 years.
An Oxford study also warns that as AI progresses, it is inevitable that large sectors of the workforce will face mass unemployment or job replacement. Like all college students, Filipino American Gen Zers face greater career uncertainty than previous generations and are asking themselves: “Are the skills I’m learning now the type of skills that are robust to weather the storms of change powered by technology?”
#10 State lawmakers fund loan repayment program to help offset physician shortage, 500 healthcare workers selected to have part of their loans paid of
To help offset the dire Hawaii’s physician shortage, Hawaii state lawmakers this session agreed to spend $10 million in 2024 and $20 million in 2025 to help medical professionals, including doctors, nurses and social workers to pay down educational loans.
In December nearly 500 healthcare workers in Hawaii with student debt were selected to have up to $100,000 of their loans paid off by the state if they work in the state full-time for two years. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said the selection is the state’s first cohort of the Hawaii Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program, or HELP program.
“I saw firsthand how desperately needed medical care is, especially in rural areas of the islands and for underserved populations,” Green said. “HELP will prove to be a great start toward decreasing our long-standing and challenging shortage of healthcare professionals across the state. One of the key lessons we’ve learned over the years is we simply don’t have enough healthcare providers in the places we need the most. So, our team has been thinking about this for quite some time,” Green said.
The program is funded with $30 million from the Hawaii State Legislature and an additional $5 million from the CEO of Salesforce, Mark Benioff, and his wife, Lynne Benioff.
Medical school students upon graduating are facing a quarter-to-half a million dollars in debt. Assistance to pay down educational loans could incentivize new medical graduates to practice in Hawaii.
According to data compiled by Dr. John Lauris Wade, a member of the Hawaii Physician Shortage Crisis Task Force, Hawaii’s physician shortage has been increasing for more than 10 years. Based on preliminary numbers, in 2019 there was a 24% physician shortage (820 doctors) statewide. This year, the shortage has grown to 29%, or 1,014 physicians. It is unlikely that the trend will reverse itself as Hawaii also has the second oldest physician workforce in the nation, with 37% age 60 or older, according to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Some of the reasons for the shortage in Hawaii include the aging of physicians and retirement; not enough new physicians are coming to practice in the state; the high cost of living is driving doctors to leave the islands; insurance reimbursement is lower in Hawaii compared to other states; Hawaii lacks adequate residency training positions that forces local graduates to move; administrative tasks got too complicated; and newer technology also got too complicated for older physicians not tech savvy.2023 ended with unexpected catastrophes which aftermath in the Maui wildfires and ongoing Gaza genocide will have long-lasting consequences.
Editor’s Note: Original articles of these top stories and others not included in the top 10 can be accessed in HFC’s archives of articles at www.thefilipinochronicle.com.
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