The concept of Filipino empowerment has been seriously talked about since the late 1980s and early 1990s with a historic “symbolic” breakthrough in the election of Gov. Ben Cayetano in 1994. It was symbolic because Filipino empowerment then had yet to advance.
At the time, statistical well-being measures showed Filipinos still grossly lagging in education, entrepreneurial enterprises, income, homeownership, health, etc. relative to other ethnic groups in Hawaii. Discrimination, unfair and unfounded stereotypes still were rampant. Role models in many sectors of society were few and hard to find except for a handful of pioneering unicorns.
Today, impartial statistics measuring well-being of Filipinos – indicators of empowerment — in various categories show marginal but distinct improvements. There’s less discrimination. Gross stereotypes of Filipinos have dissipated. Filipinos are more educated and have their presence in most sectors of society. Role models are increasingly plentiful. It’s reasonable to say many individual Filipinos have shattered the proverbial glass-ceiling — certainly in politics, government and media. Still, there is room for vast improvement.
Why must we still look back at that turning point when Cayetano got elected?
Today, many Gen Zs don’t even know who Cayetano is or the struggle that the Filipino community then passionately fought for.
We must go back to that turning point in the 1990s to see what we did right – organizing and unifying our community.
The younger generations should know that many of the individual and personal advances among Filipinos over the years didn’t just happen in a bubble. Rather, it was through the efforts of organizing and political pressure, through scholarships, mentorships, patronizing of Filipino-owned businesses; and because of Filipinos who’ve made it giving back to the community.
The young generation takes for granted the Baby boomers and Gen X Filipinos who organized to bloc vote during the 1990s that brought about fairer representation of our community in politics and government. Bloc voting also put into office politicians – Filipinos and non-Filipinos — who worked to ensure policies advancing social equity to be implemented which benefited our community.
They also don’t understand the powerful role ethnic media, the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle included, played in pressuring mainstream media to properly and fairly report on our community, as well as brought to the forefront distinguished role models and our community’s concerns and issues. Such efforts raised our community’s image, instilled confidence among our youth to excel and highlighted our needs.
Clearly, there is strength in numbers, numbers that we already have as the largest “ethnic” group and second largest group (behind Whites) in the state. But that advantage has not been harnessed to a degree of achieving our full potential.
For example, in politics, in the 2022 election our community squandered a golden opportunity to finally have Filipino representation in the U.S. Congress. That already has happened on the mainland with the election of Filipinos to Congress in other states. How is it then that Hawaii with our massive numbers is still chasing that elusive representation?
Are we moving in the wrong direction?
Today there’s disconnection to each other among younger Filipinos, which is the antithesis of community. There’s this notion of personal advancement without thought of rising together. Our younger generation are alienated from our inherited culture that worked as a binding force which strengthened our sense of community.
Not only should our younger generation look back to the 1990s. But go back even further to learn about the sacrifices made by our sakadas (imported labor from the Philippines) who arrived in 1906 through 1946. During that time an estimated 125,000 Filipinos were recruited from the Ilocos and Visayas regions of the Philippines to work the sugarcane fields for the Hawaii Sugar Planters’ Association. They set the foundation for us being in Hawaii in the first place.
We should also go back and recognize the cradle of community-building in Hawaii when Filipino men signed up to fight in World War II which gave many of them the opportunity to stay in Hawaii. Some who joined the U.S. military married Filipinas and brought them back to the U.S. It was the start of the first real Filipino community in Hawaii. Then in 1965, the Immigration and Nationality Act allowed for even more Filipinos to immigrate and bring family to Hawaii which further entrenched a real sense of community in Hawaii.
How to build on our gains
Compared to the last election when our community squandered a golden opportunity as mentioned above, this election cycle there are no real viable Filipino candidates to rally behind in the big-ticket races. We need the younger generation to step up. But the entry level political races like in the state House is important this election cycle to set a stronger foundation for the future.
What we can do in this cycle is to organize for the next election. Our voter turnout is essential and sends a message that we still have it in us to bloc vote as in the 1990s. Our current leaders should be emboldened as Cayetano was to seek public office at the highest level.
We need a new renaissance among the younger generations that emphasizes community and embraces our culture and heritage that will help to unify us. We need to draw inspiration from our past, know our history and the sacrifices made which helped us to move forward. Our sense of community is slipping, which does not bode well for the future. Without a sense of community, there is little hope for further empowerment. We are clearly in need of yet another turning point, as we did in the 1990s.
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