Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti recently donned a purple barong — a Filipino garment steeped in history and tradition — and greeted the audience in the legislative body's grand chambers. Then he gave warm "magandang umaga" — the phrase that means "good morning" in English — before proclaiming the month of June as Philippine Heritage Month.
"Here we are, together as brothers and sisters celebrating Philippine Heritage," said Garcetti, whose 13th District includes the Historic Filipinotown district and concentrations of Filipino-Americans in other districts. including Echo Park and Silverlake.
14th District City Councilmember Jose Huizar joined Garcetti, members of the Los Angeles Filipino Association of City Employees (LAFACE), and officials from the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles for the June 11 event.
"Filipinos have contributed widely and distinguished themselves, they are a vital part of Los Angeles," said Huizar.
Singer Bernardo Bernardo regaled the council with his rendition of Magsimula Ka a popular Filipino song extolling the virtues of rising up to adversity.
Then came a procession of City Councilmembers proclaiming the positive contributions that Fil-Ams have made to the city.
"I don't know where our health industry would be without Filipinos," said 7th District City Councilmember Richard Alarcon.
"The Filipino community has done well pushing their children in education," added 6th District representative Tony Cardenas.
LAFACE President Cora Aragon Soriano said it's important for Filipinos residing in the U.S. to continue to celebrate the heritage of their homeland.
"We wouldn't be here if we were still under the rule of Spain," Soriano. "It's the idea of being free. Yes, we are in America now but we're still Filipinos, so we'll celebrate being Filipino."
More than 50 Filipino Americans attended the proclamation, a far cry from the 10 individuals present for a Philippine Heritage event at the City Hall last year.
David Rockello, an member of the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council, said he expects the annual event to grow larger in the coming years now that June has been designated Philippine Heritage Month.
"I think a lot of Filipinos now realize how important it is for the City Council to recognize them," Rockello said.
Joseph Pimentel is a writer for Asian Journal.
AJPress photo by Bert Jaurigue.
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