THE FILIPINO CENTURY BEYOND HAWAII

International Conference On The Hawaii Filipino Centennial

Ala Moana Hotel, 410 Atkinson Drive,

Honolulu, Hawaii, 96814; Phone: (808) 955-4811

December 13-17, 2006

 

ABSTRACTS

 

ABENOJA,  Macrina. “Lucky Come Hawaii! Life Satisfaction among Cebuano-Speaking Elderly Filipinos on Oahu,” Research Statistician, State of Hawaii Department of Human Services, Honolulu, Hawaii. Email: mackiabenoja@hotmail.com.

 

This story is about the complex causation of life satisfaction among elderly Filipinos in Hawaii, of Visayan origins. Because of their sakada experience, this group had modest socio-economic status--little education and low income. Western standards that focus upon personal attributes would put them at low levels of life satisfaction. However, their actual life experience demonstrates otherwise because of collective attributes that have far greater influence upon life satisfaction than strictly personal ones among Filipinos. An examination of the historical and socio-cultural contexts of this group’s immigration experience discloses their unique locale orientation to Hawaii and the Philippines. This orientation makes them “people of two lands” and bears significant implications upon their life satisfaction.

 

AGARAN, Gilbert Coloma and Fred EVANGELISTA. “Oral History, Myths and Legends in the Sakada Narrative.” Practicing Attorneys in Maui, Hawaii.

 

The Filipino farm laborers imported to Hawaii in the 20th Century were relatively uneducated and did not document their plantation experiences. Except for limited participation by Filipino-American leaders in oral history projects and relatively recent scholarship, much of the journey to Hawaii and the plantation experience have been described by third parties through the prism of myth and legends about the role of Labor in the development of modern Hawaii and the rise of the Democratic Party. What has been disclosed to spouses, children, grandchildren and other relatives reveals some general acceptance of an accepted story, collective myth or group history. The myth and legends that have been passed on to the children, grandchildren and relatives of the sakadas from Maui raise issues about community memory, group values and collective lessons.

 

AGCAOILI, Aurelio S. “Tropes of Tensions in the Land of Exile: Filipino Labor and Race Relations in Philippine-American Literature.” Coordinator, Ilokano Program, Hawaii-Indo Pacific Languages & Lit., University of Hawaii at Manoa. Email: aurelioagcaoili@yahoo.com.

 

The demographic of labor in the sectors that Filipino labor has been welcomed in the last one hundred years has always been of mixed races. In Hawaii, there was a mixture of Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and the native Hawaiian population even prior to the arrival of the Filipino sakada. In the health sector where Filipino medical and paramedical professionals have had an edge, the races dominated by Caucasian get to be more mixed. Tensions in race relations in the workplace are common. These tensions have not escaped the perceptive documenting, discursive projecting, and artistic understanding of Filipino writers as they have become active witnesses and participant observers in the dynamics of the labor front in the United States, where ‘Filipino presence’ is noted. The mode of rendering their ‘testimonial’ follows the route of various aesthetic expressions, but nonetheless utilizes the the epistemological lens in the (im)migrant experience that, in turn, transforms and elaborates it into tropes. The paper intends to critique such articulations and elaborations to map out the terrain of struggle Filipino (im)migrant labor has undergone in the last one hundred years.

 

ALBURO, Erlinda K. “Plantation Life in Hawaii and the Politics of Representation.” Director, Cebuano Studies Center and Professor, Department of Languages & Literature, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines. Email: csc@usc.edu.ph.

 

This paper contrasts two competing discourses in representing plantation life of the Visayans of Hawaii during the first half of the 20th century. The positive view is represented by a 1930 laborer's manual commissioned by the HSPA while the negative view is derived from the fiction and articles in the popular pre-war Cebuano periodical Bag-ong Kusog.  Against these printed texts, interviews conducted in 1988 by the researcher will show how gender, ethnicity and class have informed the realities of plantation life as recounted in the narratives of the surviving laborers or their children in the islands of Oahu and Kauai in Hawaii.

ALCANTARA, Adelamar N.  “Filipinos in the United States: In Pursuit of the American Dream—Where are they and how far have they come?” Senior Demographer, University of New Mexico, USA. Email: dalcant@unm.edu.

 

The profile of the Filipino immigrant changed with US immigration policies. In 1906, the first sakadas were recruited by the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association.  In 1963, US Immigration Laws were amended to give priority to skilled and professional labor and facilitate the reunification of immigrant family members.  Between these years and since 1963, waves of Filipinos have immigrated to this country.  By 2000, over 2 million Filipinos claimed US residence.  Using Census 2000 data this paper will examine the factors associated with educational attainment and income among Filipinos in the US.  Statistical analysis and models will be used to determine the effect of age, gender, immigration and citizenship status, timing of arrival in the US, marital status, and other demographic factors on educational attainment and income of Filipinos.

 

ALCAZAREN, Mila A.  “Teaching the Filipino Language to Heritage Students on Guam.” Visiting Professor, University of Guam. Email: ginang_alca@yahoo.com.

 

Teaching Filipino language to Fil-Am students on Guam is a challenge.  The student population is so diverse.  While there are some who are already proficient in the language, others are confused with the languages spoken by their parents.  Students take the course either for reasons of personal need or just to satisfy the language requirements. The University of Guam’s (UOG) Tagalog Language program has shown tremendous increase in enrolment as well as student interest during the past years.  This presentation will describe the Tagalog Language Program, its faculty and students based on data during the past five years.  The presentor will also share experiences, challenges and activities that the program offers each semester that contribute to its success, together with recommendations for improvement gathered from students and peer evaluations.

 

ALEGADO, Dean T.  “People Power II and the Transnational Filipino Community: The Role of Transnational Community Network.” Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Ethnic Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa. Email: alegado@hawaii.edu.

 

"People Power II" - the movement that resulted in the ouster of the Estrada Administration in the Philippines in January 2001 - stands out among a number of landmarks in the history of recent popular mobilization in the Philippines and the overseas Filipino communities.  Rivera (2001) describes it as a "collective resistance transcending national sovereign border" in which the "imagined (global) Filipino community" becomes a reality and is enriched in the process of struggle by both communities of immigrant families and contract workers abroad.  Linked interactively with each other and various Philippine political networks through internet websites, electronic discussion groups and relay instruments of modern satellite communications, the Filipino diaspora had an immediate continuing presence, intervening in and interrogating even the most local struggles in the "home" and "host" countries, including the United States.  This paper explores the role and growing significance of transnational communication networks in the contemporary Filipino diaspora.

 

ALEGADO, Dean T.  “Singgalot: Ties that Bind.” Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Ethnic Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa. Email: alegado@hawaii.edu..

 

Part of a traveling exhibit supported by the Smithsonian Institution, this presentation is a narrative of the Filipino American experience - from the Galleon Trade that brought Filipinos to North America, to the struggles for justice and civil rights during pre-World War II period, to the present day. Singgalot premiered at the S. Dillon Ripley International Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution in May 2006, and will be on display at Hamilton Librry, University of Hawaii at Manoa, from Dec. 1, 2006 to Jan. 30, 2007. It will then travel to the Philippines, where it will be shown in various cities from March to July 2007. The Smithsonian Institution will sponsor Singgalot as a traveling exhibit from 2007 to 2009.

 

ALIDIO, Kimberly.  "The Temperate and the Torrid: Early 20th Century American Comparisons of Hawaii and the Philippines." Assistant Professor, History and Asian American Studies, University of Texas-Austin. Email: kalidio@mail.utexas.edu.

 

Within the framework of 20th-century American colonialism, what comparisons and connections exist between Hawaii and the Philippines? This paper looks at travel writing, school geography primers, and political debate to consider the ways that early 20th century Americans claimed the two territories as part of their national identity. The literal and figurative maps were early forms of American pluralism. Yet critical differences were unresolved: pre-World War II Hawaii and the Philippines were unincorporated territories in different ways, a settler colony and an indirect colony, respectively. I conclude with some thoughts about the theoretical implications for comparative and transnational study.

 

ANGUAY, Cornelia. “Roots: The Sakada Connection.” (Roundtable). University of Hawaii at Hilo. Email: cocoanguay@hawaii.rr.com.

 

This panel consists of second generation descendants of sakadas who were recruited during the forty-year period of plantation assisted migration (1906 to 1946).  The panelists will present their unique plantation upbringing and discuss the social, economic and political forces that have impacted their lives.  A question and answer period will follow the presentations.  The discussants and their topics include: Romel Dela Cruz, “Under the bough of a salamagi tree: The Legacy of the 1946 sakadas,” Jay Sasan,  “Final Harvest: Cut 'caneniro' to Plantation Manager,” and Fred Soriano, “Tata Gorio: Unveiling a Sakada Statue.”

 

ANNEB, Bernadette B., BANUA, Dedicacion B. & Samuel Rey Robert D. DULDULAO.  "The Role of Gumil in preserving Philippine regional literature." Authors are active members of GUMIL Ilocos Sur, Philippines. Email: dette_31.banua@yahoo.com.

 

GUMIL(Gunglo dagiti mannurat nga Ilokano),is an association of Ilokano Writers with chapter members nationwide. Its role is to promote the development of Philippine Regional Ilokano Literature,artistic and cultural heritage as well as the enhancement of the intellectual creativity and writing craft of Ilokanos. Through conventions, international conferences, seminars and meetings by different chapters, GUMIL attempts to preserve Philippine Regional Literature and strengthen more the inter-regional relationships among members of the organization, where Ilokano writers can undertake common and cooperative efforts to improve their craft of writing literary, historical, research and other works. It also publishes books wherein writings on poetry, essays, novels, historical accounts, research and critical studies can be preserved. GUMIL also enriches Ilokano literature and cultural heritage as phases of the national identity by encouraging the members to concentrate on writing about the social, economic, cultural and other aspects of growth and development among Ilokanos in the different regions of the Philippines.

 

APOSTOL, Virgil J. Mayor. “Revival and reintroduction of Filipino traditional healing practices into Filipino-American society.” Traditional healing practitioner in Southern California. Email: rumsua@mail.com.

 

Traditional Filipino healing practices are suffering from neglect. The decline of competent healers and lingering effects of colonization have imposed a notion that foreign health practices are superior. Thus, the need to bring traditional healing practices back into the hands of the people. The more popular form, ablon (also termed hilot), is used to help heal various health problems, especially treatment of neurovascular and musculoskeletal imbalances. Injuries and chronic pain are relieved in one or more sessions, thus reducing the need to make several trips to a facility that offers standard therapies that are sometimes ineffective. Another aspect rarely addressed by mainstream medicine is a holistic approach involving the mind and body through cultural and sociological perspectives. The author has observed, at least in southern California, that by reviving traditional Filipino healing practices via formal education and written works, Filipinos can gain control of their health and proudly continue a rich cultural tradition.

 

AQUINO, Belinda A. “Understanding the ‘Hanapepe Massacre.’" Director of Center for Philippine Studies & Professor, Political Science and Asian Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa. Email: lyndy@hawaii.edu.

 

 Some 82 years after it happened, the so-called "Hanapepe Massacre" on the island of Kauai in Hawaii continues to confound and confuse. It was the bloodiest incident in Hawaii's labor history. What really happened that day when 16 Filipino sakadas, all known to be Visayans, and four  policemen of varying ethnicities lay dead after a melee involving striking plantation workers will probably never be known.  We only get sketches from "official" reports like police records, whose authenticity can be questioned. The authenticity of the Visayan-Ilokano ethnic tension that has been written or talked about can likewise be questioned. Was that a real issue, or did plantation management tolerate that ethnic division for its own interests? This paper will not attempt to provide an exhaustive explanation of this particular violent episode. It hopes to provide a better understanding of the larger issues dating back to the 19th century in the development of the plantation system to which the sakadas were recruited in large numbers. The 1924 Hanapepe Strike was not an isolated incident. It was an explosion waiting to happen after decades of plantation strife brought about by a succession of strikes, mainly by Japanese workers,  to which the newcomer Filipinos were increasingly drawn. As early as 1909, 7,000 plantation laborers had already waged a strike demanding better wages and working conditions. Tensions between management and workers, and among workers and their leaders as well, were high.  Understanding this broader picture can help explain the "inevitability" of the Hanapepe "massacre."

 

AQUINO, Romulo. “The Philippine Studies Mission: Preserving the Filipino Immigrant Legacy.” Environmental Consultant and Co-organizer, Philippine Studies Group at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Email: aquino_romulo@yahoo.com

 

This paper focuses on organizational, political, budgetary, demographic and educational factors that the Philippine Studies group in Michigan must deal with in order to remain a viable unit within a university setting.

 

ARANDA, Ben. “The Role of a Fil-Am Professional in Uplifting the Status of the Fil-Am immigrants in America.”  President, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), Los Angeles. Email: baranda@lutcf.com.

 

The plight of the Fil-Am immigrants in getting their rightful recognition in mainstream USA has always been a challenge.  Although they are one of the fastest growing Asian populations on the U.S., they have yet to put a representative in Congress. Some say it's because of the Filipino's ability to assimilate and get lost in the process, others blame it on a lack of unity.  Whatever the case may be, one thing is certain. With intelligence, the Filipino-American can have a significant place in mainstream America, and coupled with integrity and initiative, this newfound status can be sustained. The author will show how this can be done with success. With over 20 years of experience in the field of financial consultancy, he will also show how he has helped his kababayans through proper financial planning to secure not only the future of their families but also that of the Filipino American community.

 

ARANZA, Sonia. “Hawaii on My Mind:  Reflections on an Immigrant Childhood.” President, Aranza Communications, Virginia, USA. Email: soniaspeak@aol.com.

 

This presentation will explore the immigrant experience from the perspective of  someone whose childhood in Hawaii introduced a whole new different culture, a different way of thinking. This will not be a nostalgic "trip" but a profound exploration of that experience, an examination of the insights gained from growing up in Hawaii.  Reflecting on my Hawaii childhood from a distance now enables me to come full circle in a continuing search for the meaning(s) of the immigration experience.

 

ARBOLEDA, Pia. “Gaikokujin Kyoushi ga Manabu (The Foreign Teacher Learns): Reflections on Teaching Filipino as a Foreign Language in Japan.” Visiting Professor, Osaka University of Foreign Studies, Japan. Email: pia.c.andrada@gmail.com.

 

The most rewarding thing about teaching is that it grants countless opportunities to learn from students and fellow teachers. I believe a teacher must strive to stimulate students’ intellectual and emotional growth, respect their diverse talents and learning styles, provide a non-threatening atmosphere for learning, and promote learning beyond the classroom. This will begin with a description of general education principles that have guided me in all the years that I have been teaching. Then I will discuss some background information about the differences between the classroom setting in Japan and the Philippines. Next, I will provide descriptions of the approaches and teaching strategies that I employ, and the responses received from students. Finally, I will share my reflections on being a foreign teacher in Japan.

 

ARCELO, Adriano A. “Filipinos in the U.S. Bay Area.”  Research Director, John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation, Iloilo City, Philippines. Email: arcelo@echo-services.com.

 

This paper will highlight the profile of the Filipinos in the Bay Area and their contributions to the community.  It begins with a background analysis of the flow of Filipinos to America, citing the dominance of the Filipinos in Hawaii that later was eclipsed in 1960 when the Filipinos on the U.S. mainland reached 107,669 compared to only 68,641 in Hawaii. The 1965 Immigration Act further accelerated the dominance of those on the mainland. Thus, in 1970, the Filipinos in the U.S. mainland reached 247,308 compared to 95,680 in Hawaii. In 1970, Filipinos in California with 135,248 likewise outnumbered those in Hawaii with 95,680.  The paper, however, emphasizes the dominance of Filipinos in the Bay Area, their success in terms of income, education, politics, and spirituality.

 

ASIS, Maruja M. B. “Organizing Filipinos: Migrants’ Associations and their Changing Milieus.” Director, Scalabrini Migration Center, Manila, Philippines. Email: marla@smc.org.ph.

One of the features of the Filipino diaspora is the proliferation of associations formed by Filipinos wherever they have pitched tent. In keeping with the theme of finding continuities and disjunctures in the migration experience of Filipinos, this essay examines selected examples of associations established by Filipinos in different historical, geographic and global contexts.The comparison and analysis will be guided by the following questions: What do these associations reveal about the issues/concerns of Filipino migrants? What do they indicate about migrant empowerment? What do they suggest about the relationship between Filipino migrants and the homeland? These questions are examined in three broad historical periods: before the 1970s, which corresponded with US-oriented migrations; 1970s-1990s, which coincided with the more global migration of Filipinos; and the 1990s-present, which is characterized by extensive transnational possibilities.

ATIENZA, Josephine. “Issues and Challenges Faced by U.S. Filipino Immigrants: How they are Interpreted and Portrayed in Movies.”Film archivist and filmmaker in the production of Sana Maulit Muli (1995), Batang Westside (2002), and Care Home (2006).  Email: joat1113@yahoo.com.

 

The panelist will examine how movies, or full-length narrative commercial films, portray and interpret the Filipino immigrants’ experiences in the U.S..  Due to the Philippines’ historical, cultural, and economic connection to the United States, many Filipinos have made America a second home. They come to America, legitimately or otherwise, to live, to work, and sometimes to raise a family.  In the process, they encounter challenges that are bound to arise with their being uprooted, leaving their comfort zone, and adjusting to a new environment with a different cultural lifestyle. These struggles often result in alienation, depression, and generation gaps among immigrants, to name a few. The experiences of Filipinos living in America have been frequently depicted in the movies. Highly-revered actress Nora Aunor portrayed three archetypal Filipina immigrant roles: the demure UCLA exchange student in Lollipops and Roses (1971), the lonely New Jersey nurse in ‘Merika (1984), and the overworked caregiver in Care Home (2006). Similar movies are: Sana Maulit Muli (1995), dealing with issues of long distance relationships and romantic sacrifice; Batang Westside (2002), on the Filipino youth gangs; The Debut (2000), on generation gaps and their effects; and American Adobo (2001), on issues confronted by the Filipino-American professionals.

 

AVILA, Geline. “The Legacy and Contributions of the Katipunan ng mga Demokratikong Pilipino (KDP or the Union of Democratic Filipinos) to Filipino Transnational Activism, 1971 – 1986.” PhD candidate, UC Berkeley. Email:

(Abstract not available at presstime)

 

BALMES, Christine. “The Philippine Collections of the Frank Murphy Museum.”(Poster). Student, Asian Studies, University of Michigan.  Email: balmes@umich.edu.

 

A team of University of Michiganundergraduate students under faculty Adelwisa Weller worked for three months to formally identify and catalogue the collections of the Frank Murphy Museum (FMM) in Harbor Beach, Michigan.  FMM contains some of the best artifacts of Philippine art from the early to mid 1900s received as presents by American governor-general of the Philippines, Frank Murphy.  The purposes of this project are to increase public and academic awareness of the collections, and to preserve Filipino and Filipino American culture. The team was able to collect 221 digital photographs and describe 128 unique artifacts including 78 cloths and dresses, 41 portraits, and photos, 2 documents, and 20 woodcarvings and weapons.  It also generated reports on two subjects: Philippine national costumes and Philippine weapons.  This project opens a starting point by researchers interested in the Philippine-American colonial hegemony; Filipino self-representations in art during the 1930s; and Filipino-American relationships in general. In the future, the team hopes to work together with the Jorge B. Vargas Museum at the University of the Philippines to produce an art book containing the collections from the two museums.  Implications of this project are discussed.

 

BANAS, Neneth. “Capacity Building among Filipino Youths in Canada.” Outreach Worker, Mount Carmel Clinic, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Email: neneth_banas@yahoo.ca.

 

Mount Carmel Clinic’s Multicultural Wellness Program strives to provide culturally appropriate health and social services for newcomers to Canada.  In Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada), the Filipino community is one of the largest immigrant communities in the city.  Several community forums and discussions with community members presented concern about the issues faced by Filipino- Canadian youths ranging from cultural identity, teen pregnancy, drug use, education and inter-generational conflict. As a project to organize, mobilize and empower the youths, a pro-active community network was proposed to youth groups in the city by the clinic.  The Kapisanan ng mga Kabataang Filipino (Filipino Youth Network) is a collaborative group of Filipino youths which will provide advocacy, support to service providers, community education and promote new leadership in the community.  The paper will be about the growth, challenges and practical efforts of the network.  

 

BARROS, Maria Eufrecina P. “Ilocanos PlusHawaii Dot Com: Identities and Images on Cyberspace.” Assistant Professor of Communication, University of the Philippines at Baguio, Baguio City, Philippines. Email: neibs92@yahoo.com.

 

This paper determines how media technology, the internet, provides a source of cultural knowledge and identity of the Ilocano migrants to Hawaii.  It explores the position of local culture in the face of global media and discourses of identity.  Drawing on critical discourse analysis and cultural studies, this paper examines the construction of the Ilocano-Hawaiian ethnicity on randomly chosen websites. The internet is the most prominent among the so called “new media.” Because of this, the internet is able to add a global dimension to questions of ethnic and cultural identity and differentiation. This paper is an examination of how the online representations position Ilocanos and their identity. It will provide a view of the dynamics of shaping perceptions and images of Ilocanos living in Hawaii.

BAUTISTA, Darlyne. “The Philippine Labor Export Policy: Development or Underdevelopment?”  Graduate Student, University of Wisconsin – Madison, and Founding Executive Member of ANAK (Aksyon ng ating Kabataan).Winnipeg, Canada. Email: darlynebautista@yahoo.ca.

 

Panelist will examine the Philippine Labor Export Policy as a response to the growing globalization of labor. As the international economy expands into a vast interconnected and interdependent entity, the global movement of labor increasingly becomes significant. Filipino migrant labor has gained prominence as a solution to the economic and social problems in the country. The panelist, however, argues that said labor policy does not lead to sustainable development in the Philippines. Rather, it is an alternative to problems posed by neo-liberal economic policies. This presentation is derived from the panelist’s undergraduate thesis at the University of Winnipeg, using data gathered from first-hand experiences with Migrante International, a migrants’ rights NGO in Quezon City, from 2002 to 2003. In this paper, she will investigate the Philippine Labor Export Policy through a political-economic framework that emphasizes neo-Marxism and dependency theories. She will also provide a structuralist critique of neo-liberal economic policies of the Philippines with an analysis of the “push” and “pull” factors and cost-benefit analysis of labor emigration.

 

BAGOYO, Jr. Vince G. “Contributions of Filipinos to Maui Labor History” (Roundtable). President, V. Bagoyo Development Consulting Group, LLC. and Chair, Maui Filipino Centennial Celebration Coordinating Council. Email: vbagoyo-devgroup@hawaii.rr.com.

 

This panel seeks to explore the contribution of Filipinos to Maui labor history.  Maui was crucial in reviving the Filipino labor union, which was instrumental in organizing Filipino workers to seek better wages and working conditions. The labor union took on the new name of Vibora Luviminda with Pablo Manlapit working with Maui Filipino leader Epifanio Taok and Antonio Fagel. The strike in Puunene involved thousands of Filipinos and was re-enacted during the kick-off opening of the Filipino Centennial Celebration on Maui.

 

BERNALES, Teresita G. ”The International Visitor Leadership Program.” IVLP Consultant, Pacific and Asian Affairs Program for the State of Hawaii. Email: iv@paachawaii.org.

 

Sixty years ago the U.S. government embarked on a grand experiment, one that has brought more than 140,000 influential leaders from around the world to U.S. shores, one that introduced these visitors, however briefly, to the array of institutions and people that comprise the United States. Through a government program, the U.S. Department of State's Office of International Visitors is unique in its reliance on nonprofit, community-based organizations to implement its program for international understanding. This private-public partnership formally places average Americans on the front lines of diplomacy. It is described by U.S. ambassadors as one of the most effective foreign policy tools of American diplomacy.

 

BERNARDO, Bernardo.“Defining the True Spirit among Fil-Am Immigrants: Role of a Fil-Am Performer."  Mr. Bernardo is not only a performing artist, but also a prolific writer and a creative director in California. Email: bernardo_bernardo@msn.com.

 

Multi-awarded performance artist Bernardo Bernardo will share with his audience the importance of using his artistry in depicting the Filipino Spirit that is present (whether latent or active) in the Fil-Am immigrant. Through the various roles he plays, he is able to portray the plight of the Fil-Am immigrant in select periods of time.  It may be the story of the Alaskan cannery Fil-Am worker in the 1930's as in the musical "The Long Season," or that of Prudencio in the award winning play entitled "The Romance of Magno Rubio.” Ultimately, it is the panelist's hope that through this forum, he is able to elicit from the audience the essence of keeping the Filipino pride and spirit alive while assimilating with mainstream America.

 

BURIAN, Rosalina “Lyna.”The Sakada Recognition Activities of FAUW.” . Project Manager and Architect, University of Hawaii Facilities Planning Office for Community Colleges.  Email: burian@hawaii.edu.

This discussant will present some activities of the Sakada Legacy Recognition Project of the Filipino Association of University Women (FAUW) involving Lanai, Kauai, and Waialua in Hawaii. In particular, she will recall the processes involved in the awarding of the sakada legacy medals. She will also describe the activities of the different communities in these areas to determine who the sakadas were. Finally, she will analyze these materials and information from the standpoint of someone interested in preservation of history and cultural heritage. In this way, there will be a body of knowledge that will be useful for future Filipino generations in Hawaii to connect with their sakada past.

CACES, Maria Fe. “Revisiting Filipino immigration to Hawaii (1960s-1980s): Social Networks and Lessons for the Contemporary Policy Debate.” Statistician/ Demographer, Office of National Drug Control Policy, Executive Office of the President, Washington, DC 20503. Email: Maria_Fe_Caces@ondcp.eop.gov.

 

The policy debate preceding the enactment of new US immigration reform legislation in 2006 is often contentious and evokes arguments similar to those raised prior to major immigration laws passed in the 1920s, 1960s, and 1980s.  The policy context shapes the nature and dynamics of immigrant networks that are essential in the process of integration into the receiving society.  By revisiting findings from a diverse migration stream largely fueled by the family reunification provisions of immigration law, we identify themes that can inform the ongoing debate.  We review findings from a study of Ilocano immigrants to Honolulu between 1965 and 1981 focusing on how interpersonal networks influence the process of obtaining a source of income and of establishing adequate housing arrangements.  The study relies on multiple methods, using survey data, case interviews, participant observation, and statistics to develop a hypothesis of the double-edged role of social networks in immigrant adaptation. 

CALINAWAGAN, Elizabeth A.  “English and Ilocano: After 100 Years of Language Contact,” Professor of Filipino, Humanities & Linguistics, University of the Philippines at Baguio, Baguio City, Philippines. Email: elizabeth_calinawagan@yahoo.com.

 

This paper attempts to describe linguistic hegemony of both English and Ilocano in areas where these two languages have been in contact for the last one hundred years. For example, what is the status of the Ilocano language brought by immigrants to their place of employment like Hawaii and other parts of the United States? Since English is the language of communication Ilocano has to be set aside and used only with co-native speakers or family members living in the same household or community. Back home in the Philippines, particularly in Northern Luzon, Ilocano is the regional lingua franca and it continues to be a symbol of regional ethnicity despite a political and economic pressure to master the English language which has been a medium of communication in formal social functions and institutions. With this language situation where both languages are still in close contact with each other this paper will further present whatever changes both languages have undergone, for example is there code switching, and code mixing.

 

CARLIN, Jackie Pias.  “Conditions on the Sugar Plantations on Maui.” Teacher, autobiographical writing workshops at Kaunoa Senior Center, West Maui Senior Center on Maui and classes at PACE/Maui Community College. URL: http://jackiepiascarlin.com/, or http://writeonmaui.com/, Email: jcarlin@hawaii.rr.com.

 

This presentation deals with the conditions on the Maui sugar plantations, specifically Orpheum Camp in Paia during the 1950s and 1960s prior to the demolition of the camp. It is based on the author’s newly published book, Spirit of the Village: A Maui Memoir, which deals with family conditions and neighborhood relationships in an area on Maui island, populated with Filipino families, as well as Filipinos married to Japanese, Hawaiians, and Puerto Ricans. The presentation will cover excerpts about family, neighbors, and community.  Examples of the author’s first person narrative include housing conditions in the camp – families and single men, childhood relationships, extended families and cockfight observations.

 

CARLOS, Clarita R. “Challenges of the Filipino Elderly in Hawaii: Retirement, Pensions, Welfare Services and Family Relations.” Professor of English and Philippine Studies, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. Email: cenapsis@yahoo.com.

 

The world is rapidly ageing. The Filipino elderly in Hawaii, coming in different waves of migration from the 1920s to the present, are now part of this burgeoning population group.  What are the challenges of the Filipino elderly in Hawaii? How are they coping with their retirement in terms of their pensions, welfare services and family relations?  The challenges of the elderly in Hawaii will be compared with their age cohorts in the Philippines on the same issues of pensions, welfare services and family relations. 

 

CARONAN, Faye Christine. “Community Pedagogy and the Representation of History in Filipino in Los Angeles.” Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Ethnic Studies, University of California, San Diego. Email: fcaronan@ucsd.edu.

 

This paper discusses the role that Filipino American spoken word artists play as community educators in Los Angeles. Many of these spoken word artists are educators by profession, working in the university, teaching ESL classes, teaching in after school programs, and in public schools. However, they take their roles as educators beyond the classroom in their performances, by educating the local community about issues affecting Filipinos in the present and about the histories of Filipinos both locally and globally. The lessons imparted in their classrooms and in their performances teach the histories and experiences of Filipinos and other people of color that are often erased or ignored in mainstream versions of U.S. history.

 

CASTILLO, Stephanie J.  “Glimpsing personal histories through documentary films.” Independent Filmmaker & Producer, Honolulu, Hawaii. Email: castillosj@aol.com).

 

Ms. Castillo, an Emmy Award-winning independent filmmaker based in Honolulu, contributes two short documentary films to this year's Filipino Immigration Centennial Celebration. Remember the Boys (30 mins.) captures the inspiring, true story of a chaplain to his war buddies. Born in Hawaii, Domingo Los Baños was a U.S. WWII soldier who went to war in the Philippines as a teenager with some 50 other “Hawaii boys”, teenagers of Filipino ancestry who were drafted.   The other film, Strange Land (40 mins.), is about Stephanie's mother Norma Vega Castillo, who came here as a WWII war bride from the Philippines after marrying a Hawaii Filipino "soldier boy." In both portraits, Castillo offers a glimpse into the personal lives of two Filipino Americans and their poignant journeys in Hawaii.  Stephanie will discuss her films and show excerpts from the two documentaries. 

 

CHATTERGY, Virgie. “Education of Filipinos - The Colonial Years: Comparative Description of Spanish and American Educational Orientation.” Professor Emeritus, College of Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa. Email: virgie@hawaii.edu.

 

This paper will compare and contrast the educational orientation of two major colonial powers - Spain (1521-1898), which first introduced and implemented western education that was largely religion-based and the United States (1898 - 1946), whose educational agenda emphasized the development of self-governance.  Christianize, Civilize, and Democratize are the three themes that characterize the establishment and development of the education of Filipinos during those years.  The overriding goal of Spain was to educate the few in order to rule the many, reflecting an orientation of feudal times and monarchal rule, whereas the U. S. promoted the idea of educating the many in order to prepare the Filipinos, eventually, to govern themselves. From this distinctly opposite orientation flowed differences affecting fundamental aspects of an educational program related to school administration, language use, education level/target population, curriculum and teachers/teacher preparation. Each of these elements was a challenge then; today, each remains an issue waiting to be resolved.

 

CIPRIANO, April Joy & Olivia ANG. “Bilingualism in Pangasinan: A Good Thing or a Bad Thing?” Cipriano BA Linguistics students, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. Email: trinity_488@yahoo.com.

 

The increasing dominance of the Ilocano language in Pangasinan, a province which has its own language called Pangasinense, proves that Ilocano is one of the most migratory ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines.  During the 18^th and 19^th centuries, the Ilocanos started migrating to neighboring areas in search of fertile agricultural lands.   As a result of their growing number and influence, Ilocano has been perceived by many as a “killer language” of the native language of Pangasinan.  This paper examines the spread of  Ilocano in Pangasinan and the development of bilingualism among the Pangasinenses,  but not among the Ilocanos.  We wish to delve into the historico-sociolinguistic reasons why it is the Pangasinense who has largely adopted Ilocano as a second language and not the other way around.  This study, therefore, debunks the myth of Ilocano as a language threat.  What happens is that monolingual Pangasinan speakers have become increasingly bilingual, which, in our view is a good thing.  We also present statistical data on the present density of Ilocano speakers in the said province as a result of the migration as they correlate with specific topographical characteristics of the province. 

 

CLARIZA, Elena. "Human Trafficking in Mindanao." M.A. Candidate in Asian Studies, and Library and Information Science Program, University of Hawaii at Manoa. Email: meclariza@yahoo.com.

 

Human trafficking is a major concern for the Philippine government. The Philippines acts as a source, transit, and destination country for trafficked women and children. It ranks fourth among nine nations with the most number of children trafficked for prostitution in 2005. While human trafficking is prevalent in all parts of the archipelago, Mindanao, in recent years, has emerged as the largest source of trafficked women and children in the country. Seventy five percent of the sex workers rescued by the Visayan Forum, a non-profit organization dealing with human trafficking in Cebu, came from Mindanao. However, studies on human trafficking on this region are scarce, and information and statistics, still lacking. This presentation will discuss the issue of human trafficking in Mindanao, its underlying causes and programs to address this problem.

 

CLAUSEN, Josie P. “Ilokano Ideophones.” Assistant Professor, Hawaiian & Indo-Pacific Languages and Literatures, University of Hawaii at Manoa. Email: clausen@hawaii.edu.

 

Samarin (1978) makes the distinction between the purely referential function of language and its expressive function.  One of the examples he gives to illustrate these two functions is the word ‘pig’ which can be used to refer to a certain kind of animal but at certain times, it can be used to refer to people.  In the latter case, a speaker can express his disdain better by calling the person spoken to a ‘pig.’ Samarin calls these words ‘ideophonic,’ an adjectival form of the noun ‘ideophone’, a term coined by C.M. Doke to refer to a class of words in the Zulu language.  Doke defines an ideophone as a ‘word, often onomatopoeic, which describes a predicate, qualitative or adverb in respect to manner, color, sound, smell, action, state or intensity” (1935:119). This paper presents a collection of words identified in Ilokano that exhibit this phenomenon including an analysis of such words or terms.

COFFMAN, Tom.  “Hawaii and the Philippines In 1898: America’s leap into Imperialism.”  (Video). Independent researcher, writer and filmmaker, Honolulu, Hawaii. Email: tomcoffman@hawaii.rr.com.

 

His documentary Nation Within will be presented and discussed in the conference. Unknown to most people, the Spanish-American War of 1898 and the ensuing Philippine-American War reconfigured the U.S.A. into a far-flung empire in the Pacific. These events assured the annexation of the then Kingdom of Hawaii as a U.S. territory and the Philippines as an American colony for 48 years. Eventually, World War II broke out in the Pacific between two imperial powers, Japan and the U.S.

CONACO, Ma. Cecilia G. “Filipino Social Identity Metamorphosis in the Context of Migration.” Professor, Department of Psychology, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. Email: cescon19@gmail.com. One perspective into Filipino social identity is to view it as relatively amorphous, malleable, and of minor significance in our core view of ourselves. This seeming inchoateness of our social identity has been pinpointed as a factor in the lack of patriotism resulting in individual behaviors inimical to the nation as a whole. In this age of globalization, the question of who the global Filipino, or what that identity means, is at the core of many social cognitions and behaviors. This paper will review various documents that look into the dynamic processes and factors involved in social identity formation/change among Filipino migrants and their families today. This will be compared to that of Filipino migrants to Hawaii and their families a century ago.

 

CUARESMA, Charlene. “The Sakada Legacy Recognition Project.” . Community Director, National Cancer Institute’s Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Training, Honolulu, Hawaii. Email: ccuaresma@hawaiiantel.net.

The discussant will reflect back on the Sakada Legacy Recognition Project of the Filipino Association of University Women. (FAUW).  She will present the decision dynamics leading to the December 10, 2005 recognition of the sakadas and distribution of medals. She will also offer some pragmatic answers to the question of recognition and offer her thoughts and feelings as a descendant of a sakada  

DE LA CRUZ, Enrique. “The Anti-Marcos Movement in the U.S. .” Professor, Asian American Studies, California State University, Northridge, California. enrique.delacruz@csun.edu.

 

The Filipino community in the U.S. was among the first, internationally, to respond to the Marcos declaration of Martial Law on September 21, 1972.  This response came within a day of the declaration of Martial Law in the Philippines via the launching of the National Committee for the Restoration of Civil Liberties in the Philippines (NCRCLP), an organization that, within a few weeks, was able to establish chapters in major cities in the U.S., and was thus able to spearhead the opposition movement to what would become the Marcos dictatorship.  This paper explores this early period of the opposition movement to the Marcos dictatorship; how it came about as an almost overnight response to the declaration of Martial Law, and the subsequent founding of the KDP, FFP, and the MFP, and the AMLC, which would eventually supersede the NCRCLP.

DELA CRUZ, Romel. “Under the Bough of a Salamagi Tree: The Legacy of the 1946 Sakadas.” Hospital Administrator, Hale Ho'ola Hamakua, Hawaii.Email: RDelaCruz@hhsc.org.

 

My sakada roots began with the arrival of my maternal grandfather in Hawaii in 1918, followed by his two sons, four uncles on my paternal side, and finally my father who came in 1946 sailing from Salomague (salamagui), Cabugao, Ilocos Sur. Together with my mother, my family was united in 1954 when my father became a US citizen. We lived in Paauilo, Hawaii, a sugar plantation community where my personal, cultural, and professional values were formed. When I arrived in Hawaii, the so called "1954 revolution” in Hawaii took place, unaware of its implications in my life until later.  Growing up as a Filipino in Hawaii in the 1950's and  1960’s was unique. There were no or very few role models, and discrimination existed. The sakadas and certain enlightened community leaders kept reminding me that only "education" would make our lives better and that I had an obligation to go on. Looking back, sometimes I felt it was a "burden" for me and my generation. Without this "push," I doubt if I would make it. Today, I am fortunate to work and live in my hometown in my own chosen profession, taking care of my tatas and nanas of all racial groups. Not too many have been as lucky as I am. Thanks to my sakada roots and to others, who helped me along the way.

DELIMA, Purificacion G. “Ilocano (Filipino) Identity in the English Language: Tracing Generations of Acculturation.” Professor of Communication, College of Arts, University of the Philippines at Baguio, Baguio City, Philippines. Email: pgdelima@yahoo.com.

 

Sociolinguists affirm that there is undoubtedly a strong relation between language and ethnic identity. Likewise, ethnic groups assert that their language is the best medium for preserving and expressing their cultural traditions. However, the reality is that there is hardly a culture that exists by itself. Culture contact and language contact are inevitable consequences of population movement. In this paper I ask, over a period of 100 years of migration to the United States of America, has the Ilocano (Filipino) cultural group kept its ethnic identity in its use of English, the language of the host community? What are the linguistic features of the English variety spoken by Ilocanos (Filipinos) in the U.S.? Is English use by Ilocanos (Filipinos) toward nativization or denativization? What acculturation experiences contributed to a successful immigrant-host relationship? In addition to answering these problems, this paper will describe the Ilocano (Filipino) ethnolinguistic vitality that has sustained the group's strong identity in the host community. Further, it will show evidence from generations of Ilocanos  in the U.S., that while overt, subjective markers of ethnic identity, e.g., language, food, clothing etc., may be lost in the acculturation process, subjective, psychological bond outlasts.

DEQUINA, Carlos. “Buddy, Can You Spare A Billion? How to Achieve Tax-Exempt Status for Fil-Am Organization.”Attorney, San Diego, California. Email: dequinct@georgetown.edu or carloslaw@yahoo.com.

 

The panelist, a Georgetown University law graduate ow practicing corporate law, will discuss how organizations like the American Red Cross and United Way raise billions of dollars from individuals and corporate donors. These organizations are successful fundraisers, in large part, due to their tax-exempt status. Donors have a strong incentive to donate to these organizations, because individuals and corporations can deduct their donations from their tax returns. This presentation discusses the tools  that one will need to achieve tax-exempt status for a Filipino-American organization.  The target participants of this hands-on presentation are: (1) officers and members of Fil-Am non-profit organizations; (2) Fil-Am community organizers who are responsible for fundraising; and (3) individuals who wish to establish their own non-profit organizations in the future.

DIOSO, Marconi M. “The U.S. Army's use of Military Commissions in the Philippines during the Filipino-American War.” Writer from Kihei, Maui. Email: marcdi30@msn.com.

 

This paper describes the genesis and structure of the military commissions in the Philippines, and enumerates the crimes under which prosecution is sought. There will be representations of some brief examples of the proceedings.  Speculations on the effects of these military commissions on the Philippine judiciary system will conclude the presentation.

EMMANUEL, Jorge. “FACES (Filipino American Coalition for Environmental Solidarity) and New Perspectives on Environmental Advocacy.” President, E & E Research Group (Pinole, California) and Chief Consultant, Global Environmental Facility Project, United Nations Development Program and Adjunct Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of the Philippines-Diliman. Email: jemmanuel@mindspring.com.

 

FACES (Filipino American Coalition for Environmental Solidarity; http://www.facessolidarity.org/) was the result of a convergence between human rights activists of the anti-martial law generation and a network of second and third generation Filipino Americans engaged in socio-cultural immersion and Tagalog instruction in the Philippines. From this amalgam of diverse political and intergenerational experiences arose new perspectives on solidarity and organizing. Past campaigns were conceived as support networks for specific causes in the Philippines. In contrast, FACES is an environmental justice and solidarity movement fostering mutually beneficial partnerships. While some programs- e.g., demanding US accountability for toxic contamination at former US military bases, or supporting fenceline communities fighting pollution from oil depots-look similar to past campaigns, the FACES orientation is transnational, reciprocal and collaborative. "FACE2FACE" exposure programs are geared towards benefiting both participants and partner communities. FACES seeks to link activists and communities in the Philippines and elsewhere with activists, fenceline and base-affected communities in the U.S. These approaches are consistent with ecological concepts of interconnectedness and interdependence.

FININ, Gerard A. “Filipinos in the Pacific Islands.” Deputy Director, Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii. Email: FininJ@EastWestCenter.org.

This paper will explore the history and growing presence of Filipino residents and workers in the Pacific Islands, particularly Micronesia.  

FORMAN, David. “More than English spoken here.” Enforcement Attorney, Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Honolulu, Hawaii. Email: david@hicrc.org.

 

I propose to talk about selected cases involving Filipinos who have advanced the cause of civil rights in Hawai'i. For example, both the Mangrobang and Fragante decisions that contributed to the groundswell of support for establishing the Hawai'i Civil Rights Commission.  I would then like to explore the evolution of these issues as reflected in a recent settlement of discrimination claims based on an “English Only” policy applied to Filipina nurses.

GARNIER, Karie. "The Silent Natives of Fuga - The Island that has a Soul and the Plight of a People with 50% Infant Mortality." (Video Presentation). Award-winning filmmaker, Vancouver, Canada, Email: karie@sfu.ca.

 

In 1990, Chinese billionaire Mr. Tan Yu purchased Fuga Island in the northern tip of the Philippines. His $50 billion development would transform the pristine island into "a model city of the 21st Century . . . without squatters." Architects were ready to install 12,000 five-star hotel rooms, 17 golf courses, spas for the elite, an international airport, and the world's biggest gambling casino. Yet at the same time the 2000 native Ilocanos, the only inhabitants, who had lived on that remote island since time immemorial, were dying from a perpetual health crisis. They had no medical clinic, there were no schools, and the infant mortality rate was a staggering 50 percent - the highest on the planet! If a Filipino, living on Fuga, had an infection, the result could be death as there were no antibiotics on the island. If they were caught fishing in the wrong area they could be shot. UNESCO-endorsed author and photographer Karie Garnier, along with his wife Violeta Bagaoisan-Garnier (from Fuga), have worked over the last 15 years with doctors, scholars, lawyers, and politicians to raise the standard of living on the island. In this presentation, Garnier will recount the incredible struggle to get the first supplies on the island, and the work to improve the lives of the people. The culmination has been documented in his award-winning documentary “The Silent Natives of Fuga” which received five award nominations at the 2006 Moonrise Film Festival in Manila.

 

GO, Stella P. “The international movement of Filipinos: To the United States and beyond.” Associate Professor of Psychology, Behavioral Sciences Department, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines. Email: gos@dlsu.edu.ph.

 

The international diaspora experience of the Philippines documents the peripatetic nature of its people. Over the years, the Philippines has developed a culture of emigration born out of a long history of out-migration that promotes and sustains working and living abroad. From the beginning of the twentieth century to the sixties, the primary country of destination of Filipinos was the United States. Since then, Filipinos have found their way to about 200 countries in the world. This paper will compare and contrast the migration experience of the Philippines to the United States from the 1900s to 1960s with its migration experience from the 1970s to the present. It will examine the context of migration, patterns and trends, and migration issues.

 

GONZALEZ, Joaquin L. III “From Prayers to Pera: Trends from a Remittance Survey of Filipino-American Catholics in the San Francisco Bay Area.”  Director, Maria Elena Yuchengco Philippine Studies Program, University of San Francisco, and Human Rights Fellow, School of Law, University of San Francisco.Email- gonzalez@usfca.edu.

 

Do Filipino migrants just offer prayers and light candles then wait for miracles to happen in their homelands? In responding to this question, Gonzalez will share patterns and trends from a large-scale survey of 1500 Filipino-American Catholics funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts’ The Religion and Immigration Project, Jesuit Foundation, the Asian Development Bank’s Technical Assistance No. 4185 – Enhancing the Efficiency of Overseas Workers’ Remittances. It covers important demographics of the Filipino-American community and their organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as the growth of Filipino churches and congregations. The study encompasses the vast Archdiocese of San Francisco and Dioceses of Oakland and San Jose.

 

HOF, Karina T. “Thinking Outside the Balikbayan Box: How Hospitality and Sacrifice Figure in the Philippine Diaspora.” MA student in Cultural Analysis, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Email: K.Hof@student.uva.nl, or karinathof@yahoo.com.

The balikbayan box is part of an imported hospitality that perpetuates self-estrangement among its recipients and heroicizes self-sacrifice among its senders. This presentation will read the balikbayan box as an object for cultural analysis, showing how it is a figure of hospitality and sacrifice, two concepts crucial to the postcolonial Philippine habitus, both nationally and, within the greater diaspora, today so markedly affected by pursuit of migrant labor. It is suggested that thinking “outside” the balikbayan box may open up opportunities for Filipinos to—as the box’s name suggests— “return home,” feel more at home wherever in the world they are, or not leave home in the first place. The study is based on Philippine scholarship, popular cultural ephemera and first-hand research, including interviews conducted with migrant domestic workers in the Netherlands and the co-founder of one of the first American balikbayan box shipping companies.

 

ISAAC, Allan Punzalan. “Gold Star Mothers and the Filipino American Politics of Mourning.” Assistant Professor of English, Wesleyan University, Connecticutt, USA. Email: