K 673: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim October, 2025, as Filipino American History Month in the State of New York

 Assembly Resolution No. 673 BY: M. of A. Raga MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim October 2025, as Filipino American History Month in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim October 2025, as Filipino American History Month in the State of New York, in conjunction with National Filipino American History Month; and WHEREAS, October has been celebrated as Filipino American History Month since 1992, when the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) proposed to honor the month when the first Filipinos or "Luzones Indios" landed on the shores of what is now Morro Bay, California on October 18, 1587, on board the Manila-built galleon ship Nuestra Senora de Esperanza; and WHEREAS, 2025 marks the 16th anniversary of the United States Congress passing the Resolution (H. Res 780) to officially commemorate October as Filipino American History Month in the United States; and WHEREAS, The recent census reports that there are nearly 150,000 residents of Filipino heritage living in New York State, who are concentrated mainly in areas of Queens such as Woodside, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Jamaica, Jamaica Estates, Hollis, and Queens Village; and WHEREAS, The oldest record of Filipinos in New York was in 1888, when physician and novelist Dr. Jose Rizal stayed at the former Fifth Avenue Hotel, across the southeast corner of Madison Square Park in Manhattan; he would later become a political martyr and the official National Hero of the Philippines; and WHEREAS, A wave of immigrants came from the Philippines to New York after the 1920s, many as students, and most were either soldiers who were assigned to military bases, such as Governor's Island or the Brooklyn Navy Yard, or former agricultural workers who moved from the Western United States in search of employment; and WHEREAS, After World War II, a smaller wave of immigrants came from the Philippines, later followed by the largest wave of immigration in the 1960s, after the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, when hospitals began recruiting Filipino doctors and nurses; later, nursing became one of the most common professions amongst both Filipino men and women living in New York; and WHEREAS, The State of New York is host to a vibrant community and direct service organizations including: National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA-New York), Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS-Metropolitan New York), Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI), Philippine Nurses Association (PNA-New York), Project Barkada, Filipino American Human Services, Inc. (FAHSI), Broadway Barkada, Philippine Fiesta in America, Kinding Sindaw, Pilipino American Unity for Progress (UniPro), Filipino School of NY & NJ, Filipino American Museum, The Outstanding Filipino Americans (TOFA), Damayan Migrant Workers, International Society of Filipinos in Finance & Accounting (ISFFA-New York), Fil-Am Press Club of New York, Jaycees (JCI Philippine-New York, JCI-Queens), United Mindoro International, Inc., Philippine United Student Organization (PUSO) at Stony Brook University, Cornell Filipino Association (CFA) at Cornell University, Districts III and IV of the Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue (FIND, Inc.), and the Lumban Association; and WHEREAS, The State of New York is home to outstanding Filipino Americans such as Miss Universe R'Bonney Nola, Broadway Actress Lea Salonga, New York Yankees Shortstop Anthony Volpe, New York City Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, Commissioner of the NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) Anne del Castillo, Businesswoman and Philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis, Judge Lorna Schofield, Actress Liza Lapira, the "King of Latin Soul" Joe Bataan, Television Personality Vanessa Lachey, DJ Neil Armstrong, Author Jessica Hagedorn, Fashion Designer Josie Natori, Novelist and Human Rights Activist Ninotchka Rosca, Television Journalist Ernabel Demillo, Song Writer Robert Lopez, Columbia University School of Journalism Dean of Academic Affairs Sheila Coronel, Transgender Model Geena Rocero, Reporter Nina Pineda, Poet and Historian Luis H. Francia, Television Journalist Anna Sterling, and Former New York Mets Outfielder Benny Agbayani; and WHEREAS, Filipino Americans are an integral part of New York State's healthcare system as nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate October 2025, as Filipino American History Month, in honor of Filipino American contributions to the State of New York and across the country; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York, the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS)-Metro New York Chapter, and the National Federation of Filipino Americans Association (NAFFAA)-New York Chapter.