3 January 2006 - Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo welcomes today the arrival of Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle and members of her core official delegation as part of the Centennial Celebration of Filipino Migration to Hawaii.

The centennial celebration commemorates the arrival of fifteen (15) Filipino sakadas in Hawaii on 20 December 1906 to take up work as sugar plantation workers in Ola’a island. The arrival of the sakadas is considered to have set off the succeeding waves of Filipino migration to Hawaii and to mainland United States.

“This celebration is expected to open new opportunities for tourism, trade and investments in the Philippines and highlights the contribution of the Filipinos to U.S. society”, Secretary Romulo said. “It also strengthens the awareness of Filipino Hawaiians of their Filipino roots and heritage”, the Secretary added.

Through the efforts of former Hawaii Governor Benjamin Cayetano (the first Filipino Governor in Hawaii and the United States from 1994-2002, and son of a sakada from Pangasinan), the 21st Legislature of the State of Hawaii passed on 07 June 2002 Act 159 entitled “Creating the Filipino Centennial Commission” to plan and organize activities to mark the arrival of the first Filipino workers in Hawaii.

President Arroyo, in turn, signed Proclamation No. 954, Declaring the Year 2006 as Hawaii Filipino Centennial Year in the Philippines. On 23 August 2005, the President also signed Executive Order No. 457, designating the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) as lead agency to undertake corollary commemorative activities in the Philippines.

Supporting the centennial celebration in Hawaii, the Philippine Senate unanimously approved Resolution No. 50 on 30 November 2005, underscoring “the centennial of Filipino migration to Hawaii as a celebration of the ardent friendship established by Filipino-Americans with the people of Hawaii.”

Even the U.S. Congress, through Concurrent Resolution No. 218, passed on 13 December 2005, recognized the centennial of sustained immigration from the Philippines to the United States, acknowledging the contributions of the Filipino-American community over the last century.  The U.S. Congress Resolution notes the story of the Filipino-American community as “the quintessential immigrant story of early struggle, pain, sacrifice, and broken dreams, leading eventually to success in overcoming ethnic, social, economic, political, and legal barriers to win a well-deserved place in American society.”

Governor Lingle’s delegation, which includes State Senators and Representatives, will conduct goodwill visits to Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union and Pangasinan, reinforcing the strong cultural and economic ties between Hawaii and its Sister Cities/Provinces. The City Governments of Manila and Mandaluyong will, likewise, host the Governor and members of her official delegation.

Secretary Romulo stressed that “this year’s series of activities for the centennial celebration is a recognition of the key role that Filipino-Hawaiians play in further enhancing the ties of friendship and cooperation between our two peoples.”

Governor Lingle and her 5-member delegation of Hawaii government officials will arrive at the NAIA at 9:40 p.m., Tuesday, 03 January 2006, aboard Continental Airlines CO 933. END