President Biden, VP Harris honor Fil-Ams on Filipino American History Month

WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris paid tribute to the contributions of Filipino-Americans to the United States in commemoration of October as the annual Filipino American History Month.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the White House noted that Filipinos and Filipino-Americans “have helped forge the very idea of America.”

“This Filipino American History Month, the Biden-Harris Administration is proud to honor generations of Filipino Americans who have ensured our nation remains a land of hope, opportunity, and optimism,” the White House said.

Biden and Harris thanked the Filipino American community for their contributions to the U.S. and acknowledged their rich heritage and traditions.

“Jill and I are thrilled to celebrate Filipino American History Month, honoring the rich heritage and traditions of millions of Filipino Americans,” Biden tweeted. “To our Filipino American community: Thank you for all you do to ensure our nation continues to be the land of opportunity.”

“Filipino Americans contribute to our nation’s success every single day,” Harris separately tweeted. “During Filipino American History Month, our Administration celebrates the important role that Filipino Americans have played and continue to play in the American story.””

According to the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS), this year’s theme is “1898: Recognizing 125 Years of Philippine-American History.” It commemorates the Treaty of Paris, signed 125 years ago, which ended the Spanish American War and led to the annexation of the Philippines by the U.S. The treaty also granted independence to Cuba, while Puerto Rico and Guam were ceded to the U.S., with the Philippines being purchased for $20 million.

The theme acknowledges 1898 as a significant year for both the Philippines and the U.S., as well as for Filipino Americans and the Filipino diaspora. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing and understanding the historical event without celebrating or glorifying American colonialism.

There are over 4.5 million Filipino-Americans who reside in the United States, making it one of the largest Asian-American communities there, along with Chinese-Americans and Indian-Americans.

Every October, the US observes the Filipino American History Month to commemorate the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the US, as well as the contributions of Filipinos to the American community and history. (Claire Morales True)