State Senate honors Filipino-Americans with Honeyford Resolution

OLYMPIA - The Washington State Senate stood and applauded the Filipino-American community of Washington Wednesday after passing Senate Resolution 8617 sponsored by Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside.

“There are large populations of Filipino-Americans in the 15 District and I am proud to represent them in the Senate,” Honeyford said. “Their history and culture here in the Pacific Northwest helped make Washington what it is today, and it is fitting that we honor that with a Senate resolution.”

Documents dating to 1888 found at an old lumber mill in Port Blakely on Bainbridge Island west of Seattle listed a “Manilla” among the employee roster. It is the first known worker from the Philippines in the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, Filipinos make up the largest Asian/Pacific Islander ethnic population in Washington, home to dozens of historically Filipino communities such as Wapato, Auburn, Bremerton, and others.

“The Filipino-American community is a wonderful group of people that have many activities to preserve their heritage and culture, including traditional dances and a strong interest in education,” Honeyford added. “They work hard in their communities, respect their elders and happen to have fantastic food as well!”

Honeyford’s resolution designates October 2013 as Filipino-American History Month, calling it a significant time in the history of the State of Washington and the United States to study the advancement of Filipino-Americans. It also recognizes 2013 as the 426 anniversary of the presence of Filipinos in the United States.