A proposed bill would establish October as Filipino American History Month in the state of Washington.
House Bill 1783 is co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 12 representatives, including Reps. Mia Gregerson, Cindy Ryu, Vandana Slatter, Monica Jurado Stonier, and Sharon Tomiko Santos.
“We have a rich history in the United States,” said Rey Pascua, president of the Filipino American Community in Yakima Valley. “We have been here for 432 years.”
Historians have concluded that Oct. 18, 1587 was the earliest documented proof of Filipino presence in the continental United States, explained Pascua. October was selected as Filipino American History Month in honor of this documentation.