Assembly Resolution No. 522

BY: M. of A. Zebrowski

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
June 12, 2019, as Filipino Independence Day in the
State of New York

WHEREAS, The earliest documented Filipino presence in the
continental United States was on October 18, 1587, when the first
"Luzones Indios" set foot in Morro Bay, California, on board the
Manila-built galleon ship Nuestra Senora de Esperanza; and

WHEREAS, The Filipino American community is the second largest Asian
American group in the United States, with a population of approximately
3,900,000 people; and

WHEREAS, Filipino American servicemen and servicewomen have a
long-standing history in the Armed Forces from the Civil War to the Iraq
and Afghanistan conflicts, including the 25,000 Filipinos who fought
under the United States flag during WWII to protect and defend this
country; and

WHEREAS, Filipino Americans are an integral part of the United
States health care system as nurses, doctors, and other medical
professions; and

WHEREAS, Filipino Americans have contributed greatly to the fine
arts, music, dance, literature, business, journalism, education,
science, technology, government, politics, fashion, and other fields in
the United States that enrich the landscape of the country; and

WHEREAS, Efforts should continue to promote the study of Filipino
American history and culture, as mandated in the mission statement of
the Filipino American National Historical Society, because the roles of
Filipino Americans and other people of color have been overlooked in the
writing, teaching and learning of United States history; and

WHEREAS, It is vital for Filipino American youth to have positive
role models to instill in them the importance of education, complemented
with the richness of their ethnicity and the value of their legacy; and

WHEREAS, The United States of America granted independence to the
Philippines on July 4, 1946, through the Treaty of Manila; July 4th was
chosen as the date by the United States because it corresponds to the
United States' Independence Day, and that day was observed in the
Philippines as Independence Day until 1962; and

WHEREAS, On May 12, 1962, President Diosdado Macapagal issued
Presidential Proclamation No. 28, which declared June 12th a special
public holiday throughout the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, This special holiday was affirmed in commemoration of the
people's declaration of their inherent and inalienable right to freedom
and independence; and

WHEREAS, On August 4, 1964, Republic Act No. 4166 renamed the July
4th holiday as "Philippine Republic Day", proclaimed June 12th as
"Philippine Independence Day", and enjoined all citizens of the
Philippines to observe the latter with befitting rites; now, therefore,
be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim June 12, 2019, as
Filipino Independence Day in the State of New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York.