PH CONSULATE JOINS SAN JOSE CITY HALL LIGHTING, PH FLAG-RAISING TO CELEBRATE FIL-AM HISTORY MONTH
Vice Consul Adrian Baccay represents the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco at the 2024 Filipino American History Month celebration at the City Hall of San Jose, California. (San Francisco PCG photo)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, USA – The “Capital of Silicon Valley” joined the nationwide celebration of Filipino American History Month on 11 October 2024—with the lighting of the San Jose City Hall with the national colors of the Philippines, and a Philippine flag-raising ceremony.
The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, represented by Vice Consul Adrian Baccay, participated in the occasion, which was also graced by San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.
San Jose’s yearly Filipino American History Month celebration was organized by the Offices of San Jose City Councilmembers David Cohen and Peter Ortiz, Filipino Americans Coming Together San Jose (FACT-SJ) Coalition, and LEAD Filipino.
In his speech, Vice Consul Baccay thanked LEAD Filipino for co-spearheading with South Bay Assemblymember Alex Lee, a California State Assembly resolution proclaiming October 2024 as Filipino American History Month in the State of California.
The Philippine Vice Consul said that the month-long commemoration should also be devoted to highlight the contributions of Overseas Filipinos and Filipino Americans to Philippine progress.
“We laud the Filipinos and Filipino Americans in Silicon Valley who are now active partners in Philippine development, sharing their expertise, experience and resources with emerging Filipino startups, entrepreneurs and innovators. We take pride in the achievements of young Filipino Americans—including the South Bay’s very own Jarod Hatch of Morgan Hill and Emma Malabuyo of Mountain View & Milpitas, who competed under Team Philippines at the recently concluded Olympic Games in Paris,” Vice Consul Baccay said.
“We commend the efforts of Filipino American Communities to create direct people-to-people linkages and exchanges through sister city cooperation,” Vice Consul Baccay added, noting that “it is not too late for San Jose to establish ties with its very first Philippine sister city.”
“[Sister city cooperation] is a community-driven effort, meant to address challenges in the community as well as create opportunities that benefit the community. I believe that there is a broad support within the Filipino American Community of San Jose for the sister city initiative,” Vice Consul Baccay said.
To cap off the occasion, Fil-Am Pinole Vice Mayor Cameron Sasai then led the raising of the Philippine flag while, for second time this year, the San Jose City Hall was lit up with the colors of the Philippine national flag. Previously, the City Hall was also illuminated in blue, red and yellow in celebration last June of Philippine Independence Day.
The organizers of the San Jose City Hall event is spearheading FAHM Jam, touted as “Silicon Valley’s Largest Filipino American Celebration of Food, Music, Art and Entrepreneurs,” at the Berryessa Flea Market in San Jose on 18 October 2024. END
Mayor Matt Mahan addresses the crowd at the annual Filipino American History Month celebration at the City Hall of San Jose, California. (San Francisco PCG photo)
The Kampanas of the Bellarmine College Preparatory are among the Filipino American youth groups that performed at the annual Filipino American History Month celebration at the City Hall of San Jose, California. (San Francisco PCG photo)
The San Jose City Hall is lit up with the Philippine national colors during the annual Filipino American History Month celebration of the San Jose City Government and the FACT-SJ Coalition. (San Francisco PCG photo)