Recognizing the 120th anniversary of the immigration of Filipinos to Hawai'i.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1330 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1330

 Recognizing the 120th anniversary of the immigration of Filipinos to 
                                Hawai'i.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 29, 2026

 Ms. Tokuda (for herself, Mr. Case, Ms. Chu, Mr. Moylan, Ms. Meng, Ms. 
    Barragan, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Mullin, and Mr. Goldman of New York) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                   on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Recognizing the 120th anniversary of the immigration of Filipinos to 
                                Hawai'i.

Whereas, in 1906, 15 brave young Filipino men, later known as Sakadas, embarked 
        on a perilous transoceanic journey to Hawai`i, becoming the first wave 
        of Filipino immigrants to sustain the sugar and pineapple plantation 
        economy that fueled Hawai`i's economic development, pursuing 
        opportunity, building new lives, and intertwining their stories with the 
        islands' evolving identity;
Whereas, by 1932, 35,000 or 70 percent of plantation workers were Filipino, and 
        there were very few women and children;
Whereas Sakadas toiled under some of the harshest and most exploitative 
        conditions imposed on plantation workers, enduring the lowest wages, 
        grueling labor, racial discrimination, physical abuse, and systemic 
        exploitation, while being confined to plantation camps;
Whereas, despite these injustices, Sakadas displayed courage, solidarity, and 
        perseverance as they united workers across ethnic lines, organized labor 
        actions, and ignited the labor movement in Hawai`i, securing meaningful 
        improvements in wages, dignity, and working and living conditions for 
        generations to come;
Whereas among the most prominent Sakada leaders was Pablo Manlapit, who arrived 
        in Hawai`i in 1910 and later became the first Filipino lawyer in Hawai`i 
        and organized Filipino plantation workers in multiple labor strikes, for 
        which he was arrested on charges of conspiracy, imprisoned, and 
        ultimately deported to the Philippines in 1934;
Whereas the Sakadas brought with them diverse Philippine languages, including 
        the `Ilokano, Cebuano, and other regional languages, which served as the 
        primary means of communication and as vehicles for preserving cultural 
        knowledge, historical memory, and community cohesion within plantation 
        life in Hawai`i;
Whereas many Sakadas laid down permanent roots in Hawai`i, raising families and 
        establishing communities such that Filipino Americans would grow into 
        the largest non-White and Asian-American group in the State, comprising 
        approximately one-quarter of Hawai`i's population;
Whereas the 1906 arrival of the first 15 Sakadas who immigrated to Hawai`i also 
        represents the beginning of the sustained and diverse immigration of 
        Filipinos to the United States;
Whereas, through their labor, leadership, and cultural legacy, Sakadas and their 
        descendants have made enduring and transformative contributions to 
        Hawai`i's agriculture, education, tourism, health, cuisine, arts, and 
        civic life, leaving an indelible and irreplaceable imprint on the 
        social, economic, and cultural fabric of the islands; and
Whereas the State of Hawai`i honors the legacy of these pioneering Filipino 
        immigrants by observing Sakada Day annually on December 20, in 
        recognition of their unmatched sacrifices and historic contributions: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives commemorates the 120th 
anniversary of the immigration of Filipino plantation workers to 
Hawai`i and honors the Sakadas for their profound, lasting, and 
unparalleled contributions to the history, economy, and cultural 
identity of the State of Hawai`i.
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