FILIPINO ELECTEDS WORLDWIDE
Canada
Rey Pagtakhan, M.D. - TERM EXPIRED
Member of Parliament for Winnipeg-North - Saint Paul (Manitoba) (Term 1988-2004)
Minister of Western Economic Diversification (2003-2004)
Minister of Veterans Affairs (2002-2003)
Senior Minister for Manitoba (2002-2004)
Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development) (2002–2003)
Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) (2001–2002)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (1996-1998)
Parliament of Canada
The first Filipino Canadian to be elected to the Parliament of Canada.
PHILIPPINES
Gwendolyn Garcia - RETIRED
(Global FWN100™ 18)
Governor, Cebu, Philippines
SOUTH KOREA
Leni Robredo
(Global FWN100™ '16)
Mayor, City of Naga, Philippines
Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines (Term 2016-2022)
Pamela Silagan Baricuatro
Governor of Cebu, Philippines
Elected June 30, 2025
Jasmine Bacurnay Lee
Member of the National Assembly in South Korea
First non-ethnic Korean and naturalized South Korean to become a lawmaker, elected to the Korean Parliament.
UNITED KINGDOM
Anthony ‘Tony’ Vaughan
Member of Parliament
Folkestone and Hythe
Website | Contact
He made a double historic win in the UK’s 2024 general election: he is the first politician of Filipino heritage to be elected to the British parliament. He is also the first Labour Party MP candidate to win in Folkestone and Hythe in 74 years.
Cynthia Barker - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ '17)
(former) Councillor and Deputy Mayor
Hertsmere Borough Council, U.K.
First Filipina to serve in British local government. First Filipina to serve as Mayor. Cynthia passed away in 2020.
United states
Cameron Sasai
Mayor
City of Pinole, California
First Filipino and youngest mayor elected in Pinole.
Cheryl Moss - TERM EXPIRED
(US FWN100™ 2011)
Judge (2000-2020)
Eighth Judicial District Court in Nevada
Elected in 2000, re-elected in 2014. First Judge to preside over Nevada's First Gambling Court.
Christopher Cabaldon
California State Senator
3rd Senate District, California
Website | Contact
Before his tenure in the State Senate, Cabaldon served as the Mayor of West Sacramento from 1998 to 2020, making him the city's longest-serving Mayor, serving for 22 years.
Made history by becoming the first Filipino-American elected to the California State Senate.
Christopher Corpuz - TERM EXPIRED
Trustee, Evergreen School Board
San Jose, California
Desiree Thayer
Councilmember
City of Burlingame, California
Diana Colvin - TERM EXPIRED
Councilmember
Town of Colma City Council 2
California
Dianne Martinez - TERM EXPIRED
Councilmember
Emeryville, California
Hydra Mendoza - TERM EXPIRED
(U.S. FWN100™ '09, Global FWN100™ 13)
Board Member, Chair, Past-President
San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education
Website
Elected in 2006, re-elected in 2010 and 2014. Retired 2018.
John Morada
Councilmember
City of Dublin, California
Elected for the first time this year. He is the first Filipino elected in Dublin.
Jose S. Esteves - TERM EXPIRED
Mayor
Milpitas, California
He was elected to Milpitas City Council in 1998 and went on to serve as mayor between 2002 and 2008, and again from 2010 to 2016.
In September 2024, the Milpitas City Council voted to rename the Milpitas Library as the "Milpitas Jose Esteves Library" in his honor, acknowledging his instrumental role in the library's development.
Joy Gutierrez-Pilare - TERM EXPIRED
Vice President and Trustee
Bayshore School District
California
Juslyn Manalo
(Global FWN100™ '15, Global Continuing Influential 2018)
Councilmember (2016-2020); 2020-2024
Served Mayor for 2 terms.
Received highest number of votes ever cast for the councilmember 2016 race in Daly City.
Daly City, California
Website | Contact
The first Filipina woman elected to the Daly City Council in 2016. Received highest number of votes (26,748) for the councilmember race in 2016
Letty Lopez-Viado
Mayor Pro Tem
City of West Covina, California
Luz Bay
State Representative
New Hampshire House of Representatives, representing Strafford County District 21
Website | NH State Representative @luzbay4nh
Manny Fernandez - TERM EXPIRED
Board of Director, Union Sanitary District California
Maria Cervania
State Representative
North Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 41 in Western Wake County
NC State Representative @mariafornc
Marico Sayoc - TERM EXPIRED
Councilmember
Town of Los Gatos, California
Mark Nagales
Councilmember (former Mayor)
City of South San Francisco, California
In 2022, he was honored to become the first Filipino Mayor of South San Francisco
Maybelle Manio
Trustee
Jefferson Elementary School District Board
Daly City, California
Melissa Ramoso
(Global FWN100™ '14)
Mayor Pro Tem
City of Artesia, California
Michael Guingon - TERM EXPIRED
Councilmember
Daly City, California
He was the first Filipino American elected to the Daly City Council.
Nikki Fortunato Bas
(Global FWN100™ ‘21)
Supervisor, Alameda County Board of Supervisors District 5
(former) Mayor of Oakland, Council President + Councilmember D2
City of Oakland, California
Phil Bacerra
Councilmember
Santa Ana City Council
Rachelle Pastor Arizmendi - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ 2018)
Mayor Pro Tem
City of Sierra Madre, California
She was first elected to the City Council in 2014, becoming the first woman of color to serve in that capacity. She has also served as Mayor twice, in 2017 and 2020.
Rob Bonta
California Attorney General (elected)
California Attorney General appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2020
Elected California State Assemblymember, AD 18 representing Oakland, Alameda, and San Leandro (2012-2021)
Councilmember, Alameda City Council (2010-2012)
Website | Contact | CA Attorney General @robbonta
First Filipino American legislator in the 165-year history of California
Dr. Rod Daus-Magbual
Mayor
Daly City, California
Roland Esquivias - TERM EXPIRED
City Councilmember
Hercules, California
Ron Villanueva - TERM EXPIRED
Delegate
Virginia House of Delegates, 21st District
Rosie Tejada
Trustee
Jefferson Unified High School District
Ruth Asmundson - TERM EXPIRED
(U.S. FWN100™ '07, Global FWN100™ '14)
Mayor (Term 2002-2010)
City of Davis, California
The first Filipino American to be elected as Mayor. Elected in 2002, then re-elected in 2006.
Ryyn Schumacher
Councilmember
San Buenaventura City Council, D3
The first and only Filipino-American openly gay person of color elected to San Buenaventura City Council, CA.
Salvador "Buddy" Deauna
City Councilmember
Bergenfied, New Jersey (2 seats)
Website
Sofia Aragon - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ ‘22)
Former Mayor and Councilmember, City of Burien, Washington
Steve Raga
Assemblymember
New York State Assembly, District 30
NY State Assemblyman @ragaforqueens
Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye
(US FWN100™ '07)
President and CEO, Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC)
Retired Chief Justice of California
California Supreme Court
Term: January 3, 2011-January 1, 2013
Appointed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2011.
Todd Gloria
Mayor
City of San Diego
Tony Daysog
Councilmember, Council 10
City of Alameda City, California
Tony Ubalde - TERM EXPIRED
Trustee
Vallejo City Unified School Board, California
Rep. TJ Cox - TERM EXPIRED
U.S. House of Representatives
California's 21st District
Trish La Chica
State Representative
Hawaii House of Representatives, District 37
HI State Representative @trishlachica
Tzeitel Paras Caracci - TERM EXPIRED
Mayor and D1 Councilmember
City of Duarte
Ysabel Jurado
Councilmember
Los Angeles City Council, District 14
The first Filipino-American elected to the LA City Council in California.
FILIPINO APPOINTEDS WORLDWIDE
CANADA
Eileen de Villa - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ 22)
Medical Officer of Health
City of Toronto
Milagros Eustaquio Syme - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ '17)
Justice of the Peace
Ontario Court of Justice
Appointed by the Province of Ontario in 2005.
Petronila P. Garcia - RETIRED
(Global FWN100™ '17)
Philippine Ambassador to Canada
Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Ottawa, Canada
The first Filipina woman to be Ambassador to Canada. Appointed by President Benigno S. Aquino III in 2014.
FRANCE
Junever Melchor Mahilum-West
(Global FWN100™ '17)
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Paris, France
Appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in December 2022.
PHILIPPINES
Agnes Joyce Bailen - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ '15)
Undersecretary of Department of Budget Management
Appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016
Delia Albert - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ '14)
Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Term 2003-2004)
Republic of the Philippines
Appointed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2003.
Imelda M. Nicolas - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ '13)
Chair of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (Term 2010-2016)
Republic of the Philippines
Appointed by President Benigno S. Aquino III in 2010.
Lucille Sering - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ '13)
Commissioner/ Vice Chairman of the Climate Change Commission (Term 2010-2015)
Appointed by President Benigno S. Aquino III in 2010.
Margarita Gutierrez
(Global FWN100™ 19)
Undersecretary
Department of Justice (DOJ)
Appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2022.
Maria Nieves R. Confesor - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ '17)
Secretary for Labor and Employment (Term 1992-1995)
Republic of the Philippines
Appointed by President Fidel V. Ramos in 1992.
Nora K. Terrado - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ '14, Continuing Influential Global FWN100™ '16)
Undersecretary for the Industry Promotion Group
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
Appointed by President Benigno S. Aquino III in 2013, re-appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016
Wilma T. Eisma, Esq.
(Global FWN100™ '17)
President and Chief Operating Officer
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)
(former) Administrator and Chairman
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
Appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in April 2024.
Poland
Turkey
UNITED STATES
Patricia Ann Paez - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ '13)
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Poland
Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Warsaw, Poland
Appointed by President Benigno S. Aquino III in 2012.
Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez - RETIRED
(US Global FWN100™ '07)
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Turkey with concurrent jurisdiction over Georgia and the Republic of Azerbaijan,
Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Ankara, Turkey
Appointed by President Benigno S. Aquino III in 2013.
Al Perez
San Francisco Entertainment Commissioner
Board Member, 1a District Agricultural Association, Grand National Rodeo, Cow Palace Fair Board
Appointed to the SF Entertainment Commission by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom in 2009, re-appointed by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee in 2014
Appointed to the Grand National Rodeo, Cow Palace Fair Board by California Governor Jerry Brown in 2016
Angella Logarta
Vice President
Daly City Library Board of Trustees
Ann Yap
Commissioner, Human Relations Commission, Union City
Arlene Daus-Magbual
Vice Chair and Commissioner
Arts & Culture Commission of Daly City
Art Cipriano - TERM EXPIRED
Commissioner
Arts Commission
Union City
Audra Ibarra
Judge
Santa Clara County Superior Court
First Filipino-American judge in Santa Clara County and the first female Filipino-American trial judge in the Bay Area
Benjamin Reyes
Judge
Contra Costa County Superior Court
First Filipino-American judge on the Contra Costa bench and only the second Filipino American trial court judge appointed in the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties.
Carmen Colet
Commissioner
Asian Art Commission
San Francisco
Cherie Querol Moreno - TERM EXPIRED
Commissioner
Commission on Aging, San Mateo County
Christine Padilla - TERM EXPIRED
Commissioner
Commission on the Status of Women San Mateo County
Carmelyn Malalis - TERM EXPIRED
(US FWN100™ '09)
Chair and Commissioner, New York Human Rights Commission
Appointed by New York Mayor Bill de Blasio in November 2014
Dr. Cris Liban
President
Los Angeles Board of Transportation Commissioners
Appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2014
Darryl Honda - TERM EXPIRED
President
San Francisco Board of Appeals
Appointed to Commissioner of the Board of Appeals by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee in 2012. Former Vice President of the SF Board of Appeals, 2015-2016.
Dori Caminong - TERM EXPIRED
Vice President
San Francisco Entertainment Commission
Appointed by San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 2015
Edcelyn Pujol - TERM EXPIRED
(U.S. FWN100™ '12)
Member
Dental Hygiene Committee of California
Appointed by California Governor Jerry Brown in 2016
Elsa Agasid - TERM EXPIRED
Commissioner
Commission on Aging
San Mateo County
Fel Amistad PhD - TERM EXPIRED
Vice President and Commissioner
The Board of Professional Engineers, California State Board of Professional Engineers, Geologists & Land Surveyors
Appointed by California Governor Jerry Brown in 2015
Franklin M. Ricarte - TERM EXPIRED
Commissioner
San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission
Appointed by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee in 2016
Gary B. Pacheco
President
Daly City Library Board of Trustees
Gina Ortiz Jones
Under Secretary of the Air Force
She was appointed by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2021.
Glenn Nate - TERM EXPIRED
Commissioner
Park and Rec Commission
Union City
Gloria Caoile - TERM EXPIRED
Assistant to the President
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
Commissioner
White House Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI)
Jacklyn Mallari Joanino - TERM EXPIRED
Commissioner
Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women
Jason Chan - TERM EXPIRED
Board Member, 1Cow Palace National Grand Rodeo Board
Appointed by California Governor Jerry Brown in 2016
Jennifer Galindo Briscoe, Ed.D.
Vice-Chair and Commissioner
Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women
Joel Jacinto - TERME EXPIRED
Commissioner
Board of Public Works for the City of Los Angeles
Appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2015
Joselyn Geaga-Rosenthal
(U.S. FWN100™ '09)
Commissioner
Board of Building and Safety of Los Angeles
Appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti
Kristine Custodio Suero
(Global FWN100™ 21)
Chair
San Diego County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls
Loida Nicolas Lewis
(U.S. FWN100™ 13)
Board of Directors
Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)
Appointed by President Joe Biden
Maria Torres-Springer
First Deputy Mayor
New York City
Appointed by Mayor Eric Adams on October 8, 2024
Dr. Mariedel Leviste - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ '13)
Commissioner on Community and Family Services of Los Angeles
Appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2014
Marily Mondejar - TERM EXPIRED
Chair and Commissioner
Commission on Community Investment and Infrastructure
Appointed by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee
Commissioner, San Francisco Redistricting Task Force. Appointed by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee
Member, Sweatfree Procurement Advisory Group. Appointed by Mayor Gavin Newsom
Member, Justice and Courage Oversight Panel. Appointed by Mayor Gavin Newsom
Marjan Philhour - TERM EXPIRED
Senior Advisor to San Francisco Mayor London Breed
Melanie Ampon - TERM EXPIRED
Human Rights Commission
San Francisco
Mila Josue - TERM EXPIRED
Senior Commissioner
Union City Senior Citizens Commission
Minerva Tantoco - TERM EXPIRED
(U.S. FWN100™ '11)
New York City's first Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Appointed by New York Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2016
Mona Pasqul Rogers
(U.S. FWN100™ '07)
Vice President
California State Personnel Board (SPB)
In addition to her role on the SPB, Pasquil Rogers, she served as California's first female, first Asian, and first Filipino-American acting lieutenant governor in 2009
Col. (ret.) Nestor A. Aliga
Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans (ACMV, Washington D.C.)
Appointed by US Veterans Affairs Secretary
Patricia de Vera
Secretary
Daly City Public Library Associates
Perla Ibarrientos
(U.S. FWN100™ '07)
Member
Daly City Personnel Board
Rachel Buenviaje
Commissioner to the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs
Appointed by Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León in 2016.
Rohanee Zapanta
(Global FWN100™ 2023)
Judge
San Diego County Superior Court
Ron P. Muriera - TERM EXPIRED
Arts Commissioner
City of San Jose Arts Commission
Vice Chair (2018 - Present)
Chair, Public Art Committee (2016-18)
Appointed by San Jose City Council, 2011. Re-appointed by San Jose City Council, 2014.
Rozita V. Lee - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ '13)
President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Appointed by U.S. President Barack Obama in 2010
Sheryll Casuga - TERM EXPIRED
Board Member
California Board of Psychology
Sonia T. Delen - TERM EXPIRED
(U.S. FWN100™ '07)
Trustee, State Bar of California
Former Trustee, California Health Professions Education Foundation Board—Appointed by California Governor Jerry Brown in 2015
Sheila Marcelo - TERM EXPIRED
Member
Library of Congress Trust Fund Board
Appointed by President Barack Obama in December 2016.
Teresita Batayola - TERM EXPIRED
(Global FWN100™ '19)
Commissioner
President Joe Biden's White House Initiative for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders
Theresa De Vera
Vice President
Disabled Access Appeals Commission for the City of Los Angeles
Appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles in August 2023.
Tiffany Bohee
(Global FWN100™ '15)
President of Mercy Housing California
Tessie Guillermo
Commissioner
San Francisco Health Commission
Inaugural Member (TERM EXPIRED)
White House Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Walter Batara - TERM EXPIRED
Commissioner
Commission on Aging
San Mateo County