Toasting Collective Victory: 40 Fil-Am Electeds, 22 Are Filipina Women
“Over a hundred of them assembled Jan. 31 at a Google outpost in San Francisco. . . to toast each other, celebrate their Filipino heritage, cheer their collective victory in the recent midterm elections, and work together to multiply their ranks.”
Women power rises with Berryessa Union School District Trustee Thelma Boac, Sierra Madre Council Member Rachel Pastor Arizmendi, Daly City Council Member Juslyn Manalo, Artesia Council Member Melissa Ramoso and State Treasurer Fiona Ma Chief of Staff Genevieve Jopanda. INQUIRER/CM Querol Moreno
Cherie M. Querol Moreno for INQUIRER.NET:
Filipinos and Americans, two identities in one. Born in the Philippines, the United States and elsewhere. Baby Boomers, Gen X’ers, Millennials. Democrat, Republican, Green and Independent. Liberal and conservative, progressive or centrist: Over a hundred of them assembled Jan. 31 at a Google outpost in San Francisco for the exact same reasons — to toast each other, celebrate their Filipino heritage, cheer their collective victory in the recent midterm elections, and work together to multiply their ranks.
. . .
This gathering was like no other as it welcomed United States Representative TJ Cox, the first Filipino American elected to represent California in the U.S. Congress. Bay Area-born Cox, the third son of the former Perla de Castro (now Davis) and Kenneth Cox, joins California Assembly Member Rob Bonta as the two Golden State FilAms to smash racial barriers in the halls of higher political power.
. . .
Having strong women for mothers, Cox and Bonta unsurprisingly emphasized who were missing from their offices, urging their predominantly female audience to double-down on their aspirations and grab their own seats in the California and U.S. Legislatures.
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Show up they did, including newly elected Artesia Council Member Melissa Ramoso and re-elected Sierra Madre Council Member Rachel Pastor Arizmendi, who flew in from Southern California. They were among 9 fresh and 15 re-elected Fil-Ams trading congratulations and digits at the reception hosted by the Filipino American Community Forum, the political engagement program led by longtime collaborators Marily Mondejar and Al Perez.
“I was born here, but our birthplace does not matter because we are all Filipinos and Americans,” Arizmendi enunciated in the third event keynote representing local officials.
Filipino-American Elected Officials
Filipino Americans elected officials. For most current list, visit FWN’s Elected and Appointed Officials page.
Filipino Americans elected during the November 2018 mid-term elections in the U.S.
Bob Sampayan, Mayor, City of Vallejo
Chris Cabaldon*, Mayor, City of West Sacramento
Christopher Corpuz, Trustee, Evergreen School Board, San Jose
Diana Colvin, Councilmember, Town of Colma City Council 2
Dianne Martinez*, Councilmember, Emeryville
Flor Nicolas, Councilmember, City of South San Francisco
Frank Aurelio Yokoyama, Councilmember, City of Cerritos City Council 3
Gabriel Quinto*, Councilmember City of El Cerrito
Glenn Sylvester, Vice Mayor and Councilmember, Daly City
Hermie Sunga, Councilmember, City of Vallejo, City Council 4
Joanne F. Del Rosario*, Mayor and Councilmember, Town of Colma
Joy Gutierrez-Pilare*, Vice President and Trustee, Bayshore School District
Juslyn Manalo, former Mayor and Councilmember, Daly City City Council 5
Letty Lopez, Councilmember, City of West Covina
Linda Canlas*, Trustee, New Haven Unified School District
Mae Cendaña Torlakson*, Vice Chair, Ambrose Recreation & Park District
Malia Vella, Vice Mayor and City Council, City of Alameda City Council 6
Manny Fernandez, Board of Director, Union Sanitary District (USD)
Marico Sayoc*, Councilmember, Town of Los Gatos
Mark Nagales, Councilmember, City of South San Francisco
Mark Pulido, Mayor and Councilmember, City of Cerritos City Council 7
Maybelle Manio, Trustee, Jefferson Elementary School District Board, Daly City
Melissa Ramoso, Councilmember, Artesia City Council
Nikki Fortunato Bas, Councilmember D2, City of Oakland
Pat Gacoscos*, Councilmember, Union City
Rachelle Pastor Arizmendi*, Councilmember, City of Sierra Madre
Ray Buenaventura*, Mayor and Councilmember, Daly City
Rob Bonta, California State Assemblymember, AD-18
Rod Daus-Magbual, Councilmember, Daly City
Roland Esquivias, Councilmember, City of Hercules City Council 8
Rosie Tejada, Jefferson Unified High School District
Rozzana Verder-Aliga, Councilmember, Former Vice Mayor 2016, City of Vallejo
Rudy Nasol, Trustee, San José-Evergreen Community College District
Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Chief Justice of California, California Supreme Court
Thelma Boac*, Trustee, Berryessa Union School District, San Jose
TJ Cox, U.S. House of Representatives, California's 21st District
Tony Daysog, Councilmember, City of Alameda City Council 10
Tony Ubalde*, Trustee, Vallejo City Unified School Board
Tzeitel Paras Caracci*, Mayor and D1 Councilmember, City of Duarte
Wendy Ho, Board Vice President & Trustee, San José-Evergreen Community College District
*re-elected
Filipino-American Commissioners and Appointed Officials
Filipino American commissioners and appointed officials. For most current list, visit FWN’s Elected and Appointed Officials page.
Filipino American commissioners and appointed officials recognized at the FilAm Victory Celebration on January 31, 2019 in San Francisco:
Al Perez: Commissioner, Entertainment Commission, San Francisco; Board Member, Cow Palace National Grand Rodeo Board
Angella Logarta: Vice President of the Daly City Library Board of Trustees
Ann Yap: Human Relations Commissioner, Union City
Arlene Daus-Magbual: Vice Chair and Commissioner, Arts & Culture Commission of Daly City
Art Cipriano: Commissioner, Arts Commission, Union City
Audra Ibarra, Santa Clara County Superior Court
Benjamin Reyes, Judge, Contra Costa County Superior Court
Carmen Colet: Commissioner, Asian Art Commission, San Francisco
Cherie Querol Moreno: Commissioner, Commission on Aging, San Mateo County
Christine Padilla: Commissioner, Status of Women San Mateo County
Darryl Honda: Commissioner, Board of Appeals, San Francisco
Dori Caminong: Vice President and Commissioner, SF Entertainment Commission
Edcelyn Pujol, Commissioner, Board of the Dental Hygiene Committee of California
Elsa Agasid: Commissioner, Commission on Aging, San Mateo County
Fel Amistad: Vice President and Commissioner, The Board of Professional Engineers
Franklin M. Ricarte: Commissioner, Immigrant Rights Commission, San Francisco
Gary B. Pacheco: Personnel Board, Daly City
Genevieve Jopanda: Chief of Staff, California Treasurer Fiona Ma
Glenn Nate: Commissioner, Park and Rec Commissioner, Union City
Jacklyn Mallari Joanino, Commissioner, Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women
Jennifer Galindo Briscoe, EdD: Vice-Chair and Commissioner, Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women
Marily Mondejar: President and Commissioner, Commission on Community Investment and Infrastructure, Successor Agency to the San Francisco Redevelopment Commission
Marjan Philhour, Senior Advisor to San Francisco Mayor London Breed
Melanie Ampon, Human Rights Commission, San Francisco
Mila Josue, Senior Commissioner, Union City
Mona Pasquil Rogers: State Personnel Board, State of California
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, President and Commissioner, Daly City Public Library
Rohanee Zapanta, San Diego County Superior Court
Ron Muriera: Vice President and Commissioner, Jose Arts Commission, San Jose
Sheryll Casuga: Board Member, California Board of Psychology
Sonia Delen: Trustee, State Bar of California
Tessie Guillermo, Commissioner, Health Commission, San Francisco
Walter Batara: Commissioner, Commission on Aging, San Mateo County
Historic! Vice Mayor Juslyn Manalo (Global FWN100™ '15) is First Filipina Woman Elected to Daly City Council!
It's official! Historic! Vice Mayor Juslyn Manalo (Global FWN100™ '15) was sworn in as the first Filipina woman elected to the Daly City Council on December 12, 2016. Juslyn was elected Vice Mayor of Daly City by her fellow council members the same evening she was sworn in. Yay! Pinays rule!
Juslyn Manalo (Global FWN100™ '12) sworned in by her parents as the first Filipina woman elected to the Daly City Council, December 12 ,2016.
It's official! Historic! Vice Mayor Juslyn Manalo (Global FWN100™ '15) was sworn in as the first Filipina woman elected to the Daly City Council on December 12, 2016. Juslyn was elected Vice Mayor of Daly City by her fellow council members the same evening she was sworn in. Yay! Pinays rule!
Rest in Power, Alice
"I am sad at the passing of Alice Bulos, our esteemed Filipino American leader. Alice, our community's Shero, an extraordinary citizen, led almost single-handedly the campaign to amplify the Filipino American voice encouraging more FilAms to run for elected office and hounding elected officials to appoint more FilAms to powerful boards and commissions..."
I am sad at the passing of Alice Bulos, our esteemed Filipino American leader. Alice, our community's Shero, an extraordinary citizen, led almost single-handedly the campaign to amplify the Filipino American voice encouraging more FilAms to run for elected office and hounding elected officials to appoint more FilAms to powerful boards and commissions. When I ran for SFDCCC, my first donation check came from Alice.
She had a clear vision for our community's future, always persuading rather than demanding, that we set aside our personal differences for the common good. Alice's legacy summed up: Beacon of Filipino American politics.
Marily Mondejar
Founder and CEO, Filipina Women's Network
Vice Chair, Commission on Community Investment and Infrastructure