Bill Text: NY J00763 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim June 12, 2023, as Filipino Independence Day in the State of New York

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-04-25 - ADOPTED [J00763 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-J00763-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 763

BY: Senator COMRIE

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        June 12, 2023, 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"  stepped  foot  in  Morro  Bay,  California, when they
arrived 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
longstanding  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,  entertainment,  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  12  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 Kathy Hochul to proclaim June 12, 2023, 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 Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York.