WHEREAS, The earliest documented proof of Filipino presence in the continental United States was on October 18, 1587, when the first "Luzones Indios" set foot in Morro Bay, California; and
     WHEREAS, The Filipino American National Historical Society recognizes the year of 1763 as the date of the first permanent Filipino settlement in the United States in St. Malo Parrish, Louisiana, which brings new perspective to the economic, cultural, social, and other notable contributions that Filipino Americans have made toward the development of the United States; and
     WHEREAS, The Filipino American National Historical Society recognizes that in the year 1888, records indicate that the first known employee from the Philippines in the Pacific Northwest, "Manilla," worked at the largest lumber mill in the world of that time at Port Blakely on Bainbridge Island; and
     WHEREAS, Efforts must 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 have been overlooked in the writing, teaching, and learning of United States history; and
     WHEREAS, It is imperative 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, Washington State is home to many Filipino American families, the largest Asian/Pacific Islander ethnic population found in the state, and has the fourth largest population of Filipino Americans in the United States, and is the home to historic Filipino communities such as Wapato, Bainbridge Island, Seattle, Tacoma, Auburn, and Bremerton, among others; and
     WHEREAS, The 13th Biennial National Conference of the Filipino American National Historical Society returns, in July 2010, to Seattle, the site of the first National Conference;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate recognize October 2010, with special distinction of their honorable service in the United States military branches, as the 423rd anniversary of the presence of Filipinos in the United States, as a significant time to study the advancement of Filipino Americans in the history of the State of Washington and the United States; and that the Washington State Senate designate October 2010 as the inaugural Filipino American History Month; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Rey Pascua, President of the Filipino American Community of Yakima Valley, for further distribution to the Filipino American National Historical Society and Asian and Pacific Islander organizations and the Superintendent of Public Instruction.