21 October 2016 — In celebration of the Filipino-American History Month of October, the Filipino Community Center, Inc. honored six community leaders for their extraordinary acts of service to the local Filipino community, the State of Hawaii and in the Philippines during its 14th annual Bayanihan Gala fundraiser at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel in Honolulu on October 14.
Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng, President Barack Obama’s sister and University of Hawaii professor, read the President’s message addressed to the Filipino community in Hawaii.
Philippine Consul General to Hawaii Gina Jamoralin joined Hawaii Governor and Mrs. David Ige, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, Hawaii State legislators, Honolulu City Council members and Filipino community leaders listened to the President’s message and responses of the six honorees who thanked the Filcom Center for the honor and recognition bestowed on their work for the benefit of the Filipino community and for helping to realize the establishment of the Filipino Community Center in Hawaii.
These honorees are Dr. Amefil “Amy” Agbayani, Mr. Jeffrey N. Watanabe, Ms. Maggie Domingo, Mr. Timothy E. Johns who as President of Am-Fac, helped donate the land where the Filcom Center was built; Mrs. Lynn Watanabe, and Mr. Domingo Los Banos, FilAm WWII veteran.
Kristian Lei, a Fil-Am performer based in Hawaii, was the featured musical artist. Ms. Lei has traveled the world playing renowned parts in various musical productions, including Miss Saigon, the King and I, Once on this Island, and the Festival of the Lion King.
Governor David Ige thanked the Filipino community for their invaluable contribution in building Hawaii since the first 15 Filipino “sakadas” from the Philippines set foot in Hawaii on December 20, 1906. US Senator Mazie Hirono spoke about the unanimous passage in the U.Ss Senate of the bill which she authored and which was co-sponsored by 71 senators, including Senator Brian Schatz to award a Congressional Gold Medal for Filipino World War II veterans. END
