07 October 2014 – Philippine Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin visited Hawaii State Speaker John M. Souki and Vice Speaker John Mizuno on October 02 at their offices on the Hawaii State Capitol Building in Honolulu.

Speaker Souki and Vice Speaker Mizuno are both strong supporters of the Filipino community in Hawaii. Both have supported the bill calling for the U.S. Congress to grant benefits to Filipino veterans of World War II.

During her courtesy call, Consul General Jamoralin also discussed the role of the first Filipino plantation workers or “Sakadas” who arrived in Hawaii at the turn of the century, during Hawaii’s early years of development from a plantation economy to the current modern State.

Based on historical records, the first 15 Filipino “Sakadas” arrived in Hawaii in December 1906. These 15 Filipinos constitute the first overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the United States. END