San Jose City Hall lights up in honor of Filipino American History Month

The San Jose City Hall lights up in the colors of the Philippine flag. Photo from San Francisco PCG

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The “Capital of Silicon Valley” has joined the nationwide celebration of Filipino American History Month with the lighting of the San Jose City Hall in the colors of the Philippine flag.

The celebration on Oct. 11, attended by San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, also featured a Philippine flag-raising ceremony. Vice Consul Adrian Baccay represented the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco at the event.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan / Photo from San Francisco PCG

San Jose’s annual Filipino American History Month celebration was organized by the offices of San Jose City Councilmembers David Cohen and Peter Ortiz, Filipino Americans Coming Together San Jose (FACT-SJ) Coalition and LEAD Filipino.

In his speech, Baccay said the month-long commemoration should also highlight the contributions of overseas Filipinos and Filipino Americans to Philippine progress.

Vice Consul Adrian Baccay / Photo from San Francisco PCG

“We laud the Filipinos and Filipino Americans in Silicon Valley who are now active partners in Philippine development, sharing their expertise, experience and resources with emerging Filipino startups, entrepreneurs and innovators,” he said.

Baccay also cited the achievements of Fil-Am Olympians Jarod Hatch and Emma Malabuyo, who are based in the area. Hatch is from Morgan Hill, while Malabuyo was born in Mountain View and lives in Milpitas.

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“We commend the efforts of Filipino American communities to create direct people-to-people linkages and exchanges through sister city cooperation,” Vice Consul Baccay added, noting that “it is not too late for San Jose to establish ties with its very first Philippine sister city.”

The Kampanas of the Bellarmine College Preparatory perform at the annual Filipino American History Month celebration at San Jose City Hall. Photo from San Francisco PCG

To cap off the event, Fil-Am Pinole Vice Mayor Cameron Sasai led the Philippine flag-raising ceremony.

It was the second time this year that San Jose City Hall was lit up in the colors of the Philippine national flag. The City Hall was also illuminated in blue, red and yellow in celebration of Philippine Independence Day last June.

The organizers of the San Jose City Hall event are spearheading FAHM Jam, described as Silicon Valley’s “largest Filipino American celebration of food, music, art and entrepreneurs,” at the Berryessa Flea Market in San Jose on Oct. 18.