Filipino Americans in Hawaii: Their History

The initial wave of workers in Hawaii's sugarcane plantations comprised of Germans, Scots, Scandinavians, and Russians. The Spaniards and the Portuguese followed suit. Then came the Asians, such as the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese. The Filpinos were the last on the list of recruits of workers to come to the island.

The influx of Filipino migrant workers was catalyzed by the strike that the Japanese staged in 1906. At first, the Hawaii Sugar Planters Association (HSPA) recruited only 15 male workers, "Manongs," from Ilocos Sur province. This explained the predominance of Ilocanos in Hawaii. Eventually, workers were also recruited from Manila and Cebu, but the great majority originated from the Ilocos region.

In 1909, the US law banned immigrant workers which presented favorable opportunities for the Filipinos. At the time, the Philippines was a commonwealth of the United States. All that was needed in order for interested parties to migrate to the US was a resident certificate, or "cedula."

In the wake of liberation from the Spaniards after almost four centuries of their rule, the Filipinos enjoyed probably only a few days of genuine freedom before being taken over by the Americans. Freedom from Spain did not equate improvement in economy. The force that motivated the Manongs to seek employment in greener pastures was no different from that of today which compels Filipinos to seek opportunities outward.

The Filipino workers were under contract and their passage were usually a one-way trip. Free passage to return to the Philippines was awarded only to those who would complete at least 250 days of work in a year for three consecutive years.

The work condition of the sugarcane plantation workers was anything but ideal. They worked 10-hour long days, six days per week. Wages ranged from $2.25 to $3.27 per day, depending on their position or work performed. There were short term and long term contract workers who worked the fields, plowing and irrigating. They also cut and loaded cane. Those who worked on the sugar mills and operated the machinery received the higher wages. Collectively, the Filipino workers became known as sakadas, or laborer-recruit. Recruitments to the Hawaiian plantation took place from 1906 to 1946. By 1946, the Filipino population of 15 workers multiplied to number thousands.

Work was hard for the laborer-recruits. Discrimination also ran rampant. The Filipinos were unfortunately on the bottom step of the ladder. With the varying ethnic groups, the various positions were assigned. The Caucasians got management positions. The Spaniards and Portuguese became foreman or lunas. The Japanese got the technical jobs such as machine operation. The Filipinos were left to work the fields. Abuse and maltreatment by the foreman of the Filipino laborers were not uncommon.

Despite the harsh plantation life, the Filipinos still managed to have certain pleasures in life during their days off, such as attending each others parties. There were those who were able to bring their families and enjoy family gatherings. One peculiarity was the shocking practice of some men who would actually abduct someone else's wife either for his own benefit or for a friend. This was due to the scarcity of single women on the plantations.

Over the years, the lot of the Filipino immigrants in Hawaii improved. Children of the laborers were better educated and slowly paved the way for a much better quality of life for the coming Filipino generations. The proof of it was personified by Benjamin Cayetano, the son of a former laborer from Pangasinan province. He was elected Governor of Hawaii in 1994. The first Filipino American to become governor of a state in the United States.