Bill Text: NY K02372 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim June 12, 2024, as Philippine Independence Day in the State of New York

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2024-06-04 - adopted [K02372 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-K02372-Introduced.html

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Assembly Resolution No. 2372

BY: M. of A. Rules (Zebrowski)

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        June 12, 2024, as Philippine Independence Day in the
        State of New York

  WHEREAS,  The  earliest  documented   Filipino   presence   in   the
continental  United  States  was  on  October  18,  1587, when the first
"Luzones Indios" stepped  foot  in  Morro  Bay,  California,  when  they
arrived  on  board  the  Manila-built  galleon  ship  Nuestra  Senora de
Esperanza; and

  WHEREAS, The Filipino American community is the second largest Asian
American group in the United States, with a population of  approximately
3,900,000 people; and

  WHEREAS,  Filipino  American  servicemen  and  servicewomen  have  a
longstanding history in the Armed Forces from the Civil War to the  Iraq
and  Afghanistan  conflicts,  including  the 25,000 Filipinos who fought
under the United States flag during WWII  to  protect  and  defend  this
country; and

  WHEREAS,  Filipino  Americans  are  an  integral  part of the United
States  health  care  system  as  nurses,  doctors,  and  other  medical
professions; and

  WHEREAS,  Filipino  Americans  have  contributed greatly to the fine
arts, entertainment, music,  dance,  literature,  business,  journalism,
education, science, technology, government, politics, fashion, and other
fields  in  the  United States that enrich the landscape of the country;
and

  WHEREAS, Efforts should 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 and other people of color have been overlooked in the
writing, teaching and learning of United States history; and

  WHEREAS,  It  is  vital 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, The United States of America granted  independence  to  the
Philippines  on July 4, 1946, through the Treaty of Manila; July 4th was
chosen as the date by the United States because it  corresponds  to  the
United  States'  Independence  Day,  and  that  day  was observed in the
Philippines as Independence Day until 1962; and

  WHEREAS, On  May  12,  1962,  President  Diosdado  Macapagal  issued
Presidential  Proclamation  No.  28,  which declared June 12th a special
public holiday throughout the Philippines; and

  WHEREAS, This special holiday was affirmed in commemoration  of  the
people's  declaration of their inherent and inalienable right to freedom
and independence; and


  WHEREAS,  On  August 4, 1964, Republic Act No. 4166 renamed the July
4th  holiday  as  "Philippine  Republic  Day",  proclaimed  June  12  as
"Philippine   Independence  Day",  and  enjoined  all  citizens  of  the
Philippines to observe the latter with befitting rites; now,  therefore,
be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize  Governor  Kathy  Hochul  to  proclaim  June  12,  2024,  as
Philippine Independence Day in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of  New
York.