The Los Angeles City Council Friday recognized the 125th anniversary of Philippine Independence — welcoming city employees and community members to speak on the important role Filipinos have in the city.
Councilman Hugo Soto-MartÃnez, whose 13th District is home to the Historic Filipinotown, led Friday’s presentation. The councilman said independence days make him think about the sense of “self-reliance, liberation and pride that one feels about their country.”
Filipinos are the “largest and fastest” growing Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders population in the state, Soto-MartÃnez said. The city of Los Angeles is home to the largest number of Filipinos outside of the Philippines, he added.
The councilman welcomed and introduced Susana Reyes, who became the city’s first Filipino American LADWP deputy commissioner in 2019 and currently serves as a commissioner on the Board of Public Works.
Reyes said they gathered at City Hall to commemorate the Philippines’ “rich history, cultural heritage and recognize the Filipino’s community’s profound impact in shaping the city’s diverse fabric.”
“Celebrating the 125th anniversary of Philippine Independence Day is a powerful reminder of the deep and enduring bonds between the Philippines and the city of Los Angeles,” Reyes said. “It provides an occasion to reaffirm our commitment to fostering bilateral relations, both economically and culturally.”
Los Angeles Controller Kenneth Mejia, who became the city’s first Filipino elected official and the first Asian American to assume citywide office in 2022, joined Soto-MartÃnez during the morning celebration.
Mejia noted that this year’s Philippine Independence Day theme focuses on the “freedom that our ancestors fought, struggled and died for against colonial rule from Spain.”
“May this celebration catalyze greater intercultural understanding, collaboration and solidarity among all our communities residing in our city,” Reyes said. “Let us continue to celebrate that richness and diversity that tapestry, that connective tissue that connects us all.”