CALIFORNIA: A PHILIPPINE TERRITORY -- ALMOST: and Other Stories

Today, the Filipinos and Americans with Filipinodescent are among the most active people ofCalifornia and compose one of the biggest ethnicgroups in the state. This is not a wonder because the firstdocumented arrival of Filipinos in Morro Bay was recordedon October 18, 1587 aboard the Nuestra Senora de BuenaEsperanza during the fascinating era of the Manila-Acapulcogalleon trade from 1570 to 1815.It is not surprising that California almost became aPhilippine colony. The idea of farmers from the Philippinessetting up a colony in California, then a virgin territory, wasbroached by Pedro Enriquez Calderon, a judge who hadserved in the Audiencia in Manila. The Philippine “colonizers”was to protect Spanish interest in the Americas and build,maintain and protect a port for the Spanish galleon shipsand produce food for the sailors after the gruelling voyagesacross the vast Pacific Ocean in five to six months. The planwas also made amid the inroad of Russians in Alaska andfears that the British were intensely eyeing California as abase. This is one of the subjects of a column of the authorpublished in a Filipino newspaper in San Francisco and is acenterpiece of this book aptly titled “California: A PhilippineColony – Almost.”I first met the author at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ngMaynila (University of the City of Manila) when then ManilaMayor Jose L. Atienza Jr. appointed him as a Member of theBoard of Regents of the university and an active journalistin the Philippines and United States. As Secretary of theBoard of Regents and University Secretary then, I witnessedhis dedication to his job, participating in discussions andsometimes engaging our Chairman, Dr. Alejandro R. Roces,a former Secretary of Education during the administrationof President Diosdado Macapagal, the signatory to the PLMUniversity Charter (Republic Act No. 4186), our secondChairman, former Supreme Court Associate Justice Justo P.Torres, and Regent Raul I. Goco, a former law school dean,Solicitor General and Philippine Ambassador to Canada, tohearty deliberations. As a proud product of the university,the author had always the good of “Pamantasang Mahal” ontop of his mind.I am sure that this book, a compendium of articles byRegent Alfredo G. Gabot published in the United States,will be an interesting reading in California where he hasbeen an active journalist for 35 years and Manila as well asit captures the scintillating achievements of Filipinos in thePhilippines and America like Supreme Court Chief JusticeTani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Robert Bonta,sports greats Victoria Manalo Draves and Natalie Coughlin,celebrity Vanessa Hudgens, among others.Moreover, the book discusses the contribution andrelevance of famous Filipino novelist, essayist, poet andiiishort story writer and pioneer labor union activist Carlos S.Bulosan who happens to be an uncle of Regent Gabot.To the ever active Filipino community in America andFilipinos in the Philippines and elsewhere, Mabuhay!ATTY. MARITES A. BARRIOS-TARAN,CPA, MGM, LLMDirector GeneralCommission on the Filipino Language{Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino)Malacanang Palace, Manila Read more