The essays included in this section show how Filipinos in the U.S. were thinking about various issues–such as Philippine Independence, relationships, community, imperialism, labor, and civil rights–during the first half of the 20th century. Some of the language may be partisan and hyperbolic, reflecting the strong feelings and opinions expressed in Filipino writing during this period.
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Editors of the Filipino Students' Magazine respond in the following editorial to the Filipino community in San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake. General Frederick Funston was in charge of bringing order to the City and restoring communications infrastructure. Funston was made Brigadier General for his leadership in capturing General Emilio Aguinaldo during the Philippine-American War.
"Filipinos in San Francisco"
The earthquake and fire of San Francisco did not spare our countrymen living in that great city of the Pacific Coast. Their properties and homes were turned to ashes, their business paralyzed, and hunger, with all its terrific attributes, became very familiar to them; they were forgotten, despised and segregated from the people who were especially selected to receive help. As though their misery was not similar to that of others, although their race and color was different. Misfortune generally makes men brothers, but the San Francisco disaster afforded some exceptions to the rule, as is evidenced by letters received by us and other friends of the Filipinos. Immediately after the catastrophe, the Filipinos in Berkeley gathered together, and steps were at once taken to help our needy countrymen, as is shown by a letter of our manager to our chief editor, which appears elsewhere in this issue. Still, misfortune follows misfortune, and our brothers in San Francisco will continue miserable and helpless for some time longer. They can scarcely find any occupation to lift them from their financial prostration. Their future appears dark and gloomy.
It is said that the government sent succor to everybody, no matter what their nationality or color; but the officers seem to have obeyed with hearts and minds full of prejudice and partiality.
The Philippine press tells us that committees were organized (e.g. Philippine Feminine Association), theaters exhibited performances (e.g. Grand Opera House), clubs gave horse races and other sports (e.g. Manila Jockey Club), to collect funds for the relief of San Francisco sufferers. This work was efficaciously aided by the press of Manila and provinces. Yet our people are perhaps unaware that their countrymen in San Francisco are the ones who suffered most, and are still suffering at this time.
Let these words find echo in the breasts of generous Americans and Filipinos, in the United States as well as in the Philippines, and then the Filipinos in San Francisco shall suffer no longer from famine and misery.1
"The Filipina in Filipino Society"
by Helen Rillera [Angelica (Helen) Floresca Marquez]
Note: Helen Rillera was a student in John Sweet junior high school in San Francisco when she wrote this opinion piece for the Philippines Mail in Salinas. At the time, there was a great disproportion of Filipinos to Filipinas in the U.S. Filipinos were heavily engaged in labor organizing, and had encountered violent reactions from the white population. They were being called upon to sacrifice their time, energy, and possibly even their lives to the cause. Helen Rillera’s opinion is valuable because there are few writings by Filipinas available from this period, and very little had been published about their experiences in the U.S. during the 1930s. She wished to air "constructive criticism" while supporting the struggle of her Filipino comrades.
This is a “straight from the heart” expression of my ideas, experiences, and observations, which, I do sincerely hope would help to soften my countrymen’s hearts towards all Filipino girls in Filipino society.
Here, in this distant country, when a Pinay is as young as 12 or 13, she makes her debut in Filipino community. (There [are] very few exceptions). She i