The Filipino-American Association of Kitsap County Celebrates 100 Years!

October of twenty-twenty one (2021) commemorated one hundred years since the Filipino-American Association of Kitsap County came into being. This momentous celebration occurred on November 6^th, 2021, at the Clearwater Casino!

With a capacity of approximately 160 people for the event hall, the celebration sold out immediately! The program for the celebration included a singing of the national anthems for the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America, eating dinner, and speeches by Fil-Am President Raul Bacas, Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler, and Brigadier General Oscar Bautista Hilman, the first Filipino-born person to achieve this rank in the U.S. military. Entertainment featured a solo vocal performance by Khaye Fernandez, music by The Chapinos USA Band of Kitsap, and folk dancing including the Banga, the Sakuting, and the Alitaptap dances!

100 year anniversary of the Kitsap Fil-Am with Banga dance performance. — The Banga dance by Christine and Charmane, balancing clay pots used for water. Click image to learn more.

100 year anniversary of the Kitsap Fil-Am with Khaye Fernandez singing. — Solo vocalist Khaye Fernandez.

100 year anniversary of the Kitsap Fil-Am with Ding Acacio receiving award from president Raul Bacas. — Ding Acacio receives a recognition award by President Raul Bacas. Ding's high school sweetheart and wife of 59 years, Lita Acacio, was present.

100 year anniversary of the Kitsap Fil-Am with Sakuting dance performance. — Sakuting, a folk dance that interprets a match between Ilocano Christians and non-Christians. Click image to learn more.

The Filipino-American Association of Kitsap County, originally established as The Filipino Club in 1921, began with forty members. It has remained committed to supporting the Filipino community which began settling here as early as 1910. For the first two decades, the organization focused on celebrating familiar cultural holidays with local community functions.

Following World War II, the organization took on a more integrated relationship with the greater Bremerton community sponsoring events such as the Philippine Independence Day celebration on July 4, 1946; spearheading the Bremerton-Olongapo Sister City Program; and undertaking community projects including the Bremerton Beautification program by planting Globe Locust trees along 11th street between Warren Avenue and Pacific Avenue in Bremerton. As historically documented by Bremerton poetess Beatrice Sanchez, the Bremerton City Parks & Recreation Committee provided an empty corner lot (Sylvan Way & Olympus Drive NE) in the late 1960s, which the then president of the Fil-Am organization, Vincent Barrios, and the organization worked to clear for the eventual creation of the Bataan Park. The goal was to build a park to honor the sacrifices of Filipino and American soldiers who fought together at the Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II and who experienced the Bataan Death March in which 60,000 to 80,000 Filipino and American prisoners of war were forced to march nearly 70 miles. Eventually, Bataan Park was dedicated on Saturday, April 10, 1976, and the remembrance day has been held annually there on the Saturday closest to April 9^th, the day following the Battle of Bataan on which the march began.

Miss Fil-Am + Little Miss Fil-Am pageants. Image courtesy of Fil-Am Kitsap.

Over the years, the club has held its meetings in various locations and in 2015 purchased the site at 2809 Spruce Avenue (former American Legion Post between Sheridan Road and Saar's Super Savers Foods). In addition to the club’s own fundraisers to help with renovations, cash and equipment donations were received from the Port Madison Enterprises, Philippine Nurses Association of America, Senior Citizens Club, and individual club members. Using a generous grant from the Clearwater Casino Resort (Port Madison Enterprises), the club renovated their kitchen turning it into a commercial kitchen that is licensed to be rented out to other entities and individuals. In addition to the kitchen, the entire club is available to be rented out for various events and parties.

The Filipino-American Association of Kitsap County gives to the community in the form of individual youth education scholarships, meals and other services that maintain the quality of life for seniors, donations to various charities for people of all cultures, and volunteerism. Its benevolence extends to the Philippines with cash and much needed supplies in support of orphans as well as those affected by natural disasters.

Follow the Filipino-American Association of Kitsap County on Instagram and Facebook, and visit their site! For information about becoming a member of the Filipino-American Association of Kitsap County, please email Fil-Am Kitsap Member Virgil Valdez at vrglvaldez@gmail.com.
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Special thanks given to Fil-Am Kitsap’s Chuchi, Estella, Virgil, and Elmer for the information they shared, as well as Cynthia of the Bremerton Parks & Recreation Department, Jeanine of the Kitsap County Historical Society Museum, and Andrew of the Kitsap County Government Administrative Services for their generous assistance with researching their historical records.

Ang Oktubre ng dalawampu't isa (2021) ay ginunita ang isang daang taon mula nang mabuo ang Filipino-American Association of Kitsap County. Ang napakahalagang pagdiriwang na ito ay naganap noong ika-6 ng Nobyembre, 2021, sa Clearwater Casino!

Sa kapasidad na humigit-kumulang 160 dadalo, nabenta kaagad ang pagdiriwang! Kasama sa programa para sa pagdiriwang ang pag-awit ng mga pambansang awit para sa Republika ng Pilipinas at Estados Unidos ng Amerika, pagkain ng hapunan, at mga talumpati nina Fil-Am President Raul Bacas at Brigadier General Oscar Bautista Hilman, ang unang Pilipinong ipinanganak. upang makamit ang ranggo na ito sa militar ng US. Itinampok ng entertainment ang solo vocal performance ni Khaye Fernandez, musika ng The Chapinos USA Band of Kitsap, at kasama sa folk dancing ang mga sayaw na Banga, Sakuting, at Alitaptap! Ang buong gabi ay puno ng tawanan!

Ang sayaw ng Banga nina Christine at Charmane, na nagbabalanse ng mga kalderong luad na ginagamit para sa tubig.

Si Ding Acacio ay tumanggap ng parangal ng pagkilala ni Pangulong Raul Bacas. Naroon ang high school sweetheart ni Ding at asawa ng 59 taong gulang na si Lita Acacio.

Sakuting, isang katutubong sayaw na nagbibigay kahulugan sa isang laban sa pagitan ng mga Kristiyanong Ilokano at mga hindi Kristiyano.

Ang Filipino-American Association of Kitsap County, na orihinal na itinatag bilang The Filipino Club noong 1921, ay nagsimula sa apatnapung miyembro. Nanatili itong nakatuon sa pagsuporta sa pamayanang Pilipino na nagsimulang manirahan dito noong 1910. Sa unang dalawang dekada, nakatuon ang organisasyon sa pagdiriwang ng pamilyar na mga pangkulturang pista sa mga lokal na tungkulin ng komunidad.

Kasunod ng Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig, ang organisasyon ay nagkaroon ng higit na pinagsamang relasyon sa mas malaking komunidad ng Bremerton na nag-isponsor ng mga kaganapan tulad ng pagdiriwang ng Araw ng Kalayaan ng Pilipinas noong Hulyo 4, 1946; nangunguna sa Bremerton-Olongapo Sister City Program; at pagsasagawa ng mga proyekto ng komunidad kabilang ang Bremerton Beautification program sa pamamagitan ng pagtatanim ng mga globe locust tree sa kahabaan ng 11th street sa pagitan ng Warren Avenue at Pacific Avenue sa Bremerton. Tulad ng makasaysayang dokumentado ng Bremerton poetess na si Beatrice Sanchez, ang Bremerton City Parks & Recreation Committee ay nagbigay ng isang bakanteng sulok na lote (Sylvan Way & Olympus Drive NE) noong huling bahagi ng 1960s, kung saan ang presidente noon ng Fil-Am na organisasyon, si Vincent Barrios, at ang organisasyon ay nagtrabaho upang linisin para sa tuluyang paglikha ng Bataan Park. Ang layunin ay magtayo ng isang parke para parangalan ang mga sakripisyo ng mga sundalong Pilipino at Amerikano na sama-samang nakipaglaban sa Labanan sa Bataan sa Pilipinas noong Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig at nakaranas ng Bataan Death March kung saan 60,000 hanggang 80,000 Pilipino at Amerikanong bilanggo ng digmaan ay pinilit na magmartsa ng halos 70 milya. Sa kalaunan, ang Bataan Park ay inialay noong Sabado, Abril 10, 1976 at ang araw ng paggunita ay ginaganap taun-taon doon sa Sabado na pinakamalapit sa ika-9 ng Abril, ang araw kasunod ng Labanan sa Bataan kung saan nagsimula ang martsa.

Miss Fil-Am + Little Miss Fil-Am pageants. Larawan ng kagandahang-loob ng Fil-Am Kitsap.

Sa paglipas ng mga taon, ang club ay nagsagawa ng mga pagpupulong nito sa iba't ibang lokasyon at noong 2015 ay binili ang site sa 2809 Spruce Avenue (dating American Legion Post sa pagitan ng Sheridan Road at Saar's Super Savers Foods). Bilang karagdagan sa mga sariling fundraiser ng club upang tumulong sa mga pagsasaayos, natanggap ang mga donasyon ng pera at kagamitan mula sa Port Madison Enterprises, Philippine Nurses Association of America, Senior Citizens Club, at mga indibidwal na miyembro ng club. Gamit ang isang mapagbigay na gawad mula sa Clearwater Casino Resort (Port Madison Enterprises), inayos ng club ang kanilang kusina na ginawa itong isang komersyal na kusina na lisensyado na paupahan sa ibang mga entity at indibidwal. Bilang karagdagan sa kusina, ang buong club ay magagamit upang marentahan para sa iba't ibang mga kaganapan at partido.

Fil-Am Kitsap's senior luncheon. Filipino foods, shared desserts, karaoke, and other entertainment has been a monthly event! Image courtesy of Fil-Am Kitsap.

Ang Filipino-American Association of Kitsap County ay nagbibigay sa komunidad sa anyo ng mga indibidwal na youth education scholarship, mga pagkain at iba pang serbisyo na nagpapanatili ng kalidad ng buhay para sa mga nakatatanda, mga donasyon sa iba't ibang mga kawanggawa para sa mga tao sa lahat ng kultura, at boluntaryo. Ang kagandahang-loob nito ay umaabot sa Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng pera at mga kinakailangang suplay bilang suporta sa mga ulila pati na rin sa mga naapektuhan ng mga natural na kalamidad.

Sundan ang Filipino-American Association of Kitsap County sa Instagram at Facebook, at bisitahin ang kanilang site! Para sa impormasyon tungkol sa pagiging miyembro ng Filipino-American Association of Kitsap County, mangyaring mag-email sa Fil-Am Kitsap Member Virgil Valdez sa vrglvaldez@gmail.com.
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Espesyal na pasasalamat na ibinigay sa Fil-Am Kitsap's Chuchi, Estella, Virgil, at Elmer para sa impormasyong ibinahagi nila, gayundin kay Cynthia ng Bremerton Parks & Recreation Department, Jeanine ng Kitsap County Historical Society Museum, at Andrew ng Kitsap County Government Mga Serbisyong Pang-administratibo para sa kanilang mapagbigay na tulong sa pagsasaliksik ng kanilang mga makasaysayang talaan.