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MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ PROCLAMATION NO. 954, December 10, 2005 ]

DECLARING THE YEAR 2006 AS HAWAII FILIPINO CENTENNIAL YEAR IN THE PHILIPPINES

WHEREAS, Filipino sakadas were instrumental in the growth of the plantation industry and the labor movement in Hawaii, with the first fifteen Filipino sakadas arriving in Hawaii on December 20, 1906 aboard the S.S. Doric;

WHEREAS, the recruitment of Filipinos to Hawaii continued until 1946, with the last group of sakadas arriving aboard the S.S. Maunawili, though Filipino immigration to Hawaii has continued to this day with Filipinos considered as the fastest growing immigrant group in Hawaii;

WHEREAS, Filipinos have contributed to the social, cultural, political and economic life of Hawaii, and in the process supported and contributed to the development of the Philippines through commercial, educational, socio-economic and cultural exchanges;

WHEREAS, the Philippines and Hawaii have always maintained close ties, particularly through its various sister-city and sister-state and province relationships;

WHEREAS, the Filipino community is celebrating the Centennial Anniversary of their arrival in Hawaii in 2006.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the power vested in me by law, do hereby declare the year 2006 as Hawaii Filipino Centennial Year in the Philippines to commemorate the centennial celebration of Filipino immigration to Hawaii.

All agencies of the government and the citizenry are called upon to extend the heartfelt appreciation of a grateful Filipino nation to the Filipinos in Hawaii for their various contributions and assistance to the Philippines by joining them in the commemoration of this August event.ℒαwρhi৷

IN WITNESS THEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 10th day of December in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand Five.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

By the President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary

The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation

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