East County News Service

Photo: Brett Sayles (Pexels)

October 10, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Filipino American History Month is a time to celebrate and honor the contributions and achievements of Filipino Americans in the United States. It is also a time to learn about the rich and diverse history and culture of the Philippines and its people.

California and San Diego have a special connection to Filipino American history, as they are the places where the first Filipinos arrived in the continental United States. On October 18, 1587, a group of Filipino sailors landed on what is now Morro Bay, California, aboard the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Esperanza1. They were the first modern Asians to set foot on American soil, and they established trade and cultural exchanges with the native Chumash and Obispeño peoples2, according to Bing AI.