Filipinos of Greater Philadelphia

Book excerpt: In 1912, Agripino M. Jaucian organized 200 Filipino Navy personnel who had settled in Philadelphia and formed the Filipino American Association of Philadelphia, Inc. (FAAPI). Jaucian, who created the group after being a victim of racism, served as the organization's first president. The FAAPI was founded to preserve the heritage and traditions of Filipinos in their newly adopted country. In the 1960s, Philadelphia witnessed a population boom never seen before when entire Filipino families and professionals began immigrating in large numbers. This unprecedented growth gave rise to organizations, dance troupes, restaurants, and the FAAPI Filipino Community Center. Today, there are an estimated 35,000 Filipinos in the Philadelphia region. As they celebrate their centennial, Filipinos of Greater Philadelphia commemorates the legacies of those early pioneers who sought to find a place they could call "home" in the City of Brotherly Love.