National Registry of Historic Sites and Structures

THE ARRIVAL OF FILIPINO PLANTATION WORKERS IN HAWAII

IN THE AFTERNOON OF 20 DECEMBER 1906, A GROUP OF FIFTEEN FILIPINOS ARRIVED ABOARD THE SS DORIC AFTER SAILING FOR ABOUT A MONTH FROM THE PHILIPPINES. THESE MEN WERE SIMPLICIO GIRONELLA, HIS FOUR SONS MARIANO, VICENTE, FRANCISCO AND ANTONIO; MAURICIO CORTEZ AND HIS BROTHER CELESTINO; PRUDENCIO SAGUN AND HIS BROTHER CECILIO. THE OTHERS WERE MARCIANO BELLO, EMILIANO DASULLA, JULIAN GALMEN, MARTIN DE JESUS, APOLONIO RAMOS AND FILOMENO REBOLLIDO. THESE 15 ORIGINAL FILIPINO WORKERS FROM THE ILOCOS REGION WERE RECRUITED BY THE HAWII SUGAR PLANTERS’ ASSOCIATION. AFTER ARRIVING IN HONOLULU, THEY TRAVELED TO THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII TO WORK AT THE OLA’A SUGAR PLANTATION. THEY STARTED THE FIRST WAVE OF FILIPINO MIGRATION TO HAWAII.