Seattle's Filipino Progress Association Elects Its First Officers
A new civic organization installs a president, a board of managers and a six-month plan — and its leaders argue that running a community association is training for running a government.
The Filipino Progress Association held its installation of officers before a large gathering of the community. Mr. Francia, a popular member of the Board of Managers, said that the constitution, if adhered to, is training for leadership. He stated that if we could manage the affairs of the association successfully, we would be capable of managing the affairs and destinies of our future government. He pledged his support for the association.
Mr. Almacen, senior member of the Board of Managers, is a well-known resident of the community. He said that we are far away from home and that an association of this kind is very necessary for our reputation in this community. He recalled the many different American lodges in this city which work for the benefit and welfare of their members, and went on to say that the Filipino Progress Association will also do likewise for our own people. He asked for the cooperation of all, and told us how proud he was of the newly organized association.
A string orchestra, under the able management of Mr. Nuesca, Mr. Inane and Mr. Tironcio, rendered several numbers, which were pleasing and commendable. On every occasion this orchestra never fails to enliven the party.
The following officers were elected for the coming six months of the year: E. F. Francia, president; G. Lazaro, vice president; M. A. Aquino, secretary; P. Adivas, treasurer; P. Mateo S. Loyola, sergeant at arms; Board of Managers: F. Almacen, senior member; L. Castro, T. Molina, V. Barrios, members.
At the conclusion of the program the president urged all Filipinos to apply for membership to the secretary. Seventeen numbers have already been enrolled.
The dinner was a huge success — plenty to eat, lots of fun, new friendships made and old ones renewed, fellowship existing, and a good time was had by all.
“If we could manage the affairs of the association successfully, we would be capable of managing the affairs and destinies of our future government.”
A century ago Seattle's Filipino community was organizing itself into lodges and associations that doubled as mutual aid, social life and political training — a self-made civic infrastructure in a city that often treated them as transient labor. The same instinct survives today in Seattle's Filipino Community Center and the neighborhood institutions of the Chinatown-International District, still doing the work of belonging.
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