Filipinos in San Francisco have been driven by longstanding ties between U.S. and the Philippines.
In the nine-county greater Bay Area, there are about 400,000 Filipinos, with 40,000 or more in San Francisco. In 2019, the United States had 4.2 million Filipinos, or Americans of Filipino descent, with substantial populations in California, Hawaii, Illinois, Texas, and the New York metropolitan area.
Looking Back
Thousands of Filipinos began traveling to California in the mid-1920s, largely to work as farm laborers, or as manual laborers in urban areas such as Stockton, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. California has the highest percentage of Filipino immigrants, according to the Immigration Policy Institution. In 1946, the Philippines acquired independence from the United States following World War II. With the adoption of the Rescission Act of 1946, most Filipino veterans’ benefits were revoked.
Filipinos in San Francisco contribute to their homeland’s economic and social advancement through a variety of vehicles and mechanisms. Meanwhile, the Philippines has overtaken China as Asia’s leading source of legal immigration to the United States. Because of a scarcity of qualified nurses, many Filipinos in this new wave of migration came here as professionals. At least 35,000 Filipino nurses traveled to the United States between 1966 and 1991. Because Filipinos are U.S. citizens, mass migration of Filipinos to the United States began in the early twentieth century.
Workplaces in the Bay Area are diverse because they are filled with people who have specific talents, abilities, and interests. Moreover, many companies have specific cultural celebrations; most conduct diversity awareness training and plan gatherings to encourage social interaction and cultural sharing.
The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the country’s most diverse areas, a lovely and unique mix of people from all walks of life. In all parts of the community, the City of South San Francisco is a strong proponent of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and socioeconomic background inclusion. Our cities’ demographics are changing, and our local elected officials are responding positively to ensure our communities are inclusive, welcoming, and adaptable.