George Viray shows off his certificate after becoming
a U.S. citizen yesterday. Viray, 26, left the Philippines in 1990.
Photo by Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin

Fifty-nine people in Hawaii became U.S. citizens yesterday, and all can savor America's 220th anniversary of its independence today.

Through citizenship, their lifestyles have been defined.

"I am looking forward to voting," David Naupoto said. "In Tonga, we have one king and you cannot vote for another. In America, I have a choice."

Naupoto, 39, came to Hawaii 15 years ago to study at Brigham Young University in Laie.

"I have a (college) degree, a job and a car because of America," said Naupoto, who works for MidWeek. "I appreciate living in a free country."

George Viray, 26, left the Philippines in December 1990 seeking a better life.

"I wanted to go to school and work here," said Viray, who works at the St. Francis Medical Center pharmacy and Aston Island Colony hotel. "As a citizen, I have more opportunities."

Immigrants must learn to speak, read and write English and have some knowledge of U.S. history and government to become citizens. There is also a residency requirement that ranges from three to five years.

"For a lot of them, it means starting over at a late age," said Faye Adler of the U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service, who helped to set up yesterday's citizenship proceedings before federal Judge Edward King.

"But you can see they really want this. It makes me feel lucky that I was born an American citizen."