Goodbye, plantation;
hello, political power
Educated immigrants
By Susan Kreifels
are helping fellow Filipinos to
realize their political clout
Star-BulletinJosie Tessie Bayudan campaigns hard for Gov. Ben Cayetano. She wants more Filipino politicians in office because that means power.
But she also supports the candidates that best serve Filipino-Americans.
Bayudan, a lawyer born in the Philippines, belongs to the current wave of Filipino immigrants who come better educated, are more vocal and want to create a stronger identity in Hawaii.
"We're very politically oriented," said Bayudan, chairwoman of the Political Action Committee for the United Filipino Council of Hawaii.
"We like to achieve power. We have a driving force to be leaders and to have some say in the government."
As the third-largest ethnic group in Hawaii -- 15.2 percent of the total population in the 1990 census, political analysts recognize the power of a unified Filipino vote. Former Mayor Frank Fasi saw it, as did Mayor Jeremy Harris, both of whom received strong support from Filipino voters in their mayoral elections.
However, analysts also believe the percentage of registered Filipino voters remains low. Several community leaders say one of their biggest challenges is educating, motivating and registering Filipinos as well as getting more immigrants to become naturalized citizens.
The government is prohibited from tracking the ethnicity of voters.
But, according to Voter Contact Services, which provides voter-registration information to candidates, there were 62,625 voters with Filipino surnames registered last April 25.
But that number also includes those with Hispanic last names.
That's 12.3 percent of the total -- 2.9 percent less than their share of the population.
Japanese Americans in Hawaii register more heavily, representing 25.5 percent of voters but only 22.3 percent of the total population in the 1990 census.
Caucasians had 32.5 percent of voters and 33.4 percent of the population.
Only six Filipinos are members of the 76-member Legislature.
Don Clegg, a pollster for Fasi and Harris, said Filipino-Americans, although becoming a stronger economic force, are still isolated.
"They need to go out and vote, support candidates who support them and be loyal," Clegg said. "Filipinos themselves need to get elected."
Fasi "literally went after them as a population," Clegg said, by attending Filipino functions, getting to know community leaders, and giving them jobs in his administration, Clegg said.
They were good campaigners and, in turn, demanded recognition and support.
Fasi lost support, however, when he went up against Cayetano.
So did Harris when he considered running against Cayetano.
Known as strong Democrats and union members, their vote is still relatively unified, some analysts said.
But with more than 4,000 immigrants arriving here every year, traditional political ties aren't always as strong as the issues, especially economic ones, said Dean Alegado, a University of Hawaii professor who teaches about Filipinos in Hawaii.
Dan Boylan, a political analyst and professor at the University of Hawaii-West Oahu, said jobs, contracts and patronage are still the most important paybacks for their support, "the same way ethnic politics has always worked."
But large numbers of recent immigrants make the community different from other ethnic groups.
"It's a growing political clout but it's complex," Boylan said.
"It divides the community between the old-timers and the new immigrants.
"It makes it difficult to act politically in concert."
In the 1980s, voter unity was also splintered by homeland politics. The majority of Filipinos in Hawaii came from the Ilocos region, home of deceased Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos.
Marcos loyalists were pitted against those who had worked to depose him, and both Filipino and non-Filipino candidates were often caught up in the emotional debate.
The community became even more polarized when Marcos lived here from 1986-89.
Cayetano said he lost some support in earlier years because of his anti-Marcos stand.
But Cayetano and several political analysts said those emotional issues have started to fade with Marcos' death and a new era of politics in the Philippines. They expect Cayetano to pull strong Filipino support in the upcoming election.
Robert Bunda, the state's single Filipino senator, said politicians recognize, but not Filipino-Americans, that in any election that group can be the swing vote.
Rep. Nestor Garcia, one of five Filipino House members, agreed.
"We're still a giant that was roused from slumber by the election of Cayetano, but we haven't gotten to our feet and taken great strides.
"We have yet to realize our potential as far as political power."
But many are working to realize that potential, and Boylan said the smart politician will capitalize on their desire to get "a piece of the pie. Not only will they work hard for you, they have money to contribute. They are hungry. They almost have importance out of proportion to their size because of their enthusiasm."
Filipinos are the third-largest and fastest-growing ethnic group in Hawaii. Hawaiian history of Filipinos
1906: First Filipino plantation workers arrive in Hawaii.
Philippine immigrants On the rise
Naturalized citizens
See yesterday's installment
