FILIPINO-AMERICAN history is mostly focused on the Manong Generation—Filipinos who immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s. Their children, the second generation—the Bridge Generation, are now in their sixties, seventies and eighties, with a small number in their nineties. However, literature and documentation regarding their life in America is few. Peter Jamero’s book, Vanishing Filipino Americans: The Bridge Generation explores their growing up years and looks into their immersion into a unique subculture.
“The first large-scale immigration of Filipinos to America came soon after the turn of the 20th century when a small group came from the Philippines to toil in the sugar can plantations of Hawaii—the vanguard of what would soon be thousands of Filipinos comprising the Manong Generation,” Jamero shared in an interview with Asian Journal. “Most of that generation are now gone; but they are not forgotten, thanks to the documentation of their experiences in the literature in recent years. However, very little has ever been written about their children—the Bridge Generation—the Manong Generation’s proudest legacy to the diversity of America, who I fear may be just another distant memory.”
Jamero also explained that despite going through similar experiences and hardships as their parents, the literature contains virtually nothing of the Bridge Generation’s life in America. “Theirs is a story that is yet to be told.”
With writing Vanishing Filipino Americans, Jamero hopes to begin the process of documenting the experiences and contributions of these second generation Fil-Ams and be able to address a significant void in the history of Filipinos in America.
A part of the Bridge Generation himself, Jamero was born in Oakdale, California, the eldest son of Filipino immigrants from Bohol. His father, Ceferino Jamero left the Philippines in 1916 to be a sakada (contract worker) and toil in the sugar field in Hawaii. In 1925, his father sailed to California in the aftermath of labor strikes involving Filipino and Japanese workers. Jamero’s mother, Apolonia Madelo, a schoolteacher, immigrated to the US in 1929 to pursue an education but soon ran out of funds.
Jamero and his seven siblings were raised on a Filipino farmworker camp operated by his parents in Livingston, California. They all help in the camp, he said, which included food preparation, feeding and slaughtering pigs and chickens and dishwashing. In addition, they also worked in the fields. Still, education was a priority and his parents sent him and all of his siblings to college.
Despite of not being able to speak in English until the first grade, Jamero went on to a successful career as a top level executive directing multi-million dollar health and human service programs in Federal, State and local government. He served with the US Navy, doing duty during the Korean War. In 1953, he married Terri Romero – a wonderful marriage that lasted until her passing in 2009. He was able to raise a family with part-time work while attending college at San Jose State and UCLA (for his Master’s degree in 1957) and attended Stanford on a fellowship in 1969. Jamero also wrote Growing Up Brown: Memoirs of a Filipino American after retiring.
The Bridge Generation and their achievements
Jamero related that a number of the Bridge Generation have made their mark as well-known achievers in America. Among those he mentioned include the first Fil-Am to serve as state governor in the US, former Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano, 1948 Olympics diving champion Vicki Manalo Draves, LA Rams pro-quarterback Roman Gabriel and entertainer Pacita Todtod Bobadilla, who had a singing role in the WWII movie They Were Expendable, starring John Wayne.
Taken as whole, however, Jamero said that the achievements of the Bridge Generation were, at best, modest.
“Their achievements pale in comparison to those of other ethnic groups of the same period,” he said and explained, “For example, the ranks of the Bridge Generation do not include a CEO of a major corporation, or a member of Congress, or artists, engineers, scientists, or attorneys known to the American mainstream. Moreover, in the heavily Filipino-populated State of California, no member of the Bridge Generation has ever served in the state legislature.”
Jamero also added that it would only be pure speculation for him to offer reasons as to why. “The challenge is for Filipino/Asian American academicians, researchers and writers to come up with the answers.”
Respecting differences
Jamero believes that Filipinos need to do better. “Perhaps because Filipinos came from a country consisting of 7,100 islands and countless dialects, they have not generally worked together effectively in America,” he said, also adding that not specifically uniting the community, which he thinks is unrealistic, but to respect each other. “(Rather) I hope Filipinos can learn how to coalesce—to respect differences but still come together on issues of common concern.”
Pressing that Filipinos also need to be more of a visible force in the issues of mainstream America, Jamero believes that being active in the political process is a must—not just by voting, but also to contribute generously in time and money for the candidate of their choice.
Now entering his 82nd year on earth, Jamero feels he is truly blessed and continues to enjoy life. Although he doesn’t see himself writing another book in the near future, he doesn’t rule out writing short articles on the Filipino experience in America from time to time. His message to Filipino-Americans? “Take pride in your Filipino identity and culture—possessing ethnic pride in the diversity that is America will always serve you well.”
*All photos are from Vanishing Filipino-Americans: The Bridge Generation courtesy of Peter Jamero.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(Northern California Feb 10-16, 2012 SomethingFilipino pg.2)
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