Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

LOS ANGELES – IF you’re mixed-race Filipino and unsure about which box to check in your 2010 census form, officials say you should check all races that applies to you and/ or your family member.

By now, Filipino households across the nation may have either received or will soon receive their 2010 census form.

And despite the census only having ten questions in it, some Filipinos of mixed race aren’t sure exactly what and how to fill out question No. 9 "What is Person’s race?"

"For years, some mixed-race people would check for whatever reason that they are black or white only when they are actually a combination of both races," explained Jungmiwah Bullock, president of the Association of MultiEthnic Americans during a press conference at the Asian Pacific American Legal Center last March 24. "This time we’re urging mixed-race individuals to check or fill out all the races that applies to that person."

Bullock of Korean and African American descent said mixed-race individuals have been asking the federal government to place an option for them since the 1980’s and 1990’s. In 2000, the federal government added the "mark one or more boxes" option to question No. 9 about race.

But she also said the mark one or more boxes option is still fairly new and not many mixed-race people are aware that they can check multiple race options.

"Right now, we’re just trying to get the word out there," she said.

Bullock added that a mixed-race person checking the two or more box option would help minority communities, who have historically been undercounted in Census data. Officials at the Search to Involve Pilipino Americans, say at least 800,000 Filipinos were not counted in the last Census in the year 2000.

Some people may perceive that checking one or more options to question No. 9 would seem to be overcounting but Bullock explains a person who is mixed-race will be counted among their individual group and would also be counted in another separate two or more race group.

Bullock urges those mixed-race Filipinos and others to check all their race combinations.

"If there are things missing in your community, it is important to get as many numbers as possible to help out," she said. "It will help in education, health issues, it will help with all the resources out there that can help the community."

The Census form is designed to accurately count the US population every 10 years. The information affects the numbers of seats a state occupies in the US House of Representatives and determines how the federal government will allocate more than $400 billion on infrastructure and services like hospitals, schools, senior centers, public works projects, and other emergency services to local communities.

As of press time, 84 percent of California households who have received a census form have not turned it in. (Joseph Pimentel/AJPress)

( www.asianjournal.com )

( Published March 27, 2010 in Asianjournal Los Angeles p. A1 )