Hawaii Designates December 20 as ‘Sakada Day’
Living sakadas and their families are honored during the enactment ceremony of House Bill 604 in Hawaii. Photo from the Department of Foreign Affairs
MANILA – The legacy of the first 15 Filipino plantation workers in Hawaii will now be recognized annually.
This, after House Bill 604 designating December 20 of every year as “Sakada Day” has been enacted and signed by Hawaii Governor David Ige.
The bill institutionalizes the legacy of the first 15 sakadas from the Philippines, who arrived in Hawaii aboard the S.S. Doric on 20 December 1906 to work as contract laborers in the plantation industry.
It also recognizes the contributions of Filipinos to Hawaii’s diverse and multicultural society as well as the rich culture and proud heritage of the Filipino people and their continuing positive influence in Hawaii.
Almost 100 individuals, including a few living sakadas and their families and descendants, Hawaii government officials and members of the Filipino community attended the ceremony.
Governor Ige said it was a privilege for him to sign the bill to recognize the achievements of the sakadas, who have brought vitality and cultural richness to Hawaii.
Philippine Consul General Gina Jamoralin, who proposed the Sakada Day Bill, expressed hope that the bill “will inspire future generations of Filipinos to take pride in their heritage and will serve as a symbol of the enduring friendship between Filipinos and the people of Hawaii.”