President Joe Biden of the United States sent his gratitude to the Filipino-American community in celebration of Filipino American History Month (FAHM) this October.

On Sunday, Biden said he and the First Lady, Jill, are proud to recognize FAHM and celebrate the “innumerable” contributions and rich heritage of Filipino-Americans across the US.

“We support, honor, and thank you for all you have done to help fulfill the promise of America for all of us,” Biden posted on Twitter and Facebook.

The statement was consistent with Biden’s statement last year.

“With a recorded presence in the continental United States as far back as October 1587, Filipino Americans have served our nation, defended our democracy, and fought for the promise of a more just and inclusive America,” Biden said then.

He recalled the contributions of the Filipino-Americans in World War II and the catalyzation of permanent changes that improved the farm labor conditions in the US.

Biden similarly acknowledged the service and sacrifices of Filipino-Americans front liners in the Covid-19 pandemic, saying they are an “essential part” of the strength and diversity of the US.

The Filipino-American National Historical Society (FANHS) themed FAHM this year as “Celebrating Our History and Legacies: 50 Years of Filipino-American Studies, 40 Years of the Filipino-American National Historical Society, and 30 years of Filipino-American History Month”.

FAHM was first proposed in 1991 while the US Congress made the official declaration in November 2009, citing the “advancement of Filipino-Americans and as a time to renew efforts toward the examination of history and culture in order to provide an opportunity for all people in the US to learn more about Filipino-Americans and their historic contributions to the Nation.”

FANHS, currently led by Dr. Kevin Leo Yabut Nadal as president, has prepared various activities throughout the month-long celebration of FAHM.

“We kindly remind people that we emphasize history, not heritage, during Filipino American History Month, commemorating our struggles, resilience, and contributions to the history of the United States,” FANHS said on Facebook.

The group was founded in 1982 with a mission of promoting understanding, education, enlightenment, appreciation, and enrichment through the identification, gathering, preservation, and dissemination of the history and culture of Filipino-Americans.

A volunteer-run organization with 40 chapters across the US, FAHNS has a national office and National Pinoy Archives located in Seattle, Washington, and a Filipino-American National Historical Society Museum in Stockton, California. (PNA)