WASHINGTON, D.C. — Members of the Filipino American community gathered recently at the home of community leader Tess Taylor to hear civic leader, philanthropist, and businesswoman Loida Nicolas Lewis speak passionately about an issue close to her heart: the plight of Filipino Amerasians.
For decades, U.S. military presence in the Philippines, particularly at Subic Bay and Clark Air Base, resulted in the birth of thousands of children to American fathers and Filipino mothers. When the bases closed in the 1990s, many of these fathers returned to the United States, leaving children behind who would grow up facing poverty, bullying, and widespread discrimination.
Unlike Amerasians in Vietnam, Korea, and other countries, Filipino Amerasians were excluded from U.S. laws that granted immigration benefits. With little to no formal recognition from their American fathers, most have been left with limited opportunities to seek citizenship or better futures in the United States.
“These children of American fathers should not be forgotten,” Lewis said, addressing the intimate but deeply engaged gathering. “They deserve respect, opportunity, and a chance to belong.”
The community conversation highlighted the longstanding injustice faced by Filipino Amerasians and called attention to the urgent need for recognition and action. Attendees expressed that while decades have passed since the base closures, the struggles of these children, now adults, remain unresolved.
The evening at Tess Taylor’s home served as both a reminder and a call to advocacy: that the story of Filipino Amerasians continues to be written, and that the Filipino American community has a role to play in ensuring it does not end in silence.
