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Home | Filipino Community of Ventura County, Inc.

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Learn about FCVCI, home of the annual Salute to the Graduates. Proud member of the Ventura County area. Service to others. Learn more and become a part of our Filipino community..

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Numbers, facts, and trends from the Pew Research Center

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Filipino population in the U.S., 2000-2019

Note: Based on mixed-race and mixed-group populations, regardless of Hispanic origin. See methodology for more detail.

Source: 2000 and 2010 population estimates from U.S. Census Bureau, "The Asian Population: 2010" Census Brief, Table 6. 2015 and 2019 population estimates from 2015 and 2019 American Community Survey 1-year estimates (Census Data).

English proficiency of Filipino population in the U.S., 2019

% among those ages 5 and older who are English proficient

Note: Proficient English speakers are those who speak only English at home, or if they speak a non-English language at home, they indicate they can speak English at least "very well." Figures for Filipinos and all Asians based on mixed-race and mixed-group populations, regardless of Hispanic origin. See methodology for more detail.

Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).

Length of time in the U.S. for Filipino immigrants, 2000-2019

% of foreign-born population who have lived in the U.S. ...

Note: Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Based on mixed-race and mixed-group populations, regardless of Hispanic origin. See methodology for more detail.

Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2000 decennial census, 2008-2010, 2013-2015 and 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).

% of foreign-born population who have lived in the U.S. ...

Note: Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Based on mixed-race and mixed-group populations, regardless of Hispanic origin. See methodology for more detail.

Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2000 decennial census, 2008-2010, 2013-2015 and 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).

Educational attainment of Filipino population in the U.S., 2019

% of those ages 25 and older, by educational attainment

Note: "High school" refers to those who have attained a high school diploma or its equivalent, such as a General Education Development (GED) certificate. "Some college" includes those with an associate degree and those who attended college but did not obtain a degree. Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Figures for Filipinos and all Asians based on mixed-race and mixed-group populations, regardless of Hispanic origin. See methodology for more detail.

Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).

U.S. Filipino population living in poverty, 2019

Note: Poverty status is determined for individuals in housing units and noninstitutional group quarters. It is unavailable for children younger than 15 who are not related to the householder, people living in institutional group quarters and people living in college dormitories or military barracks. Due to the way in which the IPUMS assigns poverty values, these data will differ from those provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Figures for Filipinos and all Asians based on mixed-race and mixed-group populations, regardless of Hispanic origin. See methodology for more detail.

Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).

Top 10 U.S. metropolitan areas by Filipino population, 2019

Demographic characteristics of U.S. Filipino population, 2019

% (unless otherwise noted)

Note: Family households are those with a household head and one or more persons living in the household who are related to the household head by birth, marriage or adoption. Households with a household head and an unmarried partner are only considered family households if there are other persons in the household who are related to the household head by birth, marriage or adoption. Multigenerational households are households with two or more adult generations or one that includes grandparents and grandchildren. Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Figures for Filipinos and all Asians based on mixed-race and mixed-group populations, regardless of Hispanic origin. See methodology for more detail.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).

Pew Research Center

Economic characteristics of U.S. Filipino population, 2019

% (unless otherwise noted)

Note: The household population excludes persons living in institutions, college dormitories and other group quarters. Households are classified by the race or detailed Asian group of the head. "Full-time, year-round workers" are defined as people ages 16 and older who usually worked at least 35 hours per week and at least 48 weeks in the past year. The share of the population ages 16 and older who are not employed differs from the unemployment rate because the share not employed is based on the total population, while the unemployment rate is based on those who are in the labor force (i.e. working or looking for work). Poverty status is determined for individuals in housing units and non-institutional group quarters. It is unavailable for children younger than 15 who are not related to the householder, people living in institutional group quarters and people living in college dormitories or military barracks. Due to the way in which the IPUMS assigns poverty values, these data will differ from those provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Figures for Filipinos and all Asians based on mixed-race and mixed-group populations, regardless of Hispanic origin. See methodology for more detail.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).

Pew Research Center

Find out more

Explore fact sheets on other Asian groups in the U.S.

Read the methodology.

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Facts about the Filipino immigrant and U.S.-born Asian American populations.

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FilAm Arts (The Association for the Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture)  is dedicated to advancing Filipino-American artists and culture bearers, by sharing resources, providing platforms and building community.

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FilAm Arts (The Association for the Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture) is dedicated to advancing Filipino-American artists and culture bearers, by sharing resources, providing platforms and building community.

FilAm ARTS exists as resource for Filipino-American artists and culture bearers outside the Philippines to cultivate a community who are rooted in our collective history and actively striving to represent, celebrate and express Filipino culture and our unique Filipino-American identity. FilAm ARTS is committed to serve as a cultural consultant to other organizations actively looking to further Filipino representation in the global community.

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FilAm Arts (The Association for the Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture) is dedicated to advancing Filipino-American artists and culture bearers, by sharing resources, providing...

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subscribe to Code Switch podcast

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There are over 3 million people of Filipino heritage living in the U.S., and many say they relate better to Latino Americans than other Asian American groups. In part, that can be traced to the history of the Philippines, which was ruled by Spain for more than 300 years. That colonial relationship created a cultural bond that persists to this day.
It's the topic of the book The Latinos of Asia: How Filipino Americans Break the Rules of Race. Author Anthony Ocampo spoke about the book with Morning Edition's Renee Montagne.

Interview Highlights
The religious bond between Filipinos and Latinos
When you go back to the Philippines, and you look at the buildings, the omnipresence of religion, Catholicism is everywhere, The Virgin Mary is everywhere. Like something you'd see in Latin America.

And when Filipinos migrate to the United States, they'll look at things like family, they'll look at things like Catholicism, they'll look at things like their last names, and think, "Hey when it comes to our history it seems like we have a lot of similarities with this group, more so than the group that we are boxed into.'"
Growing up Filipino in a Latino neighborhood
So I grew up in Eagle Rock, which is in northeast Los Angeles. And pretty much from elementary school all the way to the 8th grade, all of my classmates were either Filipino or Latino. And growing up, there were certain norms that I saw that were common to both of us.

We went through a lot of the religious rite of passages like First Communion, First Confession, Confirmation. It was pretty easy to observe that we have a lot of overlapping words between ourselves and Latinos. Everyday words like mesa, tenedor, cuchara. That's table, fork and spoon.
Why it's hard to find a "Little Manila" in the U.S.

Filipinos are really hard to place. We don't really have a distinct look. We can look Chinese, we can look Mexican.

So as a lot of people know the Philippines was, after it was colonized by Spain, it was colonized by the United States for another half century, and arguably the Americans have had a presence there ever since. And with the American colonial period, they brought a massive public education system. They made English the national language of instruction, along with Filipino. And what that means is that Filipinos, even before migrating, are socialized to American norms...So by the time they get here, the usual things that push people into ethnic enclaves like not knowing the language, not having the social networks, don't apply because of that strong American influence.
Why Filipinos have a "low profile" as a nationality in the U.S.
I think Filipinos don't have a higher profile because when it comes to the way we think about race, Filipinos are really hard to place. We don't really have a distinct look. We can look Chinese, we can look Mexican.

I think also because generally the Filipinos that come to the United States are more of a middle class, highly educated selection, there hasn't been as much of an urgent need for them to galvanize - build ethnic economies. I think about other Asian Americans for example. So, Chinese Americans, Vietnamese Americans, when they come to this country, you know the Vietnamese nail salon is an easy example. A lot of East Asians have developed these Saturday language schools which have been really important for their kids to maintain to the culture of the homeland.

And when you do all these things that are really concentrated, it makes people really visible. And Filipinos, because they don't have as much of a need to congregate in the same way, I think it makes them less visible.

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Filipino Americans: Blending Cultures, Redefining Race

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subscribe to Code Switch podcast subscribe to Code Switch podcast There are over 3 million people of Filipino heritage living in the U.S., and many say they relate better to Latino Americans than other Asian American groups. In part, that can be traced to the history of the Philippines, which was ruled by Spain for more than 300 years.

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A Personal Account of a 1st Generation Filipino-American

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A Personal Account of a 1st Generation Filipino-American

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Growing up as a first-generation Filipino-American in a town with close to no other Filipinos, I became deeply estranged from my culture. My parents were ostracized because of their culture, accent, and appearance, so much that they worked their hardest to assimilate my brother and me to the American culture we grew up around.

To this day, I do not know my native language and am disconnected from my Filipino culture and roots. I was one of five non-white children in my elementary school and I vividly remember being made fun of for the clothes I wore and the home-cooked meals I would bring from home.

The erasure of Filipino culture and language has been in play ever since we have been colonized by Spain and later, the United States. Even as a country, the Philippines is made up of hundreds of islands which adds to the complexity of Filipino culture . Even the idea of the Philippines being a single state is a Spanish invention.

There is a growing movement of other young Filipinos working to bring about more education and knowledge about our culture before colonization occurred. There are a few TikTok accounts that do this quite eloquently in short videos, explaining forgotten parts of Filipino history such as Filipino tribal tattoos and Babiyan script. Similarly, I have sought to understand and educate myself of the culture I have been robbed of by joining on-campus organizations like Ab Samahan, and choosing Asia as my emphasis for one of my majors, Comparative International Studies.

The identity crisis a majority of Filipino-Americans go through, much like myself, consists of a weird and awkward grey area. We are ethnically Filipino, with American nationality, but are unable to connect with either identity. We know the basics of Filipino culture, but it is confined to our homes and education; taking our shoes off before we go inside, not eating until everyone gets their food, feeding guests regardless if they have already eaten, and that school and education is more important than anything else.

There is an odd space of "not being Filipino or American enough" to fit in with either crowd. Many Americans do not share the same cultural values as we do, but some other Filipinos' cultures extend past those listed. The grey area that I have lived in my entire life has been quite a unique experience and I am sure that other Filipino-Americans have lived similar experiences.

Throughout elementary, middle, and high school, I surrounded myself with Latinos - the only group of people that seemed to accept me socially. On a surface level, I am more familiar with Mexican culture than my own Filipino culture. I know how to speak Spanish, but I am not able to form a single sentence in Tagalog or Ilocano. I even get mistaken as Mexican. My last name is Jose, you can imagine the confusion some people have after finding out that I am in fact, Asian. I am proud to be Filipino but sometimes feel ashamed for not being exposed to elements of my culture outside of food.

Even now, I have little to no Filipino friends. I had a Debut, an extravagant eighteenth birthday celebration for Filipinas that includes multiple choreographed dances and different cultural elements and traditions; however, I had no Filipinos on my court - only Mexicans. Scaling out, I do not even fulfill a single Filipino stereotype - I cannot dance or sing, and cannot understand anything STEM-related to save my life.

My mom was born and grew up in the Philippines. She prides herself on her knowledge of the American culture and history that she learned growing up. A large part of my mom's upbringing and in my life has been the United States Navy. The U.S. Navy is the reason I am alive - my mother got her papers through her uncle who was a sailor and my dad was drafted by the U.S. Navy from the Philippines when he was 17.

The Philippines is the only Asian country that has been colonized by the United States and both and Western influence in the Philippines is quite predominant. For example, lighter skin and the ability to speak clear and fluent English is coveted and a sign of high social class. Any goods that are "MADE IN THE USA" are coveted - regardless of how it looks or tastes.

The U.S. influence on the Philippines influenced my parent's views, which in turn influenced my experience growing up as a Filipino-American. In the summers, my mother would get angry with my brother and I when our skin would get dark. She also questioned why we did not have any white friends. In the same way, the strong military background and love for American capitalism also influence her conservative political beliefs.

Today's social media age has emphasized the importance of embracing each part of your identity and the things you take pride in. This has been something that I have had a difficult time doing, but it is important to recognize that there is no part of your identity that you should be ashamed of. I am Filipino-American, and the combination of my parents' experiences and my culturally isolated upbringing makes me who I am today.
Gaby Jose is a sophomore studying Comparative International Studies, English SSTC and Spanish. Follow her on Twitter @8oh5ive.

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My experience growing up as a first generation Filipino-American

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Growing up as a first-generation Filipino-American in a town with close to no other Filipinos, I became deeply estranged from my culture. My parents were ostracized because of their culture, accent, and appearance, so much that they worked their hardest to assimilate my brother and me to the America

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History & Heritage

"History is inclusive of heritage and culture, but it's also about the ways we have built and changed this nation...whereas heritage is more limited to what we pass down in terms of culture, tradition, and legacies." - the late Dr. Dawn Mabalon, renowned historian and community leader, who was also believed to be the first Pinay to earn a Ph.D. in American History from Stanford University.

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10 Ways to Celebrate Filipino American History Month - Google Arts & Culture

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Explore the history, arts, and culture of Filipino Americans in the United States

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Filipino American National Historical Society

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Filipino American National Historical Society

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Filipino Americans are the second-largest Asian American group in the nation and the third-largest ethnic group in California, after Latinas/os and African Americans. The celebration of Filipino American History Month in October commemorates the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States, which occurred on October 18, 1587, when "Luzones Indios" came ashore from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza and landed at what is now Morro Bay, California. In 2009, U.S. Congress recognized October as Filipino American History Month in the United States. Various states, counties, and cities in the U.S. have established proclamations and resolutions declaring observance of Filipino American History Month. The late Dr. Fred Cordova, along with his wife, FANHS Founder Dr. Dorothy Laigo Cordova, first introduced October as Filipino American History Month in 1992 with a resolution from the FANHS National Board of Trustees.

Across the nation, FANHS Chapters, colleges and universities, museums, and community groups will be commemorating Filipino American History Month with various activities and events to bring awareness of the significant role Filipinos have played in American history.

October 1992 was the first time that Filipino American History Month (FAHM) was celebrated in the United States - a year after FANHS passed a proclamation (spearheaded by Fred Cordova). Since then, FAHM has been celebrated annually all over the country - with initiatives by FANHS chapters, local community nonprofit groups, government organizations, and college student organizations. In 2009, U.S. Congress declared October as FAHM, and in 2015, President Obama celebrated the first FAHM at the White House.

Possible activities to participate in:

Read Filipino American Studies books of the past and present. For example, 2022 marks the 25th anniversary of the edited text Filipino Americans: Transformation and Identity, (edited by Maria P. P. Root) - regarded as a foundational comprehensive text in Filipino American Studies.

Support arts and media that advance Filipino American Studies, such as Lumpia with a Vengeance (film) or Larry: The Musical (theater).

Learn about the history of the Luzones Indios who first set foot in California on October 18, 1587 (435 years ago), as well as the historical oppression and resilience of Indigenous Peoples from the Philippines in both the motherland and in the United States.

Conduct and share oral histories that highlight regional experiences of Filipino American history. For example, our newer FANHS chapters in Ohio and Georgia have uncovered untold stories of migrants, pensionados, and laborers in their states.

Curate a panel of Filipino American artists to describe their contributions to the arts (e.g., music, dance, theater, hip hop).

Given the push for a more formalized Filipino American curriculum in higher education and K-12 schools - as well as the public critique on Ethnic Studies and Critical Race Theory - the month could be used to reflect on historical context while also inspiring advocacy for Filipino American Studies courses and programs, as well as for more initiatives focusing on the preservation and dissemination of Filipino American history. For instance, in 2019, the Bulosan Center for Filipinx Studies was launched at UC Davis, and in 2020, a new minor in Pilipino Studies was established at UCLA. More recently, the youth-led Filipino Curriculum Project in Hawai'i lobbied for their state legislators to pass a resolution to implement an elective social studies course on Filipino Americans, while organizers in Seattle successfully lobbied for the development of FAS curricula in K-12 schools. We hope that talking about the many ways that Filipino Americans have advocated for the telling of our histories - through classroom curriculum, FANHS conferences and workshops, or FAHM celebrations - will encourage future generations to be active in teaching and instituting Filipino American history too.

We also recognize the many ways that Filipino Americans have created spaces and programs to better enhance our communities - hence maintaining long-lasting legacies for future generations. For example, 2022 marked the 60th anniversary of the first Tagalog course taught at the University of Hawai'i and the 50th anniversary of SIPA (Search to Involve Pilipino Americans) - the oldest existing nonprofit organization serving Filipino Americans in Los Angeles. Both set precedents for establishing similar programs or organizations across the country. In acknowledging the many legacies created by Filipino Americans across the United States, we encourage our community members to brainstorm ways to create a more sustainable impact for future generations of Filipino American communities too.

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About Filipino American History Month - FANHS

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Filipino Americans are the second-largest Asian American group in the nation and the third-largest ethnic group in California, after Latinas/os and African Americans. The celebration of Filipino American History Month in October commemorates the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States, which occurred on October 18, 1587, when "Luzones Indios" came ashore...

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Celebrate Filipino American History Month - Asian Art Museum

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Filipino American History Month honors the history, pursuits, accomplishments, and legacy of Filipinos in the United States.