Mayor Ed Lee announced that the city of San Francisco will begin to provide translated materials and assistance in Tagalog, reports Asian Week.
Tagalog is now the third language added to Chinese and Spanish covered under the City’s Language Access Ordinance.
“San Francisco is a model for the nation in welcoming immigrants and empowering communities, and we are committed to doing even better on behalf of our immigrant populations,” said Mayor Lee.
There are more than 10,000 Tagalog speaking residents in San Francisco who are also limited-English speakers.
“Filipino residents feel that being able to communicate in their native tongue opens up the whole world to them and their families, from accessing basic services to contributing to their communities and the diversity of San Francisco,” said Filipino Community Center Organizational Director Terrence Valen. “It is a long-overdue recognition of the near century-long presence and continuing concentration of Filipinos in San Francisco.”
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You can read more reaction to the announcement and details of the Language Access Ordinance in Asian Week.
RE: San Francisco to provide Tagalog assistance: Unnecessary in my opinion. I have yet to meet a fellow Filipino who can’t read or speak in English.