Unofficial Filipinotown Gets its First Filipina American Mayor

Views from the Edge
 
There’s an old joke shared by the San Francisco Bay Area Filipino community:
 
“What’s a Filipino baby’s first three words?”
 
The answer: “Mama, Papa and Serramonte.”
 
Serramonte is the shopping center located in Daly City, where over a third of its 102,000 residents are Filipino, the highest percentage in the U.S. mainland, according to the U.S. Census.
 
The city recently installed its first Filipina American mayor: Juslyn Manalo.
 
Her Vice Mayor will be Ray Buenaventura, another Filipino American . Along with Michael Guingona and Glenn Acosta Sylveste, Filipinos make up the majority of the five-member city council.
 
“This moment is surreal and something special to me,” Mayor Manalo said immediately after being sworn into office by State Assembly Member Phil Ting. “I thank the community and every single person here who put me (in the position).“
 
Manalo, who won election to the City Council in 2016, was raised in Daly City since she was 8 years old, and has deep roots in serving the community from a young age. Being raised in the multi-ethnic city of Daly City has given Manalo a deep appreciation for diversity.
 
Early in her career, she became a community advocate providing direct service to the Filipino World War II veterans at the Equity Center in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco, another Filipino American enclave. Manalo also managed the Bill Sorro Housing Program (BiSHoP), a program that helped low to moderate income families, find, defend and sustain their housing.
 
Currently, she is a Community Engagement Associate, building partnerships to create community development opportunities such as affordable housing, jobs, open space, and youth development.
 
Manalo is not the first Daly City mayor of Filipino descent. The three Filipno American city council members preceded her.
 
AsAmNews has Asian America in its heart.  We’re an all-volunteer effort of dedicated staff and interns. You can show your support by liking our Facebook page at  www.facebook.com/asamnews, following us on Twitter, sharing our stories, interning or joining our staff.