Philippines’ English edge enters new era

Philippines’ English edge enters new era

Pushkar Saran
The Manila Times
November 1, 2026

AS THE Philippines’ 2026 Asean Chairship nears its conclusion, the question is shifting from what the country achieved during its year at the helm to how it can carry that momentum forward.

The Chairship theme, “Navigating Our Future, Together,” provides a useful lens for what comes next. Its priorities — Peace and Security Anchors, Prosperity Corridors and People Empowerment — point to the forces now reshaping Asean: deeper economic integration, faster digital transformation and a stronger focus on people-centered growth.

For the Philippines, sustaining that momentum will require more than investment and technology. It will depend on whether its workforce has the skills to compete, collaborate and lead in a more digital and international economy.

The policy direction is already taking shape. The National Education and Workforce Development Plan 2026–2035 puts education, skills and employment on the same track, backed by reforms to strengthen work immersion, technical and vocational training, and preparation for future jobs.

English proficiency should be central to that agenda.

The Philippines’ English-speaking workforce has long been a source of economic strength, helping make the country a global hub for business process outsourcing and services. But that advantage is entering a new era.

English skills in the age of AI

In the age of AI, English is no longer just a language for speaking to overseas customers or colleagues. It is becoming a gateway skill that helps professionals work across borders, navigate technical information, access global knowledge and use AI tools with greater confidence and precision.

The TOEIC 2026 Global English Skills Report makes the shift clear. Ninety percent of employers surveyed globally said English proficiency is critical to their organization’s success, while 92 percent said it is more important now than it was five years ago. Crucially, 81 percent said AI integration is increasing the need for workplace English proficiency — evidence that AI is not reducing the value of communication skills but instead raising the bar for them.

That shift is especially relevant as the Philippines accelerates its own AI agenda. The government is introducing AI into education and expanding AI-related skills training to prepare Filipinos for a changing workplace. But readiness will not be defined by technical training alone. As AI becomes embedded in everyday work, the ability to ask better questions, interpret information and communicate clearly will become just as important as knowing how to use the tools themselves.

AI can translate text, generate drafts and process information at speed. What it cannot replace is human judgment. Workers still need to frame precise prompts, test assumptions, evaluate outputs and explain decisions to teams, customers and partners. In practice, digital fluency, AI capability and communication skills will need to advance together.

For the Philippines, this creates a powerful opening: to move beyond preserving its English advantage and use it as a platform for higher-value, AI-enabled work. The countries and workforces that benefit most from AI will not only be those that adopt new technologies fastest, but also those that can combine technical capability with the communication skills needed to turn innovation into impact.

From skills development to global recognition

The Philippines’ domestic reform agenda also fits within a wider regional shift. Just last month, the 14th Asean Plus Three Labor Ministers Meeting convened under the theme “Advancing Asean Human Capital: Skills Certification towards Global Recognition,” underscoring a regionwide push to make skills more visible, trusted and portable.

Skills create opportunities only when they can be recognized. As Asean economies become more connected, workers need more than training certificates or job titles. They need credible ways to prove what they can do in terms that employers, institutions and partners across borders can understand and trust.

The Philippines is already moving in this direction. The Tesda Skills Passport, launched this year, is designed to document competencies and connect Filipinos with training and employment opportunities. By making skills easier to record, verify and carry across contexts, it complements Asean’s broader effort to strengthen skills recognition and mobility.

English proficiency should be part of the same recognition effort. It helps workers turn technical ability into trusted, cross-border value, whether they are engineers collaborating with international teams, digital professionals working with AI tools or managers coordinating operations across markets.

Reliable, verifiable assessment makes that capability visible, helping workers demonstrate communication skills with confidence, employers identify talent more effectively and educators pinpoint where gaps remain.

Turning an existing advantage into future competitiveness

The Philippines now has a chance to connect priorities already moving in the same direction: education reform, stronger pathways from school to work, AI readiness, skills recognition and international competitiveness.

English proficiency can be the connective tissue across all of them.

For schools and universities, that means connecting language learning more directly with workplace communication. For employers, it means treating communication as a core part of upskilling as AI reshapes jobs. For policymakers, it means placing language capability alongside digital and technical competencies in workforce strategy.

This agenda must also be inclusive. The Philippines’ English advantage should not be limited to those who already have access to strong schools, international workplaces or professional training. Expanding access to effective language learning and trusted assessment can support social mobility as well as national competitiveness.

That ambition speaks directly to the “People Empowerment” dimension of the Philippines’ Asean Chairship. Regional integration only delivers on its promise when more people are equipped to benefit from it.

As 2026 draws toward its close, the Philippines does not need to choose between investing in technology and investing in people. Its next growth agenda depends on doing both.

For decades, English proficiency has been one of the Philippines’ clearest strengths in the global economy. The task now is to make that advantage work harder: combining it with stronger digital, technical and AI capabilities, and with credible ways for workers to prove what they can do. That is how the Philippines can turn a long-standing strength into future competitiveness and carry the momentum of its Asean Chairship into its next phase of growth.

Pushkar Saran is the executive director for South and Southeast Asia at Educational Testing Service (ETS), a US-based nonprofit educational assessment and research organization best known for developing and administering standardized tests used for education, English-language proficiency assessment and professional development.

Four Philippine communities have been awarded by the Asean Green Initiative

Four PH eco-communities receive ASEAN honor

Michele T. Logarta
The Manila Times
31 October 2026

FOUR Philippine communities have been awarded by the Asean Green Initiative (AGI) for their success in conservation work as a result of empowering and engaging their members as described by Asean Center for Biodiversity (ACB) Executive Director Jerome Montemayor. An ACB initiative, AGI highlights people-driven ecosystem restoration practices across Southeast Asia, especially in grassroots communities that are addressing biodiversity loss, land degradation and ecosystem collapse. It is also aiming to grow 10 million native trees in the region over 10 years. The recognition given to representatives of the four Philippine awardees took place during the Asean Heritage Parks Forum held from Sept. 8 to 10.

In Purok Santol, Barangay Banlag, Monkayo, Davao de Oro, a young forest is taking root through the Philippine Eagle Foundation’s (PEF) Mongkayo Pag-asa Carbon Forest (MPCF) initiative. Since 2022, more than 22,800 native trees have been planted and cared for by the Banlag Santol Kinaiyahan Workers Association, whose members make their home in the area.

“Their participation connects restoration work to the community and gives the forest a stronger foundation for long-term survival,” PEF Director for Operations Jayson Ibañez replied to an email interview with The Manila Times. The MPCF is a partnership with the local government, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Yap family who donated the 22.4-hectare project site, and the community. “The story of the MPCF begins with the Philippine eagle — and with the understanding that protecting this species requires protecting the forests it depends on,” Ibañez said. “By restoring MPCF, we are creating a place where forests can recover, wildlife can return, communities can participate, and people can better understand the connection between the Philippine eagle and the landscapes it represents,” he said.

In Mangatarem, Pangasinan, forester Celso Salazar is leading the Pangasinan Native Tree Enthusiasts in restoring 20 hectares of public land. About 9,000 native trees have been planted to create the Daang Kalikasang Native Trees Arboretum and Ecological Restoration Initiative. Salazar said the project aims to “turn the barren hills into a massive, living library of trees” where people can learn about Philippine native trees.

According to Salazar, the project is a nature-based solution that will mitigate the impact of climate change. “We wanted to use nature to heal nature, so we focused on bringing back indigenous, native trees,” Salazar said. “We are not just planting green cover. We are anchoring the soil to withstand typhoons.”

Restoring the supposedly undesirable

In Baragay San Teodoro, Bunawan, Agusan del Sur, artist and cultural worker Grace Nono has turned inherited family land into the Alima Eco, Agri and Heritage Park, restoring degraded peatlands while raising awareness of an ecosystem that has been historically viewed as undesirable.

“Past and present generations have been misunderstanding the huyong-huyong, the Visayan term for peatlands,” Nono said in an email interview with The Manila Times. “Peatlands are not useless wet acidic soil that my elders and neighbors often described. For as long as they remain wet, they are impressive ecosystems that store enormous amounts of carbon, support biodiversity, and provide Indigenous communities with food and medicine.”

Nono said the land she inherited from her parents is a peatland in various stages of degradation. “The average peat soil depth measured in my backyard is around 2 meters deep, said to have been in formation for at least 2,000 years!” she added.

Combining indigenous knowledge and practice with modern scientific methods, Nono is working with indigenous conservationists and soil scientists to bring her peatland back to its natural balance. The project integrates the planting of native trees and gardens of indigenous crops and medicines, while also serving as the home of the Agusanon-Manobo School of Living Traditions, which has been based on Nono family land since 2017. Alima is led by Nono’s family and her organization — Tao Foundation for Culture and Arts — in collaboration with partners in the Indigenous community, local government and the academe.

With 600,000 trees planted, Quezon City’s Luntiang Kyusi: One Million Trees Initiative is more than halfway toward its target in 2030. The project supports a planned green corridor network and implementation of an urban biodiversity strategy, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said during the forum. “We prioritize native species suited to our local soil and climate, including edible and fruit-bearing trees for urban food security. We also make sure that our restoration efforts do not introduce new ecological threats,” Belmonte said.

Through the city’s urban agricultural program, close to 50,000 residents tend to 1,400 urban farms across the city. “Greening is about creating relationships between people and nature, between communities and government,” Belmonte said.

Filipino nursing student went from hospital porter to Canada’s national nursing board

Filipino Stories Abroad

How a Filipino nursing student went from hospital porter to Canada’s national nursing board

Jerome Babate
The Global Filipino Magazine
31 October 2026

In an emergency department in Terrace, northern British Columbia, a familiar meal made a distant workplace feel closer to home. Between shifts and patient care, Filipino nurses shared pancit and lumpia in the break room. For a nursing student far from the Fraser Valley, those moments offered connection—and a fresh understanding of the profession he was entering.

Ryan Criztoff Tandiama had travelled north for a summer placement as an Employed Student Nurse, working under registered nurses’ supervision. Many colleagues were travel nurses who had arrived from across Canada. On some shifts, it seemed most were Filipino.

Their stories, however, were far from identical.

“Their backgrounds in the Philippines weren’t the same, and neither were their routes into nursing,” he recalls. “These were people I knew by name, and no one story could stand in for all of them.”

That recognition now informs his approach to leadership: listen closely, ask questions and make room for experiences beyond your own.

Learning the hospital from the inside

Born in San Juan, Philippines, Ryan moved to Canada with his family in 2010. He is now a third-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing student at the University of the Fraser Valley, expecting to graduate in December 2027. He is the first in his family to study nursing

“I’m the first nurse in my family, but I don’t think the caring part started with me,” he reflects.

His introduction to health care began before nursing school. While still in high school during the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked as a patient screener at his local hospital in Abbotsford. When that temporary position ended, he continued as a porter and health care assistant.

In 2022, he also began volunteering at Abbotsford Regional Hospital. More than 700 volunteer hours later, his commitment has grown into several responsibilities.

Each position revealed another dimension of hospital life. Portering showed him how timely patient movement supports care. Foundation work introduced him to fundraising, equipment priorities and the decisions behind resources clinicians use.

“What gets decided around a board table ends up at the bedside,” he says.

It is a practical insight connecting his early hospital work with his emerging national responsibilities.

A local beginning, a wider contribution

Ryan did not begin with a plan to reach a national boardroom.

“I honestly thought I would spend my whole life involved with my local hospital,” he says. “I started with a local way to help and took on more as opportunities came up.”

Through his regional health care foundation, he led youth and volunteer engagement initiatives supporting fundraising, served on its Board of Directors and chaired the Youth Advisory Committee.

He also joined the hospital auxiliary, where he now serves as second vice-president and website convenor. Provincially, he is Director of Communications for the British Columbia Association of Health CareAuxiliaries.

The work involves connecting people across generations: experienced volunteers who have supported hospitals for decades and younger members discovering how they can contribute.

His first board experiences made governance feel accessible. Preparation mattered. So did asking thoughtful questions and understanding what members were being asked to decide.

“A student can do that,” he explains. “It takes doing the reading and being willing to ask the question nobody else has asked yet.”

Bringing student experience to national decisions

Today, Ryan is Director of Communications for the Canadian Nursing Students’ Association. The role also includes serving as Student Representative on the Canadian Nurses Association Board of Directors.

At CNA Conference 2026 in Winnipeg, he contributed to the planning committee and moderated panels exploring nurse-led approaches to well-being and retention.

These opportunities have expanded his learning network. They have also strengthened his awareness of representation’s responsibilities.

“I can’t speak for every student or every Filipino nurse, but I can share what I’ve seen and ask questions that come from it,” he says.

His Filipino identity shapes his understanding of community, while Terrace reminded him that shared heritage does not mean identical experiences. He wants to understand how national decisions reach nurses working in different settings and communities.

Looking north—and encouraging others forward

Ryan currently works as an Employed Student Nurse in Vancouver Withdrawal Management. His longer-term ambition is to build a career in rural and northern emergency nursing.

His journey offers fellow students a starting point: contribute where you are, learn from those around you and consider opportunities before feeling completely ready.

“Nobody expects you to have your career mapped out before you get involved,” he says.

He hopes more Filipino nursing students and young nurses will put themselves forward for leadership.

“I’d like the names on nomination lists to look more like the nurses on the floor.”

For Ryan, that future begins with an invitation: when the next seat opens, consider taking it.

Michelin Guide 2026: Filipino food is getting a taste of the global spotlight

From adobo, sisig to Michelin stars: Marcos celebrates Filipino food’s global rise

Filipino food is having its global moment. President Marcos hopes MICHELIN recognition will bring more tourists and more business to the country’s culinary scene.

Politiko
October 30, 2026

Filipino food is getting a taste of the global spotlight, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is hungry for more recognition.

The President on Thursday hailed the growing international appreciation for Filipino cuisine, saying the country’s rich culinary heritage is making its mark on the world stage through the MICHELIN Guide.

“For a hundred years, the MICHELIN Guide has taken the world on a journey of great food. The Philippines joined that journey only last year, but Filipino cuisine is already finding its place at the table,” he said at the Michelin Guide Ceremony: Manila and Environs & Cebu 2027 held in Pasay City.

The President, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and other government officials attended the event.

Marcos said the recognition puts the spotlight on the talent, creativity, and hard work of Filipino chefs and restaurant teams, while giving regional specialties and homegrown ingredients a chance to shine internationally.

The Philippines made its MICHELIN Guide debut in 2025, with 108 establishments recognized, including 25 Bib Gourmand selections and nine MICHELIN-starred restaurants.

The President pointed to Filipino favorites such as adobo, kinilaw, and sisig as more than just dishes, describing them as expressions of the country’s identity, resourcefulness, and culinary traditions passed down through generations.

He also highlighted the potential of Filipino restaurants to promote local produce, including indigenous rice varieties from the Cordilleras.

Beyond putting Filipino food on the global menu, Marcos said international recognition could also serve up more economic opportunities for farmers, fisherfolk, food producers, and micro, small, and medium enterprises.

“Now, our cuisine can become another reason for travelers to visit, explore our regions, and to stay longer,” he said.

“Greater interest in Filipino cuisine can mean more opportunities for our farmers, our fisherfolk, food producers, and our MSMEs,” the President added.

To help turn that appetite for Filipino food into tourism gains, Marcos vowed continued investments in infrastructure and air and sea connectivity to make destinations more accessible.

He also pushed for enhanced culinary education and skills development for aspiring chefs and hospitality professionals.

“Let us continue to invest in our culinary talent, preserve our regional food traditions, and encourage the next generation of Filipinos to innovate while remaining rooted in who we are,” Marcos said.

Miss Universe bets from Sweden, Pakistan, Egypt undergo training in Manila

Miss Universe bets from Sweden, Pakistan, Egypt undergo training in Manila

Armin P. Adina
Inquirer.net
30 October 2026

The reigning Miss Universe national titleholders from Sweden, Pakistan and Egypt all flew to Manila ahead of their international competition slated next month in Puerto Rico.

Miss Universe bets from Sweden, Pakistan, Egypt undergo training in Manila

Filipino publicist, publisher and entrepreneur Josh Yugen, who is the national director and official Miss Universe franchise holder for the three countries, brought his queens to the Philippines to prepare for the international competition.

Miss Universe Sweden Josefin Strand, Miss Universe Pakistan Misbah Arshad and Miss Universe Egypt Sonia Gergis have gone under the guidance of some of the country’s most respected pageant mentors and coaches.

“Since 2022, we have consistently brought our queens to Manila because we believe the Philippines is home to some of the world’s finest pageant talent,” Yugen said.

“Filipino coaches, designers, photographers and beauty professionals understand pageantry from the heart. They know that preparing a queen is not simply about creating a beautiful image, it is about developing her confidence, individuality, communication and ability to represent her country,” he continued.

While in the Philippines, Strand, Gergis and Arshad also attended the final competition of Face of the Philippines Season 2 in Tagaytay City on Oct. 20.

The competition, presented by ROKID Philippines and actress Arci Muñoz’s Blumii, sought contestants for Face of Asia, part of the Asia Model Festival ecosystem in South Korea.

The Face of the Philippines Season 2 winners will receive an exclusive management contract with Yugen’s House of Yugen, a digital cover feature with Xpedition Magazine, and an all-expenses-paid, two-week trip to South Korea to represent the Philippines at Face of Asia – Asia Model Festival 2026.

Sarah Haithams Abdelrahman and pageant veteran Scarlett Anne De Mesa emerged as the grand winners, while a young girl simply called “Star” topped the “Kids” category.

De Mesa, who competed at the Miss Universe Philippines and Reina Filipinas pageants this year, is no stranger to international competitions. She competed at the Top Model of the World contest in Egypt in 2025, where she received the “Miss Globe” award. /ra

PH's Siargao to host World Surf League championship

Philippine hosts surfing’s premier Championship Tour event

Caecent No-ot Magsumbol 
The Freeman 
October 30, 2026

CEBU, Philippines — The gods and goddesses of the waves are headed to Siargao as Olympic gold medalists, world champions and some of surfing’s biggest names will descend on Cloud 9 from today, October 30, to November 8 for the World Surf League (WSL) Philippines Pro Championship Tour.

This is the first time the Philippines will host the sport’s premier Championship Tour event.

The star-studded field features some of the most accomplished surfers in the sport.

Leading the men’s division are Brazilian stars Italo Ferreira, the 2019 WSL world champion and surfing’s first Olympic gold medalist; Gabriel Medina, a three-time world champion and one of Brazil’s most celebrated surfers; and Filipe Toledo, a two-time world champion.

Also competing are Brazil’s Yago Dora and Miguel Pupo, Italy’s Leonardo Fioravanti, and Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi, underscoring the global stature of the event.

The women’s field is equally formidable.

Headlining the draw are Caroline Marks of the United States, a former world champion and Olympic gold medalist; Australia’s Molly Picklum, rising talent Erin Brooks; Hawaii’s Gabriela Bryan; and veteran campaigner Lakey Peterson.

For the Philippines, the event is being billed as more than a surfing competition.

Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick Gregorio, who also chairs the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee (NST-IAC), said the tour showcases the country’s growing position as a sports tourism destination.

“Sports tourism is more than staging competitions. It is a powerful platform that showcases destinations, drives local economies, inspires communities, and places the Philippines on the global map,” Gregorio said.

Three Filipinos will carry local hopes before a global audience, led by Siargao standout and “King of Cloud 9” John Mark “Marama” Tokong, alongside Jayuard Alciso and Mara Lopez.

The hosting of the Championship Tour is aligned with Administrative Order No. 38 signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which created the NST-IAC to strengthen the country’s position as a destination for international sporting events.

Organizers flash the shaka or “hang loose” hand sign to convey the the “Aloha spirit,” during the launching of the World Surf League Championship Tour event at the Philippine Sports Commission office in Manila on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. | Philippine Sports Commission photo

William Vincent “Vinny” Araneta Marcos, Philippine Sports Ambassador and a key supporter of local surfing, said the event presents a rare opportunity to showcase both Filipino athletes and the country’s world-class surf breaks.

“The waves have always been here. The talent has always been here,” Marcos said.

“Bringing the WSL Championship Tour to the Philippines is the perfect opportunity to finally show the world what Filipinos have known all along: the Philippines has everything the world is looking for. Siargao will be unforgettable,” he added.

Gregorio described the arrival of surfing’s premier circuit as a watershed moment for the sport in the country.

“This will be a historic moment for Philippine surfing, and the arrival of the Championship Tour will usher the sport into an exciting new era,” he said.

The event is expected to generate worldwide exposure for Siargao, long regarded as one of the world’s premier surf destinations, while boosting tourism and local economic activity.

Gregorio also thanked WSL Chief Executive Officer Ryan Crosby and WSL Asia Pacific President Andrew Stark for their confidence in the country’s surfing potential and for choosing Siargao to host the milestone event.

“Let it inspire a new generation of athletes. Let the world discover not just our waves, but the vision, ambition, and heart of the Filipino people,” he said.

Filipino Americans in US politics

From Nevada to Hawaii, Fil-Ams vie for state legislative seats

Democrat Erica Mosca seeks reelection, while Republican Tess Abalos challenges an incumbent

Marisse G. Abelgas 
INQUIRER.net US Bureau 
29 October 2026

LOS ANGELES – As voters prepare to head to the polls on Nov. 3, Filipino American candidates are seeking public office in races spanning state legislatures, city councils and local school boards, highlighting the community’s growing presence in electoral politics.

Among them are Nevada Assemblymember Erica Mosca, a Democrat seeking re-election to represent District 14, and Tess Abalos, a Republican seeking a seat in the Hawaii House of Representatives for District 29.

Nevada Assemblymember Erica Mosca (left) and Hawaii House candidate Tess Abalos | Photos from Ballotpedia, ballotready.org

Their candidacies reflect the broader pursuit of Filipino American representation in elected office, from incumbent state legislators running for reelection to first-time candidates vying for public office.

According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 4.1 million Filipino Americans lived in the United States in 2022, accounting for 17% of the nation’s Asian American population. About 1.6 million, or 38%, lived in California, while Hawaii and Texas also had sizable Filipino American communities.

Erica Mosca (Nevada)

Mosca, the first Filipina elected to the Nevada Legislature, is seeking another term in the Nevada State Assembly, representing District 14 in Clark County. First elected in November 2022, she chairs the Assembly’s Legislative Operations and Elections Committee and serves on the Education and Ways and Means committees.

Born in San Diego, California, Mosca is the daughter of a Filipino immigrant. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston University, a master’s degree in education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and an additional master’s degree from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.

Before entering the Legislature, Mosca worked as an educator and founded Leaders in Training, a nonprofit organization focused on helping students pursue educational opportunities and become leaders in their communities.

Her legislative work has included measures addressing education, election communications, housing, health care and economic development. During the 2025 legislative session, she chaired the committee overseeing legislative operations and elections.

Mosca advanced to the Nov. 3 general election after the Democratic primary for District 14 was canceled.

Tess Abalos (Hawaii)

In Hawaii, Abalos is running as a Republican for the state House seat representing District 29, which includes Kalihi Valley and part of the Liliha-ʻĀlewa area on Oʻahu. She advanced from the Aug. 8 Republican primary and will face Democratic incumbent Ikaika Hussey in the general election.

Raised in Kalihi, Abalos has described her family’s history as a foundation for her commitment to public service. Her great-grandfather came to Hawaii as a sakada, or plantation worker. She has cited his perseverance, faith and dedication to family as formative influences.

Abalos is a business owner, community advocate and outreach coordinator who founded JESUS n’ ALOHA Marketplace and Green Citrus Clean. She holds a master’s degree in Christian ministry and has experience in counseling, life coaching, business mentoring and community outreach.

Her campaign platform emphasizes government transparency, economic relief, public safety and constituent service. She has pledged to support small businesses, address Hawaii’s high cost of living, protect older residents and children, and promote accountable government spending.

Abalos’ candidacy places a Republican Filipino American woman in a race against a Democratic incumbent, reflecting the range of political affiliations among Filipino Americans seeking elected office.

California candidates

Rob Bonta, Jessica Caloza, Mark Pulido | Photos from State of California Dept. of Justice, Asmdc.org, cerritos.gov

California, home to the nation’s largest Filipino American population, has an extensive field of candidates seeking office in November.

Among the Filipino American candidates identified for the 2026 election are Rob Bonta, the Democratic state attorney general seeking re-election; Mark Pulido, running for the 67th Assembly District; and Jessica Caloza, seeking re-election to the 52nd Assembly District.

Other Filipino American candidates are running for local offices across Southern and Northern California. They include Melissa Ramoso for Artesia City Council; Stephanie Loredo for the Culver City Unified School District; Ollie Cantos and Letty Lopez-Viado for West Covina City Council; Arleen Bocatija Rojas for Carson City Council, District 4; Phil Bacerra for Santa Ana City Council, Ward 4; Byron Salvatierra for Irvine City Council; Ditas Yamane for National City Council, District 3; Juslyn Manalo and Mark Nagales for the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, District 5; Rod Daus-Magbual and Tony Bayudan for Daly City Council; and Gabe Quinto for El Cerrito City Council.

These candidacies underscore Filipino Americans’ participation in electoral contests at multiple levels of government. California’s certified general election ballot includes statewide and legislative races, while county election offices provide information on local contests.

The potential electoral influence of Filipino Americans is substantial, although voter eligibility, registration and turnout are distinct measures.

AAPI Data, drawing on US Census Bureau American Community Survey figures, estimates that more than 2.14 million Filipino American adults were eligible to vote based on 2022 data. California accounted for approximately 933,000 eligible voters, followed by Hawaii with about 147,000 and Nevada with nearly 109,300.

Fil-Am voters

A definitive, comparable national count of registered Filipino American voters is not readily available because voter-registration data are not uniformly reported by detailed ethnic group across states. The eligible-voter estimate, therefore, should not be treated as a registration total.

Survey findings also suggest that Filipino American voters do not constitute a politically uniform bloc. AAPI Data’s 2024 election analysis found that 45% of Filipino American voters identified as Democrats or leaned Democratic, while 28% identified as Republicans or leaned Republican. Thirty percent identified as independents, including some who also leaned toward a major party. These figures reflect survey responses, not official election results or predictions of how the community will vote in 2026.

For Mosca and Abalos, the Nov. 3 election represents two different paths: one seeking another term in office, the other hoping to win her first.

Their campaigns, alongside those of Filipino American candidates across California and other states, reflect the community’s participation in the political process at both state and local levels.

Voters in their respective districts will determine the outcome of these races on Nov. 3. The results will offer a clearer picture of Filipino American representation in elected office across the country.

Turnout estimates show that Filipino American participation varied between the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections. AAPI Data reported that an estimated 54% of eligible Filipino American voters cast ballots in 2020, rising to 63% in 2024. These figures represent estimated turnout, not the proportion of all Filipino Americans who are registered or the percentage who voted for a particular candidate.