Bayanihan: The Filipino term describes the importance of community and togetherness. That’s what Long Beach City College student and former youth intern Kobe Salazar says is the spirit of the Filipino community, and is at the heart of the work done by the Filipino Migrant Center (FMC) in West Long Beach.
The Filipino Migrant Center was founded in 2010 to “address the needs of Filipinos in the South Bay cities of Southern California,” according to its website. Since then, it has grown to serve the Filipino community across the entire Southern California region.
From “know your rights” workshops to food distributions, the FMC offers a variety of services aimed at providing support to Filipino migrants.
“It’s all centered around capacity building and empowerment,” said FMC Executive Director Romeo Hebron.
Filipinos make up the largest Asian American Pacific Islander community in Long Beach, according to the City’s Filipino Community Advisory Committee, which was formed to help conduct the community’s first-ever health assessment in 2024. Long Beach also boasts the second largest Filipino population in Los Angeles county. The FMC serves this vast population with a variety of needs, pivoting when necessary.
Cuts to Medi-Cal and other social services often hit immigrant communities the hardest, and the FMC has not been immune to recent cuts. Alex, a longtime volunteer for the organization, said the center has recently shifted their focus towards addressing these health needs.
Most recently, California froze new Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented immigrants ages 19 and older. Those already enrolled were allowed to keep their coverage only if they renewed on time, according to the California Medical Association. It’s unclear what impact this has had on the immigrant community yet.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is also in the midst of finalizing May’s revised state budget, which so far includes cuts and higher prices to medical coverage for those undocumented.
“I think that’s something that the Filipino Migrant Center is trying to address with our community. And informing our community about changes in medical enrollment,” said Alex.
“Know your rights” workshops are a tool provided by organizations that support immigrant communities by educating them on the constitutional rights that they have in regards to immigration enforcement and wage theft.
Salazar, a former FMC intern, said the ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids have caused a decline in attendance for these workshops.
“It was kind of hard, really, to get people to attend [the workshops], even though they were interested because this is a very vulnerable time for Filipino migrants,” Salazar said.
The FMC Executive Director explained that another challenge the organization is facing amid ICE raids devastating the community is the ability to provide sufficient legal resources. He said that the need exists, but is difficult to address since it has to be approached “case-by-case.”
Despite challenges faced by the organization, FMC organizers want the community to feel hopeful.
“The times are definitely tough…whether it’s housing, immigration, workplace issues … There’s also a lot of hope, and what we’re seeing is the community really coming together and banding together,” Hebron said.
Salazar also pointed to the community’s sense of togetherness, highlighting the “spirit of Bayanihan,” a Filipino word that reflects the sense of community and importance of working together.
“Filipinos are a community driven people, right? We have for generations faced multiple waves of oppression and resistance. But one thing remains is that we will always be there for each other no matter what,” they said.
The organization welcomes monetary donations, which they say will help with cuts to funding that have impacted their services. However, Hebron also highlighted the importance of community engagement with the FMC’s services, encouraging people to volunteer.
“I think to us, [volunteering is] even more important because what we would want is to really engage the whole community from all walks of life to be able to contribute and feel like they have a space, to be part of the community and part of the change,” he said.
To make a donation to the Filipino Migrant Center (1631 W. Burnett St.), or to sign up as a volunteer, visit filipinomigrantcenter.org. The FMC’s community center is open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
