Fil-Ams celebrate Pangasinan labor leader’s day in LA
THE Filipino-American Community recently honored the legacy of a labor organizer and iconic Pangasinense held at the historic Filipino district in Los Angeles City, California
Acclaimed as a pro-labor, the distinction was bestowed to the late Modesto ‘Larry’ Dulay Itliong during the 6th Annual Larry Itliong Day Festival, pursuant to a law signed in 2015 by then California Governor Jerry Brown.
Organized by and hosted by the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), a non-profit organization that has carried out Itliong’s mission in life of championing and protecting the dignity and rights of every Filipino worker in America, the well-attended occasion saw the presence of prominent LA personalities.
Itliong was born on October 25, 1913 in San Nicolas, one of the Pangasinan’s eastern-most communities and home town of the late press secretary, Gregorio Cendana.
He migrated to the U.S. in 1929 when he was just 16 years old. He should be 110 years by now if he is still alive today. He died on February 08, 1977. He became US citizen in 1954 following his services during World War II.
Working in farms in different states, he saw the plights of workers who were unfairly treated, salary-wise and deprived of other privileges. To ventilate the worker’s grievances, he rose to prominence by organizing labor unions and thus the start of the labor unions in the U.S. (Leonardo Galvez, USA. Correspondent)
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