Pablo Manlapit
Encyclopedia
Pablo Manlapit was a migrant laborer
, lawyer
, labor organizer and activist in Hawaii
and the Philippines
.
. He came to Hawaii
in 1909 as a migrant worker
and worked as a plantation
laborer
at Hamakua Mill Company in the sugar
fields of the Hāmākua
district of the island of Hawaii
. He later on moved to Oahu
. In June, 1912, he married Annie Kasby, a Hawaiian of German-American descent and they started to raise a family. He left the plantation job and moved to the city and worked in various office jobs while studying law.
workers to migrate to Hawaii. From 1907 to 1931, approximately 120,000 Filipino men came to Hawaii. When they came to Hawaii's plantations
, they found that they had to buy everything at the plantation store, and often at highly-inflated prices due to shipping and other costs. After living in Hawaii for a while, many began to resent the strict hand of the luna (foreman), and social discrimination
that they experienced. They were also not used to the commercial business system. Many believed the practice of fixed prices in the plantation stores to be a violation of their personal freedom because they were accustomed to bargaining in the Philippines. The oldest, poorest housing was given to the Filipinos because they were the lowest skilled and held the least prestigious jobs. They were also the most recent arrivals to Hawaii. Immigration
laws did not permit them to bring families, so the men lived in barracks
.
s in the 1920s and distinguished himself as spokesman for the Filipino labor movement in Hawaii, spending most of his time organizing and fighting for the rights of plantation laborers. He helped organize the Filipino Labor Union in Hawaii and was a leading figure in the strikes in 1920 and 1924 that involved thousands of plantation
workers.
In October, 1919, the Japanese Federation of Labor and the Filipino Labor Union joined together to argue against the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association
for a better working environment. They wanted to increase their salary from $0.72 to $1.25 and have 8 hour workdays. They wanted breaks for certain working conditions. On Oahu on January 19, 1920, 3000 members of the Filipino Labor Union walked off their jobs. Manlapit led the strike and he believed that the Japanese and Filipinos workers should be united. The Japanese workers soon joined them. By early February 1920, 8300 plantation laborers were on strike, representing 77% of the work force. Filipino workers went on strike because they weren't paid equally for doing the same work as the Japanese workers. The Filipinos were paid $0.69 and the Japanese were paid $0.99. While they were on strike, plantation workers on other islands continued to work to raise about $600,000 in support of the strike. The 1920 Oahu strike lasted for two months and the strikers had to contend with a variety of methods utilized by the plantation owners: eviction of strikers from their homes, hiring of strikebreakers, and prosecution of leaders for conspiracies. Manlapit was not prosecuted but he was subjected to a smear campaign. He was accused of extorting money in exchange for calling off the strike. The plantation
owners, assisted by the government, countered this with a "divide-and-counter" tactic. They charged the Japanese workers with attempting to make Hawaii an Asian province.
Later in the year the Japanese changed the name of their union to the Hawaiian Federation of Labor, in an effort to counter racist accusations. They invited all workers of every race to join.
-- later known as the Hanapepe Massacre
-- even though he wasn't there. Sixteen strikers were killed during the confrontation with police, as well as four policemen.
This drew the ire of plantation owners and they persecuted him with various small charges. Manlapit was arrested with 60 other Filipinos, tried for conspiracy, and sentenced to 2 to 10 years at Oahu Prison. In order to prevent his involvement in future activities in Hawaii, Manlapit was deported to the U.S. mainland while bearing a conditional parole
judgment. Upon his parole, he went to California
.
in 1935. His family was broken because of this move.
This ended his colorful but tragic career in the Hawaii labor movement.
Manlapit worked for the Philippine government in the pre-World War II
and postwar years. He supported Manuel Roxas
in his presidency bid after World War II and served in some mid-level government positions before getting involved once more in labor matters. He also raised a second family in the Philippines. He died of cancer on April 15, 1969.
Laborer
A Laborer or labourer - see variation in english spelling - is one of the construction trades, traditionally considered unskilled manual labor, as opposed to skilled labor. In the division of labor, laborers have all blasting, hand tools, power tools, air tools, and small heavy equipment, and act...
, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, labor organizer and activist in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Life
Manlapit was born on January 17, 1891 in the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. He came to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in 1909 as a migrant worker
Migrant worker
The term migrant worker has different official meanings and connotations in different parts of the world. The United Nations' definition is broad, including any people working outside of their home country...
and worked as a plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
laborer
Laborer
A Laborer or labourer - see variation in english spelling - is one of the construction trades, traditionally considered unskilled manual labor, as opposed to skilled labor. In the division of labor, laborers have all blasting, hand tools, power tools, air tools, and small heavy equipment, and act...
at Hamakua Mill Company in the sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
fields of the Hāmākua
Hamakua
thumb|right|280px|Districts of [[Hawaii |Hawaii island]]: from northernmost, clockwise; [[Kohala, Hawaii|Kohala]], Hāmākua , [[Hilo, Hawaii|Hilo]], [[Puna, Hawaii|Puna]], [[Kau, Hawaii|Kaū]], [[Kona District, Hawaii|Kona]]...
district of the island of Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
. He later on moved to Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
. In June, 1912, he married Annie Kasby, a Hawaiian of German-American descent and they started to raise a family. He left the plantation job and moved to the city and worked in various office jobs while studying law.
Status of Filipino migrants
The Filipinos were the last large group of recruited plantationPlantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
workers to migrate to Hawaii. From 1907 to 1931, approximately 120,000 Filipino men came to Hawaii. When they came to Hawaii's plantations
Sugar plantations in Hawaii
Sugarcane was introduced to Hawaii by its first inhabitants in approximately 600 AD and was observed by Captain Cook upon arrival in the islands in 1778. Sugar quickly turned into a big business and generated rapid population growth in the islands with 337,000 people immigrating over the span of a...
, they found that they had to buy everything at the plantation store, and often at highly-inflated prices due to shipping and other costs. After living in Hawaii for a while, many began to resent the strict hand of the luna (foreman), and social discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
that they experienced. They were also not used to the commercial business system. Many believed the practice of fixed prices in the plantation stores to be a violation of their personal freedom because they were accustomed to bargaining in the Philippines. The oldest, poorest housing was given to the Filipinos because they were the lowest skilled and held the least prestigious jobs. They were also the most recent arrivals to Hawaii. Immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
laws did not permit them to bring families, so the men lived in barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
.
Organizing
Manlapit became one of the few Filipino lawyerLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s in the 1920s and distinguished himself as spokesman for the Filipino labor movement in Hawaii, spending most of his time organizing and fighting for the rights of plantation laborers. He helped organize the Filipino Labor Union in Hawaii and was a leading figure in the strikes in 1920 and 1924 that involved thousands of plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
workers.
In October, 1919, the Japanese Federation of Labor and the Filipino Labor Union joined together to argue against the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association
Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association
Founded in 1895, the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association was an unincorporated, voluntary organization of sugar plantation owners in the Hawaiian Islands. Its objective was to promote the mutual benefits of its members and the development of the sugar industry in the islands. It conducted...
for a better working environment. They wanted to increase their salary from $0.72 to $1.25 and have 8 hour workdays. They wanted breaks for certain working conditions. On Oahu on January 19, 1920, 3000 members of the Filipino Labor Union walked off their jobs. Manlapit led the strike and he believed that the Japanese and Filipinos workers should be united. The Japanese workers soon joined them. By early February 1920, 8300 plantation laborers were on strike, representing 77% of the work force. Filipino workers went on strike because they weren't paid equally for doing the same work as the Japanese workers. The Filipinos were paid $0.69 and the Japanese were paid $0.99. While they were on strike, plantation workers on other islands continued to work to raise about $600,000 in support of the strike. The 1920 Oahu strike lasted for two months and the strikers had to contend with a variety of methods utilized by the plantation owners: eviction of strikers from their homes, hiring of strikebreakers, and prosecution of leaders for conspiracies. Manlapit was not prosecuted but he was subjected to a smear campaign. He was accused of extorting money in exchange for calling off the strike. The plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
owners, assisted by the government, countered this with a "divide-and-counter" tactic. They charged the Japanese workers with attempting to make Hawaii an Asian province.
Later in the year the Japanese changed the name of their union to the Hawaiian Federation of Labor, in an effort to counter racist accusations. They invited all workers of every race to join.
Hanapepe Massacre
So strong was his influence among his countrymen that Manlapit was implicated in the violent September, 1924 strike on KauaiKauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
-- later known as the Hanapepe Massacre
Hanapepe Massacre
The Hanapēpē Massacre happened on September 9, 1924. Toward the end of a long-lasting strike of Filipino sugar workers on Kauai, Hawaii, local police shot dead nine strikers and fatally wounded seven, strikers shot and stabbed three sheriffs to death and fatally wounded one; a total of 20 people...
-- even though he wasn't there. Sixteen strikers were killed during the confrontation with police, as well as four policemen.
This drew the ire of plantation owners and they persecuted him with various small charges. Manlapit was arrested with 60 other Filipinos, tried for conspiracy, and sentenced to 2 to 10 years at Oahu Prison. In order to prevent his involvement in future activities in Hawaii, Manlapit was deported to the U.S. mainland while bearing a conditional parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
judgment. Upon his parole, he went to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Expulsion
In California, Manlapit also went into labor organizing until he traveled back to Hawaii in 1933. Again, he dove into the fray of labor organizing and this eventually led to his permanent expulsion from Hawaii and deportation to the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in 1935. His family was broken because of this move.
This ended his colorful but tragic career in the Hawaii labor movement.
Manlapit worked for the Philippine government in the pre-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and postwar years. He supported Manuel Roxas
Manuel Roxas
Manuel Acuña Roxas was the first president of the independent Third Republic of the Philippines and fifth president overall. He served as president from the granting of independence in 1946 until his abrupt death in 1948...
in his presidency bid after World War II and served in some mid-level government positions before getting involved once more in labor matters. He also raised a second family in the Philippines. He died of cancer on April 15, 1969.
External links
- Biography from the Center for Labor Education & Research University of Hawai'i - West O'ahu.
- Star-Bulletin Review of "Unbending Cane."