Filipino American History Month: Filipino Culture, Love of Family Resonates With PG&E Vice President

By David Leach, Vice President, Chief Data and Analytics Officer

When I was growing up in San Diego County, it had one of the largest Filipino communities in the United States. In fact, San Diego has the fifth largest population of Filipinos (according to the Pew Research Center) behind Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Honolulu.

Filipino families and businesses were — and still are — an integral part of that community. Through my friends, I witnessed how important family was to them.

I remember going to a friend’s house in high school. Multiple generations of my friend’s family were present in the backyard — from little kids to grandparents. Many conversations were going on, and just thinking about the food reminds me of the wonderful smell of the dishes in the afternoon air and makes me hungry again. I didn’t have many relatives in San Diego, but it was fun to be part of a large family gathering.

It seems fitting that our theme for this year’s celebration of Filipino American History Month is #InMyPamilya (In My Family).

Beyond experiencing the family gatherings, I spent time in high school studying the Filipino culture and history. I participated in a Model United Nations program and chose to represent the Philippines. Through that and other experiences, I learned a great deal not only about the country, but also the legacy and history of Filipinos who came to the United States starting more than 400 years ago.

When I joined PG&E last year, I wanted to get involved with an employee resource group. Fortunately for me, the Samahan ERG needed a sponsor. I met with the coworkers on the Samahan Board of Directors and found it would be a good fit.

I’m not surprised the Samahan ERG is our oldest ERG. They would’ve formed a grassroots ERG if an official group didn’t exist. More than a half-century ago, a group of Filipino design drafting engineers new to America founded this organization. Their mission was to cultivate a feel of their homeland, as well as develop camaraderie and socializing and networking opportunities. One of the things I appreciate about this amazing ERG is how they cherish family connections and reflect that in their activities and values.

During October, our ERG will host various webinars. For example, one will be about Larry Itliong, one of the fathers of the West Coast agricultural farmworkers labor movement and a key figure in the Asian American movement. For fun, our coworkers will learn how to make a parol lantern for the holidays.

One of the big lessons I’ve learned from Filipinos is the importance of prioritizing family in our lives. I appreciate the respect they have and the time they spend with their family elders. My advice is to take the time to experience life and be with the people we love.