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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Filipino Immigrant Oral History Project
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies
Description
An account of the resource
<strong><br />Note: Collection upload in process</strong>
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Interviewer
The person(s) performing the interview.
Arnolfo Guinto
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed.
Daichi Takise
Transcription
Any written text transcribed from a sound.
Daichi: 00:01 Okay. All right. It is June 2nd, 2019 and it is 11:19 AM this is Daichi Takise I'm interviewing for the Filipino immigrant oral history project and um the person I am interviewing is. Arnolfo Guinto. Alright, so Mr. Guinto, um, let me begin by asking where and when were you born?
Mr.Guinto: 00:34 In the Phillipines May,17 1963.
Daichi: 00:38 Um, were your parents, uh, where were your parents born? Is also in Philippines.
Mr.Guinto: 00:42 uh yeah both in the Phillipines
Daichi: 00:45 Okay. Um, how many siblings did you have and did you come from a big family?
Mr.Guinto: 00:50 Five siblings, one brother and three sisters.
Daichi: 00:54 Did any of your family members moved to America before you did?
Mr.Guinto: 01:01 uh yeah my mom
Daichi: 01:01 Oh, okay. Okay.
Mr.Guinto: 01:02 My mom she was the first one
Daichi: 01:04 So you had somewhere to go when you moved over
Mr.Guinto: 01:06 yeah yeah yeah
Daichi: 01:08 Okay. Okay. Okay
Mr.Guinto: 01:11 we got petition
Daichi: 01:11 Did you, did you end up going to college out here or were you, did you go through
Mr.Guinto: 01:15 Uh yeah I went to high school here
Daichi: 01:16 Oh
Mr.Guinto: 01:19 High school and college
Daichi: 01:19 okay nice. Um, after college. I, cause I know you do you do electrical work right now, right?
Mr.Guinto: 01:26 Yeah, I did. I was in the navy.
Daichi: 01:28 Oh Wow.
Mr.Guinto: 01:29 Yeah, right after high school. Went to the US navy force for four years
Daichi: 01:34 Oh wow I didn't know that.
Mr.Guinto: 01:37 Yeah, that was me. That's, why I try to tell Aj to get your education its free.
Daichi: 01:42 Yeah. Well thank you for your service.
Mr.Guinto: 01:45 yeah thanks
Daichi: 01:45 Um, so after the navy, that's when you went into like...um...your current job, which you do electrical work?
Mr.Guinto: 01:51 yeah
Daichi: 01:51 Okay.
Mr.Guinto: 01:53 Yeah electrition-engineering work
Daichi: 01:54 Was, was it pretty, not easy, but was it, was it, um, did you face any challenges trying to get this job or what was it? Through connections?
Mr.Guinto: 02:03 No not, not so much a challenge for the military. Cuz when I joined the military you got VA benefits. Once they know you're in the military, anywhere you go, you got a job.
Daichi: 02:14 Okay.
Mr.Guinto: 02:14 With, pretty much a, that was a good help from the government.
Daichi: 02:18 Okay.
Mr.Guinto: 02:19 The military.
Daichi: 02:21 Did um,s o even in the military, did you face like challenges or anything or was just smooth sailing?
Mr.Guinto: 02:26 Yeah, it's pretty smooth sailing I guess those days in the 80s, not so much. Not well, there's this, there's still discrimination but not that much.
Mr.Guinto: 02:37 Not so much yeah
Daichi: 02:39 So you never faced anything like based off your background, everyone's pretty nice in the 80's.
Mr.Guinto: 02:45 Yeah 80 was a good year. It was good. You grew up in the 80s. It was very good.
Daichi: 02:51 Okay. Um, did you, did you, or sorry,
Mr.Guinto: 02:54 no, go ahead.
Daichi: 02:55 Did you um, decide to move mainly because your mom was out here or was there like some other reason?
Mr.Guinto: 03:02 Uhm well because we were young you know when your parents are here they have to grab their sibling cause you know you have to be together with your family. My mom got remarried and my step dad kind of help us get the U.S. My Stepdad's also use navy.
Daichi: 03:20 Oh Wow. Okay.
Mr.Guinto: 03:22 Yeah. That, that's, that's how we got here, pretty much.
Daichi: 03:25 Okay. Um, lets see
Mr.Guinto: 03:29 Through him what it did, what it did is you petition my mom and dad out there. My mom became a how they call it U.S ah Immigrant alien cardholder. She competition us, so we all came here at the same time. Oh Wow. Yeah. Actually no, not all, all my sister and my brother were here first and then I was the last.
Daichi: 03:56 Okay. So it was a little bit of a process, but it was, it wasn't too difficult right?
Mr.Guinto: 03:59 Yeah. Right. yeh its not too difficult.
Daichi: 04:02 Um, did you move anywhere else before you went to the U.S.
Mr.Guinto: 04:07 No, no, I would not move I'm too young. I was like 16. Yeah. About 16.
Daichi: 04:16 What were your thoughts about America before you came here?
Mr.Guinto: 04:20 It's just like they just like a dream, you know, we came from a poor family, you know a third world country is very poor or you see all this light you done see that lights or where I used to live all we see is uh, you know old school and make your own light, you know, based on like a, a camp like when you're going camping, you produce your own lights. You kind of like that, you know, say no. You know what I'm saying? You know, city life.
Daichi: 04:47 Yeah. You know, you know I was talking before this interview, I was telling her, I was like, cause I, I never knew the struggles of you know immigrating and stuff like that until I took this course. Right. And then all of a sudden the age of like, you know, where your dad went through, he probably was some pretty tough stuff, you know? And he was just like, Oh, do I have no idea. Yeah. You should tell him sometimes he would appreciate everything you know.
Mr.Guinto: 05:06 Yeah, yeah, yeah, well he came from a poor family he came from a third world country
Daichi: 05:11 Yeah
Mr.Guinto: 05:17 Thats why a lot of immigrant that comes here they take the opportunity you know hey take the opportunity grab it because you only see that once in a lifetime. It's not going to repeat itself.
Mr.Guinto: 05:24 Yeah. When you like, I know when you, um, before you came here you were thinking, you know, it's like a dream. All these great things are gonna Happen. Like once you got here, did, did that change at all or was it exactly what you thought it would be?
Mr.Guinto: 05:35 Oh yeah it changed. You got to really put a lot of effort into, you know, you have you have to be the go getter you know you see an opportunity you take it. Because youou don't, you never had that before. When you see it in front of your face, you know why not a at all? You want to live the American dream a good at the same time. Don't use this the wrong way.
Daichi: 05:59 Yeah. Were you, were you the oldest sibling?
Mr.Guinto: 06:02 I'm the second eldest.
Daichi: 06:04 Oh okay. Did you, did you feel any pressure from your parents kind of succeed kind of thing or was it just like..?
Mr.Guinto: 06:11 Oh, well when we came here, my Stepdad has to support five siblings right all stepkids.
Daichi: 06:19 Yeah
Mr.Guinto: 06:20 And I was working in high school to help my parents out because one income isn't enough to raise like five kids. I was working full time and I think, I think I did uh, I went to, uh, I finished my high school and Adult ed because I got to work full time to help them out. So pretty much I was working full time of gave them my check, here you go. Here's my, a portion of my health.
Daichi: 06:49 Wow
Mr.Guinto: 06:49 I kind of liked that pretty much give everything I got. You have to help out because you know, he helped us get over here, so you have to do the same thing on your part.
Daichi: 07:01 Yeah I mean it paid off in the end right?
Mr.Guinto: 07:05 Yeah, yeah it did it paid off At the end.
Daichi: 07:08 Okay so when you, when you first came over here where were you living? Was it in Cali?
Mr.Guinto: 07:11 Ah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Uh, I was in San Jose, east side San Jose.
Daichi: 07:15 Oh Wow. Okay. I'm born in San Jose. Okay.
Mr.Guinto: 07:18 Uh yeah where?
Daichi: 07:18 I am I don't remember it was, it was near the Japanese market, is where I lived for a little bit before I went to Dublin. I, it's like the first, first area of uh San Jose. So maybe south, yeah.
Mr.Guinto: 07:34 Yeah okay.
Daichi: 07:35 Yeah, it's a nice place to grow up.
Mr.Guinto: 07:37 Yeah. Yeah. I grew up in bad neighborhood. Anything east side is bad.
Daichi: 07:45 Oh, no, no. That's why I appreciate like my parents taking me to Dublin because Dublin is such a nice area.
Mr.Guinto: 07:50 Oh yeah. That's a big struggle. If could live in East Oakland, east San Jose.
Daichi: 07:58 Yeah
Mr.Guinto: 07:58 You guys are lucky. My kids are lucky because you know, we bought our house, my first house in Fremont, and after a while, you know, my kids go to elementary school over there after a while the neighborhood's getting worse. So I said, you know I've got to find spots for my kids that, you know, raise them better than better life than what I have. That's why we moved here in Dublin.
Daichi: 08:23 Yeah. So this is, this is taking a little bit of step back, but even in the Philippines, were you working?
Mr.Guinto: 08:28 What's that?
Daichi: 08:29 Were you working when you were in the Philippines?
Mr.Guinto: 08:32 Hey, I'm sorry. I couldn't hear you hang on let me get out.
Daichi: 08:33 You're fine
Mr.Guinto: 08:36 Hang on real quick, man.
Daichi: 08:37 No, you're all good, you're all good
Mr.Guinto: 08:39 Let me get my, uh, let me get out here. My wife's cooking some food in the kitchen and she got her sauce pan. Okay. Sorry, what was the question again?
Daichi: 08:48 I wanted to ask if, um, if you, uh, like had some kind of job when you're in the Philippines?
Mr.Guinto: 08:52 Mmm No no
Mr.Guinto: 08:52 oh you didn't okay
Mr.Guinto: 08:52 no
Daichi: 08:52 let me see this. After the navy, did you go to like some specialization school kind of thing or would did you` just go straight into working?
Mr.Guinto: 09:06 Ah, yeah, I pretty much went to uh, in the military they sent me to school for six months and then when you get out, you do you service you know, pretty much apply for any job that would take you...and I applied for facility work, which I don't know nothing about. That was a struggle for a while, but you know, it helps out people there are very good. Very good. To help me train.
Daichi: 09:35 Don't mind me asking, um, did you meat Mrs.Guinto after all of this or was it like when you got here?
Mr.Guinto: 09:42 Oh yeah, we met we met after 90s I think I met my wife in 89, 10 years fter
Daichi: 09:51 oh okay
Mr.Guinto: 09:53 yeah
Daichi: 09:53 Now this, is this going to be my favorite part because it's specifically going to relate to AJ, but um, did you notice anything different between first generation immigrants and the Filipino, like American year? So like between you and like your son Aj?
Mr.Guinto: 10:08 Oh yeah, there's a big difference, a big difference they got life a lot easier than what we have. We want to make sure our kids get good education the same time we, you know, we're willing to help them out as much as we can. Cuz when I was growing up, you know, I don't have anybody to help me. Well actually when my dad, well, like guess my Stepdad's Caucasian, right. Appreciate it when I turned 18 and he told me out the house, so thats why I joined the military, so I don't have no choice. Thats reason why I joined the military so I didn't have no choice.
Daichi: 10:49 Yeah. That's what we want in there of course too, is that, um, people who immigrate over, you're forced into the military just because that's like the only thing that is available, you know, other than like care taking jobs or something like that right.
Mr.Guinto: 11:02 Yeah, yeah. Cause if I didn't have any recruiter I'd ever thought, because I was 17, I think going on 18 the next year, my dad told me, you know, you gotta be 18 next year, right? I said, yes. Well, you know what that means, right? I said, I don't know. He, my dad just got caucasian. I said, I don't know that make, get out the house. I said what!, it's a surprise for me so I had talk to my mom. I said, mom, what's that mean? Well, what that means. One out of the house sent me to some, I mean she, I mean, she can't say nothing. Because, you know, it's a struggle for them as well right, raising five kids. So I said to release the, the headache or to release some tension in the house or relieve some you know, a little bit of help. So that's when I talked to my, one of the recruiters that goes to my high school took the test. He said, Oh yeah, you pass. I said, okay.
Daichi: 12:00 I mean that's good. I didn't in the end, you know, Dublin's a very nice area and you started from like basically nothing or not nothing but like you know, compared to what you have now.
Mr.Guinto: 12:08 Yeah, it's from nothing. Ay, it's a blessing. You got to count all your blessings. God is good.
Daichi: 12:15 God is definitely good.
Mr.Guinto: 12:19 Oh yeah. Got is good man. My kid doesn't know that, but you know. God, just the one that would give, it'll give and it'll take,
Daichi: 12:26 Aj will realize later once he graduates and you know, starts working everything, he'll know everything.
Mr.Guinto: 12:32 It sounds like you got good head on your shoulders, whose older, you guys are the same age right?
Daichi: 12:39 Yeah. We're on the same age, but even even for me, like after I graduate I'm moving to Japan because my parents are split and I need to go like take care of my mom, you know, so like,
Mr.Guinto: 12:49 ah, ah
Daichi: 12:50 I gotta go over there and get a job and like, you know, go through the struggle to I guess like take care of her a little bit, yeah. But I mean I'm going to make more money in America, but I feel bad because she's been living in America for like my whole life. So I think, I think she wants to live in Japan just for a little bit. You know?
Mr.Guinto: 13:06 Yeah give her that, that's your wish. Japan is nice, I wish I could live there. I mean I lived in Japan when I was in the military.
Daichi: 13:12 Oh yeah?
Mr.Guinto: 13:12 Yeah I went to Yakuzuka
Daichi: 13:17 Oh, nice.
Mr.Guinto: 13:19 Yeah Japan is nice. I liked Japan because it's clean.
Daichi: 13:22 Yeah. Well, I mean..
Mr.Guinto: 13:25 I don't know about now right now.
Daichi: 13:33 Now might be a little tough, but yeah, I mean, is there anything else that you'd like to share? Like any kind of crucial factor that you think, um, would be beneficial towards just learning about the Filipino American community? If not, that's okay. But
Mr.Guinto: 13:48 I don't have a whole lot, but the only struggle. I have, one struggle I have when I was going to High School. You know people when you get here, they make fun of your accent
Daichi: 14:01 yeh
Mr.Guinto: 14:01 You know we hardly speak English, they make fun of you know. Then they used to tell me in PE class, hey, there's one black guy, he goes, hey, why don't you go back in the Philippines? I was like what the heck. Thats kind of like struggle. White people are mean like that.
Daichi: 14:15 I know there's, there's a lot. Even now, like when I was young, I mean I don't think Aj faced anything, cuz you know he's pretty fine. But like Aj is like Aj, right. But my name is Daichi, you know, it's like really out there. So like I would get picked on too in school. But you know, in the end those people who may find you, they're probably not where you're at right now. You know, you have two awesome kids. You have a nice house, you're in a good area. So yeah.
Mr.Guinto: 14:38 Yeah , yeah, yeah like I said god is good but those are the struggles that you have to face when you immigrate. your people make fun of you or not so much you name, pretty much they, they tease you haha you're Chinese you this and that. Should go back over there. They don't know different to a Filipino and Chinese is.
Daichi: 15:02 Yeah that's an issue that is like talked about in our classes and how like, um, how immigrants and just people who aren't American are pushed to Americanize you know, just because of the environment they're in.
Mr.Guinto: 15:13 Yeah now, it's just it's nice because they got so much law that you have to follow. They can't do that. They can discriminate, which is good. They have to stay cooperative for everyone. That's why U.S. is a great country.
Daichi: 15:26 Yeah
Mr.Guinto: 15:29 I mean I don't have a lot to share those are the only struggle I have, you know going to high school people bullying you, making fun of you.
Daichi: 15:38 Those are those, those are pretty big factors Mr. Guinto you'd be surprised. Like everything you've said throughout this interview is kind of like exactly what we've been learning and like, it's good to know about, you know, someone close to me, Like, you know, you just experiences this and I'm, I feel like, uh, it's good that I'm understanding that, you know, all this stuff is happening everywhere. Right. Even people who are right around, you know, right in Dublin, so.
Mr.Guinto: 16:01 yeah, you got to know when I was in High School I had to know the people that wants to hang out with me, because I had a Samoan friend back then he is a pretty big dude. I hang with him and he go "Hey Arnol if anyone mess with you let me know" wow he seems like a big brother to me, I got to get a help me on that. Okay, cool. you a big dude, Yeh after that nobody really messed around with me after that.
Daichi: 16:31 Yeah aw thats nice. Alright Mr.Guinto I feel like I'm taking up all your time.
Mr.Guinto: 16:35 Oh. And anything else I can help you with it. I think that's pretty much the honors I have and information for you.
Daichi: 16:42 and I'm, I'm really glad I took this class because I honestly, I feel like I never asked him these questions too, cause they're really personal, you know?
Mr.Guinto: 16:48 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, you know, you've gotta be open.
Daichi: 16:51 Yeah.
Mr.Guinto: 16:52 I'm open. I mean, I'm cool with that. nothing to hide thats how it is man life is life.
Daichi: 16:57 No cause I got, I, I really do have mad respect for like, you know Justin's dad and you know sh shows that in youtube, cause I know you guys are doing, you guys are working really hard compared to a lot of people to have what you have. Right. So I want you to know, I really appreciate you know, where you started and where you came and I know you, I mean I don't know what Aj is doing right now. Like I don't know, like um, cause I, I we we talk but we don't talk a lot about like just like where he's at in life. But I think in the end...
Mr.Guinto: 17:27 Yeah Aj he has got hooked up man, I got him hooked up with a job at my buddies company.
Daichi: 17:33 Oh Nice. Okay.
Mr.Guinto: 17:45 Yeh he is doing a little bit of engineering he is working with my buddy. He is one of my best friends, from back in the days. So he is in a good spot. I told him just do good over there. You'll, you'll be better off with him because he's got an engineering firm. So into project management, whatever he wants to do, but don't just stay focused don't be hanging around the wrong crowd. Now, you guys are good kid, man. I remember you guys when you guys play football with me. That was man, that was many moons ago.
Daichi: 18:11 Yeah, I remember when we used to box it un in your garage. I never do it cause I get my ass kicked. But I saw, you know, Ajand Dj going at it all the time.
Mr.Guinto: 18:22 No I dont know about now, I haven't seen Dj. I haven't seen Dj in a while.
Daichi: 18:26 Yeah, he's been busy just working. I think he works with a dentist or something.
Mr.Guinto: 18:29 Oh that's good. That's good man. You guy's its a small world man. You guys have one of these days, you got to have a reunion.
Daichi: 18:37 Yeah, well I mean with Aj, I'm telling you Mr. Guinto, I only keep like, you know, good hearted people around me. And Aj is a good guy, you know?
Mr.Guinto: 18:45 Oh yeah. he is a good kid you know my boy I have a struggle with him for a little while until I straightened them out, I straightened him out. I mean, as much as I love my son I hit him one time and that was it.
Daichi: 18:58 Yeah.
Mr.Guinto: 18:59 Yeah. You gotta do, you gotta show them love. Just because you hit your kid doesn't mean you hit your kids. you hit your kid because it makes differently. Yeah I'm pretty sure he knows that he, he changed a lot.
Daichi: 19:10 Yeh he is growing up
Mr.Guinto: 19:10 He's, he is finally coming back.
Daichi: 19:15 Well hopefully, hopefully I'll see you around the house you know I will probably come back sometime.
Mr.Guinto: 19:18 Yeah, yeah. You guys still live in, uh, Dublin right?
Daichi: 19:22 No, no we sold the house in Dublin.
Mr.Guinto: 19:24 Oh so where you at now?
Daichi: 19:25 Um, my dad's in Sacramento. My mom has a place in Japan so, but I live in Davis cause I'm at UC Davis, so we just have like a apartment here with like a bunch of my housemates. But I'll come back and forth to, to Dublin to see everybody, you know, cause that's like, where everyone is.
Mr.Guinto: 19:41 Yeah if you're going to be around, let me know, man.
Daichi: 19:43 Yeah, for sure.
Mr.Guinto: 19:43 I'll take you guys out for lunch
Daichi: 19:45 Oh, awesome. No, I should take you up for lunch. You're helping me right now. I should take you out for lunch or you're helping me, right now.
Mr.Guinto: 19:52 No, no, thats not help man. Yeh I wish that help you a lot. If you're around the area.
Daichi: 20:00 Yeah, I'll, I'll definitely hit you up.
Mr.Guinto: 20:03 I had a friend that goes to UC Davis. He is a kid, used to be my neighbor.
Daichi: 20:10 Oh you mean Ron right?
Mr.Guinto: 20:12 No, not Ron. His name is uh Sal. He is a Afghani but he is a good kid. He's doing the mechanical engineer he got another year till he is finished.
Daichi: 20:28 Jeeze
Mr.Guinto: 20:28 Yeah, you know, get school and he says, he is gonna be finished at 25. I said, you know what, you got to you, no matter what, you still got to keep going to school, man. Don't stop. Don't stop after that.
Daichi: 20:39 Yeah education is required.
Mr.Guinto: 20:41 Yeah, you need that. I told my son ay keep going to school and you know, nobody got to tell you to stop. I wish I could go back to school, but yes just don't have time.
Daichi: 20:51 Yeah.
Mr.Guinto: 20:52 Too busy making money.
Daichi: 20:53 Yeah, don't worry. And then Asia will take care of you. I think he is a very family kind of guy.
Mr.Guinto: 20:58 Yeah, he's a good kid. Thats all I can say, both of my kids turned out to be good kids.
Daichi: 21:02 Yeah, definitely.
Mr.Guinto: 21:04 You guys too man, I seen you guys you grow up you guys, I see you guys in front of my eyes like you guys are my kids.
Daichi: 21:14 Aw thanks Mr.Guinto, I just want to know you're a good father figure. The first time I worked out was with in your garage.
Mr.Guinto: 21:19 Oh yeah, I remember that.
Daichi: 21:22 That was when we were really little.
Mr.Guinto: 21:22 Yeah, I took that weights out of my garage. My garage is nice and clean now.
Daichi: 21:24 Oh yeah?
Mr.Guinto: 21:24 Yeah its just that I don't use anymore because I don't work out in the garage its taking up too much space so I give it to my sister so I just go to the gym. Well it was good chatting with you, man. I mean you know when you're in the area let us know so one of these days Aj know that you are coming we'll go BBQ.
Daichi: 21:50 Oh sweet. Yeah, I'm definitely down. Yeah. I really appreciate you giving us your time right before work. Especially in like
Mr.Guinto: 21:56 Oh no worries man. Anytime you know you can always count on me.
Daichi: 21:59 Okay and the words of wisdom will definitely stick with me.
Mr.Guinto: 22:01 Oh yeah. That's good. That's good.
Daichi: 22:05 All right.
Mr.Guinto: 22:05 Alright you have a good day Daichi
Daichi: 22:06 You too thanks Mr.Guinto take care, bye
Mr.Guinto: 22:08 You're welcome Bye now.
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Oral History Interview with Arnolfo Guinto
Subject
The topic of the resource
U.S. Military Veterans, U.S. Navy, San Francisco Bay Area, Fremont, California, Dublin - California, First Generation Immigrants, Racism,
Description
An account of the resource
Oral history interview with Arnolfo Guinto, interviewed by Daichi Takise
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2-Jun-19
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies and the UC Davis Asian American Studies department holds intellectual control of these recordings. Usage is restricted for educational, non-commercial purposes only. For other uses, please contact archivist Jason Sarmiento at ajsarmiento@ucdavis.edu
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Audio Recording and Transcript
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ucdw_wa014_s001_0044
California
Dublin - California
first generation immigrants
Fremont
racism
San Francisco Bay Area
U.S. Military Veterans
U.S. Navy
-
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Filipino Immigrant Oral History Project
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies
Description
An account of the resource
<strong><br />Note: Collection upload in process</strong>
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Interviewer
The person(s) performing the interview.
Katrina Ongtengco
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed.
Mitas Cuenca
Transcription
Any written text transcribed from a sound.
[Begin Audio File]<br />Katrina: Alright so today is May 26, 2019 and this is Katrina<br />Ongtengco interviewing a Filipina immigrant for the oral history<br />project for the Welga Filipino American Labor archives and the<br />Welga! Project. Okay, first question is where and when were you<br />born?<br />Mitas: I was born in Manila on October 13, 1950.<br />Katrina: Where and when were your parents born?<br />Mitas: My parents were born also in the Philippines in Manila.<br />And my mother was born in 1910, and my father was born in 1911.<br />Katrina: They were both born in Manila or . . .<br />Mitas: They were both born outside of Manila in the suburbs of<br />Manila.<br />Katrina: Okay, what jobs did your parents do?<br />Mitas: My mom was an elementary school teacher for over 40 years<br />and my father was a mechanic.<br />Katrina: How long did they work for?<br />Mitas: My father worked, I think at least over 30 years in his<br />last company and he retired just because the retirement age<br />during his days was 55 years old. My mother worked until she had<br />to retire at the age of, I believe, 60 years old.<br />Katrina: How many siblings do you have?<br />Mitas: I have six siblings. There are seven of us in the family.<br />There are five girls and two boys. And I am the youngest in the<br />family.<br />Katrina: Did any of your family members move to America before<br />you?<br />Mitas: Yes, I had one sister who moved to Canada and one sister<br />who moved here in California.<br />Karina: What type of Visa did they arrive with?<br />Mitas: They were both . . They had the green card holder or<br />immigrant.<br />Katrina: What was your academic experience in the Philippines?<br />Mitas: My academic experience was that I graduated in the<br />Philippines at a Philippines women university with a degree in<br />B.S Psychology.<br />Katrina: And did you have a professional experience?<br />Mitas: My professional experience there was just short lived. I<br />may have just worked less than total of six months before<br />immigrating to Canada. When I started working, I was just a new<br />graduate from college and about six months later, I already<br />immigrated to Canada and then I went back after a year and a<br />half from Canada and I worked again for another three months in<br />the Philippines before deciding to move back to Canada on a more<br />permanent basis.<br />Katrina: When did you decide to move out of the Philippines?<br />Mitas: I decided to move out of the Philippines after I<br />graduated in 1973 . . Oh in 1972. And six months later, because<br />the processing during the time was a lot faster than what it is<br />now, I was in Canada within six to seven months.<br />Katrina: And when did you move to the United States?<br />Mitas: I moved to the United States in 1980.<br />Katrina: What were your thoughts about America before you moved<br />here?<br />Mitas: Well as you know the Philippines is very much . . . has a<br />close relationship with America so we think of America as<br />something that’s just like a better place and better<br />opportunities and better working condition than what it is in<br />the Philippines. And also because of the stories I hear<br />especially from my sister when she first moved to Canada. And so<br />Canada being close to America, they about have the same<br />opportunities that I thought I could have. So when I graduated<br />from college I asked my sister, from Canada, to sponsor me and<br />so I became also an immigrant in Canada. And then six and a half<br />. . . about seven years later, then my parents who already<br />immigrated here in the states, have sponsored me to come here<br />and stay with them.<br />[5:11]<br />Katrina: What kind of job did your parents work here in America.<br />Mitas: Uhh no . . . well, work a little bit yes, but because<br />they were already retirees then, so what they did was that since<br />they lived close to a school, so they baby sat only a few kids<br />though and they had maybe about two or three kids that they<br />babysat and no more than that. They did a lot volunteer work in<br />the church and my mom was very active in the church where they<br />lived and they were umm she was part of sort of the pioneers in<br />the church where they worshiped and were often asked to be<br />translating some materials, church materials, from English to<br />Tagalog which is our native language<br />Katrina: Did your thoughts about America change after you<br />arrived?<br />Mitas: Not really. I thought it was what I thought it would be.<br />That there were better opportunities and less traffic of course<br />and the weather is nicer especially here in California and you<br />know that is one of the reasons I stayed here. When I left the<br />Philippines in 1973 and lived in Toronto, I was not sure whether<br />that was the place where I wanted to stay, so about a year and a<br />half after I lived there, I went back to the Philippines to<br />figure out if that’s where I should be with my parents. Being<br />the youngest and unmarried child in the family I thought it was<br />my responsibility to be with my parents. But after that I knew<br />that they were going to be immigrating to the US so that's when<br />I went back first to Canada again. Until I immigrated to the US<br />in 1980.<br />Katrina: So you worked in Canada too?<br />Mitas: Yes. I did work in Canada. I worked not in my field but I<br />worked first in a bank and then after that, I worked in the<br />research psychology department of Clarke Institute of Psychiatry<br />and that was in Toronto.<br />Katrina: and how long did you work there?<br />Mitas: Well, I worked there for about maybe five years?<br />Katrina: Did you live on your own or did you live with a family<br />member?<br />Mitas: I lived with my family member. I lived with my sister who<br />sponsored me and so that’s what my situation was.<br />Katrina: Where did you first live in the United States?<br />Mitas: I lived with my parents first and I stayed with them in<br />their house and the reason why I stayed there was because I<br />wanted to give myself a year to figure out whether I would call<br />the US as my home or I would go back again to Canada because I<br />was having a wonderful time also in Canada. I didn’t have any<br />problem there. I had a good job and also at the same time I had<br />friends there too and family but when my parents sponsored me<br />again the responsibility . . . I thought of the responsibility<br />of being the youngest and being the unmarried child to take care<br />of my parents. They were very open to it so I just like I stayed<br />with them for a year and then after a year I moved back to<br />Canada to visit, to at least give myself a chance to say “okay,<br />which of the two countries would I want to settle in?” and<br />without any hesitation I said “It’s going to be California for<br />me.” So that’s when I already moved then I knew in my mind that<br />I would like to live here permanently and so then that's when I<br />started looking for a place of my own close to my parents, so I<br />lived in an apartment on my own, before I got married.<br />[10:06]<br />Katrina: So what made you decide to stay in America instead of<br />Canada?<br />Mitas: Well the opportunity was much better, I had a better<br />paying job here in the US and also the weather had something to<br />do with it. I was tired already of just like . . . during the<br />winter season when you have to go through so many hardships of<br />just like, you know, walking in the snow and the cold weather<br />was just nahhh. You know after experiencing the California<br />weather you know people would just like (laughs) will not have<br />any second thought about the opportunity of being able to move<br />here in California.<br />Katrina: And did you have friends and family here? Oh, well you<br />parents were here . . .<br />Mitas: My parents were here . . .<br />Katrina: Who else?<br />Mitas: And then also my three siblings were already here. So I<br />have my nephews and nieces and my sisters and my brothers in<br />law. And I also have some friends, childhood friends back home<br />in the Philippines who also were here. So it was a wonderful<br />experience and so . . .<br />Katrina: So you didn’t have trouble adjusting?<br />Mitas: Not at all. Not at all. I didn’t have trouble adjusting.<br />I really enjoyed my job and so you know it was a better<br />opportunity so there we go.<br />Katrina: What jobs did you perform when you moved to America?<br />Mitas: When I moved to America, my first job was an assistant in<br />a research psychology, a research department of a a major<br />hospital organization here in the bay area. However, six months<br />or less than three months into the job, another company who<br />responded to my application called and so I thought you know I’d<br />go for an interview and all that stuff so and since it was based<br />in San Francisco, they offered me a higher paying job. And so I<br />decided to forgo my position at this hospital and even though<br />the position that I went into was no longer in the line of work<br />that I got, but I thought that it was something that was, you<br />know, was an okay position for me as well.<br />Katrina: Did you apply to these jobs on your own or did you have<br />like someone to recommend you?<br />Mitas: My sisters when I moved here they gave me a list of the<br />more renowned companies here both in San Francisco and bay area.<br />So those were the companies that I targeted. The job that I got,<br />I got because I responded to their ad in the newspapers. So when<br />I went to the interview, the day of the interview they already<br />gave me the offer. So since the other companies have not<br />responded to my application so I accepted it however three weeks<br />into my working in the hospital then this company that I worked<br />for that answered to my resume called me for an interview so . .<br />Katrina: Did your professional/academic experiences help you get<br />the job?<br />Mitas: The first, the one in Canada, yes it did and the one in<br />here in the hospital also did. However, the one that I ended up<br />in San Francisco, which is a multinational apparel company, it<br />was yes and no. It’s because of the fact that later on my three<br />years after I started with the company, I was sort of borrowed<br />so to speak to be part of the executive office of this company<br />supporting the president and CEO and the chairman as their<br />executive assistant and I figured you know, my experience or<br />just like my academic experience with my degree sort of helped<br />me navigate working with different levels of people and so it's<br />just one of those things that I thought maybe helped me<br />understand the different levels of positions of the hierarchy<br />within the company and allowed me to really .. . what I learned<br />helped me to navigate the . . . how I [inaudible] be dealing<br />with this people. And even though it did . . . so that was<br />indirectly I think what helped me but in order to be in touch<br />with the profess . .. or academic experience that I had in the<br />Philippines, I volunteered to organizations. One of them is . .<br />I served as a counselor, phone counselor at the Suicide<br />Prevention and Crisis Intervention group and so I did that for a<br />few months.<br />[16:21]<br />Katrina: Did you go back to school here in America?<br />Mitas: I did try. I did try because of the fact that I . . .<br />before I worked in the executive office at the company I worked<br />for for over thirty four years, I didn’t know whether . . . I<br />worked there as an administrative assistant to a director of a<br />company. However it’s just like, you know, I didn’t know whether<br />that was where I want to . . . where I would like to spend the<br />rest of my life doing what I was just doing there. I shouldn’t<br />say just, but it was also a very, you know, a very high paced .<br />. . fast paced position. So I went and studied at the community<br />college here and I but in the area of information technology.<br />Even though I passed, you know, the two the subjects I took, and<br />got good grades I did realize that it wasn’t for me and so I<br />decided to just not pursue it and at the same time that’s when I<br />started volunteering at the suicide prevention because that’s<br />still where I wanted to be connected with the psychology part of<br />my academic experience.<br />Katrina: Did you notice anything different between first<br />generation immigrants and the Filipino American community?<br />Mitas: Okay . . . say that again.<br />Katrina: Did you notice anything different between first<br />generation immigrants and the Filipino American community?<br />Mitas: First generation immigrants and the Filipino American<br />community. During the days of the first generation immigrant?<br />I’m talking about the first generation immigrant and they are<br />the children of the . . . ?<br />Katrina: I think the first generation is like the first . . your<br />parents I guess, the first people that . . . from your family<br />that migrated here.<br />Mitas: I see, okay. What . . is in the Filipino community? Well,<br />my . . . because my parents were really more like very active in<br />their . . . and they came here as retirees and they didn’t have<br />to work, I didn’t see much of a difference like what I said my<br />mom was very active in her church, she sort of had the<br />leadership role with the organizing community, the Filipino<br />communities. And so I did not think much of a difference that<br />was experienced by my parents. So I don’t know about other<br />families but even though my parents immigrated here in their<br />sixties, they were able to assimilate into the lifestyle here.<br />They didn’t have any issues that sometimes I’ve heard from other<br />friends who said that their parents would always want to go back<br />to the Philippines, or do this, or you know, the longing of<br />going back to the Philippines, I never, my parents never<br />mentioned anything like that. I don’t know if it was because<br />most of us were already here, so that’s maybe the difference.<br />They were . . . they felt right at home right away.<br />[20:11]<br />Katrina: And did you assimilate okay here in America<br />Mitas: Oh yah. I didn’t have any problem.<br />Katrina: No problem?<br />Mitas: Nope.<br />Katrina: Or how about your siblings? Same?<br />Mitas: They . . . the same yah. I think it’s because we lived in<br />a big city in the Philippines. We lived in Manila and so . . .<br />no. My siblings had very stable jobs as well. They were also had<br />college degrees, and so they were able to find good jobs here.<br />So I don’t think there was any issue among us about that.<br />Katrina: When your siblings went to school in the Philippines,<br />did they earn like . . . what type of degree. . . Did they earn<br />a degree in the Philippines?<br />Mitas: Yes. Yes, my oldest brother, I mean you know, he got a<br />degree in engineering. I have two sisters who umm business<br />administration. One sister who had a degree in education and one<br />sister who is a CPA.<br />Katrina: Did the job that they have here . . or the level . .<br />or the job that they have here in America, is that like. . .<br />Did their degree help them?<br />Mitas: I think so. Yah. I think so. I think that their degree<br />helped them.<br />Katrina: Because some people earn a degree in the Philippines<br />and then they don’t use that degree here because of the . .<br />Mitas: Correct, right. But sometimes on the other hand I can say<br />that I mean if you looked at it in terms of what I did, my<br />degree helped me adjust to my position very well. I worked an<br />executive assistant to chairman, the president, and CEO but I<br />mean if you look at it, even my degree in B.S psychology would<br />not have been good in the Philippines if I just not have any<br />masters degree or PhD degree, so to be able to work in that<br />field. So yah no . . . it helped me, it helped me, but it's just<br />like is it something that I you know, directly . . .you know if<br />I become a psychologist here? No I did not. I was doing okay in<br />my job and I didn’t feel that there was something . . . a need<br />at that point to go to a grad school or something like that. I<br />mean, I was fulfilled both professionally and also my psyche was<br />fulfilled as well. So I didn’t think I was missing anything<br />since I was able to make all the adjustments.<br />Katrina: Alright. I think that is it for the interview. Thank<br />you for doing this interview.<br />Mitas: You’re very welcome. I hope this is helpful to you and to<br />the organization that’s going to be using this information.<br />[End Audio File 23:50]
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Oral History Interview with Mitas Cuenca
Subject
The topic of the resource
Manila, Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Tagalog, volunteering, volunteers, Canada, research psychlogy, San Francisco Bay Area, First Generation Immigrants
Description
An account of the resource
Oral History Interview with Mitas Cuenca
Date
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26-May-19
Rights
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The Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies and the UC Davis Asian American Studies department holds intellectual control of these recordings. Usage is restricted for educational, non-commercial purposes only. For other uses, please contact archivist Jason Sarmiento at ajsarmiento@ucdavis.edu
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ucdw_wa014_s001_0033
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Canada
first generation immigrants
Manila
research psychlogy
San Francisco Bay Area
Tagalog
volunteering
Volunteers
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Filipino Immigrant Oral History Project
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies
Description
An account of the resource
<strong><br />Note: Collection upload in process</strong>
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Interviewer
The person(s) performing the interview.
Liana Mae Atizado
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed.
Brian Atizado
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Oral History Interview with Brian Atizado
Subject
The topic of the resource
Quezon City, Daly City, Immigrant families--United States, First Generation Immigrant Families, Second Generation Immigrant Families, San Francisco Bay Area, Pilipino American Student Association (PASA), Hayward, Filipino Culture Night, Filipino Immigrant Oral History Project
Description
An account of the resource
Oral history interview with Brian Atizado, interviewed by Liana Mae Atizado
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
June 9, 2019
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies and the UC Davis Asian American Studies department holds intellectual control of these recordings. Usage is restricted for educational, non-commercial purposes only.
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Audio Recording and Transcript
Identifier
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ucdw_wa014_s001_0001
Daly City
Filipino Culture Night
Filipino Immigrant Oral History Project
First Generation Immigrant Families
Hayward
Immigrant families--United States
Pilipino American Student Association (PASA)
Pilipino Culture Night
Quezon City
San Francisco Bay Area
Second Generation Immigrant Families