City Approves Sign Honoring Filipino Center

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a municipal sign in front of the Philippine Village Center in Eagle Rock to recognize its contributions to the local Filipino community, ending, at least for now, an acrimonious debate that has taken on racial overtones.

The city sign noting the presence of the “Philippine Village Community Center,” approved on a 13-0 vote, was a compromise from a previous plan by local Filipino groups to designate a 1.3-mile stretch of Eagle Rock Boulevard as “Philippine Village.” That proposal sparked outrage from local homeowners groups that did not want any city signs that detracted from the Eagle Rock and Glassell Park communities.

Supporters said the honor would recognize the center as the heart of the northeast’s Filipino residents, who make up an estimated 18% of the area’s population. A newspaper, church, radio station, stores and businesses catering to Filipinos are at the center at 4515 Eagle Rock Blvd.

But the idea sparked several emotional community meetings, at which impatient outbursts and challenging questions of area Filipinos dominated.

At a gathering on Nov. 7, a fistfight nearly broke out as one opponent challenged anyone to join him outside to settle the matter.

Police were called to the scene, but no arrests were made.

Councilman Nick Pacheco, who supported the compromise, said the contentious two-month debate showed divisions among Filipinos and others in the Northeast area that should be mended.

“I hope we can learn from this process,” the councilman told his colleagues.

Pacheco, who is facing a reelection challenge next year from former Assembly speaker and Los Angeles mayoral candidate Antonio Villaraigosa, was praised by Councilman Nate Holden for coming up with a plan that worked.

“This is an acceptable compromise, a good compromise for all,” Holden said.

The unanimous action elicited cheers from about 20 Filipinos and others in the council chamber for the vote.

“This is a wonderful Christmas gift for the Filipino people,” said Oscar Jornacion, the publisher of a Filipino weekly newspaper and the head of the group seeking the designation.

Nevertheless, there was opposition from two Eagle Rock residents, who asked the council for either a delay or a “no” vote.

“The people in Eagle Rock are up in arms about this,” said Betty Tyndall , a grandmother who has lived in Eagle Rock since 1947.

Eagle Rock is a diverse community where no particular ethnic group should separate itself from the of the community, she said, noting, “I’ve never seen any group come and ask for something like this [in Eagle Rock].”

Another resident, Marlene Schmidt, asked for a delay of the vote, explaining that the compromise emerged at a meeting early last week where only selected representatives of local groups, such as the Eagle Rock Assn. and the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce, were invited. Input from the wider community was needed before the council voted, she said.

In pushing the compromise, Pacheco told the meeting last week that it was not unusual for the city to recognize various ethnic communities, especially since the City Council has a penchant for emphasizing the city’s diversity.

He pointed out that the council in recent years has bestowed recognition on Little Armenia and Thai Town in East Hollywood and Historic Filipinotown just west of downtown.

Nevertheless, many residents in the area opposed any designation. Echoing the sentiments of many, Eagle Rock resident Roe Muzingo said:

“We’re in a melting pot, and we don’t want to change it. I’m Italian, OK? Italian is my heritage, but I’m an American. We shouldn’t be separated.”