Present Day
Similar to the first half of the twentieth century, many present-day Filipinos continue to establish their identity by participating and volunteering with Filipino cultural associations across Texas. These cultural associations tend to surround large cities and regional areas, including Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, and the Rio Grande Valley. The Austin History Center has even dedicated a digital exhibit to the Austin Filipino American Association and the Central Texas Filipino community at large. Whereas these organizations predominantly took stances on political decisions made in The Philippines, organizations today tend to adopt a more educational role in sharing their culture with first-generation Filipino Americans and the larger city or regional area. They accomplish this goal through hosting a variety of activities in the cultural arts, including traditional Filipino dances, talent shows, and religious celebrations (a majority of Filipino Texans identify as Catholic and Christian). Filipino Student Associations are also popular organizations at various public universities across the state, including The University of Texas.
While the early Filipino Texans were initially associated with majority culture groups in Texas — including both Mexican and East Asian communities, the drastic increase in Filipino immigrants in the second half of the twentieth century caused the Filipino community to grow and strengthen at an exponential rate. From their influential cultural associations to their significant contributions in healthcare, Filipinos now constituted an integral portion of the Texas population — one whose history and legacy should be recognized for years to come.