Meeting the Needs of the Filipino American WWII Veterans
In 1999, under the leadership of FADF Board member Atty. Lourdes Santos Tancinco, the San Francisco Veterans Equity Center was opened for the Filipino American WWII veterans. The SFVEC has provided legal services, and culturally and linguistically appropriate support services for over 800 veterans since its opening. The Filipino Architects Contractors and Engineers (FACE) member Richard Cerbatos joined in the effort by providing the tenant improvements for the SFVEC, and Bernadette Sy also helped with gathering support for the center from the community through newsletters and publicity.

Promoting Filipino Language Arts in the San Francisco Public Schools
Since the 1970's the Filipino Education Center Elementary has provided support for Filipino immigrant children. FADF's Bernadette Sy and Richard Cerbatos have been involved in a committee with parents and teachers to support a Filipino two-way immersion program that would be available to children in Grades K-5 at the Bessie Carmichael Elementary School. Filipino two-way immersion is a language program there the students learn their subjects in both English and Filipino. Studies have shown that this approach to language acquisition fosters an appreciation for both languages and cultures and promotes high levels of self-esteem and positive cross-cultural attitudes.

Advocating for a New Elementary School in SOMA
Since 1998 FADF has also been involved in advocating to rebuild the Bessie Carmichael Elementary School in SOMA. According to the school nurse who visits various schools in San Francisco, "Bessie is the worst school facility in San Francisco and continues to be ignored by the school district." The play area is full of pot-holes, classroom roofs leak, and the wooden handrails and walkways are full of dry rot. A new school is overdue and repairs are no longer effective solutions. Bernadette and Richard have participated in planning meetings with the new Bessie Carmichael Planning Committee in developing strategies to bring badly needed attention, support, and funding for this school.

Listening to the Voices of the Residents in the Neighborhood
In 1999 and 2000, Bernadette helped to organize SOMA Pilipino Town Hall Meetings. The purpose for organizing these meetings is to allow the residents to voice their concerns about their neighborhood.

Results from the September 25, 1999 THM of about 200 participants echoed the need to preserve he SOMA Pilipino. To do this, more affordable housing needs to be built to secure and protect current SOMA residents, those needing housing, those in danger of losing their apartment, or workers unable to find housing in this area. There is also unity in wanting to create the awareness of identity through the possibility of developing a "Pilipino-town" (similar to Chinatown or Japantown), engaging in arts projects, working on coalitions, circulating ewsletters, tours and positive media. Improving neighborhood safety is also critical for residents. And for the growing SOMA youth population, priority is funding for permanent structures to build Bessie Carmichael Elementary School, and programs to continue support for immigrant youth at the Filipino Education Center (FEC).

Three Filipino Community Facilities in response to wanting to create the awareness of "Filipino" identity, three sites have been identified for Filipino community facilities: 1) Bayanihan Community Center would provide a space for the community to assemble and a place where they can get access and referrals to available support services, 2) Manilatown Heritage Museum's focus is the history and art of the Filipinos who lived in San Francisco's Manilatown, and 3) the Filipino Cultural Center would provide a space for visitors to gather and experience the Philippine culture and history through art exhibits, workshops, or performing arts. There is a vision for the three facilities to coordinate operations, staff, and programs to maximize the use in benefiting the Filipino community.