The Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway, which began as an idea 19 years ago, will be installed and unveiled in time for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May, 13th District Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell announced Feb. 25.
“After countless meetings and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, I’m proud to share that the Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway will be installed and unveiled this spring,” said O’Farrell. “This project has been a labor of love by so many people in Historic Filipinotown. This beautiful, historic landmark will be a source of pride for the Filipino community and will rightfully celebrate this vibrant neighborhood and the incredible contributions Filipino Americans make to the City of Los Angeles.”
The gateway, officially called “Talang Gabay — Our Guiding Star,” was commissioned by the city at a construction cost of $587,000. It will rise 30 feet high and span 82 feet across the width of Beverly Boulevard, at the eastern entrance into Historic Filipinotown. The project, which features the work of Filipino American artists Eliseo Art Silva and Celestino Geronimo, Jr., incorporates design elements representing the Filipino culture.
“The key to building and enhancing the beautiful neighborhood we all know as Historic Filipinotown has always been community. The community has long advocated for more visibility and was committed to bringing the Eastern Gateway to life, and thanks to Councilmember O’Farrell’s leadership and all our community partners, we are almost at the finish line,” said Public Works Commissioner Jessica Caloza.
“As a first-generation immigrant, I am proud the City of L.A. celebrates our rich diversity and continues to invest in projects that uplift underrepresented communities.”
The effort to install a landmark at the eastern entrance to Historic Filipinotown has been in the works for nearly two decades, beginning with a community study commissioned in March 2003 by then-Councilmember Eric Garcetti.
In 2018, on a motion by O’Farrell, the City Council committed an initial $152,000 for the Eastern Gateway Project and then identified additional funding that would pave the way for completing this historic landmark. Construction began in March 2021.
Over the years, the project has involved Filipino American community leaders, including Building and Safety Commissioner Joselyn Geaga-Rosenthal, and legacy nonprofits such as the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), and Filipino American Service Group Inc (FASGI).