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20 Titles to Watch & Celebrate Filipino American History Month
Jomo Arcibal
October 02, 2023
Mabuhay and Happy Filipino American History Month!
Growing up I rarely felt represented in the media I consumed, but within the past few years, I’ve seen the power of seeing characters that look like me and sound like me on screen. The memory of watching Spider-Man: No Way Home in theaters and hearing my family laugh during the scene with Ned’s Lola is burned into my brain with an immense sense of joy.
Today, I’m grateful for the opportunity to work in Kids Media and bring stories to life that will help make the next generation feel seen and heard. This FAHM I’ve compiled a list of series, movies, and more that highlight Filipino stories, voices, and artists for kids of all ages. From heroes and muppets to princes and even more lolas this list compiles some of my favorite pieces of media that celebrate our kababayan.
Filipino Fun for Little Ones
1. Blue’s Clues and You
In 2019, Filipino-American actor Josh Dela Cruz took over the reins from Joe and Steve as Blue’s caretaker and host of the iconic preschool television series. Throughout the series, Josh’s Filipino heritage is incorporated into the show’s storylines from making Bibingka with his Lola to singing karaoke.
Stand-out episodes include Blue’s Big Baking Show (S2 E5) and Feelin’ Filipino (S3 E17).
Watch Blue’s Clues & You on Paramount+ and YouTube, and catch FREE episodes on Nick Jr. on Pluto TV!
2. Firebuds
Firebuds is a Disney-animated preschool series featuring kids and their motorized friends as they help keep their community safe. The series features Bo Bayani a Filipino-American boy who aspires to be a firefighter like his Dad (voiced by Filipino-American actor Lou Diamond Phillips). The series crew includes Filipino talent including Krystal Banzon and Jules Aguimatang.
In an interview with NextShark, Banzon talks about how “As a mother and as a Filipina American, it means so much to me to see a Filipino American on a kids Disney show,” Banzon says. “My children are NicaPinos (half Filipino, half Nicaraguan), and I see the delight on their faces when they recognize their family on-screen.”
Stand-out episodes include Bayani Cookout (S1 E15).
3. Jelly, Ben, & Pogo
Jelly, Ben, & Pogo is a web-series that launched in 2021 created by Jalysa Leva. The series follows two siblings and their sea monster friend as they learn to solve problems. The show integrates Filipino culture into its storylines and normalizes the phrases, food, and traditions that many Fil-ams have grown up with.
4. TJ on Sesame Street
In May of this year, Sesame Street debuted TJ, the show’s first Filipino muppet. TJ was designed by Filipino-American animator Bobby Pontillas. In TJ’s debut, he talked about his growing confidence while learning Tagalog.
TJ was also featured in an Instagram post with Filipino-American comedian Eugene Cordero.
5. Barney & Friends
In one of the earliest instances of Filipino representation in children’s media in the United States, Barney & Friends featured Min played by Filipino-American actress Pia Manalo Hamilton. In the episode “Happy Birthday, Barney!” Min highlights her Filipino heritage and teaches Barney how to sing Happy Birthday in Tagalog.
6. Super Wings
Super Wings is a Korean-animated series about Jett an airplane that delivers packages to kids around the world. In the episode "Fun in the Philippines", Jett and his pack of Super Wings help three Filipina sisters perform at a concert.
Watch “Fun in the Philippines” for FREE on Pluto TV!
7. Work it Out Wombats!
Work it out Wombats is an animated STEM-based series on PBS Kids, the show follows residents of the Treeborhood, where wombats, moose, snakes, fish, iguanas, eagles, and kangaroos embark on problem-solving adventures. The series aims to build computational thinking skills for preschoolers and prepare them for future educational and career opportunities.
The series also features a family of Phillippine Eagles which were brought to life by Dr. Darlene Mortel Edouard. Dr. Edouard was closely involved in the development of these characters, from casting actors with Filipino backgrounds to listening in on voice record sessions to ensure proper pronunciation of Tagalog dialogue. She also verified that the design of the characters and their homes reflected their Filipino heritage.
8. Molly of Denali
In the episode “The Fili-Bascan Chefs”, brings a unique take to the idea of what it means to be Filipino-American. The story centers around Vera Malakas young girl who is a combination of Filipino and Athabascan, a group of Native Alaskans. The show explores Vera’s Filipino identity as she learns to make Lumpia.
One of the show’s writers Vera Starbard talked about the opportunity food plays in introducing kids to new cultures. “Food is one of those underestimated pieces of culture, as far as its impact. And that became an important part of the episode as far as ‘here’s how we can share culture. Here’s how we can mix culture and that is understandable to kids,’” she said. “They get it. They get that this food is different and this food is familiar to them and mixing them could be cool and this is what you can learn about a culture from literally tasting it.”
Rent or Buy “The Fili-Bascan Chef’s” on iTunes or Prime Video and watch episodes of Molly of Denali on PBS Kids and YouTube.
Animated All-Stars
9. Sewer Queen in Craig of the Creek
Eileen better known as Sewer Queen in Cartoon Network’s Craig of the Creek is a Filipina-American Creek Kid that leads the Sewer Kids. In the episode “Sink or Swim Team”, Sewer Queen introduces Craig to a little bit of her Filipino heritage and more importantly her Lola.
In the episode, she tells Craig that she usually doesn’t understand what her Lola says, but that he’ll have to do the “bless,” aka mano. We then hear the lola speak in Bisaya (a Filipino dialect rarely heard on TV) while watching TV saying, “Ah, mayo ra na sila sa sunod na salida.” (Ah they’ll be fine in the next episode.)
When Craig meets her Lola, he does the aforementioned bless and she then says to Eileen, “Ah, ka guapo, imu ning boyfriend?” (Oh, he’s handsome, is he your boyfriend?) leading Eileen to feel slightly embarrassed. Sewer Queen teaching Craig mano shows her attention to her cultural customs and sends a positive message to young audiences about embracing their own traditions.
Watch “Sink or Swim Team” on Max and Cartoon Network.
10. Laramie Barriga aka Lars in Steven Universe
Lars is a Filipino human character in Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe. In an episode titled “The Good Lars”, Lars reveals his secret talent for cooking and is invited to a potluck. However, he doesn’t know what to make, but when Steven says he “should make something that represents you”, Lars calls back to a childhood dessert and decides to make an Ube cake.
Filipino representation goes beyond just the food in the show. Multiple crystal gems are voiced by Filipina voice actresses including Deedee Magno Hall, Jennifer Paz, Shelby Rabara, and Charlyne Yi.
11. Janna Ordonia on Star vs. the Forces of Evil
Although it was never officially confirmed beyond Janna being featured in a Tweet celebrating Asian-American Pacific-Islander Heritage Month, many fans of Star vs. the Forces of Evil speculate that Janna is of Filipino descent. In the episode “Jannanigans”, characters in the show visit Janna’s home, and the set design is reminiscent of Filipino-American homes including a giant wooden spoon and fork, traditional Ifugao figurines, and a depiction of a Carabao.
Watch Star vs. the Forces of Evil on Disney+.
12. Scott Denoga on Hailey's On It!
Scott Denoga is a Filipino-Korean character and is voiced by Filipino actor Manny Jacinto. Filipino-Korean artist Camille Bautista, and Production Secretary on the show, confirmed that Scott and his sister Becker are Filipino-Korean in a tweet this past July.
Watch episodes of Hailey’s On It! on Disney+ and Disney Now.
13. Stella Zhau on The Loud House
Although not explicitly referenced as Filipino-American in the series, according to animator Darin McGowan, Stella is of Filipino descent. Hopefully, in future episodes, we’ll see Stella’s Filipino heritage explored further!
Watch The Loud House on Paramount+.
Kababayan on Screen
14. Jacob Batalon, Dave Bautista, and Hailee Steinfeld in The Marvel Cinematic Universe
I mentioned the iconic scene featuring Ned’s Filipino heritage at the beginning of this list, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe is packed full of Filipino talent both on-screen and behind it. Jacob Batalon stars as Spider-Man’s best friend Ned Leeds, Hailee Steinfeld is Hawkeye’s protege Kate Bishop, and Dave Bautista stars as Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
Other Filipino actors to cameo in the MCU include Trevor Salter (She-Hulk), Ginger Gonzaga (She-Hulk), Jane Rumbaua (Falcon and the Winter Soldier), and Eugene Cordero (Loki). Additionally, Baby Groot design in the MCU was designed by Filipino artist Anthony Francisco and inspired by the Balete tree in the Philippines.
15. Paolo Montalban in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1997)
Montalban’s portrayal of Prince Christopher in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1997) was ahead of its time. Featuring a Black woman in the title role, a Filipino-American man as Prince Charming, and a Black queen, the film was a trailblazer for diversity in cinema.
Watch Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1997) on Disney+.
16. Dante Basco in Hook
Before he voiced Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Dante Basco starred alongside Robin Williams in the 1991 film “Hook”.
In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Basco talks about the lack of roles for Asian Americans, “[Diversity] was non-existent,” Basco remembers. “There were no Asian roles and no one even knew what a Filipino was!”
But Hollywood and Basco have come a long way since then, from starring as Ben Mercado in “The Debut”, the first Filipino American film to be released theatrically nationwide to starring and directing in “The Fabulous Filipino Brothers”, Basco has charted a path for pinoy talent to succeed.
17. Vanessa Hudgens and Olivia Rodrigo in High School Musical and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
From one Filipina queen to another, the High School Musical franchise has had Filipina talent front and center.
Hudgens, who played Gabriella Montez in the original series, is half-Filipina and will star in an upcoming documentary about her Filipino heritage. She’s also a big fan of global pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo who plays Nini Salazar-Roberts and is cast as Gabriella Montez in the series’ meta performance of High School Musical. Rodrigo like Hudgens is also half-filipina but through her father’s side and like many Filipino kids her favorite Filipino food is Lumpia.
Watch High School Musical and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series on Disney+.
Celebrating Filipino Artists and Creatives
18. Bobby Rubio’s Float
Bobby Rubio is a Filipino-American storyboard artist and director, he worked on Pixar films like “Inside Out”, “Incredibles 2”, and “Brave”. He also worked on Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender.
But in 2019, Rubio directed the first Pixar short to feature animated Filipino-American characters. Inspired by Rubio’s son who was diagnosed with autism, “Float” tells the story of a father who discovers his son is different from other kids. Rather than letting his son face the outside world, he attempts to shelter his son from any judgment by keeping him hidden.
Despite this being authentically Rubio’s story, his own sketches and storyboards featured a Caucasian father and son. In an interview with Variety, Rubio talked about his own unconscious biases. “A co-worker saw the cover and said, ‘Bobby, this is your story. The character should be Filipino American.’ I thought, does anyone want to see a Filipino-American character? I had this unconscious bias,” Rubio admits. It was only when he was asked how his son would feel looking at the screen and seeing a Caucasian kid that Rubio’s thinking was challenged. “I did not want Alex to think that I was ashamed. I wanted him to know that his dad loved him, and he was worth it. I wanted to empower him and empower children of color.”
Watch Float on Disney+.
19. Bobby Pontillas’ One Small Step
Bobby Pontillas is a Filipino-American director and artist who has worked for studios like Disney, Taiko, Blue Sky, and more.
His short film, “One Small Step” was nominated for an Academy Award in 2019. The short film features the story of a Chinese-American girl who dreams of being an astronaut.
Outside of his work in animation, Pontillas is an advocate for diverse talent in the animation industry, co-founding Rise-Up Animation, an organization that provides BIPOC with industry advice, portfolio feedback, resume feedback, and the tools needed to turn their dreams into a reality.
Watch One Small Step on YouTube.
20. From Our Family to Yours | Disney Christmas Ad Campaign
I know what you’re thinking a Disney UK Christmas Ad to celebrate FAHM in OCTOBER?? But I’ll remind you that Christmas decorations are already on sale at Costco and representation can be seen and felt across the Filipino diaspora.
This three-part ad campaign which initially kicked off in 2020 featured a young woman and her Lola sharing the tradition of creating a parol together each Christmas. The campaign, which was led by Filipina creative Angela Affinita, explores family traditions, blended families, and adapting to change across the three-years during the campaign’s run.
In an interview with CNN, Affinta talks about the impact this ad has on Filipino families across the world. “One of the inspirations in this video is my relationship with my Filipino grandmother. Over the years, we have built a Christmas tradition of building star lanterns and being able to translate that in the story brought a special level of authentic creativity. I am deeply grateful by how the ad turned out touching the lives of many. Through this video, we wanted to celebrate traditions and how these can help bridge generations and form strong bonds [among] families. Looking at the response so far, we do hope that we were able to achieve that.”
Watch From Our Family to Yours on Youtube.
Thanks for reading! If you’re looking to learn more about kids’ media, follow along and subscribe to Jomo’s Corner! My name is Jomo Arcibal and I’m a Filipino-American kids’ media professional, data nerd, and life-long learner who loves to dive into the latest in the world of kids’ media. If that interests you please subscribe and join me on this journey!