By Joseph Pimentel
JULY 27, 2007
Asianjournal.com
Highest Ranking FilAm in LA City Council
A FILIPINO sits outside the Starbucks near
“I don’t want my kids to grow up like I had
the Los Angeles City Hall. He wears a dark grey
to,” he says. “I want my sons to have a solid
business suit, light blue shirt with white trims,
foundation.”
a gold tie, and shiny black shoes. The early
Career in Law
morning sun shines on his face as he sips from
Angeles completed his studies at Balboa
his cup.
High School and received a Bachelor’s of Arts
He speaks eloquently yet casual. In between
degree at the University of California Santa
sentences, one hears his hearty laugh.
Barbara (UCSB). He decided to go back home,
It’s 8 a.m. On this day February 13, he will
where he attended UC Berkeley’s Hastings
meet and give advice to members of the Los
School of Law to further his education.
Angeles City Council regarding the billion-
“UCSB was the best four years in my life,” he
dollar Grand Avenue project, an endeavor that
said. “But I wanted to go back to my community,
will transform a part of downtown into Central
go back to the Mission District of San Francisco
Park west.
and give a voice to the voiceless.”
Meet Eduardo Angeles, the first Filipino
“I wanted to come back and make a
American lawyer to serve as the Special
difference,” he added.
Counsel to the LA City Council. He used to
While attending Hastings, he quickly found
be Chief Attorney of Public Protection of San
out he was in a different and more competitive
Francisco. Most recently, he served as the
environment than the lax beach lifestyle he
lead lawyer of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s
led in Santa Barbara. Hastings Law is a top ten
Airport Division.
law program in the US. The school prides itself
Angeles is the highest-ranking Fil-Am and
in making life difficult for freshmen students.
one of the highest rated Asian Pacific Islander
“Hastings was very competitive,” he said. “I
lawyers in City Hall. Besides representing some
was competing against the best of the best -
of the most powerful people in Los Angeles,
the Harvard and Yale students. It was constant
he is a significant political ally of the FilAm
competition and I learned that’s the way it is
community. something done.
in life.”
A career public defendant, Angeles recalls “I’ve been to so many local Fil-Am town
“The attrition in Hastings was high then
San Francisco City Attorney Louise Renne’s festivals and crowned pageant queens,” says
and probably is now,” he said. “One day you’re
advise before accepting the position. “Be the Angeles. “I want my community to know that
walking with a classmate, the next day they
voice to a community that often struggles to I’m going to be there when they need me.”
are gone.”
have a place in this country,” she said. He credits his success to the Filipino
Mother’s unwavering support
This is his guide and he promises to do people.
After struggling his first year in law school,
nothing less. “That is my base,” he says. “They are the
he made his mom this promise:
“There was just something romantic about reason why I am so successful.”
“I remember having coffee with my mom
representing the underrepresented,” Angeles “I stand on their shoulders because in many
one night,” he recalls. “I said, ‘Nay, I don’t know
adds. “Ultimately, that’s what drove me to respects the things that I have done really
if I can get through this. But I’ll tell you what. I
[pursue a career in] law.” has the backbone of the Filipino and Asian
will be a lawyer by the age of 35.’”
Angeles shrugs off the notion that, American communities,” adds Angeles.
“I gave myself plenty of time to fail,” says
according to some critics, his hiring was a Broken family
Angeles.
political move to bring in more diversity into Angeles’ life has been a story of struggle and
Angeles credits his perseverance to his
City Hall. Opportunity is what an individual perseverance.
mother who has always been supportive of his
makes of it is his standard retort. “I didn’t come from a privileged background,”
dreams of becoming a lawyer.
“If you think you are being used or hired he said. “I have an immigration background. I
“This is your dream,” he recalls her saying
for political purposes, then you take that went to public schools, raised by a single mom,
to him that night. “Follow your dream. I’ll sit
opportunity and run with it,” said Angeles. City lived below the poverty line and struggled the
in the back of the audience and be proud.
Attorney Rocky Delgadillo appointed him to whole time.”
These aren’t my dreams for you. These are your
this special position. Born in Pasig City, Manila and raised in
dreams so go ahead and get them.”
For the past six months, he has been sitting Angeles City in Central Luzon, Angeles grew
Making a difference
in a prominent position inside City Hall. The up as the only son of his mother and father.
After starting his career in the San Francisco
540-lawyer empire has the dual function He is the youngest of seven siblings from his
City Attorney’s office, LA City Attorney
of supplying legal advice to municipal mother’s side and the eldest from his father.
Delgadillo convinced Angeles of leading Los
departments and prosecuting misdemeanors. In September 1972, his parents separated.
Angeles World Airport legal team.
As the right hand man to the LA City Council, His father stayed in the Philippines and his
“Then he [Delgadillo] said ‘I got another job
he has his hands full everyday. Every Tuesday, mother chose to immigrate to the US.
for you,” Angeles says.
Wednesday and Fridays beginning at 10 a.m., “We boarded a TWA plane,” said Angeles. “It
Overall, Angeles says his true motivation
he proxies for any of the 15 elected officials was one the last planes to leave the Philippines.
for all of his accomplishments is to make a
who will be unable to attend council meetings. As planes were taking off, military trucks were
difference.
He assists council members in facilitating converging on the airport trying to stop the
“I’ve never been motivated or driven by
their issues. Sometimes, he even go out and planes from getting out. When we landed in
money,” he says. “Everything that I have always
represent their consituents. Hawaii, we found out [President Ferdinand]
done I wanted to make a difference. I wanted
Of course, he wants to be primarily known Marcos had declared martial law.”
to leave something behind that at some point
as the individual the city council and Fil- His upbringing is the reason why he is close
someone says the world is a better place
Am community can turn to when they need to his own children.
because I made a difference.” (AJ)
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