Alice Bulos, ‘Grand Dame of Fil-Am Politics,’ passes away

Alice Bulos. FACEBOOK

SAN FRANCISCO — Alice Bulos, 86, longtime political leader in the Filipino American community passed away Friday, Oct. 21 at 2:23 p.m. She was rushed to Seton Medical Center in Daly City, California but died of heart failure.

Known as the “Grand Dame of Filipino American Politics,” she served the Filipino community for nearly half a century, mentoring young Democratic-leaning leaders and helping the disenfranchised and under-represented groups.

Bulos represented California at the Democratic National Convention five times. She was an appointee of President Bill Clinton to the Federal Council on Aging in 1993 and was a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging in 1995. She was also an adviser to several state attorneys general and local elected officials. She was named the 2006 Woman of the Year for California’s 19th Assembly District.

In 1972, Bulos resigned as the chairwoman of the University of Santo Tomas sociology department to join her husband, the late Mr. Dony Bulos, in the United States. Together they founded the Filipino American Grassroots Movement, a voter registration drive designed to involve Filipinos in the political process.

Bulos also served as the charter president of the Fil-Am Democratic Club in San Mateo County, the regional chair of the National Filipino American Women’s Network and Board member of the National Asian/Pacific Democratic Council.

As an advocate on behalf of underrepresented groups, Bulos chaired the Filipino American Democratic Caucus and was an outspoken advocate for the rights and benefits of Filipino veterans who served during World War II. She also supported workers at the San Francisco International Airport by helping them unionize.

Before her health delined she was a constant presence in community affairs and was also a board member of the San Mateo County Chapters of the American Heart Association, American Lung Association, American Red Cross, Community Initiative on Multiculturalism and the Northern California Disaster Preparedness Network.

Bulos is survived by daughter Elizabeth Ramilo, sister Lourdes Reyes and three grandchildren.