Dozens of events across the state will mark the centennial of the arrival of the first Filipinos in Hawai'i, a celebration that will run for a year beginning in December.

A tentative schedule jammed with approximately 100 related events was presented yesterday by the Filipino Centennial Celebration Commission.

The SS Doric arrived in Hawai'i on Dec. 20, 1906, with 15 Ilocano men aboard. They were assigned to the Ola'a Plantation on the Puna side of the Big Island.

Jeoffrey Cudiamat, president of the Hawai'i Junior Filipino Chamber of Commerce, said it was important for young Filipino-Americans like himself to celebrate the heritage of those who came before him.

"Their determination, strength and pride has been passed on from generation to generation," Cudiamat said.

Inspired by those stories, Filipinos of today's generation "will not only be a part of society but will help define it," he said.

A marker honoring the memory of those first sakadas, or Filipino plantation workers, will be unveiled at the site of the former plantation on Dec. 10, the opening day of the yearlong celebration. In Honolulu that day, a formal opening ceremony will be held at the Hawai'i Convention Center, with a commemorative dinner slated for the Hilton Hawaiian Village that evening.

Scores of events are planned for the months that follow, from formal balls to craft shows to symposiums about Filipino culture. Also planned are a Filipino film festival, a commemorative book and a video documentary being produced by Emme Tomimbang.

The festivities will continue through 2006, with a parade, fireworks and other activities planned for Dec. 16, 2006, in Waikiki.

Gov. Linda Lingle, honorary chairwoman of the event, submitted a $50,000 check to the commission that will go toward planning, developing and coordinating activities tied to the celebration. The check was in addition to $150,000 that was approved by the Legislature and released by Lingle last year.

Lingle told those gathered yesterday at the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu that the Filipino experience in America was similar to that of other immigrants who struggled.

"Their willingness to sacrifice (for future generations) has paid off," Lingle said, noting that many are now government leaders and other professionals.

Lingle also announced that she will be part of a delegation from Hawai'i that will head to the Philippines in January.

Centennial commission chairman Elias Beniga said, "This is a way for us to look back on where we came from, where we are today and what the future holds for the next generation of Filipino youth."