A comprehensive report by Maui grassroots organization Tagnawa and the Hawai‘i Workers Center highlights the deep disparities, resilience and urgent needs of Filipino survivors of the Aug. 8, 2023, Lahaina fires.
The findings — based on surveys conducted beginning two months after the fires — reveal significant challenges faced by one of Lahaina’s largest and historically underserved communities in the aftermath of the tragedy, which killed 102 people and destroyed an estimated 2,200 structures, most of them homes.
The survey exposed stark inequities in recovery access, including that English-speaking respondents reported greater access to basic necessities and were able to prioritize housing, while Tagalog-speaking Filipinos faced the most difficulty securing essentials like food, water and household goods.
Financial aid emerged as a critical need across the board, with 94% of respondents initially requesting financial support and 38% reaffirming its importance a year later.
Language barriers compounded the struggles of Ilokano and Tagalog-speaking immigrants, many of whom were unfamiliar with government systems and required translation services.
The report said that while government and community aid responses were immediate, they failed to address the specific needs of vulnerable groups such as immigrants — especially undocumented immigrants — children, people with disabilities and Filipinos, who form a significant portion of Lahaina’s population.
Tagnawa, a grassroots organization formed to advocate for Lahaina’s Filipino community, conducted the surveys in September and October 2023. Volunteers collected responses at key locations such as the Royal Lahaina Resort, Honokowai Beach Park and the Lahaina Civic Center.
Using Google Forms, the survey included 20 questions addressing demographics, immediate needs, safety concerns and recovery priorities. A total of 757 Filipino survivors participated, with 408 completing the survey in Ilokano, 235 in English and 114 in Tagalog.
The demographic diversity of respondents reflected the breadth of Lahaina’s Filipino community, with a significant portion comprising women with children and elderly family members.
The majority of respondents completed the survey in Ilokano, underscoring the historical and cultural prominence of the Ilokano community throughout the state.
Filipino survivors and organizational leaders requested a Filipino-specific response, highlighting barriers in accessing and navigating disaster aid. Some survivors struggled with simple tasks, like setting up a GoFundMe account due to a lack of a bank account, while others, like an elderly Filipino woman, faced frustration and confusion when FEMA officers failed to provide adequate translation services.
“An organizer from a Maui organization spent a couple of hours with us on the phone describing an incident she witnessed at the Lahaina Civic Center where a FEMA officer was yelling in frustration at an elderly Filipino woman because she could not understand his instructions because English was her second language,” the report said.
Many Filipinos also reportedly confined themselves to hotel accommodations, avoiding outreach efforts due to fear or mistrust. The challenges underscored the need for culturally specific recovery approaches that had been largely overlooked in initial response efforts.
Mario Acosta, a Lahaina resident for over a decade, shared that despite the challenges posed by the wildfires and their impact on his life, he remains committed to staying in Lahaina.
Acosta emphasized that his top priority is finding an affordable place to live, expressing concerns about rising rent prices in the aftermath of the wildfires.
“I don’t know why, when we have this disaster, the rent became so high, and then we cannot afford it anymore,” Acosta said in an interview with Tagnawa. “Most of the Filipinos I know, most of the friends I know, even not Filipinos, they are complaining about the rent rate for now because it went up. So we really need some help from the government to have us a house and a place where we can stay that we can afford the rent.”
Acosta shared that addressing the affordability of housing is crucial for him and many others in the community as they work to rebuild their lives.
“I really want to live here because our workplace is here, our friends, our relatives live here, and I really enjoyed living in Lahaina because it’s, like what I’ve said, a very beautiful place, and I cannot change it,” Acosta said.
The challenges were further stressed by federal aid policies that separated multigenerational households — a common living arrangement for 68% of respondents — into smaller units.
The separation disrupted caregiving arrangements, strained elders’ physical health and forced parents to leave jobs to care for children and relatives.
Mental health concerns also emerged as a significant area of need. Although only 6% of respondents explicitly sought mental health services, 33% reported trauma- related symptoms like anxiety, nightmares and hypervigilance.
Filipino children faced significant distress, with 50% of respondents mentioning feelings of isolation and bullying in new schools. The findings underscore the need for targeted mental health support, particularly for youth.
Despite the challenges, the Filipino community has shown remarkable resilience. Survivors relied on cultural values of mutual aid, interdependence and subsistence agriculture to navigate their recovery. Many respondents expressed a strong desire to preserve Lahaina lands for local residents and identified job creation and community landownership as top long-term recovery priorities.
The report also challenges Gov. Josh Green’s assertion that Filipinos broadly supported the reopening of West Maui tourism in October 2023.
Survey results showed only 31% outright supported the reopening, often citing economic necessity, while 47% opposed it and 22% expressed mixed feelings. Respondents voiced concerns about exploitation and the long-term sustainability of tourism.
The report concludes with a call for policymakers to adopt culturally informed recovery strategies, including translation services, support for multigenerational households and equitable resource distribution. Tagnawa plans to expand its work, launching studies on gender-based violence and increasing its focus on mental health and community resilience.
By prioritizing culturally grounded solutions, the report offers a model for inclusive, community- centered disaster recovery — one that not only rebuilds, but strengthens the social fabric of Lahaina’s Filipino community.
The report suggests establishing grassroots community advisory councils that operate independently from government-created councils. These advisory bodies would allow underrepresented groups — particularly Filipinos and multiply marginalized communities such as immigrants, mothers, seniors and LGBTQ+ people — to take the lead in recovery planning and execution. This recommendation stems from widespread frustration among Filipino survivors who felt sidelined in decision-making processes after the fires.
By providing structured avenues for marginalized voices, the councils would ensure that recovery efforts address specific needs, propose culturally informed solutions and build long-term community resilience.
To address language barriers that have hindered access to recovery resources, the report recommends implementing multilingual outreach programs. This would include providing trained interpreters fluent in Ilokano, Tagalog, Cebuano-Visayan and other commonly spoken languages.
Survivors have repeatedly cited difficulties in navigating disaster aid due to a lack of translated materials and language support. Clear communication in native and preferred languages would make vital information such as details about support options, application deadlines and eligibility requirements more accessible.
The report further advises deploying interpreters at community meetings, service centers and during resource distribution — it would not only improve service delivery, but also foster stronger trust between Filipino survivors and service providers, ensuring a more inclusive recovery process.
By integrating these recommendations, the report argues that recovery efforts can better address systemic inequities and empower marginalized voices, creating a model for inclusive disaster response.
