# Dolores Sibonga

Dolores Dasalla Sibonga is Washington’s first Filipina American female lawyer. In 1978, she became the first minority female to serve on the Seattle City Council, when she was appointed to fill the vacancy left by Phyllis Lamphere, she chose not to run to fill that seat for a full term. In 1979, Sibonga was elected to city council and served until 1992 when she chose not to run for reelection.

## Early life and journalism career

Sibonga was born in 1931 in Seattle, WA, and grew up in the Chinatown–International District, Seattle. She would work in her parents' restaurant and pool hall, the Estigoy Cafe. Sibonga stated that her mother encouraged her to pursue a career in journalism because, "...she had so much respect for Victor Velasco, the longtime editor and publisher of the Filipino Forum." She earned her journalism degree from the University of Washington in 1952.
After college, Sibonga worked in radio and television in Spokane and Seattle. She produced documentaries for new organizations, like KOMO-TV, earning her an emmy nomination. After Velasco passed away in 1968, due to a cannery fire, Sibonga and her husband Martin purchased the Filipino Forum. From 1977-1978, they would run the monthly newspaper, supporting civil rights movement, often militant, and urged people to take part in "united minority action."

## Legal career

Sibonga's husband suggested she take a summer class at University of Washington aimed at assisting ethnic minorities interested in going to law school. In 1970, Sibonga would enroll in law school at UW after her husband lost his job as a illustrator at Boeing. Sibonga would graduate and in 1973, become the first Filipina American lawyer admitted to the Washington State Bar. Sibonga initially worked as a defense attorney before becoming a legislative analyst for the King County Council. She then worked in the King County office of Human Rights before working at the State Human Rights Department as a deputy secretary.

## Seattle city council

In 1978, Sibonga achieved another historical first by becoming the first minority female to serve on the Seattle City Council when she was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Phyllis Lamphere. She would choose not to run to serve the remainder of the term, instead running in the 1979 election to replace outgoing councilmember Tim Hill.

### Elections

In the September 1979 primary election, Sibonga won with 40% of the vote, with Seattle police officer, Bob Moffett, coming in second with 23%. In the November general election Sibonga defeated Moffett, 55% to 45%, becoming the first minority woman elected to the council. Sibonga ran for reelection in 1983 and won the general lection in a landslide against Frank Doolittle, the chairman of Board of Public Works, 64% to 36%. In 1987 she defeated future council member Margaret Pageler 57% to 43%.
In 1989, Sibonga lost an election to become the Mayor of Seattle. Afterwards, her bid for council presidency failed. She would then choose not to run for reelection in 1992.

### Tenure

Sibonga chaired four committees over her 12 year tenure; Personnel and Property Management (1978, 1980-1981), Parks and Community Resources (1982-1983, 1988-1989), Finance (1984-1987, 1990-1991), and Labor (1986-1987).
Sibonga introduced legislation that would provide reparations to five city employees fired during World War II because of their Japanese ancestry. The ordinance passed in 1984, providing $5,000 to the employees.
Sibonga was the lone "no" vote on a plan for tax breaks for a new basketball stadium after the Seattle SuperSonics threatened to leave the city. Plans for the new stadium were scrapped, and the Sonics would eventually leave Seattle. While she was chair of the parks committee, it studied potential redesigns of Seattle Center, which included an expensive and unpopular proposal from Disney consultants. She was a critic of the Disney plan, and worked to maintain minimal changes to the area.

## Post city council

Sibonga returned to practicing law after leaving city council. In 1998, she was appointed to a two year term on the Horse Racing Commission immediately followed by a five year term on the Human Rights Commission.
In 2023, she earned the International Examiner Lifetime Achievement award.