Eduardo Malapit
Encyclopedia
Eduardo Enabore Malapit was an American
Democratic
politician
who served as Mayor of Kauai
, Hawaii
. Malapit, who was elected for four consecutive two-year terms as mayor of Kauai beginning in 1974, holds the distinction of being the first Filipino American
mayor of any United States
municipality
. He was widely respected in Kauai and throughout Hawaii for his belief in community service
, and was known as "Mala" by friends and constituents
.
on April 6, 1933. He was raised in the town of Hanapepe. Malapit's father and mother, Eusebio and Leonila Malapit, owned the Hanapepe Pool Hall
during the 1960s. He often worked as a shoeshiner in front of his parents' business. Malapit attended Waimea High School
in Kauai, where he played football
.
Malapit obtained a bachelor's degree
in economics
from the University of Hawaii
. He went on to receive a jurisprudence
degree from the University of Notre Dame
Law School
in 1962. He worked as a public prosecutor
after graduation.
Malapit was elected as Mayor of Kauai
in 1974, becoming the first mayor of Filipino American
descent in the United States. Malapit served as mayor for four consecutive two-year terms (total of 8 years) from 1974 until 1982. According to news reports, Malapit kept a pair of firefighting boots hidden behind a curtain in his office while mayor in order to respond quickly to emergencies.
Malapit oversaw a development boom, as well as difficult periods, while mayor of Kauai. Malapit is often credited with improving and updating Kauai's infastructure during his tenure as mayor. Under his authority, Kauai's public parks were renovated. Brand new community centers, police station
s, fire station
s, sewage treatment
plants, and garbage transfer stations were built on the island. However, Malapit's term as mayor also coincided with the Nukoli'i development, which caused an island-wide controversy. Malapit's own mayoral office was heavily damaged by a pipe bomb
. It is believed that Malapit was targeted because of the Nukoli'i development. The perpetrators of the bombing were never captured and are still at large.
Malapit left the mayor's office in 1982. His next post as a public official was the chairman of the Hawaii state Board of Labor
and Industrial Relations. Malapit held that post from 1983 to 1987.
Malapit served as the governor
's representative for the County of Kauai from 1987 to 1990. He also worked as a part-time magistrate
.
. He held the positions of president and legal adviser for the Kauai Pop Warner football
league. He also served as president of the West Kauai Jaycees. Malapit also worked with a number of other sports related organizations including the Koloa Youth Baseball Organization.
Additionally, Malapit served as president of the Koloa school PTA
and the Koloa Lions Club. He worked as the director of the Hawaii Visitors Bureau, a statewide position. A practicing Roman Catholic
, Malapit was appointed to the Kauai Catholic Vicariate board which advises the Bishop
on issues facing local Kauai Catholic schools. Malapit was also active on the Kauai Filipino Community Council.
U.S. Representative
Mazie Hirono
(D-HI) commented on Malapit's life, "He was my friend and supporter. He was a colorful and humble man who had a great sense of loyalty and friendship. I will certainly miss Mala." Malapit had supported Hirono during her successful run for Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
in 1994.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who served as Mayor of Kauai
Mayor of Kauai
The Mayor of Kauai is the chief executive officer of the County of Kauai in the state of Hawaii. He or she has municipal jurisdiction over the islands of Kauai and Niihau. Bernard P. Carvalho, Jr. was elected on November 4, 2008 as the...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. Malapit, who was elected for four consecutive two-year terms as mayor of Kauai beginning in 1974, holds the distinction of being the first Filipino American
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
mayor of any United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
. He was widely respected in Kauai and throughout Hawaii for his belief in community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
, and was known as "Mala" by friends and constituents
Electoral district
An electoral district is a distinct territorial subdivision for holding a separate election for one or more seats in a legislative body...
.
Early life
Eduardo Malapit was born in KauaiKauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
on April 6, 1933. He was raised in the town of Hanapepe. Malapit's father and mother, Eusebio and Leonila Malapit, owned the Hanapepe Pool Hall
Pool hall
A billiard/billiards, pool or snooker hall is a place where people get together for playing cue sports such as pool, snooker or carom billiards...
during the 1960s. He often worked as a shoeshiner in front of his parents' business. Malapit attended Waimea High School
Waimea High School
Waimea High School is a public high school in Waimea on the island of Kauai in the state of Hawaii. It was established in 1881 and serves grades 9 through 12. According to the Detroit Lions official website, it is the western most high school in the United States of America and therefore, the...
in Kauai, where he played football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
.
Malapit obtained a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
from the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
. He went on to receive a jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
degree from the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
Law School
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
in 1962. He worked as a public prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
after graduation.
Political career
Eduardo Malapit's first public office was as a councilman on the Kauai County Council for eight years.Malapit was elected as Mayor of Kauai
Mayor of Kauai
The Mayor of Kauai is the chief executive officer of the County of Kauai in the state of Hawaii. He or she has municipal jurisdiction over the islands of Kauai and Niihau. Bernard P. Carvalho, Jr. was elected on November 4, 2008 as the...
in 1974, becoming the first mayor of Filipino American
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
descent in the United States. Malapit served as mayor for four consecutive two-year terms (total of 8 years) from 1974 until 1982. According to news reports, Malapit kept a pair of firefighting boots hidden behind a curtain in his office while mayor in order to respond quickly to emergencies.
Malapit oversaw a development boom, as well as difficult periods, while mayor of Kauai. Malapit is often credited with improving and updating Kauai's infastructure during his tenure as mayor. Under his authority, Kauai's public parks were renovated. Brand new community centers, police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
s, fire station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
s, sewage treatment
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
plants, and garbage transfer stations were built on the island. However, Malapit's term as mayor also coincided with the Nukoli'i development, which caused an island-wide controversy. Malapit's own mayoral office was heavily damaged by a pipe bomb
Pipe bomb
A pipe bomb is an improvised explosive device, a tightly sealed section of pipe filled with an explosive material. The containment provided by the pipe means that simple low explosives can be used to produce a relatively large explosion, and the fragmentation of the pipe itself creates potentially...
. It is believed that Malapit was targeted because of the Nukoli'i development. The perpetrators of the bombing were never captured and are still at large.
Malapit left the mayor's office in 1982. His next post as a public official was the chairman of the Hawaii state Board of Labor
Labor relations
Industrial relations is a multidisciplinary field that studies the employment relationship. Industrial relations is increasingly being called employment relations because of the importance of non-industrial employment relationships. Many outsiders also equate industrial relations to labour relations...
and Industrial Relations. Malapit held that post from 1983 to 1987.
Malapit served as the governor
Governor of Hawaii
The Governor of Hawaii is the chief executive of the state of Hawaii and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 1 through 6. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state...
's representative for the County of Kauai from 1987 to 1990. He also worked as a part-time magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
.
Community service
Malapit was known in Kauai for his leadership in community serviceCommunity service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
. He held the positions of president and legal adviser for the Kauai Pop Warner football
Pop Warner Little Scholars
Pop Warner Little Scholars is a non-profit organization that provides youth football, cheerleading, and dance programs for participants in 43 U.S. states and several countries around the world. It is headquartered in Langhorne, Pennsylvania...
league. He also served as president of the West Kauai Jaycees. Malapit also worked with a number of other sports related organizations including the Koloa Youth Baseball Organization.
Additionally, Malapit served as president of the Koloa school PTA
Parent-Teacher Association
In the U.S. a parent-teacher association or Parent-Teacher-Student Association is a formal organization composed of parents, teachers and staff that is intended to facilitate parental participation in a public or private school. Most public and private K-8 schools in the U.S. have a PTA, a...
and the Koloa Lions Club. He worked as the director of the Hawaii Visitors Bureau, a statewide position. A practicing Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, Malapit was appointed to the Kauai Catholic Vicariate board which advises the Bishop
Roman Catholic Bishop of Honolulu
The Roman Catholic Bishop of Honolulu is the residential bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu in the United States, which encompasses the entire state of Hawaii and the unincorporated Hawaiian Islands. The Honolulu diocese is a suffragan see in the metropolitan province of the...
on issues facing local Kauai Catholic schools. Malapit was also active on the Kauai Filipino Community Council.
Death
Eduardo Malapit died on Monday, August 27, 2007 at Wilcox Memorial Hospital in Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii. He was 74 years old. Malapit was survived by his wife, Elizabeth, to whom he had been married for 45 years, and four sons, Kevin, Lon, Kent and Lyle.U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Mazie Hirono
Mazie Hirono
is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.She was the second Asian immigrant elected lieutenant governor of a state of the United States. She ran against Linda Lingle for governor of Hawaii in 2002, one of the few gubernatorial races in United...
(D-HI) commented on Malapit's life, "He was my friend and supporter. He was a colorful and humble man who had a great sense of loyalty and friendship. I will certainly miss Mala." Malapit had supported Hirono during her successful run for Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
The Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, concurrently the Secretary of State of Hawaii, is the assistant chief executive of that U.S. state and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 2 though 6. He or she is elected by popular suffrage of...
in 1994.