More than 500 residents gathered yesterday at a service at St. Raphael’s Church in Koloa for the late former Mayor Eduardo Malapit, remembering him as a statesman who strove to make Kaua‘i a better place for the common man. Malapit
More than 500 residents gathered yesterday at a service at St. Raphael’s Church in Koloa for the late former Mayor Eduardo Malapit, remembering him as a statesman who strove to make Kaua‘i a better place for the common man.
Malapit became the nation’s first mayor of Filipino ancestry when he took office in 1974, holding the post until 1982. It was distinction Malapit, who prided himself in being a humble man, downplayed, mourners said.
They also remembered Malapit for having spearheaded efforts to build more infrastructure to support development, build neighborhood centers, parks and fire stations and develop sport programs for youths.
“I remember him and like him because he was a champion of the people,” said “Sonny” Cayetano Gerardo, a one-time administrative assistant to Malapit and a county civil defense director.
In failing health in recent years, Malapit died at Wilcox Hospital on Aug. 27 at the age of 74. He was surrounded by family members at the time of his death.
Hundreds of residents filed past an open casket to pay their final respects between 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. yesterday, followed by a eulogy given by Lon Malapit, one of four sons of Malapit.
A private family burial followed in the afternoon at the cemetery of the church.
Malapit, who was born in Hanapepe but had spent most of his adult life in Koloa, found comfort in attending church services in the last weeks of his life, according to a family friend.
In recognition of his passing, Gov. Linda Lingle ordered state flags at state and county buildings to fly at half staff yesterday, from sunrise to sunset.
In a prepared statement, Lingle commended Malapit’s commitment to “improving the quality of life on Kaua‘i.”
“His dedication to public service and his active involvement in the local community, especially in youths sports and activities, serve as examples for all of us to follow,” she said.
Mayor Bryan Baptiste, who attended the ceremony yesterday, declared it “Eduardo E. Malapit Day.”
“He was a strong individual willing to make the right decisions for the benefit of Kaua‘i,” Baptiste said. “(His administration) went through some tough times with Nukoli‘i, and with all the confrontations at that time, he remained a statesman.”
The process surrounding the development at Nukoli‘i, located in the middle of canefields outside of Hanama‘ulu some two decades ago, spawned controversy during Malapit’s tenure.
During the height of the controversy two bombs exploded outside windows of the mayor’s office when it was housed at the historic County Building.
Gerardo recalled that despite all that, Malapit didn’t flinch and continued with business as usual.
Messages of condolences, placed on a partition at the church that was topped with maile lei, came from the Philippine Embassy, U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, the state Legislature, Congresswoman Mazie Hirono, who attended the funeral service as well, Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona Jr., Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, Big Island Mayor Harry Kim, the Kaua‘i County Council, the Knights of Columbus , the Kaua‘i Filipino Chamber of Commerce and the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i.
According to Ray Duvauchelle, a retired Kaua‘i County deputy police chief and a former county council member, Malapit’s greatest contribution was “being pro-development.”
“We needed to grow,” Duvauchelle said. “And he was bold enough to stick to it. Mala was the right person at the right time.”
While supporting growth and development, Malapit also sought federal funds to help residents, said James Kurita, who served as the director of economic development for the county and as an administrative assistant in Malapit’s cabinet.
Malapit sought funds for training programs for displaced sugar workers and funds for after-school programs.
Malapit could be counted on to run the county in good and bad times, Gerado said.
Malapit brought a steady hand to a chaotic situation after Hurricane ‘Iwa in 1982, which inflicted $60 million in damages to the island, Gerardo said.
Participating in meetings between Malapit and insurance representatives, Gerardo said he recalled Malapit telling insurance agents that “whatever people deserve by way of recovery benefits, provided them that.”
In addition to serving eight years as mayor, Malapit served on the Kaua‘i County Council from 1970 to 1974. He also served as chairman of the state Labor Relations Board from 1983 to 1987 and as a liaison on Kaua‘i to Gov. John Waihe‘e from 1987 to 1990 and as a Kaua‘i County prosecuting attorney.
An attorney, Malapit was a graduate of the University of Hawaii and the University of Notre Dame School of Law.
Barbara Bulatao-Franklin, Malapit’s one-time public information officer, and others also credited the former mayor for leading the charge to build neighborhood centers across the island. There are nine today.
Malapit also put his energy behind efforts to build parks and fire stations.
Malapit was successful in getting those projects off the ground because he had strong ties with powerful Kaua‘i’s state legislators in the 1970s — Dennis Yamada, Richard Kawakami and Tony T. Kunimura, Bulatao-Franklin said.
Although powerful in his own right, Malapit liked being among the common man, she said.
After she and Malapit went to a mayor’s conference on Maui some years ago, they had a chance to be among the first to be seated on a flight back to Kaua’i, Bulatao-Franklin said.
Instead, they waited in line with other passengers to be seated, she said. “He was just that kind of guy,” Bulatao-Frankliin said. “He was so big and burly. He was such a teddy bear.”
Bill Pascua, a retired employee with the County Clerk’s office, said the former mayor was man of the people.
“He was for the regular guy, just like me,” he said.
Kent Malapit, one for four sons of Malapit, said he knew his father’s life evolved around politics, and was glad his father still found time to be with him and other family members.
“From the second grade to the sophomore year in high school, he was at every game (football), “ said Malapit, 39 years old and resident of Newberg, Ore.
Malapit’s personal and political achievements drew praise from Clyde Kodani, a long-time Kaua‘i
Republican Party leader, Turk Tokita, a long-member of the Kaua‘i Democratic Party, Mary Thronas, a former Kaua’i liaison to former Gov. George Burns and Gov. George Ariyoshi and a former chairwoman of the Kaua‘i County Council, Brian Nishimoto, a former planning director in Malapit’s administration, Harold Naumu, a former political ally of Malapit, Roy Nishida, a former anti-drug director of the county, Janice Bond,, who championed anti-smoking laws on Kaua‘i.
Also attending the funeral service were Kaua‘i Sen. Gary Hooser, council members JoAnn Yukimura, Jay Furfaro and Tim Bynum, former Kaua‘i state legislator Ezra Kanoho and Randy Hee and Phil Tacbian, leaders with the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative.
• Lester Chang, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or lchang@kauaipubco.com.
