A Cayetano Retrospective
Benjamin Cayetano: First highest-ranking elected official of Filipino ancestry in the State of Hawai‘i: 6th in a series.
Gilbert S.C. Keith-Agaran
Editor’s Note: 2019 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the election of Benjamin J. Cayetano as the Fifth Governor of the State of Hawai‘i and the first Filipino-American elected as the head of an American state. This is the sixth in a series of articles profiling Cayetano and his historic election and service. Versions of these articles appeared previously in The Filipino Summit.
Counting Heads
In the summer of 1994, Filipino lawyer Alfredo Evangelista received a telephone call at his Graulty Evangelista & Quiban law firm from a so-called leader in the Filipino community. Throughout the hour-long telephone conversation, the so-called leader peppered Fred with a series of questions about Lt. Gov. Ben Cayetano. The conversation came down to whether Ben was the best candidate and, if elected, how many Filipinos would he appoint to his cabinet.
Fred, who had worked with Cayetano at the Schutter law firm and who had been involved in the two successful campaigns for Lt. Governor could not help but get frustrated with the questions and the inability of this so-called leader in the Filipino community to understand the significance of having a Filipino as the leader of the state government. He finally snapped, “It doesn’t matter how many Filipinos he appoints. I’d rather have the number one in the State be Filipino and no other Filipinos than having a non-Filipino and lots of Filipinos.” To Fred, it was useless to continue that conversation but he realized that there would be folks out there counting how many Manongs and Manangs would be in any administration.
Sometime after the 1994 election, a Filipino community “leader” commented to some friends who worked on Lt. Gov. Cayetano’s campaign his interest in serving as a director or deputy director in the Cayetano administration. Asked if the person was going to submit a letter in response to the new Governor’s advertisement, the person snapped: “If they want me, they know where I am.”
That person never served in the Cabinet.
One of the things that always surprised me was the selected scrutiny placed on the Governor’s appointments to his Cabinet and state boards and commissions by some people in the Filipino community. Gubernatorial and mayoral candidates have made promises about appointing a certain number of Filipinos (and some actually have done so upon election apparently). Ben Cayetano never made such promises.
As the administration held press conferences on new appointments, certain Filipino community members would show up at the Executive Chambers to count the number of Manongs and Manangs being introduced or announced. While Governor Cayetano did appoint quite a number of Filipinos to various positions throughout his eight years, there was an undercurrent of dissatisfaction with the number and perhaps ultimately the people who were tapped.
What they perhaps missed is that Governor Cayetano quietly broke the bamboo ceiling of such a spoils systems. Instead of one or two cabinet positions, one Supreme Court position, only certain administrative bodies or Cabinet positions or legislative seats, it was wide open. Filipinos served in all kinds of places during Governor Cayetano’s administration, reflecting the varied skills, experiences and professions in the community.
Governor Cayetano included four Filipino directors during his term of office: Sam Callejo as comptroller, George Iranon as public safety director, Leonard Agor as labor director and myself as the first Filipino Chair of the Board of Land and Natural Resources and the Commission on Water Resources Management (and briefly as labor director). Callejo later held the Chief of Staff position as well.
As a lawyer, one significant moment for me was when Governor Cayetano elevated Intermediate Court Judge Simeon R. Acoba, Jr. to the Hawai‘i Supreme Court. Conventional wisdom would have raised political concerns that the five-member court already had a Filipino—Justice Mario Ramil. The Governor also named to the circuit court bench Reynaldo Graulty and Artemio Baxa, two Philippine-born lawyers.
At the end of the administration, Fred compiled a list of Cayetano appointees from the Filipino community. For the most part, these people applied although no doubt the Governor and his circle certainly knew where some of them were and did go and get them.
Appointments to the Cabinet:
Leonard Agor, Director, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations;
Deputy Director, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Rudy Alivado, Deputy Director, Department of Public Safety Sam Callejo, Governor’s Chief of Staff; State Comptroller, Department of Accounting and General Services;
Deputy Director, Department of Transportation Gilbert Coloma-Agaran, Chairman, Board of Land & Natural Resources;
Director, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations;
Deputy Director, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs;
Deputy Director, Department of Land & Natural Resources Mark Forman, Director of Office of Community Services, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Reynaldo Graulty, Insurance Commissioner, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Moya Davenport Gray, Director of Office of Information George Iranon, Director, Department of Public Safety Alfred Lardizabal, Deputy Negotiator, Office of Collective Bargaining Pauline Namuo, Deputy Director, Department of Public Safety Eric Penarosa, Deputy Director, Department of Public Safety John Sabas, Director of Office of Community Services, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Robert Viduya, Deputy Director, Department of Public Safety
Senior Staff Appointments in the Office of the Governor:
Clarita Barretto, Executive Assistant to the Governor Genaro Bimbo, Deputy Legislative Coordinator Joseph F. Blanco, Executive Assistant to the Governor;
Special Advisor for Technology Development Sam Callejo, Chief of Staff Sheila Forman, Director of Office of Children and Youth Kim Murakawa, Press Secretary Pauline Namuo, Legislative Coordinator Kathleen Racuya-Markrich, Press Secretary David Rodriguez, Legislative Coordinator Robert Viduya, Director of Office of Veterans Services
Appointments to the Judiciary:
Simeon R. Acoba, Jr., Supreme Court of Hawai‘i Artemio Baxa, Circuit Court of the Second Circuit Reynaldo D. Graulty, Circuit Court of the First Circuit
Appointments to the Legislature:
Felipe Abinsay, Jr., State House of Representatives Benjamin Cabreros, State House of Representatives Willie Espero, State House of Representatives Ron Menor, State Senate
DEPT OF ACCOUNTING AND GENERAL SERVICES
State Foundation on Culture and the Arts
Ethel Alikpala Ward, 1996
Alfred Laureta, 1997, 2001
DEPT OF BUDGET AND FINANCE
Defender Council
Geronimo Valdriz, 1995, 1999
Alfred B. Castillo, Jr., 1999
Board of Directors, Housing Finance and Development Corporation
Benjamin Saguibo, 1997
DEPT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM
Community-Based Economic Development Advisory Council
Vince G. Bagoyo, Jr., 1995, 1998
Hawai‘i Community Development Authority
Allan Los Banos, Jr., 2001
Board of Directors of the Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation
B. Martin Luna, 1999
Board of Directors, Hawai‘i Strategic Development Corporation
Ted Subia Mina, 1995
Rose Cruz Churma, 1997
Antonio J. Saguibo, Jr., 2001
Edmund C. Aczon, 2002
Hawai‘i Tourism Marketing Council
Sandra K.M. Albano, 1995
Cha Thompson, 1995
Leticia T. Gaoing, 1997
Board of Directors, Housing and Community Development
Corporation of Hawai‘i
Allan Los Banos, Jr., 1998, 1999
Land Use Commission
Isaac Fiesta, Jr., 1997, 2001
Small Business Regulatory Review Board
Memito N. Ablan, 1999
DEPT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS
State Board of Public Accountancy
Maria A. Unemori, 1996
State Boxing Commission of Hawai‘i
Alfred Castro, 2002
State Board of Chiropractic Examiners
Maude I. Panganiban, D.C., 1996
Contractors License Board
Clyde J. Eugenio, 1995, 1999
Ernie Bello, 1999
Anacleto “Lito” Alcantra, 2000
Board of Dental Examiners
Janet M. Y. Primiano, 1995
Modesta Gaerlan-Tokunaga, D.D.S., 1997
State Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors, and Landscape Architects
Oscar Portugal, 2000
Alfredo G. Evangelista, 2002
Board of Medical Examiners
Antonio K. Tan, M.D., 1995
Ramon K. Sy, M.D., 1999
State Board of Nursing
Rowena Tachibana, L.P.N., 1998
Board of Osteopathic Examiners
Rudy Briones, 1997
Board of Pharmacy
Angelina E. Ramos-Tablizo, 1998
Board of Private Detectives and Guards
Frank P. Lafita, 1997
Board of Public Broadcasting
Ricky C. Manayan, 1995, 1999
Magdalena Pasion Domingo, 1996
Real Estate Commission
Alfredo G. Evangelista, 1996, 1998
DEPT OF DEFENSE
Civil Defense Advisory Council
Albert “Benny” Rodero, 1995, 1999
Edith C. Pascua, 1997, 1998, 2002
Alejandro Lomosad, 1996, 2000
Advisory Board on Veterans Services
Rogelio Evangelista, 1996, 2000
Ed Mina, 1997
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
District School Advisory Council, First School Board District
Donnamarie B. Pabre, 1995
District School Advisory Council, Third School Board District
Almo Paraso, 1995
Hawai‘i School-to-Work Opportunities Executive Council
Theresia C. McMurdo, 1998, 2001 Nobleza E. Magsanoc, 2000
Hawai‘i Teacher Standards Board
Gervacio Buenconsejo, 1996, 1998
DEPT OF HEALTH
Architectural Access Committee
Oscar C. Paez, Jr., 1996, 1997
State Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities
Esperanza N. Cadavona, 1999
Disability and Communication Access Board
Oscar C. Paez, Jr., 2000
Hawaii Advisory Commission on Drug Abuse and Controlled Substances
Dominic K. Inocelda, 1997
Lorraine Godoy, 1997
Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs
Fely Libre Faulkner, 1995, 1999
Richard I.C. Caldito, Sr., 2000
Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee
Teofilo Phil Tacbian, 2000
Environmental Council
Roger Castro, 1997
Melissa Dumaran, 2002
Central O‘ahu Subarea Health Planning Council
Adela G. Sanidad, 1996
Hawai‘i County Subarea Health Planning Council
Lito Asuncion, 1997
Juliette M. Tulang, 2001
Kaua‘i County Subarea Health Planning Council
Eleanor R. Ragasa, 1997
Cesar G. Cadabes, 2000
Elizabeth Ubay, 2000
Trinidad Raval, 2001
Aida Pascual, 2002
Windward O‘ahu Subarea Health Planning Council
Agnes E. Pigao Cadiz, 2000
Diamond Head Service Area Board on Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Fred Pascua, 1995, 1999
Maui Service Area Board on Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Rowena Marie Dagdag, 2000
Windward O‘ahu Service Area Board on Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Katherine Baltazar, 2000
Board of Certification of Operating Personnel in Wastewater Treatment Plants
Jose M. Padron, 1995, 1999
County Public Health Facility Management Advisory Committee, County of Maui
Dolores Malagsic Fabrao, 1996
DEPT OF HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT
Civil Service Commission
Ricardo Medina, 1996, 2000
Normita F. Fenn, 1998
DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Hawaii Housing Authority
Allan Los Banos, Jr., 1997
Board of Human Services
Angel Ramos, 1995
Juvenile Justice State Advisory Council
Reynaldo D. Graulty, 1998
DEPT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
Civil Rights Commission
Claudio R. Suyat, 1997
Advisory Commission on Employment and Human Resources
Elena M. Bumanglag, 1995
Hawaii Labor Relations Board
Kathleen Racuya-Markrich, 2000
Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board
Vicente F. Aquino, 1996
Hawaii Workforce Development Council
Clayton E. Dela Cruz, 2000
DEPT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Aquatic Life and Wildlife Advisory Committee, City and County of Honolulu
Teodoro “Ted” Saribay, 1995
Natural Area Reserves System Commission
Pascual Dabis, 1997, 2001
Commission on Water Resource Management
Clayton W. Dela Cruz, 2002
DEPT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
Hawaii Paroling Authority
Lani Rae Suiso Garcia, 1997, 2000
DEPT OF TAXATION
Board of Taxation Review, First Taxation District
Amor B. Nino, 1997
Board of Taxation Review, Second Taxation District
Randolph R. Cabanilla, 1999, 2000
Board of Taxation Review, Fourth Taxation District
George M. Menor, 1997, 2001
Eduardo Topenio, Jr., 1997, 2001
DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION
State Highway Safety Council
Orlando S. Soriano, 1995
Hernando R. Tan, 1999
Commission on Transportation
Rudy Miranda, 1999
James C. Pacopac, 2002
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I
Board of Regents, University of Hawai‘i
Joseph F. Blanco, 1996
Board of Directors, Research Corporation of the University of Hawai‘i
Eugene N. Tiwanak, 2001
OFFICE OF ELECTIONS
Board of Registration, Island of O‘ahu
Herman T. Andaya, Jr., 1998, 1999
PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM
Hawai‘i Library Advisory Commission
Antonia R. Lambayan, 1995
Kaua‘i Library Advisory Commission
Federico R. Cuaresma, 1995
Jesus S. Guirao, 1996
JUDICIAL SELECTION COMMISSION
Amy Agbayani, 2000
Gilbert S.C. Keith-Agaran serves as the State Senator for Central Maui. Before marrying Kallie Keith, his name was Gilbert S. Coloma-Agaran.