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Mayoral hopefuls
vie for Filipinos
Mufi Hannemann and Duke Bainum
clashed in a Waipahu debate
Mayoral candidates Mufi Hannemann and Duke Bainum tried to sway Filipino voters yesterday at a debate before more than 150 people at the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu.
Both former city councilmen discussed their support for the Filipino community and promised that Filipinos would be well represented in their administration.
"I've been very disappointed in the last several years of the Harris administration has not had the kind of representation of Filipinos that I believe that it so richly deserves. That will not be the case in the Bainum administration," said Bainum. "I truly believe that the city and county of Honolulu's administration should reflect the people that it represents."
Hannemann noted his opponent's campaign theme of using a broom to clean up corruption in city government.
"He insisted he wants to sweep up City Hall. He's not just talking about Jeremy Harris, he's talking about all the hard-working Filipino employees whether you are an appointee of the Harris administration, whether you are civil service," said Hannemann as Bainum supporters booed. "The Hannemann administration will have no problem appointing Filipinos to my administration."
Bainumsaid his goal is to end political corruption, not sweep out city employees.
Hannemann said his support for the Filipino community predates his days in City Council.
He noted that he established a strong economic relationship with the Philippines, primarily in Baguio City, while he was director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
Bainum, who is a medical doctor, noted that he has visited the Philippines with the Aloha Medical Mission where he helped treat patients.
Bainum said Hannemann voted against matching federal funds for the FilCom Center, which Bainum supported.
Hannemann said that he helped in rezoning efforts for the center and for the transfer of land for the building. He said Bainum mis-characterizes Hannemann's position on the center.
Both candidates vowed to support the centennial celebration in 2006 marking the arrival of the first group of Filipinos in Hawaii. And both men found supporters in the crowd.
"He is a man of honor, and he helps us a lot in the Filipino community," said Roland Pascua of Bainum, noting his support of matching federal funds for the center.
Kaneohe resident Froebel Garcia said Hannemann is familiar with Kalihi and Waipahu, where a high percentage of the Filipino population resides. "It seems like he knows what's happening here," said Garcia.
The debate was sponsored by the National Federation of the Filipino American Associations and was broadcast live on radio station KNDI AM 1270.
