Councilmembers Trevor Ross Ozawa (District 4) , Ron Menor (District 9) , Consul General Gina Jamoralin and Councilmember Joey Manahan ( District 7) during the reception after the Inauguration Ceremony at Honolulu Hale.

In simple yet solemn ceremony, three (3) Filipino-Americans took their oath of office as reelected members of the Honolulu City Council before Supreme Court Associate Justice Sabrina McKenna at the  Honolulu Hale, City and County of Honolulu on 3 January 2017.  These newly reelected officials are Councilmembers Kymberly Marcos Pine, Joey Manahan and Ron Menor.  Councilmember Ron Menor was also elected as the new Chair of the Honolulu City Council. They were joined by their colleagues Councilmembers Ikaika Anderson and Ann Kobayashi.

Consul General Gina Jamoralin was invited  as  special guest of  incoming Council Chair Ron Menor . Other VIP guests present were Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho, former Governor John Waihee III and other State officials.

Outgoing Council Chair Ernest Martin thanked the Council for their support all throughout his chairmanship and congratulated the new Council leadership and expressed hope that the City Council will continue to be responsive to people’s concerns and issues affecting their daily lives. Incoming Council Chair Ron Menor said that under his leadership, the Council will continue to address pressing issues such as the  Honolulu rail project  and  homelessness. Chairman Menor presided over the Council’s first meeting of the  year and voted on one resolution.

Councilmember Brandon Elefante, is the fourth  Filipino-American  in the Honolulu City Council. Out of nine (9) Council members representing nine (9) districts of Honolulu City and County , almost half  have Filipino descent. (END).