| Richard I. Caldito, Sr. Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii Pioneering National Community Leader First Person Of Filipino Ancestry To Be Elected |
In the County of Maui and in the State of Hawaii Richard Caldito is
better known as the first American of Filipino ancestry to win a
County Councilman’s seat. Perhaps this can be said also of any
County Council in the United States of America. He was elected
in 1956 and stayed for fifteen years retiring only in 1972.
Born on February 1, 1913 in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, the
Philippines, Richard came to Hawaii with his immigrant parents
when he was only 9 years old. His parents were plantation
workers in Penene, island of Maui. He attended Sprecklesville
Elementary School, the Waihee School and the Lahainaluna High
School.
Richard recalls that his family called him “Pablo” after the
firebrand Filipino labor leader Pablo Manlapit who led the Filipino
strike in 1924. Because of labor problems, his family had to
move to Wailuku. He helped support his family by working for the
Wailuku Sugar Company starting in 1933 and continuing to 1948.
better known as the first American of Filipino ancestry to win a
County Councilman’s seat. Perhaps this can be said also of any
County Council in the United States of America. He was elected
in 1956 and stayed for fifteen years retiring only in 1972.
Born on February 1, 1913 in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, the
Philippines, Richard came to Hawaii with his immigrant parents
when he was only 9 years old. His parents were plantation
workers in Penene, island of Maui. He attended Sprecklesville
Elementary School, the Waihee School and the Lahainaluna High
School.
Richard recalls that his family called him “Pablo” after the
firebrand Filipino labor leader Pablo Manlapit who led the Filipino
strike in 1924. Because of labor problems, his family had to
move to Wailuku. He helped support his family by working for the
Wailuku Sugar Company starting in 1933 and continuing to 1948.
As he was in the dairy industry division which was considered an industry necessary for the war efforts, he
was exempt from active duty in the armed forces.
In 1948 he decided to strike on his own and joined the Hawaii Life Insurance Company as a life underwriter
and also took out a license as a Realtor. In the meantime he took courses with the La Salle Extension
University to better himself.
As an active member of the community he was a member of many associations and officer of some such as
the Maui Lions Club, Iao School PTA, Toastmasters Club, Holy Name Society, Fil-American Athletic Club,
Diocesan Congress of Filipino Catholic Clubs, Maui Life Underwriters Association, Maui Fil-American Golf
Club, Boy Scouts World Jamboree, Community Chest and the Maui Children’s Home.
He was prevailed upon by his many friends and Maui County Mayor Eddie Tam to run for a seat in the County
Council which was then known as Board of Supervisors. He acceded and campaigned as a Democrat and
won a seat in the Council in 1956, the first Filipino to accomplish such a feat. He stayed on the job for 15
years and retired in 1972.
Career Highlights:
was exempt from active duty in the armed forces.
In 1948 he decided to strike on his own and joined the Hawaii Life Insurance Company as a life underwriter
and also took out a license as a Realtor. In the meantime he took courses with the La Salle Extension
University to better himself.
As an active member of the community he was a member of many associations and officer of some such as
the Maui Lions Club, Iao School PTA, Toastmasters Club, Holy Name Society, Fil-American Athletic Club,
Diocesan Congress of Filipino Catholic Clubs, Maui Life Underwriters Association, Maui Fil-American Golf
Club, Boy Scouts World Jamboree, Community Chest and the Maui Children’s Home.
He was prevailed upon by his many friends and Maui County Mayor Eddie Tam to run for a seat in the County
Council which was then known as Board of Supervisors. He acceded and campaigned as a Democrat and
won a seat in the Council in 1956, the first Filipino to accomplish such a feat. He stayed on the job for 15
years and retired in 1972.
Career Highlights:
- Caldito was the first person of Filipino Ancestry to be elected as Supervisor and later Councilman of
the United States and the first Fil-American Democratic Candidate to be elected to public office in the
United States. - He was selected and featured in the Men and Women of Hawaii Publication of 1966 and 1972.
- He was cited in the 1974 Men of Achievement Publication.
- He was one of 4 business men from Hawaii sent to the Philippines during General Douglas
- Founder and life member of Maui Fil-Am Golf Club.
- Delegated and Represented the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Maui to the First National
Conference of the Federation of Philippine American Chamber of Commerce in the U.S. that was held
at the J.W. Marriot Hotel in Washington, D.C., May 17-18, 1996. #
Washington D.C. Since 1987
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