STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1396

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 743

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 743, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of: 

 

Language Access Advisory Council

 

G.M. No. 743

RUTH E. MABANGLO,

for a term to expire 6-30-2015,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal history, resume, and statement submitted by the nominee and finds Ruth E. Mabanglo to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the Language Access Advisory Council.

 

     Testimony in support of the nomination of Ruth E. Mabanglo was submitted by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; the Office of Language Access, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Oahu Filipino Community Council; Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights; Nursing Advocates & Mentors, Inc.; Filipino Coalition for Solidarity; United Filipino Council of Hawaii; Oahu Filipino Community Council; Filipino American Citizens League; Katipunan Club; and ten individuals.

 

     Ruth E. Mabanglo is currently a Coordinator of the Filipino and Philippine Literature Program and Professor at the Department of Indo-Pacific Languages and Literatures at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  She is a renowned poet, playwright, journalist, textbook writer, translator, choral recitation director, Filipino storytelling expert, and Filipino language pedagogy consultant.  Ms. Mabanglo is the recipient of numerous academic awards, literary fellowships, and grants.  Ms. Mabanglo has taught Filipino for the United States Department of Defense as part of the Southwest Asian Studies Summer Institute and trained second language teachers for the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages.  She is also the author of several textbooks and videos for students and teachers of Filipino languages.

 

     Testimony submitted on behalf of Ms. Mabanglo's nomination highlights not only Ms. Mabanglo's standing as an internationally acclaimed Filipino linguist, writer, and poet, but also her deep commitment to promoting cultural understanding and breaking down language barriers in the community.  Specifically, testifiers indicated that Ms. Mabanglo is a strong advocate of the right of limited English proficient individuals to have access to government programs, services, and activities.  She also has a reputation of patience, fairness, working well with others, and keen critical thinking skills.  Your Committee finds that Ms. Mabanglo's appreciation for the diversity of Hawaii, her understanding of the need to provide equal access to government services to those members of the community who are not native English speakers and who have difficulty understanding English, her linguistic credentials, and the resources she brings through her affiliation with the University of Hawaii at Manoa and national and international connections will be incredibly valuable to the Language Access Advisory Council.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

 

 

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair