Background
Manahan was born in Makati, Philippines, in 1971.
Manahan was born in Makati, Philippines, in 1971.
He moved with his mother to the San Francisco Bay Area at the age of 10, where he attended Bellarmine College Preparatory School.
He is the grandnephew of Manuel Manahan, who served in the Senate of the Philippines. Manahan"s father died when he was young. His mother remarried in 1991, when the family moved to Hawaii.
Manahan attended community college in California, before transferring to the University of Hawaii.
While he studied at the University of Hawaii, Manahan became interested in his identity as a Filipino American, and worked with Filipino immigrants. He later worked for Arakaki as a legislative assistant, and for State Senator Donna Mercado Kim.
Manahan was first elected to the State House in 2006, winning by 11 votes. Manahan represents Honolulu City Council District 7, which includes Kalihi, lwilei, Kalihi Kai, Mapunapuna, Salt Lake, Aliamanu, Hickam, Foster Village, Ford Island, and Sand Island.
In addition to his role on the City Council, Manahan currently serves as Chairman of the Committee on Parks and Customer Services, as well as Vice-Chair of the Committee on Transportation.
He ran unsuccessfully in the 2014 election to represent Hawaii"s 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. Manahan is married.
A member of the Democratic Party, he currently serves as a Honolulu City Councilmember. Manahan is a former member of the Hawaii House of Representatives, serving from 2007 through 2013, and as vice speaker in 2011 and 2012. Through this program, he was introduced to Dennis Arakaki, a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives, who mentored him.