By RICHARD FORD
Seasoned Philippine community leader Mr Ruben Amores has been elected president of the Alliance of Philippine Community Organisations of APCO. Amores is one time president of Philippine Community Council of New South Wales or PCC-NSW and until recently president of the Kapitbahayan Cooperative.
APCO held their AGM and election of officers for 2014-2016 at Kapit-bahayan Coop’s Canley Vale site on 29 March 2014. More than 80 affiliate and individual members participated in the election.
Elected to serve for a two-year term, the APCO officials and board comprise of : President: Ruben Amores; Senior Vice President: Josefina Bonto; Junior Vice President: Cora Perez; Secretary: Pet Storey; Treasurer: Edna Voros; Auditor: Josephine de los Reyes and PRO: Richard Ford. Directors are: Emma Braceros, Marx Canoy, Violeta Escultura, Mick Miguel, Glorina Papaioannou, Cora Paras, Amor Ramos and Linda Trinidad.
Following the elections, the newly elected officers recited their Oath of Office before APCO Founding President, Dr Cen Amores and the voting members composed of community leaders, individual members and representatives of the affiliated organisations. Representatives of the various media outlets and guests witnessed the very friendly and orderly transfer of responsibilities.
Before the election, outgoing APCO President, Jhun Salazar reported the many successful advocacy, community development and partnership projects with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, capacity building trainings provided to affiliates, successful funding grants received, government events attended and awards, recognitions and special government designations accorded to a number of APCO community leaders. Salazar also highlighted APCO’s Overseas Relief Mission (ORM) in Eastern Visayas supplemented by the video showing of the mission’s activities.
In the interest of transparency and accountability, Salazar distributed a comprehensive financial and accomplishment report of APCO’s Humanitarian Emergency and Livelihood (HEAL) project on Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) Relief Assistance. It included a Statement of Receipts from various fundraising activities, a List of Donors and amount donated, amount raised from each of the fundraising functions and events initiated, attended and partnered with other organisations, amount raised from each of the ten train stations where bucket fundraising were conducted.
A List of Disbursements to various livelihood assistance projects (gardening program and fishing nets distribution), house rebuilding materials delivered, relief distributions conducted, feeding programs for malnourished children conducted and funded for the next 4 months, school supplies distributed, 11 places assisted and number of households/families and individuals beneficiaries was also reported. Also included in the report is the number of direct cash assistance recipients from the community whose families and close relatives had been directly impacted by the devastation caused by typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda).
The day ended with the cutting of birthday cakes by the celebrant, Ruben Amores who has led in creating many successful and highly beneficial community like housing coops (Kapit-bahayan, Sedgwick and Karen coops), multicultural groups (ASCON) and is currently a coop housing state board member. Kapit-bahayan is the first and only ABS-CBN Global Heroes awardee in Southern Hemisphere. The Auburn Small Community Organisation Network is a model of harmonious collaborations among several ethnic groups.