The peak community organisation Philippine Community Council of New South Wales once again relied on its focus group called “Ugnayan” in addition to its resident board of directors to promulgate and pursue various community wide projects for NSW.
Reporting on its recent Ugnayan meeting last August 17th held at the Hub Community Centre in Mt Druitt, PCC-NSW President Jun Relunia said the PCC-NSW Board finalised some 13-points program of activities for the rest of 2014 and up to February 2015, when PCC meets for its AGM and election of officers.
Initiated three years ago, the “Ugnayan” had become the much anticipated event in the PCC-NSW calendar in which policies and programs are discussed by the focus group comprising of the PCC-NSW board, representatives of affiliate organisations, media outlet proprietors, and practically volunteers who want to have a say in the workings of peak community organisation activities.
Ugnayan meetings are virtual mini-parliament in session where board of directors, the executive roles and even virtual walk ins vent out their reviews, suggestions and proposals to fuse out and lumped together programs and schedule of activities.
Ugnayan is a device to muster even broader external support from the community, in addition to existing affiliations by individual community organisations in the umbrella body.
But sometimes, it could be a source for factionalism and divisiveness as shown during the last Ugnayan when a speaker on the floor was booed and mistakenly called out of order, reminding one of the usual catcalls one sees on Parliament Time TV in Canberra.
In the case of PCC-NSW, Mr Relunia announced the following activities for 2014; review of PCC-NSW membership profile to comply with the body’s constitution; invitation to more community organisations to join or rejoin; conduct a feasibility study to establish subscription by corporate sponsors to the PADER emergency fund raising program;
Hold a Philippine Festival that will promote Philippine culture, arts, food and tourism sometime in November this year; continue the “Oness in Advocacy” which covers the issues of ageing, 457 visa, and important submissions for the well being of Filipino-Australians, including networking with federal, state and local government and close coordination with other ethnic groups, the Community Relations Commission (CRC), and other bodies;
Holding at least two more Ugnayan meetings during the current term, focusing on government grants, registration of organisations, public liability insurance, ageing; and charitable foundations; hosting the Filipino Community Council of Australia (FILCCA) National Conference on October 24-26; preparation for the 26th anniversary activities of PCC-NSW in 2015; assistance and support to PCC-NSW affiliate organisations;
Assistance and support to individuals, organisations and sectors in the Philippines through encouragement of such activities as medical and dental missions, scholarship grant, donation of educational equipment or establishment of livelihood program; improvement of public communication protocols of PCC-NSW via the facilities of internet web site, Facebook social networking presence and company public relations of PCC-NSW.
Set the groundwork for establishment of a PCC-NSW office or centre, with carryover and continued ownership by future elected officers of PCC-NSW.