The Philippine Fiesta of Victoria (PFVI) will hold its Annual General Meeting scheduled on 24 July 2016 at the Filipino Community Council of Victoria Centre at 93 Cowper Street in Footscray. As per agenda mailed to PFVI members, the officers and members will discuss within 45 minutes the financial reports, Chairman’s report, membership report, the 2015 Fiesta celebration report and a few minutes will be allotted to question and answer portion. An election of officers will also take place after the main agenda.
Questions from members
For two to three years now, some PFVI members are asking the Committee of Management some questions which remain unanswered. There was no special meeting held or formal announcement/communication made to answer their queries on membership issues, the revised constitution, financial accounts and current activities of the Fiesta. The recent $300,000 mortgage of the Laverton property and the current status of the Philippine Community Centre which the Committee of Management (COM) said will be finished by December 2017 are some of the major issues the members are interested to get more details.
Fiesta member, Philip Salanguit sent a formal request to the COM asking similar questions and some recommendations but was told that the AGM this Sunday is for reporting only. Salanguit’s recommendations will be discussed at a Special General meeting (SGM) to be scheduled at an agreed date. “My reservation with this is that the SGM should take precedence of AGM. This is so that everyone is on the same “page” as they are on the affairs of PFVI,” Salanguit said.
Fiesta court cases
The PFVI and the Concerned Members have been in a legal battle for the past three years. It started when the 16 Concerned members were expelled. The Supreme Court in December 2015 has ordered the PFVI to reinstate the expelled members. In August 2016, a defamation hearing is scheduled at the Melbourne Magistrates Court.
In May this year, The Philippine Times (TPT) was included by the PFVI as third party to the case. The PFVI claims that if they lose the case against the Concerned Members, TPT should pay damages because it printed their former lawyer’s letter in its August 2013 issue without their consent.
