Yes, the 30th anniversary will push through as planned by the Philippine Fiesta Management Committee. The same venue at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds and the same line up of events and activities. Even better as this year is the grandest so far being the Fiesta’s 30th celebration. “But the Fiesta Committee members are still silent on the real issues. They haven’t provided all the financial documents we have been asking. They make it appear that everything is ok now but it’s not,” Billy Velasco told The Philippine Times. Mr Velasco is one of the pioneers of PFVI and one of the active members of the Concerned Members of Philippine Fiesta of Victoria Inc. (CMPFV).
“If Fiesta is losing money fo
r the past three years, what then is the guarantee that it will not lose money this year?” asks Velasco. The recent three years of financial report released by the Philippine Fiesta of Victoria Inc (PFVI) shows three years’ loss since they were disallowed to hold the annual Philippine Fiesta celebration at Laverton in 2009 by Hobsons Bay City Council (HBCC) due to numerous council regulation violations. The HBCC’s decision to disallow the annual Fiesta celebration in Laverton triggered the holding of our Fiesta from Laverton to Melbourne Showgrounds in Flemington. The Showgrounds venue is not only less suitable but also very expensive to rent (approximately $35,000 to $50,000 for 2 days).
Velasco adds, “The high rental costs of running the Fiesta and the misfortunes of rain in 2009, 2010 and coincidence of the annual Fiesta and Manny Pacquiao’s Boxing match in 2011 contributed to the continuing losses of the Fiesta and its dwindling finances. Despite the mismanagement and losses, what angered most of the lifetime members was when Fiesta Management secretly negotiated the (failed) sale of the PFVI’s Laverton property without consulting the general members. This forced us to form the CMPFV to abort the downward spiral of the association’s resources.”
Enquiry on finances
Recent developments in past few months saw two groups of members of Philippine Fiesta of Victoria Inc (PFVI) pursuing two separate issues which they feel are more important than the annual Fiesta celebration itself. One is the CMPFV making enquiries about the finances of the Philippine Fiesta since 2003 up to the present. Several requests made by CMPFV to the current PFVI Management were not satisfactorily met. The outstanding request by the group pertains to “access to and copies of all PFVI banking records and statement in the custody of ANZ Bank and all information relating these accounts.”
The group wants copies of bank statements starting from January 2003 up to the discharge of the mortgage, securities, loans or overdrafts, and other financial records. Part of the request is to seek clarification about two Discharges of Mortgage by ANZ of PFVI loan to purchase the Laverton property dated 5 June 2003 and 9 Jul 2010. “It is widely known that no bank will issue two discharges for the same loan or mortgage unless the first loan was fully paid and re-mortgaged for another loan or overdraft by the same organization,” Velasco notes.
ANZ has not responded to the CMPFV request for PFVI banking records as of press time.
Enquiry on validity of election
The other CMPFV group of Ray Carbungco, Remy Raquel and other concerned members is requesting the Fiesta Management Committee for a Special General meeting to resolve issues raised in the previous annual general and special meetings. The group wants a nullification of the 2012 PFVI Election of officers stating, among others, the incomplete mail out of notices of AGM to registered PFVI members and election of 16-member committee for periods 2012- 2014. It also claims that there are irregularities in the nominations of Ed Guevarra and Fely Roxas when they submitted their election candidacy documents.
The group wants the management committee members to vacate their positions and a new election called. It also endorses the resolution put forward by Alex Ordona, current PFVI Director, to authorize CMPFV to have “unfettered access to all PFVI bank statements and transactions.” In the same proposed resolution, it is requesting Liz Honey, current Vice Chairperson of PFVI, to be appointed as Interim Officer to coordinate an independent investigation of the financial transactions of the Fiesta from January 2003 to July 2012.
Manuel has not issued any official statement about the enquiries on finances and the validity of the 2012 election of officers.
The Philippine Times is always open to what Manuel or the other Management Committee members has to say about the issues.
