The plot of the Philippine Fiesta story thickens, so to speak, as both the Philippine Fiesta Management Committee and the Concerned Members of the Philippine Fiesta of Victoria (CMPFV) are firm on their stand: the Concerned Members group demands PFVI Chairman Ross Manuel to step down and a Caretaker Committee would manage the affairs of the PFVI, while Manuel and his group believe they have the mandate from the members to continue operating.
Filipino Festival in the making?
A sub-plot makes the story interesting as a third group has now entered the scene with a big warning that if the current PFVI crisis is not sorted out, it will eventually put in action its plan to put up a Filipino Festival somewhere in the Southeast area. Although no official statement is released yet, the group believes there is now dissatisfaction as to how the Philippine Fiesta is being run. The group claims it’s also about time to hold the fiesta in the Southeast due to the growing number of Filipinos living in the area. It is also planning to offer free entrance to revellers. Some are not sold to the idea as having another fiesta will only threaten the very foundation of the Philippine Fiesta especially now that it will celebrate its 30th year this November.
It will be recalled that in the 22 July 2012 Quarterly Membership Meeting, one of Manuel’s supposed ally, PFVI Director Alex Ordona has defected and proposed PFVI Vice Chairperson Liz Honey to assume overall responsibility of PFVI affairs. His proposal was accepted by majority of the members present during the meeting. Ordona’s move did not sit well with the other officers accusing him of betrayal for making a resolution without consulting the committee members. Although Ordona has resigned as PRO of the PFVI he still serves as part of the Fiesta Committee. Meanwhile, Manuel has ignored Ordona’s proposal and the members’ vote for him to step down.
Nullify of 2012 election of officers
Another group of complainants, Roy Carbungco, Remy Raquel and Ed Guevarra would want a special general membership meeting as soon as possible to discuss, among other things, the nullification of the 2012 Election of Officers. Notices of the AGM and Election of Officers were only mailed to 50 members and hand-delivered to another 30 members. All in all there are 288 members in the database. Carbungco’s group alleges that the election of the current PFVI management committee is null and void.
The group hopes that once the 16-member management committee is terminated, a caretaker committee will assume leadership to clean up membership database, ratify a new PFVI constitution and elect a new 16-member management committee.
Another issue at hand is the disqualification of Guevarra in the last election when his Certificate of Candidacy was submitted one day late. The Constitution provides a seven-day requirement before election day. Because there were only 16 elected candidates, Carbungo said an election should not have happened in the first place. The last election, he said, is now deemed null and void. Carbungco and Raquel walked out in protest of the last election fiasco.
Read, the CMPFV’s letter to the Committee dated 25 June 2012.
As of press time, The Philippine Times is awaiting a response from Manuel.
