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Despite a tense situation erupting at the start of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Philippine Fiesta of Victoria Inc last Sunday, 24 July 2016, the meeting ended with members and officers agreeing to work together to an improved Philippine Fiesta.
Members proposed that the current Fiesta Committee of Management (COM) led by Ross Manuel to allow a caretaker committee to review the Fiesta affairs. Some of the major items to be looked into, as suggested by the Concerned Members of Philippine Fiesta (Concerned Members), are membership list, updated PFVI Constitution, financial book of accounts, and report of PFVI activities. The Concerned Members are willing to work together with the current COM to develop a proper platform for the organisation. If such plan is put on paper, the Concerned Members and the COM can go to the Consumer Affairs of Victoria and the Magistrate’s Court to present the platform. The Concerned Members will also drop its signature campaign for the COM to step down.
“The constructive thing to do is we work together. There is no reason why we cannot have an independent body who can assist us in terms of developing a proper platform for this organisation,” Philip Salanguit said during the meeting. This move would hopefully end the three-year legal battle of the opposing groups. On 1 August 2016, a hearing will be held in relation to the defamation case filed by the Concerned Members against the officers.
No election held
As per advise by the Electoral Officer, Manuel announced the decision of COM to postpone the election of officers. Members will be notified when a meeting will be held within two months. This decision was well accepted by members.
The minutes of the AGM held in 2013 and the financial statements from 2013 to 2015 were read but not approved due to some items that need clarifications. While there were brief discussions about legal costs, the Laverton Philippine community centre project and the $300,000 mortgage, the members wanted detailed information.
Manuel reported that the progress of the Community Centre has been delayed due to compliance of the Council’s subdivision requirements and the legal proceedings lodged by the Concerned Members.
The 2013, 2014 and 2015 financial reports showed losses for the three-year period. PFVI Secretary Resy Lim will provide the complete 2014 report as it was not available that day while printed copies of 2013 and 2015 were distributed. The financial statements will be made available to the public soon or will be posted on the PFVI website.
2016 Philippine Fiesta set on Dec 3 and 4
It was also announced that the 2016 Philippine Fiesta will be held on December 3-4 at the Melbourne Show Ground in Ascot Vale.
General mood of the meeting
At first, the media was not allowed to attend the meeting but a last-minute decision by the COM allowed The Philippine Times to cover the event.
PFVI officer Manny Asuncion and Adrian Prophet were initially barred from entering the FCCVI premises due to a separate issue with the FCCVI management. They were later on allowed but the two left already and could not be contacted.
If in the past there were heated arguments, the last AGM was generally a peaceful meeting. Except for some outburst of emotions of members asking the COM about the property, financial statements and the community centre, both sides conducted themselves in a calm manner.
Members will be notified to attend the next special meeting.
