Ang Kalatas Volume IV April 2014 Issue | Page 4

04 Amores voted as APCO president RUBENAmores was elected president of the Alliance of Philippine Community Organisations Inc (APCO) at the organisation’s recent AGM. Mr. Amores will serve for a two-year term along with several newly elected office-bearers. More than 80 affiliate and individual members participated in the elections. At the AGM, outgoing APCO president Jhun Salazar gave an update on the various projects and community development programmes completed by APCO including the recent Overseas Relief Mission for typhoon victims in Eastern Visayas. He also presented Ruben Amores the comprehensive financial and accomplishment report of APCO’s Humanitarian Emergency and Livelihood project among others. Apart from Mr. Amores, other officers elected were senior vice president Josefina Bonto; junior vice president Cora Perez; secre- THE MESSAGE. BRINGING INTO FOCUS FILIPINO PRESENCE IN AUSTRALIA www.kalatas.com.au | Volume 4 Number 7 | April 2014 NEWS tary Pet Storey; treasurer Edna Voros; auditor Josephine de los Reyes and PRO Richard Ford. Elected directors are Emma Braceros, Marx Canoy, Violeta Escultura, Mick Miguel, Glorina Papaioannou, Cora Paras, Amor Ramos and Linda Trinidad. Mr. Amores has led several successful community projects like housing coops (Kapit-bahayan, Sedgwick and Karen coops), multicultural groups (ASCON) and is currently a coop housing state board member. Kapit-bahayan is the first and only ABS-CBN Global Heroes awardee in Southern Hemisphere. [with report from Richard Ford] CELEBRATING RETIREMENT Our columnist, Imelda Argel, solicitor and registered migration agent celebrated her retirement from legal practice at her new residence last month. Around 120 of her friends, colleagues, former clients and staff attended the party including former PAL Area Manager Arnul Pan, Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis and Tourism Attache Consuelo Jones (2nd, 4th and 5th from left). PCC-NSW elects Relunia by MARILIE BOMEDIANO JOSE Relunia Jr was elected the new president of the Philippine Community Council-NSW during their annual general meeting held at The Hub in Mt. Druitt. Mr. Relunia, or ‘Jun’ as he is known in the community, topped the three-way race getting 23 votes against Danny Peralta and Elsa Collado tied at 14 votes. A lawyer and one of active seniors in the community, Mr. Relunia vowed to professionalise the management of the PCC-NSW, ensure consultation amongst members and widen the council’s reach as a state-wide entity. Jose Relunia Jr. Photo by Mr. Jade Cadeliña ‘Today is a new beginning, new hope and fresh approach to the management of PCC-NSW. I intend to start an immediate ‘Ugnayan’ meeting with all the PCCNSW afflliates to hear their concerns and get their cooperation to manage the PCC-NSW in the right direction,” Mr. Relunia said. Mr. Relunia promised to advocate transparency during his term. Elected vice presidents were Alric Bulseco (external) and Evelyn Beed (internal). The other elected office-bearers included Darryl Swadling as secretary; Danny Peralta, treasurer; Millie Banan, auditor; and Danny Rosales as public relations officer. Seven new directors were elected. They are Alex del Prado, Emily Rudd, Mercy Jones, Jade Cadelina, Nenita Weeks, Bobby Lastica, and Rissa McInnes. Ten candidates vied for seats as directors. APCO gives aid to Mindanao typhoon victims THE Alliance of Philippine Community Organisation Inc has now turned its attention to help the less-noticed victims of the recent Typhoon Agaton in Mindanao just after it completed its Overseas Relief Mission for survivors of Typhoon Yolanda in the Visayas. Requests for assistance to victims of typhoon Agaton in Mindanao reached APCO’s attention last January. In response, a fou "