Election troubles at the FACC

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

The Fil-American Community of the Carolinas (FACC) is growing through a rough patch amid the attempts by its advisory board to resolve the issues surrounding this “Jack N' Poy (the Filipino term for the rock, paper, scissors game to the unfamiliar)” routine done during its recent elections.

The FACC's Advisory Board is composed of its former presidents and was formed 25 years ago by the steering committee. The FACC's incorporation was approved in 1990 and since then had become a “vibrant community of engaged and caring individuals” according to 2003 FACC president Dr. Nini RB Bautista de Garcia.

The FACC Advisory Board recently posted on its Facebook group page which I would like to quote in toto:

“-Request that the new 2016 BOD (under Bobby Escobal) submit to the current Comelec (Steve Mirman) for immediate induction of new officers. Officers that have served in 2015 and are in the same position for 2016 will not be inducted. Only those officers who are new to the group and new to their position need to be inducted.

-Publication of the new resolution with the new set of 2016 BOD to all the Advisory Council and all the membership in the website, Facebook and blast e-mail the membership.

-Request an immediate BOD initial meeting in order to secure on-time reservations to venues.

OTHER PLANS FOR 2016 (can be administered by the Advisory Council , BOD or any volunteers)
- By-laws Amendments (Steve Mirman – Coordinator)
- Membership Records/Procedures Review (Coordinator to be determined)
- Website management/policy (Coordinator to be determined)
- Secretary-General appointment
Comelec Committee (Bert Rodriguez – Coordinator.”

This resolution simply means that there would be no general assembly as well for the 2015 Board of Directors to serve as 2016 officers. A friend told me there is nothing wrong with holdover officers as it happened when there were no persons interested in running the FACC. Not on this case. I respectfully disagree.

In this case it is really wrong since there was already an election that was held and invalidated. The principle of holdover can only be applied  before an election where the body would also decide on their interim officers.

Assuming that the FACC's 2015 Board of Directors agreed to extend their time then their mandate is from the advisory board and not from the assembly. And ideally in a democracy that is a no no because the officers will be beholden to the body that give them power. This is a case of giving power to the few and the elite.    

I’ve been reading the engagement of ideas on the issue since Ed Onia's first post and subsequent reactions  made by Tony Amor and Rogelio Lawsin which, to refresh the memory of those who forgot about or chose not to remember it was espoused on the principles of transparency, check and balance and independence. 

All three called for a general assembly, an act of participatory governance. Are the honorable members of the advisory board aware of this brazen, “animal-like” emasculation done by its members of the election process? 

Or are they aware of this but they refused to acknowledge that fact? It is pathetic indeed. Sad because we are here in our adoptive country that gave birth to democracy.   

Nowhere did the FACC board acknowledge the inputs of those people I’ve mentioned.What happened?Are those who gave inputs  “back seat drivers.” 

Not that these people need to be acknowledged but it is the essence of democracy that we learned from Philippine national heroes Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio that we take heed of the sentiments of those with a genuine sense of concern and commitment to the group. 

While many may argue that the FACC is not a government but I tell you that organizations like the FACC are tantamount to being basic units of governance and governance requires participatory democracy.

Participation is not a new element of governance that gained popularity in recent attempts. It is an attempt to include the ideas of the governed that can be used in case the leadership has failed to do its part in addressing the concerns of its constituents.

In a general membership meeting, there's a meeting of many minds that can produce ideas that can be used to shape future decisions.

The FACC Advisory Board failed to acknowledge the call for a general membership meeting in order to hear the views of all those interested responsible persons so they can decide to vote on the issue of selecting its leaders.

It is crystal clear that the FACC's Commission on Elections (Comelec) abdicated its responsibility to the Advisory Council which, by its own admission, does not have any governing power.

Or is it that the few elite (my apologies) still wants to pull the strings from behind the scenes?  

Cooperatives, government big and small, non-government organizations (NGOs) and civil society groups here and abroad recognize the importance of participation in addition to transparency and check and balance.  

 I believe on the capacity of course of the advisory board otherwise they would not be there if they were not elected or volunteered for the positions because they believe they are capable of doing the tasks required of them.

But what is disturbing here is that among the other plans listed by the FACC's current leadership for this year 2016 is that the tasks of the advisory board “can now be handled by the Advisory Council, board of directors and any volunteer.”

Why give too much power to a group? Why not share it and the responsibilities that accompany it to others who are just, if not more, as committed to the group in the spirit of participatory governance? 

It is when the citizens or members participate that we can truly have an empowered organization. I won't be surprised when there would be members who would just fade away from FACC or join other organizations.  

The election issues in the FACC remains unresolved as far as I am concerned. 

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines and is now employed as teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.
Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her email susanap.dennis@yahoo.com as well as her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)