Kalihukang Bisaya Montreal Board of Directors 2016-2017 Elected

Kalihukang Bisaya of Filipino Community in Montreal had successfully and peacefully held a long time awaited General Assembly where the election takes place last Oct. 23, 2016, at Community Center 6767, Cote Des Neige, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It’s been how many years since the creation of Kalihukang Bisaya (KB) in Montreal held a separate event of General assembly to do the organization’s annual report and election of twenty-one Board of Directors(21 BOD). For more than a decade , the election was held along with annual picnic gathering among members that oftentimes resulted to proclamation by acclamation since many among members were active and very supportive, yet, only few dares to volunteer, do the task and take the responsibility to uphold the unity and continuity of the objective and purpose of Kalihukang Bisaya. The official COMELEC Officers commissioned to managed 2016 election was headed by Ms. Rosette Pama-Regis as the Chairman and assisted by members Ms. Jovita Rochette, Ms. Norina Alcordo, Ms. Marcia Tolentino, and Ms. Linda Vasquez. This year’s election was done peacefully and well facilitated that shows Bisaya folks are well discipline members of the community. Kalihukang Bisaya had gained back the enthusiasm among members to be part of the group to lead the organization. For past few years, KB maintained the members of BOD since the organization had difficulties in convincing members to be an officer that resulted to a proclamation by acclamation every election. Last year, 24 candidates filed candidacy for 2015 and recently, 26 candidates filed for 2016. Among the 26 members who filed for candidacy, only 21 will be declared the winner to occupy the 21 seats as Board of Directors. Voting was done thru secret balloting . The General Assembly started at 1:00 pm and finished at 5:30 pm. This year Election will be of great expectation as five among the 21 Incorporators which is considered founders of KB and early years active officers came back to join and answer the calling of the present Executive Officers’ challenge for voluntary service. The recent officers of the organization joined the force to be elected and express their word to support and unite all the “Bisaya” dialect speaking Filipino , Filipino-Canadian and Canadian resident and citizen here in the province of Quebec. The following were the Elected twenty-one, Board of Directors, as declared by the COMELEC 2016. Mr. Marc Uy, Mr. Reynold Omictin, Ms. Melanie Anore, Ms. Anita Lo, Mr. Cecilio Javier, Ms. Delia Autentico, Mr. Felix Salazar, Mr. Vincent Quiblat, Ms. Marjorie Reponte, Ms. Joecel Trinidad, Ms. Mary Dufresne, Mr. Charlemagne Futalan, Mr. Alfonso Dela Cerna, Mr. Ernesto Nacario, Mr. Paul Imperial, Mr. Voltaire Dela Cerna, Ms. Erlinda Lopez, Mr. Alvin Abarracin, Mr. Wilfredo Gomez, Mr. Frederico Magallanes, and Mr. Venerando Pegano. Among the twenty-one elected Board of Directors , fifteen were re-elected and six were newly elected. The new added were active officers and leaders during the early years of KB inception . Mr. Vincent Quiblat – was the first President of the Kalihukang Bisaya and one of 21 Incorporators of KB, Mr. Frederico Magallanes – also one of the BOD and 21 Incorporators, Mr. Cecilio Javier, Mr. Wilfredo Gomez , Mr. Alfonso Dela Cerna and Mr. Alvin Albarracin, early years active KB Board of Directors. The five incorporators whom presently elected as members of 21 BOD were: Mr. Vincent Quiblat, Mr. Frederico Magallanes, Mr. Felix Salazar, Mr. Paul Imperial and Ms. Anita Lo. The newly elected BOD will elect their Chairman in the next few weeks and choose the new set of Executive Officers. Kalihukang Bisaya is twenty-two years old this year and is lucky to own many great active leaders of various organization here in the City of Montreal and province of Quebec. During the presentation of this year’s candidates, few of the new applicants expressed enthusiasm to come back as they see and feel something new is happening in the organization that made them feel interested in supporting and volunteering themselves. And actively participate in making Kalihukang Bisaya unite “Bisaya”, and be a purposeful and effective organization in bringing its members and their children, to be good members of their respective community upholding and cultivating valuable culture and tradition of being a Bisaya.