Silayan elects new board members

Silayan elects new board members

TORONTO–Held at the Wellesley Community Centre on a rainy Saturday (Sept. 30), members of Silayan Community Centre (SCC) held its 36th Annual General Meeting to elect 6 board candidates and approve new amendments to the organizations by-laws and constitution.

In an effort to keep SCC in-line with funding requirements and maintain its charitable status, the current President of SCC Willie Nabus explained some points from the Annual Report to the members and discussed what had occurred within the last year in terms of the organization’s efforts to rebuild the programs and services it originally provided to the community. Former SCC President Carla Rubio addressed the members and reminded them of SCC’s service to the community and implored them to help the organization continue its mandate in helping new immigrants access these services. With applause from the members, the meeting continued with the Treasurer’s (unaudited) financial report (explained by Lorraine Tagalog), which provided a realistic financial picture for the organization.

Following the agenda, the members ratified and approved amendments to the organization’s constitution and by-laws. The Secretary (Constantine Cabarios) explained to the members that there will be additional changes to follow that will need to be ratified by the members at the AGM next year.

The President emphasized transparency and welcomed the members to visit the 476 Parliament St. office if they have any questions about SCC programs and operations. The afternoon concluded with the election and approval of 6 board members chosen from a field of 13 eligible candidates. The top 6 vote-getters were as follows: Willie Nabus (reelected 3-year term); Ramon Grajo (3-year term); Alice Agpoon Raynor (2-year term); Emmanuel Ramos (2-year term); Daisy Gonzalo (1-year term); Connie Sangrador (1-year term)

The new board member brought with them a range of personal work experiences and passion for community service. There were 54 ballots counted and the highest member attendance recorded in recent years. Witnessing the event was Father Ariel Dumaran and the retiring Police Constable Doug Ord.
SCC member Gene Lara cited Constable Ord’s significant role in the Filipino community.

As SCC moves towards more accountability to its members and stakeholders, the new and incumbent board members will meet October 20th at SCC office to elect its new executive committee. With new policies in place and a fresh mandate confirmed, a collective sigh of relief was expressed by the majority of members that afternoon.

(PRESS RELEASE)