The
Occasion
To commemorate its 50th or Golden
Anniversary, the Bohol Circle, Inc. (BCI) decided that a
celebration to pay tribute to the organization’s 50
years of accomplishments, as well as to ensure the
success of the organization for years to come was in
order. With that in mind, working committees were
organized and members were appointed. One of these
committees was the National
Convention Committee for which the following persons
were appointed as committee members:
- Lym
Galon, BCI current president (Chairperson
Ex-Officio);
- Dal
Jayag, BCI First President (1936-1937/ Honorary
Committee Chairperson);
- Rene
Sumodobila –Committee Chairperson;
- Alex
Verano –Vice Chairperson;
- Gloria
Cahiles –Secretary-Treasurer; and
- Rachel
Morgia –Invitation and Credentials
Motives
of Founding
At the time of the Golden Anniversary, there were
approximately twenty-four Boholano organizations
scattered across North America. As one of the oldest and
most established organization in America, BCI saw it
their duty to bring Boholanos from all over the United
States and Canada together for a convention for the
purpose of getting acquainted with each other and other
purposes. In due time, Convention Committee extended
formal invitations to each of the organizations to take
part and witness the historic affair.
Other
Motives
Political events in the Philippines compounded the
impetus in the formation of the CONBUSAC. Back home, the
country had just witnessed the downfall of President
Ferdinand Marcos after almost two decades of misrule.
The tide of Filipino nationalism and patriotism was
intense and unstoppable. Every Filipino worldwide was
emotionally affected. The coming together of Boholanos
from all over North America could not have come at a
better time.
The
Urgent Need to Organize
As the Convention Chairperson, I had the honor of
opening the first convention held on September 20 and
21, 1986. After discussing the purpose of the
convention, it was unanimously decided that there was an
urgent need to organize into a formal organization.
After thorough discussion, the table was opened for
motion. Immediately, Mr. Alex Verano opened a motion,
seconded by Mr. Venancio Bag-ao, that the duly assembled
bodies convert itself into an organization. This motion
was unanimously approved.
Other
motions taken by the Alameda CONBUSAC Convention
- The
body voted and approved the name “Confederation of
Boholanos,” introduced by Genaro Relampagos, as
the name of the new organization;
- Myself
was voted to head the Constitution
and Bylaws Committee, a special committee
assigned to draft the document; and
- Before
the convention adjourned, the body decided to hold a
follow-up Constitution
and Bylaws Convention to be hosted by the
Boholanos of Southern California, Inc. (BSCI) in Los
Angeles, California the following year of 1987, the
details were left to the host organization.
Los
Angeles 1987 Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention was held on July 11-12,
1987. Delegates from all over North America came to
attend the historic gathering. Unfortunately, the
convention was marred with controversy during the
opening day when three different drafts of the Constitution
and Bylaws were submitted.
It took almost the whole morning to settle the matter,
finally accepting the draft submitted by the appointed Constitution
and Bylaws Committee by virtue of previous
authorization. The cause of the confusion was the
miscommunication between the Committee and the
convention organizers of the existence of the previous
authorization made at the 1986 Alameda, California
CONBUSAC Convention.
Features
of the Proposed Constitution and Bylaws
The
aims and purposes of the organization are as follows:
·
To act as a
forum to discuss common problems, promote camaraderie,
unity, and
harmony and set as an example Filipino organization;
·
Be able to raise funds
and extend miscellaneous help to Bohol for the benefit
of
its people;
·
Create of a
strong, effective and centralized government composed of
self-governing
member-organizations incorporated and with headquarters
based in the State
of California;
·
Appoint a full-time
Executive Director to manage the day-to-day affairs
of the
organization;
·
Appoint the Council of Leaders as the policy-making body
of the
organization
consisting of
Presidents of member-organizations;
·
Adopting an annual budget as a financial control of the
organization;
·
The Biennial Convention
serves as the supreme authority of the organization.
Organizing
Credit
CONBUSAC was formed as a group and by the collective
efforts of Boholanos in the United States and Canada who
share common bond of interest, the same nationalism and
patriotism, are motivated by the needs back home, and
have come together in response to the call of the
Motherland in nation building. As such, no individual
can claim credit to the formation of the CONBUSAC.
Organizational credit however, goes to the Boholano
organizations, in particular to:
Antequera Brotherhood Club (c/o Mr. Vic Coquilla)
Baclayon Family Circle (c/o Mr. Florencio “Boy”
Verano)
Bay Area Loayanos (c/o Mr. Ben Bagnol)
Bilar Family Circle (c/o Mr.Allen Anub)
Bohol Association of Canada (c/o Mr. Gerard Silagan)
Bohol Association of Texas (BATI, c/o Mr. Filomeno
Gonzalez)
Bohol Circle, Inc. (BCI, c/o Mr. Lym Galon)
Bohol Provincial School of Nursing Alumni Association in
USA
(BPHSN-USA, c/o Mrs. Loreta “Nini” Trinidad)
Boholanos of Southern California, Inc. (BSCI, c/o
Mrs.SusanMaquindang)
Boholano Veterans of World War II (c/o, Mr. George Angan)
Circulo Boholano of Chicago, Illinois (c/o Johnny
Torralba)
Guindulman Mutual Aid of Stockton, California (c/o Mr.
Pete Villarimo)
Loay Association of Southern California (c/o Mrs.
Estrella Viloria)
Loboc Association of Northern California (c/o Mrs.
Iluminado “Dodo”Uy)
Loonanon Pioneers of America (c/o Mr. Jun Lansaderas)
Maribojoc Association (c/o Mrs. Nini Coquilla)
St. Michael (Jagna) Association (c/o Mr. Nick Lipang)
Singing Priests (c/o Rev. Fr. Cirilo Darunday, Jr.)
Sons of Calape, Inc. (c/o Mr. Eli Laboca)
Tagbilaran Association of Northern California (TANOCAL,
c/o Mr. Rene Sumodobila)
Valencia Residents of California (VALRESCA, c/o Miss
Lilia Cajilog)
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The
first convention was honored by the following guests:
- Mr Alex Esclamado (Guest, Publisher, Philippine News);
- Mr. Justin Gonzaga (c/o Bohol
Jaycees);
- Fiscal Renerio “Niknik”
Namocatcat (c/o Bohol Provincial Fiscal’s Office,
Tagbilaran City, Bohol, PI);
- Mr. Felipe Sarmiento (Guest,
Commercial Attache, Philippine Consulate, San Francisco,
California)
After twenty years of existence and the election of Ted
Apalisok as its President, CONBUSAC returns to San
Francisco, California where the organization was
founded.
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