Here is the SOAR (State of APO Report) of NP Brod Mel Adriano for DY 2007-2009. This report was published in the Torch & Trefoil issue for the 25th NBC.
—
National President Mel Adriano
The current Development Year, 2007- 2009, has been full of heart pounding challenges as well as successes. The full implementation of the institutionalized service projects had been our administration’s priority ever since we had adopted the vision that Alpha Phi Omega Philippines, Inc. must play a vital role in the country and the rest of the world as an international service organization composed of world class membership. We are not about to abandon very worthwhile projects that were started by the organization just because of someone’s personal preferences. We had committed ourselves to do what is right for our beloved Alpha Phi Omega. An organization professionally led and managed was our battle-cry from the very beginning. We had seen the resurgence of our membership’s morale and pride to be called an APO during the last two years of our leadership. We also had seen during this period the increased trust and confidence towards the National leadership, the Executive Council and the Board of directors.
Within this context, I am pleased to submit the report for Development Year 2007-2009. This report will try to provide the answers to a more appropriate question, “*What have we accomplished?*”
We started our tenure guided by the platform of governance that was spelled out in our “Mahalin APOng Pinaghirapan TEN-POINT PROGRAM” of The Performance Team. Thus I am forwarding this report based on our achievements vis-a-vis this program during the last two years of our administration.
1. Repackage the image of Alpha Phi Omega that will project pride to all its members. Our organization’s image must be one for the benefit of all brethren worldwide.*
The repackaging of the image of APO Phils from that negative one to a positive image is very tall order. To have an immediate impact, we strengthened our ties and joint efforts with our traditional established reputable partners in service. Through these persistent efforts, our focus in transforming APO Phils into a service organization that our children and relatives can be proud of is starting to bear fruit. The positive media coverage about APO Phils herald activities we have undertaken together with our partner institutions;
- Mass Blood Donations with the Philippine National Red Cross;
- Trees fro Peace in cooperation with Local Water Districts;
- Turn-over of housing units, a health center and a multi-purpose hall to Gawad Kalinga project sites
- Coastal Clean-ups with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources;
- YES for PEACE with the Department of Education, Philippine Postal Corporation, and the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of the Philippines.
However, we are still looking for that one service project that will be synonymous with the name of Alpha Phi Omega. We need to adopt and implement a “One APO-One Advocacy” policy. Through various consultations within our ranks, we had identified an ambitious advocacy that, if implemented the right way, will propel our organization into greater heights. This is the “Adopt-A-Barangay” project. It will be an intensive program that will provide health education, feeding programs, medical check-up and basic livelihood programs in the adopted barangay. With our 300 plus collegiate chapters and 200 plus alumni associations spread out across the nation and the world, we are very optimistic of the success of this project if approved and supported by our general membership.
We are looking forward to the time that all news about APO Phils that will hit the nation’s media will project it as the only college-based alumni assisted fraternal organization that the youth of our nation will consider to join with the prodding and support by their parents.
2. Completion of the APO Members’ directory that will include the names, addresses and contact numbers. This will facilitate the easy mobilization of our members supporting our various projects.
A team headed by Brod Tito Garcia processed the data of more than 40,000 Brods and Sis based on data supplied by Bro Jun Pangapalan; written in Membership Application Forms used in securing new IDs and updating old ones; as well as all other available sources of data, including previous directories. This project was pursued as a function of the NAO Staff and thus no major fund allocation was put into the project. Although we are still a long way to go in completing this directory, we are optimistic that with the help of everyone we will be able to finally have the names of all our members, estimated at 100,000, in our database.
On the other hand, the Commission on Membership is tasked by our CBL to conduct a census of our general membership every seven years. This census is supposed to happen within the next year. This will further enhance our efforts to complete our directory.
3. Strengthen the fragmented APO Business Network. This will be a by-product of the completed APO Members Directory. Members will have a symbiotic relationship within our organization.
Initial ground working and informal organizing activities as well identification of potential members are being undertaken by Bros PNP Jimmy de Castro (Beta), Commission on Ways and Means Chair Brod Romy Ripalda (Alpha Epsilon) and Scouting Commissioner Jorge Reyes (Alpha Lambda).
The need to organize the APO Business Network surfaced during the three separate Alumni Congresses to be mentioned below in this report. With the considerable data already in hand, the success of this program is assured. Initially, we shall write to each one of those in the database to inform them of the institutionalized programs and projects that APO Phils is earnestly pursuing.
We had seen several of our members taking the initiative to organize themselves into cooperatives or corporations with the sole purpose of helping each others professional pursuits. One of those is the Lafayette Cooperative organized by our brethren from Gamma Epsilon. There are more of these grass root organization that we expect to see with the universal quest of everyone to be self-reliant.
4. Strengthen and expand the collegiate chapters and alumni associations thru institutionalizing the basic needs of how-to-run a chapter / association.
Our resident National Officers namely, VP for the Fraternity Ismael Pelayo, VP for the Sorority Alma Sheila Liquigan, Director for Fraternity Brod OJ Lopez and Director for Sorority Dotz Uriarte organized and conducted three separate Collegiate Congresses in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. 203 Grand Chancellors, Grand Lady Chancellors and other chapter officers participated in these activities, 72 in Davao, 68 in Cebu and 63 in Makati.
Recruitment flyers and basic chapter guides were produced and distributed to all our collegiate organizational units. These will be a big help towards their pursuit to further strengthen our roots and foundation fo our organization.
“Building a new tomorrow from this wretched land of woe. Build it with cheerful service Men and Women of APO” was the core message of the congresses. The consolidated output of these congresses will be be presented in the collegiate plenary session in the 25th NBC in Boracay.
Our VP Alumni Elmer Reyes also organized and brod Ronnie Deveza facilitated three separate Alumni Congresses in Luzon(Makati City), Visayas (Cebu City) and Mindanao (Cagayan de Oro). The Mindanao Congress was hosted by APOOCA and facilitated by ILNAPOP, two well-respected AAs in the region. These well-attended congresses gave our alumni members a forum to express their concern, problems and more importantly suggested solutions. Again, resolutions generated by these congresses will be presented to the Alumni Plenary Session in Boracay.
5. Fully implement the APO Pledge Program(APP). Creation of a committee under the Commission of Membership that will oversee the uniform implementation of this program nationwide.
An APP Task Force was created and was headed by IPNP Jimmy de Castro with the help of all of our resident national officers. Eight (8) APP “*Training the Trainors Seminars*” have been conducted in all administrations regions in the country. Three hundred three (303) certified trainors are now in place in all administrative regions in the country to help in the full implementation of this program.
Slowly but surely, the APP is gaining popular acceptance among our members, who look forward to the day that all of us can readily stand up and proudly declare to our friends and kin, “APO ako at ipinagmamalaki ko ito” without reservation because APO has already shed its unwanted violent initiations of the past.
Since the first semester of AY 2008-2009, all collegiate chapters were enjoined to strictly implement the APP. Among other requirements, all documents required by the APP – Red Cross Emergency Response Training Certificates, GK Service Certificates, Rover Scout Training Certificates, etc – must be submitted to the NAO before the issuance of new IDs. The strict implementation of the APP was a financially bitter pill to swallow. It somehow affected the ID campaigns. Less new IDs were issued than projection made before the strict compliance to this organizational policy.
We all know that there will always be resistance to change, but this basic change in our acceptance policies is needed to make us grow even stronger. The success or failure of this program lies in the hands of our brethren. We need everyone’s whole-hearted support to make this program accepted and implemented in our organization.
6. Enhance the current dissemination of information down to all organizational units using print and electronic media.
Collegiate Chapters and Alumni Associations have consistently been enjoined to create e-mail addresses and subscribe these to apophilnet@apo.org.ph jointly moderated by Bro Boy Lopez (Beta Chi), Bro Willie Gutierrez (Alpha Eta) and Bro Ernie Alcanzare (Eta) as far back as two (2) years ago.
Compliance would enable all CCs and AAs to keep track of national programs and activities.
During my regional visits, I noted that internet facilities are available in or near all schools where active chapters exist. Internet time fees are only ten (10) to twenty (20) pesos per hour only. CCs and AAs are strongly urged to invest this much to update their respective chapters on national activities.
Notably, subscription to the official website has apparently remained at the personal capacities of technology savvy Brods and Sis instead of the ideal CC or chapter level. The national leadership thus acknowledges the invaluable contribution of all Information Officers and Webmasters in disseminating information on national activities.
7. Digitize and fully document policies, resolutions, transactions and activities.
This is an ongoing task and is now being implemented by our staff. The NAO have the necessary tools, with three (3) laptops, two (2) scanners and a 500 gigabyte external memory, to handle this job.
When not in ID runs, one (1) scanner and one (1) laptop will be dedicated to scan all Resolutions, Minutes of Meetings and other pertinent documents. These will be saved in the 500 gigabyte external memory, securely uploaded in the APO Phils Website and filed in e-mail addresses that will serve as cyber space filing cabinets.
For ready reference of visitors in the NAO and in the Librado I. Ureta Center, original copies of Minutes of Meetings and Resolutions shall be book bound and kept at the NAO.
8. Create and provide funds for an APO-ME (Micro-Enterprise) for the benefit of brethren who want to have their own business.
Initial negotiations with concerned government agencies as well as non-government programs have been made for soft loans for the capital requirement to finance the Micro-Enterprise through existing government is currently being explored. This program is highly anticipated by our membership nationwide. With the proper funding and leadership, we can start the pilot implementation of this program.
9. Construction of a “Bahay ni Bado” thru worldwide cooperation of brothers and sisters. This will include an expanded executive offices, museum and hostel.
The Global-Gift Giving fund raising program has thus far raised PhP2,000,000 in cash and pledges when it was launched last March 18, 2008. This is a continuing activity spearheaded by the Librado I. Ureta Foundation headed by Bro Mel S. Gonzales, Jr. in coordination with the NAO. The modest target of raising PHP10 Million before the middle of 2010 is very achievable. To date, PhP 624,693.18 is held in a trust account opened for the purpose. The APO building is envisioned to house our NAO expanded offices, an APO Museum, APO meeting rooms and an APO hostel.
We are encouraging our members to pledge their support and help in the realization of this very worthy project.
10. Continuation of the various successful flagship programs of the pervious and present administrations such as:
a. APO-Boy Scouts of the Philippines Balik-Scouting Program
The APO-BSP Balik Scouting Program has been revisited. Focus will be on the revitalization of the BSP membership drive in private and public elementary and high schools and the introduction of the National Service Training Program – Scouting in colleges and universities where APO Phils chapters exist.
Scouting Commission Chairman Bro Roy Tamani was recently appointed as the Chairman of the Membership Expansion Committee of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines by no other than its President, Bro Jojo Binay. Bro Roy now sits in meetings of the Board of Directors of the BSP. He is personally appealing to all organizational units to help him in his quest to establish more community-based scouting troops.
b. APO-PNRC Bloodbank and Emergency Response
The APO-PNRC Bloodbank started during the term of NP Bro Rod Mapoy when a MOA was entered into with the Quezon City Red Cross. The agreement was improved and expanded nationwide during the term of PNP Bro Jimmy de Castro. The MOA entered into included the emergency response training of Brods and Sis.Our experience of managing the APO Bloodbank at the NAO showed us that the system can be replicated in Regional, Section or even Provincial/City levels.
We had enjoined our membership to conduct and organize blood drives to augment the reserves of PNRC. Your Council had organized simultaneous drives nationwide in three different occasions. This is aside from the various individual blood drives being organized by the different organizational units worldwide.
While Red Cross Blood Donation Cards may be entrusted to a Brod or Sis at organizational unit level (CCs, AAs, Section, Region, National), hosts / organizers of MBDs are enjoined to send the list of donors with Blood Types, Addresses, Contact Numbers and e-mail addresses by any of the following means:
1) Fax to (02) 439-7693;
2) e-mail to ned@apo.org.ph
3) mail / courier to the NAO
Thru these concerted efforts, APO was recognized by the PNRC as the second organization with most blood donors next only to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). However, if authenticated lists will be received by the NAO and forwarded to the PNRC, I am confident that APO Phils will soon be the biggest institutional blood donor in the country.
The incorporation of disaster response training into the APP is a step to making the presence APO as a service during disaster and relief. CCs and AAs are strongly enjoined to submit a list of willing volunteers to the nearest Red Cross Chapter in their respective areas copy furnished the NAO. The volunteers will be called upon whenever the need arises in areas where they have volunteered.
c. Trees-for-Peace/Green Philippine Highway
Several Tree Planting activities were undertaken in different watersheds of Local Water Districts in various areas of the countries. Three hundred trees were planted in the stretch assigned to APO Phils along C-5 were planted pursuant to the MOA entered into with the DENR. Sis Cora Davies of DENR played a key role in coordinating the activity.
To expand the “Trees for Peace”, the possible participation of APO Phils in the implementation of recent directive of DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapus mandating planting of trees and development of mini-forests in all public elementary and high schools is currently being explored. This can be another avenue to establish closer linkages with the BSP and the GSP.
d. YES for PEACE-Bayanihan para sa Kapayapaan
The YES for PEACE-Bayanihan para sa Kapayapaan spearheaded by APO Phils as far back as 1988 has been reinvigorated and redirected. The Postmaster General Hector Villanueva of the Philippine Postal Corporation has reconfirmed their support to the campaign. Archbishop of Jaro Angel Lagdameo, President of the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines endorsed the campaign.
Thus far, 8,240,000 campaign questionnaires and the corresponding number of Homeroom Tabulation and School Summary forms were solicited through the network of APO Phils and the BSP. APO contributors of YES for PEACE questionnaires include the Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay and Cabinet Secretary Silvestre “Bebot” Bello among others. Recently, Secretary Avelino “Sonny” Razon, thru our efforts, reiterated the participation of Presidential Adviser on Peace Process in APO’s continuing peace education and advocacy campaign.
A major boost was gained when APO SOCSKSARGEN Section Chair Brod Tatex Macalangcom (Eta Chi), Brod Gil Pujales (Alpha Zeta) and Brod Crisulo Pangcuga (Eta Chi) were able to solicit support of Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao who was recently appointed as the Ambassador for Peace and Understanding.
With the wealth of experience of Secretary Razon in the pursuit of peace, Manny Pacquiao’s unprecedented popularity and the full support of our organization, it is envisioned that YES FOR PEACE will be APO’s vehicle to stand-out as a major contributor to the national peace process.
e. APO – Unionbank Visa Card
Admittedly, despite efforts exerted for this promising fund raising campaign, participation in this project has been very low because of a lot of market related reasons and perceived better services and terms from other banks. Be that as it may, a total of PhP106,247.00 has been generated since its inception. We had identified the problems in the slow response of our qualified membership to this project and we had started implementing the solutions.
To further boost the campaign, the national leadership negotiated for the employment by Union Bank of an APO member to personally offer the APO-VISA Card to our qualified members. With a full time direct marketer, it is projected that participation as well as funds generated from this project can multiply ten fold.
f. APO Mutual Death Assistance Program (Benevolent Fund)
The Provident Fund continued to grow during our administration. The fund now stands with a balance of PHP 572,000.00 plus from the PHP10,000.00 balance when it started in 2006. Our administration also increased the death benefits from PHP1,500.00 to PHP 5,000.00, still a modest amount but nevertheless some help for the beneficiaries of our members. During the past two-years, the families of five of our brethren had benefitted from this noble program. We will continue to evaluate the benefit amount as the fund grows.
g. APO – Gawad Kalinga Partnership
Our “Exchange the Paddle to Shovel” program with Gawad Kalinga provided manpower to various GK build activities. More and more collegiate Chapters and Alumni Associations had adopted GK villages across the nation. APO’s partnership with Gawad Kalinga not only included the provision of the manpower component but some financial assistance. So far APO had donated a Health Center in Liloan, Leyte through the efforts of APOGLA/ACNA, a Multi-purpose Hall in Albay by APO Qatar AA and a GK village in Palo, Leyte by APO Alpha Omicron AA. Among foreign based AAs that have contributed to this noble effort of building model communities are APO Australia AA which adopted and donated several houses in the St James GK village in Paranaque.
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE HIGHLIGHTS
We are in the best financial position in our organization’s history. During the past years, Revenues and Other Support dramatically increased primarily due to increases in collected Membership Dues, Chapter / Alumni Dues, Donations and Fundraising Projects.
Our initial fundraising project of PCSO special sweepstakes raffle draw, although it eventually raised much needed funds, ran into some marketing and legal problems when PCSO printed extra tickets beyond our signed MOA. However, after a series of talks and negotiations with them, your organization managed to generate almost PHP 1.2 million in net revenues with some PHP 500,000 more remaining for collection.
Continued improvement in the collection of biennial dues and chapter dues was also realized. The number of members in good standing had more than doubled from the previous development year. Almost 7,000 members had renewed their IDs and these contributed to almost PHP3.5 Million to our organization’s coffers. Just imagine, if only 50% (or 20,000) of our total members in our database with IDs religiously pay their obligations to the organization, that translate to PHP10 Million in funds that can be used by your organization to fund the “One APO-One Advocacy” we are proposing. That member’s obligation translates to just PHP500 every two years, PHP250 per year or 20 pesos plus every month.
The following is a graph of the comparative summary of revenue and expenses for DY 2003-2005, DY 2005-2007 and DY 2007-2009. DY 2007-2009 gross revenue increased by almost 600% compared to DY 2003-2005. The net revenue likewise increased by more than 1,000% for the same period. We are expecting to see further improvement on these figures in anticipation of the additional revenues to be generated in the upcoming 25th NBC in Boracay.
It is heart warming to report that this partnership led to the full trust and confidence of the Philippine Society in Japan – Nagoya Chapter, a non-APO organization. They coursed their donation of PhP2.6 Million for a GK village in Sta. Cruz Laguna, under the leadership of Sis Susan de Ono-Lasset, through APO Phils. They could had gone directly to GK but they chose to cooperate with us in their efforts. They also asked our Council to manage the cooperation with Gawad Kalinga on this endeavour. This is a clear indication that APO Phils now ranks among institutions trusted by other organizations to professionally manage their donations and projects.
CONCLUSION
Our organization is a voluntary organization. Its strength and success is based on the cooperation and support of its vast diverse membership. Although, we have a salaried NAO staff to serve, we still need the spirit of volunteerism to be alive and strong within our brotherhood. I had seen these volunteer spirits in my extensive travels to our 10 Administrative Regions (ARs). In my own volunteer spirit, I paid for my own travel expenses and only one of my travels abroad was fully hosted by a Section/AAs, that was my visit to ARME in UAE (Abu Dhabi and Dubai). The council greatly appreciate our UAE based brethren for their warm hospitality. Out of the 11 ARs, I only failed to visit our brethren in ARE because of schedule conflict and budget concerns. The main purpose of these visits were to spread the updates on the programs of our organization, to personally meet our brethren across our organization and get important feedbacks on concerns and problems and suggested solutions that the council can implement.
Our successes in implementing these programs of progress in our organization will not be possible without the contribution of hard work from our fellow National Officers and Regional Officers. Allow me to mention brod Egay Llarena, Chairman of the Board of Directors and our COO, NEVP Bong Cruz for their extra-ordinary dedication to our works success. Teamwork was the key and we all knew the meaning of T.E.A.M. ; Together Everyone Achieve More.
In conclusion, we are very proud to report that your organization is in a much better state than when we took the helm of its leadership two years ago. This improvement could not have been possible if not for the policies and systems implemented and put into place by our predecessors in general and IPNP Jimmy de Castro and his team of national officers in particular. All we did was to tweak the system and implemented some improvements to further be responsive to the needs of our membership and enhance the core functions of your Council. There are still a lot of works to be done but by every APO member doing his part, it will be a proverbial walk in the park.
Allow me to reiterate, that the morale and spirit of our organization is very high. Alpha Phi Omega is in a good position right now to take that “GREAT LEAP FORWARD TOWARDS EXCELLENCE”, the theme of our 25th NBC, and elevate our beloved APO into levels of respect and pride beyond our dreams. Nothing is impossible with a united APO!
Mahalin APOng Pinaghirapan! Mabuhay ang Alpha Phi Omega!
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