Greetings, Brothers and Sisters, from APO-Philippines.
Brothers and sisters, today marks 69 years of Alpha Phi Omega in the
Philippines, and we are stronger than ever. Congratulations and happy 69th
anniversary to all of us!
Every year that our great organization exists is always a reason to celebrate. While it is obvious that our organization is presently faced with questions, complaints, and accusations, what estimable organization isn’t? I consider this as a manifestation that APO is healthy and continually evolving, and these are but growing pains that every strong organization must overcome. What matters is that with the help of the hardworking and adept members of the NEC-BOT, the resolve of your National President is steadfast in dealing with these issues head-on with the best of intentions for APO as a whole.
I will not bombard you now with data and facts about our accomplishments thus far; you can check those as they are posted across all official (and some unofficial) APO social media platforms. I would just like to focus on
a few points which I deem relevant and necessary to address at present.
Integrity, Transparency, and Accountability. As your NEC-BOT has endeavoured to manage and lead our organization with integrity and respect, we have instituted the needed reforms to reflect transparency and
accountability; one of which is making all accounting and administrative records accessible by the generalmembership. By the same token, I welcome any APO who thinks otherwise and brave enough to challenge this, but please make sure to be ready with your evidence as I will be with mine. Maybe that’s why all of a sudden, everybody wanted to be the next President as it has become tantamount to prestige and honor.
Sorority Empowerment. DY 2017-2019, thus far, can boast of many brilliant, admirable, and honourable sisters in respectable positions in this administration. I will not enumerate who they are as I have mentioned
their names multiple times in my previous speeches and messages, but should you not have read or heard it,feel free to check this link, https://apo.org.ph/2018/10/13/golden-anniversary-of-apo-sorority/.
Let me be clear. I welcome empowerment. For some members to say that the sorority members in APO are not empowered is not only inaccurate but derogatory as well, not only to your national leadership but to all APO,
most especially the sorority members themselves. Why? Many among our sisters have shown time and again, not only in this DY, but to previous ones as well, that they are capable in a variety of leadership positions, and
that APO has been a venue to showcase their talents, intelligence, skills, abilities, etc. One recent development that is a testament to this is Sis Judge Alice’s Gutierrez’s election as Chairman of the International Council of
Alpha Phi Omega (ICAPO). These sisters earned to be in these positions, performed and delivered more than everybody’s expectations, and
have thus gained the respect of many. While empowerment may be bestowed or granted, true empowerment is a state of being confident and being in control within one’s rights. The very fact that some sisters are able to
bring their issues to the fore without fear of consequence or retribution from the national leadership is an indication of an empowered sorority.
General Assembly and Elections. Brothers and sisters, we are attacked from both outside and inside. Make no mistake that your current NEC-BOT will rise up to the challenges and address all of these victoriously. On
this note, I appeal to all of you to be particularly compassionate and wise especially with our next General Assembly and Election being only a few months away. Get to know your candidates and/or the person you are
talking to and do not just accept what you are told. More importantly, ask all hard questions that you can think of lest you be misled by somebody with an ulterior motive, may it be personal or political.
In other words, all I ask from you is to be a very discerning APO, because it is only in having discernment that we can all hope to achieve the theme of this DY, Converging the Strands of LFS, Intensifying the APO spirit.
Once again, I offer a firm handshake to all!
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