This is according to court documents provided to Balita by the winning camp and now the official set of officers for the cultural organization.
The Minutes of Settlement from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice stipulate that the 16 plaintiffs, members and officers of “The Pillars Cultural Association” (1718149 Ontario Inc.), and represented by Gerry Elises and Rheza Evangelista will release and give up all their interest and claims to the name “Pillars”, and also to amend their corporate name by removing and destroying all documents that bear the name within four days from the date of the decision that was issued on December 15, 2010.
In addition, the plaintiffs acknowledge that they do not have the right to any monies, bank accounts, assets and or equiment at any time belonging to Pillars.
The remaining plaintiffs from the original 16 listed are: Benigno Alfaro Jr., Benigno Alfaro Sr., Fely Alfaro, Gerry Elises, Rheza Evangelista, Patricia Martin, Francisca Ramos, Domingo Ramos, and Irene Reyes. They are now obliged to settle all of the remaining outstanding issues, and are liable for all of defendants’ costs in complying with the order.
On the defendant side is the original “1718056 The Pillars Filipino-Canadian Seniors Association, Inc.”, represented by Frank Maralag, Milagros Lupango and Caridad Tomas-Bercasio, in whose stewardship now falls the task of rebuilding and unifying the organization.
Others in the plaintiff list include: Aning Angeles, Pedro Angeles, Benito Arcalas, Purita Barrientos, Carmen de Castro, Arsenia de la Cruz, Fred Cruz, Amy Domingo, Benjamin Ferrer, Elena Frias, Leah Garcia, Zenaida Lopez, Juan Magistro, Patricia Martin, Anthony Niel, Lynette Perez, Edith Plena, Modesto Puno, Tito Primicias, Epifanio Pulian, Pelagio Seguban, Segunda Seguban, Rosa Siochi, Angelica Umali, Edgardo Unali, Nena Velasco, Antonia Vidal, and Violy Vilan.
This scenario unfortunately is not uncommon in the Filipino community. It is happening even with the smallest of groups, usually after a bitterly contested election, where the defeated camp breaks away to form a duplicate rival organization under their own leadership.
It reflects crass politics of personalities on one hand, and a shallow understanding of democratic principles on the other. In short, ego and false pride rules instead of organizational ideals.
What ensues is not civil dialogue as our Christian and educated values dictate, but the expensive alternative of going to court. An average court case lasts for 5 years and cost a lot of money. It should be time and resources better spent on charitable causes and in helping out the needy, the proper rationale for running community organizations, not to stroke the conceit and self-importance of misguided egoistic leaders.
Why they simply cannot accept defeat, or the voice of the majority, under the rule of law in a democracy is anathema to living in Canada. How many times do we hear of groups that split for the inanest of reasons just so their so-called leaders can perpetuate themselves in their imagined limelight? Yet oftentimes communal funds raised by the group for goodwill purposes are misspent to pursue those cases in court.
Blinded by hurt pride and too obsessed with getting even, the civil options of even a third party conciliation or mediation become impossible. Not that in our community there are no highly respected and proven leaders of impecable integrity who can do the job.
You can almost named people who are doing it for financial, political and to be on the pages of the newspapers. They can’t even create a new concept. It is just like moving to a new house that upon leaving, took all the original owner’s furnitures and treat them like they were theirs to begin with.
. Many kindhearted people in our community want to serve and help, so they join associations and groups but there are others that just want to be there for personal gains.
The court is the Canadian way of resolving disputes and conflicts when civil discussion and brain storming are no longer the options. It is really costly but in a way, if we just let some people get away, then we will forever become victims of ambitious individuals that will do everything to stay on the limelight.
It is with disappointment and sadness that Balita reports on this story, but we do so in line with our avowed commitment to promote and build a sense of unity, goodwill and harmony in the Filipino communty, with the hope of discouraging and highlighting situations that tend to undermine it. ****
Miss Manila pageant 2011 – May 7, 2011 7:30 p.m.
Korean Cultural Centre
1133 Leslie St. Toronto
Tickets are $25.