Year 2009 Quick Review

As members of SDA Batch ’78 (automatic or honorary), we have a lot to be proud of and be thankful for. Dami nating accomplishments as a group for this year 2009.

First, we are now considered a legal entity with the successful SEC registration of our batch name. Cheers to St. Dominic Academy Batch 78 Alumni Association, Inc. (aka SDA Batch '78)

Meron na rin tayong bank account sa BDO under the same legal entity name we established thru SEC.

We also have a good accounting system for our batch funds. Every cent is accounted for and reported to all on a monthly basis.

We have full transparency in everything that we do, available for perusal on our website and thru sometimes annoying emails I sent y’all. :-) We’re open 24/7 for scrutiny, if one wishes to probe of our operations.

Another big thing is the scholarship project I proposed earlier. It is moving forward, thanks to you!

Understandably, not everyone agreed to the proposal...or some just don’t see it as a priority for them...or perhaps some, even if they really want to, just don’t have the capacity to offer financial support at this time.

No problemo amigas, amigo!

Good thing is we have some loving peeps supporting the scholarship project, really putting their money where their mouth is, without hesitation. Some cutely doing it anonymously, mysteriously.;-)

And mind you, a few are even outside of our core group...special thanks to them...

...with a kiss! hehehe

Pero di pa huli ang lahat for those who wishes to be part and help make a dream come true for deserving night high school kids. We still badly need your support, financial or otherwise. Whatever help or support you can offer us...a cent, a prayer or something else, all very much appreciated!

I am confident the scholarship project will be a successful one...many thanks to all those who have already shown their supports and made their pledges! The project is moving the right direction folks...”oh thank you very much”, sabi nga ni Elvis. :-)

My only wish is for this coming year 2010 is that sana marami pang mag-participate para ma-expand natin ang scope ng scholarship project natin… or makagawa pa tayo ng iba pang projects...like my dream library. hehehe

More importantly, we have an open-door policy so anyone can ask questions and raise any concerns, if there’s any, about how we operate as a group. Always feel free to ask when you have questions or doubts. Nothing is personal here so don't hate my guts for being so uber-aggressive and pro-active; we all have the same goal. ;-)

So all of you give yourself a pat on the back, congratulate yourself for a job well done in 2009. You really just didn’t talk the talk, you actually walked the walk. Maraming Salamat Po!

Oh yeah, Happy 2010 nga pala! hehehe...Cheers to the new year!

Membership, Fee, & Resolution

One possible source of fund for our association is the annual fee paid by members.

At one time I proposed a mandatory annual membership fee of Php100 for all residing locally and at least $50 for members working/living abroad. I have not heard much opposition or approval of it.

Because of the reactions to the proposal or the lack thereof, making the annual membership fee voluntary is the only other option we have.

However, may I remind all that monies supposedly to be collected from this annual membership fee will be used exclusively to fund meeting necessities, special events for our group, possibly contributions to deceased or sick members or relatives, operating expenses related to administrative maintenance of our association’s good standing with the registering board, and any other expenses we agreed upon.

In cases where we need money to fund special community projects such as the proposed scholarship project, or donations to charities, or contribution to special events such as the annual alumni homecoming, town fiestas, etc., an appeal for voluntary donations will be made separately.

Our plan is NOT to mix all of our monies into one basket. We will have separate accounting for all types of monies collected. We want to make this as clear as possible because we all know when it comes to money it can get tricky.

Currently, we do not have a mandated resolution addressing this membership fee issue. May I suggest that in our next meeting, this issue be part of the agenda to be discussed and bring to a final resolution? One way or the other, making it MANDATORY or VOLUNTARY, we have to decide and operate with clarity.

Thankfully, there are some members now who are making efforts to contribute monthly or whenever there is an opportunity, even without resolution about it. It helps sustain our financial needs to operate as an organization with a purpose.

Let’s put this membership fee into motion. If majority don’t want it mandatory, let’s make it voluntary, if that’s what it will take to have it resolved.

Another suggestion made by one member is that the Php50 monthly contributions some of you are currently making now become the voluntary pledge for the proposed scholarship project. Now, that’s not a bad idea! If majority agrees, let’s put that into another final resolution and start filling out Voluntary Contribution Pledge form and submit as soon as possible.

These are suggested topics we can all discuss in our next meeting and have a final resolution.

Agree or Disagree? Please let your voice be heard.

“BDO” Account (Fund Status as of May 31, 2009)

The new bank account under our official SEC-registered name has been established. The “old” PNB account under Claire R & Eva F’s name is now officially closed and remaining balance has been transferred to the new BDO account.

Details of the new account are as follow:

Account Name: “St. Dominic Academy Batch ‘78 Alumni Association, Inc.”
Peso Checking Account Number: 152-8012-794
Bank Name & Address: Banco de Oro
SM City Bicutan Branch Banking
Dona Soledad Ave corner West Service Road
Bicutan, Paranaque City 1700

Account Signatories: Eva G. Fajardo and/or Edgardo David (with online access)

Also, contrary to what we initially thought of Php15,000, the required minimum initial deposit to open the new account is Php25,000.

Since we do not have enough funds to meet the minimum initial deposit requirement, I made an advance deposit of my pledge payment for the proposed scholarship project to help initiate opening of the new account. Hopefully, the time will come that my advance pledge payment will be apply to what it is intended for...send 2 kids to night high school...with all your help.

For more details of our account, please see “Batch ’78 Fund Update as of May 31, 2009” emailed to all.

Fund Report (as of March 15, 2009)

_____________________________________________________

Cash balance from Grand Reunion (2007) = Php293.29

Balance from SDA Alumni Reunion (2008) = Php201.13

Cash Collections (2009 - to present) = ***Php13,170.00
_____________________________________________________

TOTAL CASH AVAILABLE (as of Feb. 28, 2009) = ***Php13,664.42

***Special Note: Php7,020.00 sent by Noel A. included (intended for Kamayan food-fest)


NOTE: PDC checks (from 25th Reunion)
PDC check dtd Apr 30, 2009 = Php10,000.00
PDC check dtd May 30, 2009 = Php10,000.00
Total Outstanding PDC's = Php20,000.00


Full accounting details on file. Please contact Eva or Wena if you are interested in obtaining copy.

Simply Misunderstood!

Just so you all know and be aware of, Noel A, aka le prec has been very generous to all of us since the day I took credit from "his resurrection" from the land down under. :-)


Recently, he sent us "moolah" originally intended for Eva F's blowout 18th birthday party.


I don't think Eva has communicated well-enough to all of you that her plan for that money is to deposit into our fund account to help in future projects.

Please raise your hand if you have any objection to that plan?

I am not aware as of this moment if the money Noel A sent reached the intended recipient already. Can someone clear that to all, por favor?

Also, Eva's subtle request for you to bring 50pesos, if you can, when meetings are held monthly is also intended to help generate much needed funds for us Batch '78.

As it happened, it wasn't communicated clearly to the group. Some of you may object to that proposal but it's the best and manageable way for us to achieve our goals if we want to be really serious about it.

Now I beg you to please tell me, what exactly is our goal? I'm sure it's not just to party and be merry all the time without regards to our social responsibilities.

I honestly think everything should all be transparent here simply to avoid being misundestood, especially if money is the topic.

Eva routinely send me report about our fund status because I requested it and I'm interested to know. That same report is readily available when meetings are held but unfortunately, not everyone is interested at all to know. There are some behind-the-scene undertakings like what your klasmeyts Lil or Susan does for the group that you'll get a clearer picture if you bother to peruse the detailed report provided.

What did I tell you? The devil is in the detail my friends.

I'd say please don't act surprise if you don't know shit about it (pardon my french) because you were never interested in that report in the first place. Just look at that piece of paper and wonder no more, amor!

You all can blame me for the miscommunication or the lack thereof After all, i'm the self-proclaimed messenger here via this blog. So shoot me!

heheheh...Sorry folks!