VANCOUVER – New officers of the Catanduanes International Association, Vancouver Chapter were inducted into office by Consul Raly Tejada of the Vancouver Philippine Consulate General at Our Lady of Mercy Church Hall in Burnaby, BC on February 13, 2010. The new officers inducted were: Rene Alcantara, president; Cora Pena, vice-president; Aida Buendia; secretary; Maribel Sprecher, asst. secretary; Virgie Santelices, treasurer; Helen Morales, asst. treasurer; Marilyn Panti, auditor; Marilyn Abundo Cunanan, business manager; Evelyn Diamond, asst. business manager; Freddie Concepcion, PRO; Roger Buendia, Ted Traquena and Emer Murillo, peace officers;
Hilda Yee, Gene Banana, Helene Montes, Rey Antonio, Arnold Ocol, Freddie Panti and David Santelices, directors. Representatives: Arnel Tabo, Virac; Yolly Trampi, Bato; Roger & Aida Buendia, Cabugao; Nilda Suliman, San Andres; Helen Morales, Panganiban; Zeny Nagy, Pandan; Pauline de Mesa, Bato; Josie Tebellin, Baras; Josie Reuter, Viga; Arthur Ogalesco,Gigmoto, Advisers: Della Saavedra & Ding Cunanan.
Rene Alcantara, the new president, was born in Virac but raised in Panganiban, Catanduanes where he obtained his elementary and secondary education. He studied at the College of Fisheries, University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. He also obtained a degree in Business Administration while working at the National Statistics Office (NSO) Accounting and Budge Department allocating budget requirements for both provincial and field offices for 13 years.
He left government service in 1992 for overseas employment in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where he worked as inventory controller for a jewelry firm and later as executive secretary to the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Uni versity. He immigrated to Canada in 1999 and currently works for the BC Health Authority Shared Services Organization at the BC Centre for Disease Control, Material Management Department.
Married to the former Rosemarie Pabia from Manila, a registered nurse at Fraser Health Authority, Alcantara is the current Grand Knight, Knights of Columbus Council 13288, at St. Andrew’s Parish in Vancouver.
The inducting officer, Consul Raly Tejada whose parents hail from Catanduanes, congratulated the new officers and wished them well in all their future endeavors to serve their less fortunate countrymen in the island province, particularly the Medical Mission for indigent patients.
Highlight of the evening was the presence of Mable Elmore, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Vancouver Kensington who gave an inspiring speech to the new leaders of the association. She reported on her current sponsorship of an inter-city invitational basketball tournament starting March 27 and a proposed organization of Filipino Canadian associations to help unite all community groups in BC. She invited Catanduanes International Association to suport or participate in these activities.
On, June 30, 2010, Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III was sworn in as the 15th president of the Republic of the Philippines. Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales and Jesuit Fr. Catalino Arevalo, a close friend of the Aquinos, who held the bible, swore in the only son of former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino and former president Corazon Cojuangco Aquino. To most Filipinos, this day was very memorable because it symbolizes the beginning of a new hope for the country, the hope of a clean and honest government.
