Whatever they call it – Multi-Purpose Centre, Philippine Australian Community Foundation, Philippine Australian Community Centre – if it’s the same people running it, it is really the same banana.
Now they are even offering FREE membership to THEIR foundation. But of course, people have to pledge a minimum donation of $10 per person per month. So, is membership really free? And they call it “their” foundation? “As part of their investment into this project, they will receive FREE Membership to our foundation.”
What gave them the right to call it theirs? Didn’t they collect over $1 million from the Filipino community since they started way back in 1990? Did they not obtain a grant of over $100,000 from the NSW State Government?
According to Gerald Oblea, CEO of the PACF, the $10 per month pledge program can be administered in either of 3 ways: (1) envelope giving plan (2) a direct debit from a nominated bank account or (3) or credit card deduction.
In the first place, doesn’t the MPC really belong to the Filipino community? Wasn’t that the intention of Fr. Renato Paras when he conceived the idea as original Settlor of the Trust Deed?
Mr. Oblea further announced that the so-called free membership would entitle the holder to a membership card. The member would be “allowed to attend Annual General Meetings and to elect Board Members of the Foundation.”
Something doesn’t sound right in that statement. Aren’t they supposed to be lifetime members of the board? In a press conference held in Schofields, Manny Villon declared that the bank would not grant them a loan unless the loan agreement was signed by permanent board members. Of course, that seems to be the only justification he could offer for not wanting to vacate his position.
In his opening statement, Mr. Oblea wrote:
“Our mission is to preserve and promote Filipino culture and heritage in Australia and also be a broad-based source of information, assistance and interest for the benefit of people of Filipino nationality or descent in Australia as well as for the wider Australian community.”
We can only hope that these MPC people or whatever they call themselves now will start practicing transparency and stop holding secret meetings. They should in fact be holding meetings open to the Filipino community. Philippine Tribune welcomes any comment or reply coming from any of the the members of the MPC board.
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