Last Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Catanduanes Chapter held its 30th Chapter Assembly at the Catanduanes State University (CatSU) Auditorium.
Following reports rendered by Board Treasurer Dir. Ma. Daisy Gapaz and Chairman Gabriel Tejerero, the incumbent BOD members, whose terms were expiring, and nominees – 30 candidates in all although several declined their nominations – as well as delegates from various sectors participated in the election of 14 directors.
Occupying the top seven slots are Rev. Fr. Renato dela Rosa, Dir. Vietrez Abella, Dir. Aly Romano, Dir. Giovanni Balmadrid, Dir. Gregorio Sarmiento Jr., Dir. Gabriel Tejerero, and Pandan Mayor Raul Tabirara. They will serve for four years.
The other seven directors, whose term will be two years, are Dir. Susan Ordinario, Dir. Elpidio Tuboro, Dir. Fernan Gianan, Dir. Ma. Daisy Gapaz, Dir. Pedro Bonafe, contractor Joseph Cua Jr., and businessman Geronimo Tabuzo.
They immediately convened at the chapter headquarters at the Eastern Bicol Medical Center compound to elect the following officers: Dir. Tejerero as board chairman, Dir. Abella as secretary, Dir. Gapaz as finance officer, and Dir. Tuboro as auditor.
The rest of the nominees who failed to get the nod of 105 voters will be invited by the board to serve as volunteer members of the various Red Cross committees.
They include Bato Vice Mayor Roy Regalado, Virac Councilors Virgilio Candelaria and Faye Louise Pastor, San Andres Councilor Honesto Lumabi, businesswoman Edna Segismundo, FICELCO GM Raul Zafe, contractors Michael Tan and John Laynes, retired LBP official Ma. Elizabeth de Leon, BIR revenue officer Alan Sapanta, former Virac Councilor Juan Paolo Sales, journalists Ferdinand Brizo and Joriza Alpapara, former Dir. Aida Dianela, and outdoing Dir. Franklin Boñales.
Incidentally, the PRC chapter will be affected by the plan of the Cua administration to rehabilitate and expand the services of the EBMC, including the construction of a Medical Arts building.
The existing Red Cross building, which was acquired from the provincial government by the chapter during the term of then board chairman and Tribune founder Fredeswindo T. Gianan Sr. through a deed of donation, will be vacated by the humanitarian organization.
Gov. Joseph Cua has reportedly proposed a few years back to provide funds for the construction of a new chapter building for the Red Cross if it agrees to leave the hospital compound.
If the agreement holds, the new building will be erected on a vacant lot at the Community Hub at San Isidro Village to be provided by the municipal government of Virac.
Whether this will push through will depend on the Capitol leadership’s timetable for the hospital’s improvement.
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THIEVES AT THE CHOCOLATE STORE. Once upon a time there was a thief and a politician who were friends. One day, they entered a chocolate store. While they were busy looking around, the thief stole three chocolate bars. As they left the store, the thief said to the politician: “Man! I’m the best thief ever, I stole three chocolates and no one saw me. You can’t beat that.”
The politician replied: “You wanna see something better? Let’s go back to the shop and I’ll show you real stealing.”
So they went to the counter and politician said to the shopkeeper: “Hey, do you wanna see magic?”
The shop keeper replied: “Sure!”
The politician says: “Give me one chocolate bar!”
The shop keeper gave him one, and he ate it. He asked for a second, and he ate that as well.
He asked for a third and finished that one too. The shop keeper asked: “But where’s the magic?”
The politician replied: “Check in my friend’s pocket, and you’ll find it!”