15 February 2017 GENEVA — The Philippine Consulate General in Geneva hosted the election of officers Ugnayang Bayan, at the conference hall of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in Geneva.
Consul General Enrico T. Fos welcomed the occasion to further invigorate the partnership between Philippine Consulate General in Geneva (PCG) and the Filipino community in cantons Geneva and Vaud.
"Let us take this opportunity to strengthen our partnership. Your Consulate will always be open to you”, Consul Fos said. Ugnayan Bayan and the PCG collaborated in organizing the annual Filipino community Philippine Independence Day and Christmas celebrations.
Ugnayang Bayan, a federation of 22 Filipino community organizations based in cantons Geneva and Vaud in Switzerland, elected its new set of officers for the next three years (2017-2019). Taking on the cudgels of leadership of the Ugnayang Bayan is its newly elected Chairperson, Mr. Morse Flores of the UP Alumni Association in Geneva (UPAG), who replaced Mr. Ruben Edejer who served for 2014-2016.
Also elected were Ms. Elizabeth Quayzin of the Swiss International Pilipino Association in Geneva (SIPAG) as Chairperson for External Affairs, Ms. Ruby Landicho of SIKAP as Chairperson for Internal Affairs, Ms. Joy Cadangen of the Igorot Association in Geneva as Secretary, Ms. April Buenaventura of Filipino Catholic Community Living in Vaud (FCCLV) as Treasurer, and Mr. Ricardo Bellocura of Couple of Christ (CFC) in charge of Logistics. A Board of Directors was also elected, composed of Ms. Nora Payuyo of Geneva Christian Center (GCC), Ms. Ana Decena of Groupong Makabayang Pinoy (GMP), Mr. Ramil Carolino of Batangueño Association in Geneva (BAG), Ms. Alice Enriquez of Couple for Christ Family Living (CFCFL), Ms. Aurelia Aclo of Swiss Kultura sa Geneva and Mr. Elvin Alvarillo of FCCLV.
In the same occasion, outgoing Labor Attaché Maria Criselda Sy of Philippine Overseas Labor Office - Geneva (POLO Geneva) bade farewell to the Filcom leaders. She is set to depart for Manila to head the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC), an attached agency of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), which she previously headed as Executive Director prior to her deployment in POLO Geneva on February 10, 2016.
She requested that the Filipino community extend the same support to incoming Labor Attaché Delmer Cruz, a seasoned civil servant who has managed the POLOs in Al Khobar, KSA; Seoul, South Korea; and Dubai, UAE. END
