Reality abroad: When migrant groups split

Written by Smiley Julve of  The Sun (Hong Kong)

Editor’s Note: One of the things that then Hong Kong Consul General Alejandrino A. Vicente first noticed on his arrival in Hong Kong was the apparent fractious relationship among Filipinos who hail from the same province or region. The phenomenon appeared to have so disturbed him that he immediately called on rival organizations to unite. Many other leaders are disturbed by this recent phenomenon. This article examines the situation and try to find out why it happens, what community leaders think about it, and whether it is necessary to prevent it happening.

HONG KONG--BOHOL First District Representative, Edgardo M. Chatto found himself doing a difficult juggling act during a recent visit here. He had to attend two events one Sunday afternoon: one was organized by a local Bohol organization and the other, its breakaway group. One was held in North Point on Hong Kong Side, and other across the Victoria Harbor in Tsim Sha Tsui.

He was not alone. Consulate officials also found themselves shuttling between the two rival groups that happened to schedule an important gathering on the same Sunday.

Rep. Chatto celebrated mass and Flores de Mayo with the Bohol Hongkong Association (BHA) at the Seven Seas. Later on, he gave a speech and dined with members of the Bohol Philippines International Association of Hong Kong (BPIA-HK) at the Mariner’s Club after presiding over the coronation of the group’s Most Outstanding Mother of the Year.

His time could have well been split into three if another Bohol splinter group, the Bohol Federation, also held an activity that day.

The Philippine Consulate General (PCG) is aware of internal squabblings that have splintered many an organization, and is saddened by it.

“We want them to be united and to project that Filipinos can work together on worthy causes,” said Vice Consul Alnee Arugay, who is in charge of the Consulate’s cultural section.

Rep. Chatto himself was aware that there were three rival Bohol groups in Hong Kong even before he came, but was not overly concerned about it. He said the way he understood it, “personalities came into the picture” when the first Bohol group, BHA, started growing rapidly.

BHA president Flora F. Virtudazo says that may well be the case, but the immediate cause was more because of “misunderstanding.”

Before the split, BHKA had about 500 members. This has been whittled down to about 380, says Virtudazo, with the members now grouped into three.

Established in 1992, BHA became active for four years before members started losing interest. It was revived in 2002 under Virtudazo’s leadership.

“I was able to lead the group, and it depends on how you do it,” she said, when asked how she managed to resuscitate the organization. A group’s strength, according to her, is dependent more on the quality of leadership rather than on the number of members.

Predictably, Astrelleta O. Balatero, president of BPIA-HK, disagrees. She says that beyond the personal differences and growing membership, the conflict was the result of a failure to account for how the organization’s funds were being spent.

“Money was the reason, and the books will prove it,” she says.

It all started, Balatero says, when the former BHA treasurer decided to resettle back in the Philippines, and a feisty Veronica Lumayno took over. Lumayno reportedly took it upon herself to clear the books before taking charge. Upon closer scrutiny, she allegedly found too many expenses being made “care of” Virtudazo.

In defense, Virtudazo says, “My members already know the  books have been cleared already”

Balatero concedes that Lumayno might have come on too strong.

“NikNik (Lumayno) employs a different approach. She’s a strong woman,” she says. But she hastens to add that it was only because the new treasurer wanted to ensure that the group’s books were in order.

Virtudazo disagrees, saying Lumayno was only trying to get back at her after a fight they had earlier.

Lumayno reportedly got peeved when her dancers were taken off a list of performers for a Sunday event, and its place taken over by one of Virtudazo’s two dance groups, at the invitation of the organizers.

“That’s when she started getting mad at me,” says Virtudazo.

After Lumayno questioned the handling of BHA’s accounts, Virtudazo said she offered to present another book which fully accounted for the group’s expenses, but was spurned by Lumayno.

“Whatever role you give them, they will not take it to task,” said Virtudazo.

Chaos followed.

“We met then at the Admiralty Garden. The agenda was determining the candidates to our group’s election,” recalls Balatero. But it didn’t happen that way. “But no election took place. Those who want to leave the group can go, they were told.”

“I was silently observing then,” she says. “But once chaos followed, we immediately formed another group.We went our way and the others went on with their meeting Fifty-five of us stayed on.”

Two weeks later, on Oct. 17, 2004, Bohol Philippines International Association of Hong Kong was formed.

Virtudazo asserts that BHA became more united after the members who decided to form the splinter group had left. In contrast, she says BPIA-HK quickly found itself being split into warring factions.

After leading a successful medical mission in five towns in Bohol, then BPIA-HK’s president, Rosita Bucio found herself under fire. The conflict deteriorated to such an extent that the group was forced to seek intervention from the Consulate. At least four officers had to step in to stop the in-fighting.

At first, Bucio was hesitant to comment on what had gone wrong, saying “It’s hard to comment on a past issue.”

But later on, she decided to come out in the open to clear the air once and for all. “It all started with medical mission,” she says.

She said she took an adviser’s word seriously that the first medical mission of BPIA-HK would be its last.

Acting on this, Bucio decided to dissolve the group, a move that prompted many BPIA-HK members to protest angrily.

According to Balatero, “There have been conflicts before because of personal differences. But they awaited for the elections so that these conflicts will be resolved.”

But instead of an election, Bucio decided to return the membership form along with the $50 fee to members without prior consultation from her officers and the majority of her members.

This prompted about 30 members to sign a petition calling for her removal, with at least half of them also denouncing her attempt to dissolve the organization.

According to the petition, “Her decisions were not widely accepted since there are still unreported matters involving the monetary funds used during our project.”

In defense, Bucio says she has receipts to prove that she didn’t squander the money of the group.

She also insists dissolving the group was the best option at the time because, “I’ve noticed the officials that they tend to become remiss already of their duties,” before adding, “I don’t want anymore trouble.”

Under her leadership says Bucio, BPIA-HK had 68 registered members, but only half were active.

To this day, Bucio maintains that the main reason for the split up was the medical mission, and “money had nothing to do with the conflict.”

But before finally letting go of BPIA-HK Bucio formed Bohol Federation on Oct. 18, 2005, and demanded to get half of BPIA-HK’s funds which stood at about $6,000.

“We recommended that the group’s money be split so that it’ll be fair,” said Bucio.

She claims the money which was raised during the first BPIA-HK pageant came from the 11 candidates, and eight of them joined her newly established Federation.

Bucio says subsequent events proved she was right in forming another organization. Her group is said to have 89 members, and all of them actively participate in its projects.

Eric Derupe, community relations officer at the Consulate, says groups split for a variety of reasons: money or lack of it, power grab, or just plain personality differences.

Out of around 300 organizations registered with the Consulate, only about 100 are active. Consulate officers and staff believe it is imperative to call on all groups to unite.

Derupe says, “We conciliate to establish harmony and unity.”

He also says “it is better for us to deal with one organization, than several of them.”

In commenting about the splits, Rep. Chatto says he has “developed a positive attitude towards the situation”.

He said that he took time to talk with the three heads of Bohol groups in Hong Kong and observed the “same longing for oneness” which made him optimistic enough to conclude that “it is only a matter of time (before the Boholanos became united again).”

Rep. Chatto said that while unity is important, “you don’t have to be one Bohol association.”

The Bohol leaders must have taken this as a cue. When asked whether one Bohol group is possible, Virtudazo and Balatero immediately answered, “Why not?”

But on further reflection, Virtudazo added, “It’s a great idea but they have their own group already.”

Bucio is not as conciliatory, saying she’s certain a reunification will never happen. “That’s impossible already. Who will give way? Reunification will be far-fetched. I don’t have any problem with that, but what about my members? They will oppose such move.”

Rep. Chatto agrees it may not be realistic to assume that the three different groups would readily agree to being under one organization again. What is more important, he says, is that “the individuality of each group (is) strengthened to form a complementary relationship with the other groups.”

Vice Consul Arugay takes a different view, saying: “The energy and resources will be more focused when more people are working on one goal. It will be easier for them to achieve their goal.”

Split-ups according to her, result in a dissipation of resources and manpower.

Ever the optimist, Rep. Chatto disagrees. He’d rather believe that the splits would benefit Bohol as projects would be magnified three times.

‘The end goal is always for the good of Bohol,” he said, “and that can never be bad. (June 2006 issue)