Accents
Converge, coordinate, cooperate
Converge, coordinate, and cooperate—a mantra for many a nascent organization as well as those in the blossoming stage like ours. Strong action words that the officers and the board of directors of the Homeowners' Association of Florvel Phase II in Brgy. Buray, Oton, are bent on doing — come Frank or no Frank, high or low water, or whatever is the season. Converge, coordinate, and cooperate to give life to the association's motto: The Strength of the Homeowners' Association Depends on Every Homeowner.
Florvel Homes Subdivision is representative of several other subdivisions that have mushroomed in different parts of the country; thus, I'd like to quote excerpts from the article I wrote in our association's very first newsletter. "The occupation of the residents would make a motley page in the census and statistics office: assorted bureaucrats, entrepreneurs, private employees, seamen, salesmen, and retirees from different professions. You get the picture. A microcosm of a world, if there be one…
"They are indeed of diverse types… Several are from various parts of the Visayas known only by the peculiar twang of their spoken dialect… Some are from Mindanao and Luzon whose means of livelihood are located in Iloilo. And, yes, there are foreigners, too… Disparate as these people are, they are united by a strong desire for pleasant living." Talk of "unity in diversity."
There were times when convergence, coordination, and cooperation—keywords at the initial stage of our association—suffered lapses in practice, but reinvigoration comes with fresh additions to the membership. Dreams, ideas, and the sense of community that have lain fallowed are once again tapped, awakened, and ignited. The new homeowners were happily welcomed. Their suggestions, discussed and adopted, have enriched community living.
Already, one board director is in hot pursuit to have the homeowners' park cemented. The association president has mentioned children's play structures to be standing on the park like monkey bars, swings, etc. A retiree has promised to donate a concrete bench, and two others have expressed the wish to follow suit. An idea (I hope not too far away) is to put up a homeowners' library to be composed mostly of children's books.
The larger social community has caught the concern of the homeowners. In the vicinity of Florvel are economically depressed areas where weekend scrappers (kids of various ages) come from. A suggestion well taken was for every homeowner to segregate recyclables to be given away to scrappers. This way kids would be prevented from scavenging into malodorous garbage bins that teem with crawling ants and infectious microorganisms. Something for the Sangguniang Bayan of Oton—rather for the government in general—to think, plan, and act on how to rid the country of human scavengers. Talk of the "mores of a civilized society."
To be hyperbolic about it, the warriors in pursuit of happiness, peace, and pleasant living in our small corner of Iloilo province are: Jonny Pornel, President; Mary Joy Roxas, Secretary; Maricel Chiongson, Ass't. Secretary; Nory Mission, Treasurer; Regina Ekdahl, Ass't. Treasurer; Ruel Burgos, Auditor; Maricel Bernabe, Bus. Manager; Jose Flores, PRO; Dan Baylon, Rosario Baylon, Ervin Bebit, Sergeant-at-Arms; Alvin Lopez, Jose Robles, Lorna Quindo, Romela Salvador, Trinidad Serrano, Rowena Tamagos, Board of Directors.
All good wishes to the above-mentioned as we ourselves, a hundred or so members, keep in mind that The Strength of the Homeowners' Association Depends on Every Homeowner.
(E-mail: lagoc@hargray.com)