PCFI Elects New Executive Officers for 2020-2022
The Philippine Cultural Foundation, Inc. proudly announces its new Executive Officers 2020-2022 after a peaceful election that took place at the Bayanihan Arts and Events Center in Tampa, Florida on Sunday, September 13, 2020.
The new PCFI Executive Officers 2020-2022 are:
LARI JUDALENA PETERSON (Chairman), DR. ABIGAIL HAMILTON (First Vice Chairman), VIVIAN FURIGAY-DUDGEON (Second Vice Chairman), LIBERTY GALLOWAY (Treasurer), JOE BARUTA (Assistant Treasurer), JONATHAN SIBAYAN (Secretary), KAMILLE JANESS (Assistant Secretary), and FRANK BUTRON (Auditor).
The election, which was initially scheduled in May, commenced despite the on-going Covid-19 global threat which broke out in early 2020. Due to this scare, a large portion of the voting board members opted for mail-in voting while others preferred drive-thru voting on the day of elections. Still, some voted in person but the BAEC staff, through the initiatives of Vivian Furigay-Dudgeon, made sure that the facility was duly prepared for safety in accordance with CDC guidelines: temperature was checked at the door, social distancing was enforced, all seats have been pre-arranged six feet apart and wearing mask was required at all times.
Election procedure was facilitated by the Comelec Chairman, Fr. Christian Villagomeza and member, Lissa Biglete. This was initiated with a final report and retrospective address by outgoing chairman, Ross Balderama followed by a short election speech by each candidate. At the same time, fellow Comelec member, Val Blanco, was stationed in front of the BAEC, manning the drive-thru voting booth.
Former PCFI chairman and Board member, Arnell Biglete, moved for an Election by Acclamation since each candidate was uncontested. After being seconded, all the voting board members hailed with a resounding “Yes” and shortly, all candidates were officially proclaimed winners. The event swiftly moved to each newly-elected officer delivering a victory speech after which everyone took an oath of office.
Lari Peterson stated in her victory speech that it is indeed a challenge to take an administrative leadership especially during these Covid-19 times but she is willing to take on the challenge in order to further the direction of PCFI. She also mentioned how grateful she was that the new set of officers now include more members from the youth sector: Dr. Abigail Hamilton, Jonathan Sibayan and Kamille Janess, who, in their younger years, started their participation as dancers of the Philippine Performing Arts Company, Inc., one of the cultural arms of the Foundation.
This is Lari Peterson’s second term of office, the first which was a two-year chairmanship from 2014 to 2016. To date, she is the 11th Chairman of PCFI since the Foundation’s incorporation in March 1995.
Despite the pandemic, PCFI is indeed looking forward to a hopeful continuation of its flourishing history and as a beckoning herald of Philippine culture in the United States! As Lari Peterson assured the voting board members who were wearing masks and face shields, she uttered, “We shall overcome and we shall succeed.”
Congratulations to the newly-elected PCFI officers for 2020-2022!
For a complete list of officers, board members, member association representatives and staff, please click on the button below:
Executive Officers 2020-2022Here is a photo gallery of the PCFI Elections on Sunday, September 13, 2020:
