Election 2021

CBL COMM-REPORT APRIL 202

The committee met through email discussions in February 2021. All members were involved in the discussions and all voted when decisions had to be made.

Two amendments were approved by the committee and is recommended to the BOG for approval prior to submission to the general membership.

The amendments proposed are as follows:

1. A constitutional amendment on Provision 9.04 on Elections as follows:

The yellow highlighted provision is replaced by the provision highlighted in green.

9.04 Elections shall be conducted in a dignified manner. The Board of Governors shall conduct, regulate and be responsible for any balloting, and tabulation of ballots, if required. If the Board of Governors decide that election of officers be held by mail, all ballots shall be mailed to all paid members to their last known valid addresses at least sixty (60) days prior to the Annual Meeting of the members. All ballots shall be postage marked and returned no later than thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting of the members of the Society. All ties and controversies shall be decided upon by the Board of Governors, sitting en banc. The majority decision of the Board of Governors shall be the final decision

Replace it with this provision:

An Ad Hoc Committee on Elections shall be created by the President to implement the manner of election.   

Provision 9.04 shall therefore read as follows:

9.04 Elections shall be conducted in a dignified manner. The Board of Governors shall conduct, regulate and be responsible for any balloting, and tabulation of ballots, if required.  An Ad Hoc Committee on Elections shall be created by the President to implement the manner of election. All ties and controversies shall be decided upon by the Board of Governors, sitting en banc. The majority decision of the Board of Governors shall be the final decision.

2. The CBL Committee has approved an amendment to our constitution that terminates the Life Members category. Provision 3.01 – CATEGORY 2

The yellow highlighted provision is replaced by the provision highlighted in green.

3.01 CATEGORY

(2) Life Members – Members who have paid their requisite lifetime membership dues and are not subject to recurrent annual membership dues.

After my discussion with President Susan Echiverri and Pearl Ontalan, the new provision reads as follows:

Provision 3.01 CATEGORY (2)

(2) Life Member – this category will no longer be available effective March 1, 2021. All previously paid lifetime members will retain their privileges.

Provision 3.01 CATEGORY (2) shall read as follows:

(2) Life Member – this category will no longer be available effective March 1, 2021. All previously paid lifetime members will retain their privileges.

Finally, the question was raised in our winter meeting whether Provision 4.03 (4) which states quote “The Past Presidents, except for the Immediate Past President of the society, shall be ex-officio non-voting members of the Board of Governors” end quote, precluded the past presidents from making a motion during BOG meetings.

I had made the pronouncement then that the intent of the provision suggested that they could not make a motion. Upon further personal review of the opinions pertaining to the issue, the preponderance of opinions suggests that privileges not clearly denied in the provision are not removed from the past presidents. Therefore, other than voting privileges, the past presidents retain all other membership privileges, specifically that of making motions among others. This opinion was also the opinion of Constancia Somera Uy, past chair of the CBL Committee, in her own independent review of the published relevant opinions pertaining to the matter.

Respectfully submitted,

Miguel L. de Leon, MD
Chair – CBL Committee