By Edward Pormilos
CPUFOAAI officers during their meeting.
The Central Philippine University Federation of Overseas Alumni Association, Inc. held its quarterly virtual meeting last June 26, 2021. Presided by its President, Mr. Rod Gonzales, the meeting was participated by the Federation officers, one adviser, and chapter presidents. One major agenda was the reports of various chapters on their activities and projects. While many of the chapters have restricted their activities online due to pandemic restrictions, there are those especially in the U.S. that started to resume in-person gatherings as restrictions have already been lifted. Some chapters have also reported their notable contributions to CPU in the form of an endowment fund for scholarships or individually-sponsored Grant-In-Aid for poor but deserving students. The Federation’s scholarship program out of its endowment fund currently has sixteen recipients. Few chapters also shared their contribution to the College of Nursing’s virtual laboratory fund campaign.
Another major item on the agenda was the update on the next Global Reunion, which is scheduled in 2023 in Toronto, Canada. There was a formal letter from Mrs. Norma Van Dusen, President of the Toronto Chapter, requesting to reschedule the event from 2022 (which was moved to 2023) to either 2024 or 2025 due to the unpredictability of the pandemic situation in Toronto. Toronto and most of Canada are still in intermittent lockdowns. Considering that the Global Reunion requires a regular three-year timetable to be realized, with the 1st year as preparation, 2nd year – promotion and 3rd year – event, it will put the Toronto Chapter in a very difficult and challenging situation because of the uncertainty of the pandemic. 2021 should be the year of preparation that includes hotel reservation but because of restrictions, the Chapter is constrained in their ability to make commitments and the planned actions could not be implemented as scheduled. After a thorough deliberation, there was a consensus to postpone the event from 2023 to 2024 or 2025. But considering that the Dubai Chapter is slated to host in 2024 (after Toronto as originally scheduled in 2022) as per the announcement made on February 2020 at the CPU Global Reunion, the postponement will be discussed with them. The result of the discussion will be tabled on the next quarterly meeting in September 2021.
Everyone is hoping and praying that the pandemic will be contained, there will be no more restrictions, travel will be safe globally, and economic recovery will be attained in the year 2022.