By Dan E. Niño

          Since I set foot in Los Angeles on February 1982 from San Jose, I heard so much about the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles or popularly known as FACLA. They had a community center along Temple Street that hosts social gatherings for our manongs and manangs (elders) where they can congregate, while away their time, to socialize, skip boredom and engage in wholesome and recreational activities like bingo socials, feeding program or to reminisce about our homeland.

     Eventually, I got actively involved in our Fil-Am community as president of the Filipino-American Press Club of Los Angeles, Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA,  my hometown, Association of Mangatarem Overseas Residents (AMOR) and Alpha Phi Omega of Greater Los Angeles. At some points, we also used the FACLA center for our meetings and activities.

     To top it all, there was even a rental property owned and managed by FACLA officialdom on Burlington Street. My gut feeling then was FACLA was bigtime as a community association to reckon with. As president of the now-defunct Fil-Am Press Club of Los Angeles, we even sponsored a presentation and debates among candidates for president in the 1990s  held at the Philippine Consulate General.

     However, as time rolled by, I heard so many unsavory goings-on like in-fightings among the members and cliques of this nonprofit 501C-3 organization. Eventually, the rental property was foreclosed. Thereafter, the land where the FACLA building stands was sold to a Korean developer but was aborted then was redeemed by businesswoman Cecille Ramos. Then it was reclaimed  by FACLA once again.

     It was a mess wherein many players were involved.

    As a backgrounder, the court-appointed receiver and interim president of FACLA Dr. Veronico “Ver” C. Agatep  was sworn into office as the 30th president on Nov. 11, 2020 by then Philippine Consul General Adelio Cruz. According to my sources, Dr. Agatep was ordered by the court to conduct an election but he never did. Instead, he appointed First Vice President Trinity Paredes- Foliente to assume office as interim president. After three weeks, Dr. Agatep took his vacation to the Philippine for indefinite period. When he came back to Los Angeles early in 2024, an election was held on May 30, 2024 and removed Trini Foliente. When contacted for this piece, Foliente responded that in fact she planned to call for an election of officers after four years in November last year but was overtaken by events.

     In a curious twist of event however, Ms. Foliente even organized a Christmas Party on Dec. 19 in the name of FACLA that bannered “FACLA is inviting you under the leadership of Trinity Foliente and Board of Directors at the Island Pacific Supermarket on Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles.”

      A mind-boggling question comes to mind: Are there three FACLA factions now in our midst? Is FACLA under the leadership Trini Foliente an organization in exile?  

     In  spirit of fair play, a separate article will follow to air the side of Ms. Foliente in a more detailed fashion. I advised her to schedule our sit-down interview if she feels aggrieved.

      Unexpected consequences followed like   the renewal of status with government agencies and tax filings were not submitted. As a result, FACLA’s status with the Attorney General of California’s Charities and Fundraisers as of this writing is hanging in the balance..  

      A new election took place on May 30, 2024 at FACLA Community Center declaring the presidency vacant that was attended by Dr. Agatep and about 100 members.  Philippine physician Norma Aurelio Salvatera was elected as president. However,  on Sept, 16, 2024, a mutiny was staged and majority of the Board of Directors ousted Salvatera allegedly “due to violations of FACLA by-laws and mishandling of FACLA finances as manifested by the mutineers and claimed that Salvatera had appointed herself as president. This however, was disputed by Salvatera.

     For the last five years, FACLA was under the presidency of Austin Baul, Fernandito “Jun” Gonong, Jr., Dr. Veronico “Ver” Agatep, Trinity Paredes-Foliente on an interim capacity and Dr. Norma Aurelio Salvatera. As of this writing, Sunny Quezon who was recently elected as president by the majority of the Board is still being contested by Salvatera as the rightful president.

     Since FACLA’s suspension by the state agency, Dr. Salvatera claimed that she had to open a personal bank account together with her treasurer and auditor to pay  FACLA’S bills, vendors and utilities. She said in an interview that she has to take this action since FACLA is under suspension.

     The objectives of FACLA which was founded on April 26, 1945 and approved by then  Secretary of State of California Frank Jordan, is commendable. To wit: “To protect the interest of all Filipinos in Los Angeles; to develop its cultural and national solidarity; to improve its social, economic and educational standing; to promote a better relationship between Filipinos and Americans and other nationalities; to find solutions to problems affecting the general welfare of Filipinos; it does not contemplate pecuniary gain or profit to the members thereof; that the corporation shall have the power to promote charitable like rendering aid to its members in case of misfortune; that members shall be required to pay membership dues so that the corporation may defray any expenses incurred; that the management, operation and control of all corporate business shall be subject to the rules, regulations and by-laws of the corporation wherein regulations and by-laws shall have the usual provisions that they may be extended or altered in legal manner and at the will and desire of such members who may be duly assembled for the purpose.”

     These are noble missions of FACLA. However, as the perception of many, especially when finances and disbursements are involved, problems arise. From my point of view, I rarely heard any positive vibes that emanate from FACLA.

     According to the newly-elected board members who mutinied  against Norma A. Salvatera, there was no proper election of FACLA officers since she appointed all the FACLA officers such as the three vice presidents, secretary, treasurer and two auditors including herself as the FACLA president in that she made all the decisions without the deliberation and approval of the Board of Directors.  The manifesto was signed on Sept. 20, 2024 by 11 executive officers and board members. Two did not sign: Tess Nones and Ner Azaula.

     “There was never an election since 2017,” asserted Dr. Salvatera. She added, “the 15 board of directors elected me as the president on June 6, 2024 and not a self-appointed. The result of the election was even published in a newspaper.”

      The 10 grievances that were aired against Dr. Salvatera are the following:   

1. Assuring the monthly payment of $3,000 to $3,500 for two maintenance personnel. This was disputed by Salvatera. She said, “There was no such agreement so it was cancelled.”

2. Issuing contracts and rental fees for customers. Salvatera’s response was, “It was approved by the Board of Directors.”      

 3. Salvatera allegedly borrowed money credited to the association to purchase chandeliers. Salvatera asserted, “that they were donated.”

4. Removing FACLA’S regular programs wherein the association can generate funds to pay off monthly bills, purchase supplies and pay for maintenance. Salvatera claimed, “It’s not feasible as  the fees was only $200 for eight hours. That lopsided rental fees will not be enough to pay for the utilities. FACLA should be ran like a business.”

  5. Compelling the treasurer and auditor to open a personal joint bank account using the money of the association. Norma’s reasoning, “FACLA’s official account cannot be opened because the restoration of its status with the California Attorney General is still pending. The association needs checks to pay government entities and other vendors and suppliers.”

 6. Changing the padlocks of the main door and recently the gates of FACLA building without informing the officers and the rest of the Board of Directors. She replied, “That’s my privilege as president.”

7. Disregarding notices from the Attorney General to stop seeking donations and solicitation of funds until permits and legal papers are processed. She responded, “I did not solicit considering the current circumstances.”

8. Creating fundraising activities through popularity contest. She denied, “Miss FACLA did not go through.”

9. Personally collecting money from rental fees and not reporting it to the treasurer and Board of Directors. She explained, “The money collected was only $2,000 and the amount was disbursed to purchase FACLA’s fixtures and equipment and upgrading of the toilets.”

10. Creating and entertaining gossips about members of the board. She denied, “This is a conspiracy theory among two past officers.”

     With the prevailing situation now in FACLA, the public is now in a sort of limbo.

     There are reports of physical assaults and counter assaults, accusations and counter accusations, restraining orders and counter-restraining orders, lawsuits and counter-lawsuits. This is a never-ending saga, tug-of-war and drama. Some respected members of our Fil-Am community even recommend the closure of FACLA to stop this madness.  I liken these squabbles to the Philippine revolution against Spain and American colonizers among the factions of Magdalo and Magdiwang or between Katipunan Supremo Andres Bonifacio and Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.

      With this declaration by the mutineers, Salvatera insisted, “With this defamation and false accusations, I should have been given 30 days to respond to their allegations and given due  process of law for removing me as president.”  She also claimed that the FACLA vice presidents who are allies of Sunny Quezon are now under restraining order.

     However, the mutineers insisted that they go by the by-laws to remove a current president anytime.

       On Sept. 28 this year, Dr. Salvatera invited guests and public officials to celebrate the 79^th foundation anniversary of FACLA. However, the building was padlocked by the supporters of Sunny Quezon.  “My days are numbered but I want to straighten out FACLA. I’m willing to leave FACLA if everything is in order. I fought against the demolition of FACLA building whose equity is now worth an estimated $8 million. “As a president of FACLA, you should have integrity and dignity,” she said as a matter-of-factly. – denino1951@gmaiil.com