Liverpool Filipino Association

Liverpool Filipino Association
Constitution and By Laws

Preamble………………………………..............................................1

Article I. Name of the Association……………………………...........1

Article II. Logo of the Association……………...……………...........1

Article III. Objectives……………………………….........................2

Article IV. Declaration of Principles and Policies……………………2

Article V. Membership Qualifications…………………...…………..3

Article VI. Membership Benefits ….………..…………………….3-5

Article VII. Funds……………………………..................................6

Article VIII. Executive Positions……………...………………........6

Article IX. Duties and Responsibilities……….……………….…..7-8

Article X. Oath of Duty…….....………………………......................9

Article XI. Suffrage…….…………………………............................9

Addendum…………...…………………......................................10-13

LIVERPOOL FILIPINO ASSOCIATION
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

PREAMBLE

We, the members of the Filipino community in Liverpool, United Kingdom, imploring the aid and guidance of the Almighty in furtherance of one common goal, do hereby ordain and promulgate this constitution.

ARTICLE I. Name of the Association

The name of the association hereby constituted shall henceforth be known as LIVERPOOL FILIPINO ASSOCIATION or LFA.

ARTICLE II. Logo of the Association

This Logo of the LIVERPOOL FILIPINO ASSOCIATION is for official purpose only and shall bear no other privileges to any person, not even to its members and officers alike.
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ARTICLE III. Objectives

To promote Filipino cultural values and ideals specially among the younger members of the community, to promote and establish unity among its members in particular and the Filipino community in general regardless of ethnicity and religious background, and to offer assistance if necessary to its members and to the Filipino community as the general association membership deems fit.

ARTICLE IV. Declaration of Principles and Policies

Section 1. The association is a voluntary, democratic, and independent organisation whose members shall be sanguine Filipinos and/or mixed-Filipino residing within Liverpool and its surrounding areas and having the free will to be members of the above name association.

Section 2. The association renounces any unjust or improper behaviour that would lead to the disruption of the amity of any of its members.

Section 3 The association promotes the “ NO BLAME POLICY “ thereby encouraging trust, patience and cooperation among its members.

Section 4. The LIVERPOOL FILIPINO ASSOCIATION encourages peace, unity, and cooperation necessary for its existence and success.

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ARTICLE V. Membership Qualifications

Section 1. Any individual permanently residing in the United Kingdom who is Filipino and/or mixed -Filipino race, of legal age and creed provided they can voluntarily express their freedom to and abide to the constitution and bylaws shall be eligible to be a member of the association.

Section 2. Anyone who is not a sanguine Filipino but is married to a Filipino and has an interest in Filipino culture and traditions will be welcomed as full member/s.

Section 3.If any of the qualifications in Section 1 and 2 applies to a legal aged member applicant, a one-off membership fee shall be expected as one of the pre-requisites of membership with the association. A husband or wife of a legitimate member is not considered a member unless membership dues are satisfied. Children under the age of 18 will be considered as dependent members and shall therefore be exempt from membership dues.

Section 4. It is required for all the members to be present in all of the general assembly/meeting. Failure to attend to the meeting for at least 4 consecutive times will result to disqualification as member.

ARTICLE VI. Membership Benefits

Section 1. Privileges
Members
In any of the associations organized paying activities i.e. Family Christmas party, Sports Festival, Valentine Dance, Halloween Costume Party, Training Sessions, etc. members will pay with concessions and/or discount against the actual fee set accordingly.

Non-members
In all of the above mentioned paying activities, Non-members including those of their dependants and guests will be obliged to pay the actual fee set for the event without any concession.

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Section 2. Financial Assistance
Members
In case of any serious emergency or death of a member or his/her immediate relative (parent, husband, wife, child, brother or sister), each member will automatically in the first instance give an amount of £2.00 each as a voluntary donation. The amount will be first taken from the LFA account and then collected from the general membership later to return to LFA account. Any further voluntary donation of any amount by an individual member will be received and recorded for future reference and will be given to the beneficiary. Any donations collected coming from non-members or known institutions will also be accepted, recorded and given to the affected individual.

Non-Members
In case of any serious emergency or death of a non-member or his/her immediate relative (parent, husband, wife, child, brother or sister), the association will provide assistance when approached by offering its services to solicit donations from the LFA membership, non-members and/or known institutions.

Section 3. Charity Events/Organised Activities
Members
Charity events and/or organized activities to raise fund in support of the individual member of the association will be held with full force of the LFA officers and general memberships. All money raised less the expenses incurred by the LFA shall go straight to the beneficiary. Expenses should all be justified and relevant, with accompanying receipts acceptable to the beneficiary.

Non-members
The association will not conduct any charity events and/or organized activities to raise fund to support a non-individual member of the association unless approached for assistance. Permit to conduct the event shall be the individual concerned responsibility to apply and produced when required. Money raised less the expenses incurred by the LFA shall go straight to the beneficiary. All of LFA’s expenses shall be reimbursed and put back into LFA account. Voluntary donations from the individual concerned maybe accepted.

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Section 4. Education and Training

Members
All duly registered members and their dependents will have access to education and training when and wherever available. It is one of the objectives of the association to share knowledge, awareness and know-how to all individual members and dependents in order for each one to be a good and responsible member of the community and to the City of Liverpool.

Non-Members
Priority will be given to all members and dependents to enlist themselves for education and training. Non-members will be accommodated only if there will be vacancies or slots open.

Section 5. Access to LFA Centre, Facilities and Equipments

Members
In the future, it is envisaged that the Liverpool Filipino Association will have its own community centre, facilities and equipments. Only members and their dependents can have free access to the centre, facilities and equipments.

Non-members
Non-members, other individuals and known institutions are restricted to use the LFA centre, its facilities and equipments. Permission will have to be requested from the executive committee prior to any use of the facilities and equipments, and the centre. The prevailing rental fee will be asked to anyone wishing to make use of the centre, its facilities and equipments.

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ARTICLE VII. Funds

Section 1. The association will derive its funds from membership dues, donations, fund raising activities, income from investments, and from any other sources as may be determined by the officers and the general membership.

Section 2. Money raised from membership dues are considered obligatory and non re-fundable.

Section 3. All major financial plans and disbursements shall be disclosed to and approved by the majority of the general membership prior to its implementation.

ARTICLE VIII. Executive Positions

Section 1. Members of the Executive Committee:
A) President B) Vice- President C) Secretary
D) Treasurer E) Auditor

Section 2). Schedule of Meetings
The members of the Executive Committee shall meet at least Four (4) times a year every last Thursday of January, April, July and October. Emergency meeting maybe called when necessary.

Section 3. Quorum
At least Three (3) Executive Committee members shall be present for an executive committee meeting to take place.

Section 4. Votes for majority of the Executive Committee meetings shall be by show of hands. If there is a tie, then a hearing and/or a re- discussion is necessary.

Section 5. The Executive Committee together with the Ways and means Committee shall have the authority to expel any member/s of the association for a good and proper reason e.g. disruptive and divisive behavior.
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ARTICLE IX. Duties and Responsibilities

1. PRESIDENT
- Chief Executive Officer of the association
- Presides over meetings both with committees and with the general
membership.
- Represents the association at functions where the association is invited.
- Acts as spokesperson of the association whenever necessary. - With the assistance of committee members and the approval of the
general membership, establishes long and short term goals for the
association.
- Prepares and trains elected successors of his/her office.
- Appoints and delegates task to any qualified or willing member/s of the
association as decided by the executive committee.

2. VICE PRESIDENT
- Acts as the Chief Executive Officer in the absence of the President.
- Submits semi-annual membership reports to the general membership.
- Acts as the association’s Ambassador of Goodwill thus aiming to
attract new members while making sure that the current membership
is retained and looked after.
- Orients new members to the association’s objectives and programs if
any.
- Encourages members (old and new) to participate in all the projects
and programmes of the association.

3. SECRETARY
- Chairs the Committee on Communication.
- Custodian of membership roster ensuring this to be accurate and up to
date.
- Maintains and records attendance.
- Assists the President in the preparation of reports and communiqués.
- Prepares as directed by the President the agenda for membership
meetings.
- Records and keeps minutes of all meetings and submits these to the
general membership through the President.
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- Disseminates relevant information within the association through
post, e-mail, phone or by any other means necessary.
- Assist the Vice-President with semi-annual membership reports.
- Prepares and orders for logistic with the approval of the majority of the executive committee.

4. TREASURER
- Chairs the Committee on Transportation
- Manages the association’s finances
- Collects one-off membership dues for the association.
- Receives and disburse funds for the association.
- Prepares and submits to the President financial statement for the
association.
- Provides the bank with updated signature card/s.
- Keeps a complete and accurate record of assets and liabilities of the
association.
- Keeps a complete and accurate record of all financial transactions. - Prepares and submits written financial reports to the general
membership through the President.
- Prepares and submit’s the association’s account/financial statements to the general membership thru the Auditor and to the President for audit.

5. AUDITOR
- Acts as full member of the executive committee
- Chairs the Committee on Elections.
- Provides assistance to the Treasurer when required.
- Conducts periodic unscheduled audit of accounts.
- Performs duties designated by the President and/or Vice-President.

ARTICLE X. Oath of Duty

The officer’s oath taking shall not be more than Seventy-five (75) days after the election.

ARTICLE XI. Suffrage

Section 1. Elections

- To be held every two (2) years.
- Only full members are eligible to stand as candidate for election.
- Guest members are not eligible to vote.
- A majority or 51% of the total registered member or as agreed by the general membership, is necessary to make the elections legitimate.

Section 2. Canvassing

- The Electoral Committee shall be the incumbent executive committee unless he/she is running for reelection. Then a replacement shall be elected and appointed by the committee. The electoral committee shall call the election in a general assembly.
- The canvassing for the election results shall be done by the Auditor together with the electoral committe who will then declare the results of the election.

Section 3. Term of Office

- Duly elected officer has a term of Two (2) years.
- An officer shall serve as duly elected officer for a maximum of Two
(2) consecutive terms only, in the same position.

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ADDENDUM.

LIVERPOOL FILIPINO ASSOCIATION’S EQUAL OPPORTUNITiES POLICY

This policy should be read in conjunction with the LIVERPOOL FILIPINO ASSOCIATION’S Constitution which is available to all members.

The LIVERPOOL FILIPINO ASSOCIATION is committed to equal opportunities policy and practice and will ensure that all volunteers and service users, both actual and potential, are treated equally as individuals regardless of age, disability, ethnic or nationality, gender, marital or parental status, political belief, race, religion or sexual orientation.

In implementing this policy the LIVERPOOL FILIPINO ASSOCIATION will take into account the existing legislation in the United kingdom, namely: The Race Relations Act 1976, The Sex Discrimination Act 1975, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

This Equal Opportunities Policy will be implemented across all aspects of the organisations work in:
- The election of members to its Executive Committee.
- The appointment of Public Relation Officers, Committee Chairs and Volunteers.
- All dealings with its members and members of the public.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The LIVERPOOL FILIPINO ASSOCIATION will aim to ensure that the Executive Committee of the organisation is representative of the Liverpool Filipino Association.

VOLUNTEERING

The LIVERPOOL FILIPINO ASSOCIATION will ensure that no nominee officer or volunteer receives less favourable treatment than another on grounds of age, disability, ethnic origin, marital status, political belief, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

The LIVERPOOL FILIPINO ASSOCIATION is committed to undertaking open recruitment and selection procedures and wherever possible all vacancies will be advertised and fair and equitable process will be followed.

Volunteers working with the organisation will be informed of the equal opportunities policy and receive training on equal opportunities issues as appropriate.

The LIVERPOOL FILIPINO ASSOCIATION will also ensure that the changing and developing needs of volunteers are recognised and appropriate adjustments made to working conditions and/or training provided.

PUBLIC AND SERVICE USERS

The LIVERPOOL FILIPINO ASSOCIATION aims to make its services accessible to a wide range of the public as possible and in order to achieve this will take steps to remove barriers which prevent potential audience, participants, members or users from having equal access to the organisation’s activities. This will include:
- Providing facilities for people to enable them to participate fully in activities, e.g. Induction loop, interpreters, etc.
- Ensuring the design of publicity materials takes account of the needs of people in terms of print, format and information on access.
- Encouraging and enabling people from under-represented groups to attend and participate.

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ADDENDUM (Cont’d.)

ARTICLE VI. Membership Benefits

Section 2. Financial Assistance
Members
In case of any serious emergency or death of a member or his/her immediate relative (parent, husband, wife, child, brother or sister), a donation of £20.00 will be given immediately and then officers and p.r.o.s will be obliged to solicit (with a letter) among members in their respective areas of work and domicile. The amount will be first taken from the LFA account and then collected from the general membership later to return to LFA account. Any further voluntary donation of any amount by an individual member will be received and recorded for future reference and will be given to the beneficiary. Any donations collected coming from non-members or known institutions will also be accepted, recorded and given to the affected individual.

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