PABA’s 19th Induction Ball

Founded in 1977, the Philippine-American Bar Association, Inc. of Metropolitan Washington, DC celebrated its 19th Induction and Inaugural Ball at the Holiday Inn, Alexandria, Virginia last Saturday, March 21, 2009. Julieta G. Watlington, Esq. native of Bauang, La Union was officially inducted into office as PABA President, 2008 and 2009 together with Lourdes Baldoza Cabanas, Esq. as President-Elect, Fernando T. Tonolete, Esq. as Vice-President for Operations, Maria Linda Vicente, Esq. as Vice-President for Programs, Inocentes A. Tecala, Esq. as Executive-Secretary, Honorio Orlina, Esq. as Treasurer and Antonio P. Cabanas, Esq. as P.R.O.
Three members of the Board of Directors were also sworn in, namely Eufemio B. Dauz, Esq., Benjamin Maynigo, Esq., and Roland V. Lee, Esq.
Close to 200 guests attended the event, among them representatives from Gawad Kalinga, Filipino-American community leaders and Filipino-American business entrepreneurs. Mr. Fos, Special Assistant to William Gaa, Philippine Ambassador to the United States was the Guest Speaker and Inducting Officer. Mr. Fos in his remarks, challenged the PABA officers and members to honor the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement entered into by the Philippine Government and PABA which among other things provided that PABA would provide free legal assistance to Filipino-Americans with respect to immigration problems, social security concerns and veterans affairs.
President Julieta G. Watlington, in her inaugural speech, echoed the theme of “inclusion and collaboration” towards creating a synergy with all other Filipino-American organizations whose overarching goal unites with one another in uplifting the lives of Filipino-Americans in the United States and assisting our beloved “kababayans” in our motherland, the Philippines.
The projects which President Julieta Watlington has envisioned for the remainder of her term are the following:
• Two seminars on Immigration and legal issues related to real estate; one in June and another in September 2009
• Collaborative project with Gawad Kalinga
• Participation and collaboration in activities initiated by other Filipino-American associations for its constituencies
• Interactive website for PABA
• 501C3 status for PABA
• Two fund-raising activities

Contributed by:
Inocentes A. Tecala, Esq.
PABA Past President, 1990
PABA Executive-Secretary

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