No one contested the quorum determination and so Mr. Sagalla proceeded with the meeting agenda.

SMSSAFF Current State of Affairs Report. SMSSAFF President,  Lambert Sagalla, reported that SMSSAFF is a very healthy organization but it is still in its infancy and needs all our tender loving care in order for it to survive.

He reiterated, for those who still did not know, that SMSSAFF  was granted tax-exempt status under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code effective May 4, 2004. Thereafter, Lambert Sagalla reported that SMSSAFF, as per report of the SMSSAFF Treasurer, was able to service $80,270.81 worth of donations for St. Mary’s School of  Sagada. 

To give the business participants an idea of the events leading to the formation of SMSSAFF; what it had to come up with in compliance with its tax-exempt status; and what it was able put in place towards pursuing its vision and mission  in the early stages of its development, Mr. Sagalla distributed the following materials:

• Backgrounder on SMSSI and SMSSAFF;
• Minutes of the organizational meeting last March 5, 2005 at St. Luke and All Saints Mission Church, Union New Jersey;
• Minutes of the first attempt at a Nationwide SMSSAFF reunion and business meeting at Sierra Mia, West Virginia last June 18, 2005;
• The Articles of Association and By-laws that has evolved thus far; and
• Frequently Asked Question on St. Mary’s School of  Sagada, Inc [SMSSI].

Mr. Sagalla said that the present state of affairs of SMSS Alumni and Friends Foundation  can be browsed over from the website:  www.smssfoundation.com

It was then moved and seconded that the report be accepted and posted in the website for the information of  other SMSS alumni and friends who were not able to make it to the meeting. Carried

To read the complete report click on: SMSSAFF Current State of Affairs Report

Minutes of the Meeting, 18 June 2005. The minutes of the meeting held on 18 June 2005 which is posted in the SMSSAFF website [www.smssfoundation.com ] and hard copies of which were distributed earlier,  were reviewed for any corrections. There were no corrections made.  

It was, therefore, moved and seconded that the 18 June 2005 SMSSAFF meeting be accepted. Carried.

Discussion of business arising from the minutes were specifically scheduled in the Committee reports and the elections of the incoming members board of trustees  as well as officers of  SMSSAFF. 

Financial Report by the SMSSAFF Treasurer, Inez Saley. The Treasurer distributed hard copies of her financial report which included:

• Receipts and Disbursements for the period 2004 to Aug. 2006 and
• Balance sheet for the same period.

Receipts was backed up by a list of the name of all donors, complete with the amount of donations and to what projects these donations were intended for. All donations were made to projects requested by the St. Mary’s School of Sagada Administration in accordance with the Five-Year development plan and supplemental projects; and as approved by the SMSSAFF Board of Trustees.

The Treasurer reported that since 2004, the year SMSSAFF was granted its 501 (c) (3) status, through August 2006, our foundation was able to process $80,270.81 worth of donations to St. Mary’s School of  Sagada, Inc.[SMSSI].

It was then moved and seconded that the Treasurer’s report be accepted. Carried.

Endowment Fund Committee Report. Dr. John Alipit as Co-Chair of this Committee made the report. He said that the Endowment Fund Drive took front and center in early fund drives for St. Mary’s School of Sagada, Inc.. His class class ’55  took a pioneering role in trying to encourage other classes to initiate their own endowment fund drives.

However, he reported that the endowment fund drive had to take a back-seat to other fund drives which were particularly intended to keep SMSS above water, such as the fund drive for the operational budget of the school. He said that he was convinced by the late Frank Longid that the immediate concern was to keep the school afloat which means that all fund drives will have to address the operational concerns of the school.

Thus, his and his classmates’ donations as well as fund raising efforts were diverted in support of  the operational budget, classroom and building renovations, science laboratories, computer lab, student scholar sponsorships,  faculty sponsorships and the like.

Dr. John clarified that he is not discouraging donations to the endowment fund build-up project. In fact he said that with the seemingly successful conclusion of most of these “immediate-need” projects, he is again encouraging donors to donate towards the endowment fund build-up project.

It was moved and seconded that the body accept Dr. John’s report. Carried.

Sports Complex Committee Report. Norman Longid, as chairman of this committee, made the report. Norman stressed the importance of sports in the overall development of students to become responsible citizens in whatever community they will eventually settle in. He said that sports can be a very effective antidote to drug and alcohol addiction – social cancers which have reared their ugly heads even in the secluded hinterland community of Sagada.

Norman went on to challenge all alumni who have dribbled a basketball, all alumni who have tossed a volleyball, all alumni who have swung a softball bat, all alumni who have held a ping-pong racket to contribute to the sports complex project of St. Mary’s School of Sagada.

Norman gave his personal commitment that subject sports complex will definitely start in year 2007 with the help of SMSSI president Rufino Bomasang.

It was then moved and seconded to accept Norman Longid’s report. Carried.

Lunch Break: 12:00 – 1:30

Sponsor a Student Committee Report & Library Committee Report. Nellie Abeya Pit-og made the report in the absence of Lita Killip [Chairman of the Sponsor a Student Funding Assistance Committee ] and Edwin Abeya [Chairman of the Library Funding Assistance Committee]

Nellie reported that she does not have the exact figures but that the fund-drive for SMSS scholars is ongoing and that quite a number of donors have committed to sponsor several SMSS scholars. She thanked those who have already made their scholarship commitments for school year 2006-2007 and encouraged other donor-pledgers to likewise make good their commitments.  She encouraged the business participants to go to the SMSS website [ http://www.smssfoundation.com/sponsor_a_student.htm ]  to familiarize themselves about the details of this all important project.  

She emphasized that the amount involved in sponsoring a student scholar is very affordable as follows:

·        Full academic scholar: $140.00 per  year.

·        Partial academic scholar: $120.00  per year.

·        Full student grantee: $100.00  per year.

·        Partial student grantee: $50.00 per year

She said that in all probability these sponsorship amounts will increase to take into account the modern facilities that has recently been installed in the school. She said, however, that these will still be very affordable to most overseas alumni and friends.

On the Library Facilities Funding Assistance [LFFA] Project, Nellie reported that the committee changed their name to LAFF in an effort to make it a fun-filled effort. Nellie again referred the business participants to the website to browse over the details of this project as well as see who the members of this committee are. The relevant web pages are:

·        http://www.smssfoundation.com/library_facilities.htm

·        http://www.smssfoundation.com/laff_committee.htm

Nellie reported that she, Edwin and Mia Abeya have been taking care of the Librarian’s salary.

She reminded Lambert Sagalla to please attend to drafting a cover letter for the library renovation project proposal of  Dennis Faustino which the committee plan to send to an anonymous donor.

It was moved and seconded that Nellie’s report be accepted. Carried.

Privilege Speech.  In an attempt to break the monotony of the committee reports, manong Eduardo Biag requested a privilege speech which was graciously granted by the SMSSAFF President. He then went to deliver a hilarious speech on why he thought he was a good speaker as per the approval of Mrs Norton when he was still a budding speech student at St. Mary’s High; and as an accomplished speaker as per the accolade he got from parents and Mr. Rex Botengan during IIC-5 in St. Louis Missouri.

Pep Talk by Norman Longid. To further help wake up the meeting participants who were still visibly tending to fall asleep either because of the sumptuous lunch they just partook of or were still adjusting to time differences from their places of origin, Norman Longid was requested by the SMSSAFF President to deliver a pep talk. Apparently deciding that no amount of pep talk will wake up the majority of participants, Norman instead initiated a fun-filled albeit vigorous exercise. That really woke up the meeting attendees.

Sponsor a Faculty Chair Funding Assistance Project. Manong Rufino Bomasang took the floor to further discuss the Faculty Chair Sponsorship project  which he earlier touched on during his power-point presentation during the evening of the 25^th [of August]. Mng Rufino explained the rationale of why this project has become the center piece of the current fund drive through the next five years. He said that this is the best way of instituting a quality faculty contingent, hence quality instructions, without unduly burdening students with high tuition fees. This will also allow endowment fund proceeds, particularly from a choice property in Pampanga being donated by Dennis Faustino to the SMSS endowment-fund-build-up project, to earn some sufficient interest-income. He also emphasized that non-alumni, non-episcopalians, non-igorots and non-stake holder colleagues of Dennis Faustino have donated to this project. This was, of course, a direct challenge that it behooves alumni, Episcopalians, Igorots and stakeholders to likewise support the Faculty Chair Sponsorship Fund Drive.

With Nestor Yodong and Brian Gulian ably assisting with the Blackboard paraphernalia, considerable interest was generated as evidenced by the spirited question and answer session that followed.  

Dr. Corazon Aguilar stood up to help rally the troops. She said that we should seize the moment to take advantage of the leadership of Rufino Bomasang, Dennis Faustino and Kent Sinkey. It is not everyday that such people volunteer their expert services to SMSS, she continued. She went on to state that donations even how small can help produce another Frank Longid, another Rufino Bomasang, a nationwide leader or even a world leader. She again took the floor later to suggest some fund-raising techniques.

While the question and answer session was going on, classmates and regional groupings consulted each other. The result was 12 years of pledged faculty sponsorships and one new classroom sponsorship as follows:

1.      The SMSSAFF West Coast Chapter [through their spokesperson, manong Eduardo Biag] pledged to fully sponsor one Science Faculty Chair for five years i. e., school years: 2006-2007; 2007-2008, 2008-2009; 2009-2010; and 2010-2011.

2.      Brian Gulian [the current President of BIBAK-NE], pledged on behalf of SMSS East Coast alumni and friends, to sponsor one math  faculty chair for school year 2007-2008. [Gloria Bawaan Simon fully sponsored this faculty chair for year 2006-2007.]

3.      Dr. John and Josephine Alipit pledged to sponsor one Science Faculty Chair for year 2007-2008. SMSSI Chairman of the Board, Rufino Bomasang, fully sponsored this faculty chair for school year 2006-2007.

4.      Dra. Corazon Aguilar and Soling Bangloy Coker committed Class ’57 to fully sponsor one math faculty chair for school years: 2006-2007; 2007-2008; and 2008-2009.

5.      Erwin Killip, Co-chair of the Sponsor A Faculty Chair Committee, pledged on behalf of class ’74 to fully sponsor the social studies faculty chair for school year 2007-2008. This is fully sponsored and paid for by Inez Killip Saley and Francis Killip  for school year 2006-2007.

6.      Nellie Abeya Pit-og committed Class ’61 to fully sponsor one English faculty chair for school year 2007-2008.  This faculty chair is being fully sponsored by Class ’62 for school year 2006-2007.

7.  The Longid-Omengan families pledged to sponsor one of the 3 new classrooms being requested by Dennis Faustino to accommodate the sudden surge of enrollees to St. Mary's School of Sagada.

From the above, twelve [12] years of faculty sponsorships and one new classroom sponsorship was generated.  At $3,000.00 per faculty-year sponsorship, and with a construction cost for a new classroom pegged at $3,000.00 [the equivalent of Pesos 150,000 as per estimate of manong Rufino Bomasang], the foregoing pledges translates into $39,000.00 worth of donations to SMSSI generated during the business meeting.

After the pledging, Nellie Abeya Pit-og took the floor to exhort those who pledged towards the faculty chair sponsorships and the additional classrooms  not to follow the pledgers during past SMSS alumni and friend reunions in Sagada who have yet to honor their pledges.

Caesar Castro then suggested that it would be nice to know what the SMSS alumni back home are doing in support of SMSS projects. Mr. Bomasang explained that SMSS alumni and friends back home were a tremendous help during the SMSS Fund raising golf tournament that raised over a million pesos for the computer laboratory. He also said that the SMS alumni and friends - Metro Manila Chapter - were able to fund the construction of the school cistern. He, of course, admitted that Philippine-based SMSS alumni and friends can still do more as would overseas alumni and friends. He promised to take this concern with SMSS alumni and friends in the Philippines when he gets home.

The SMSSAFF Treasurer later reported that the following donations were received by her:

Election of New Members to the Board of Trustees. A 15 minutes break followed the Faculty Chair session after which new members to the board of trustees were elected to replace those with expiring terms in consonance with the provisions of the SMSSAFF by-laws. The following were elected to serve for three year terms:

1. Cora Aguilar – Colorado

2. Caesar Castro – Canada

3.  Annie Anderson – California

4.  Brian Gulian – New York

5.  Maximo Batong – California

Other Business Matters. The SMSSAFF Treasurer brought out the need to increase the SMSSAFF membership fee to fund the growing office supplies and miscellaneous expenses which in the past have been funded out of the the pockets of SMSSAFF officers particularly the President and the Treasurer. It was, therefore, moved and seconded that the SMSSAFF annual membership fee be increased from $5.00 to $20.00. Carried.

Resolutions. A resolution, authored by Lambert Sagalla, to name the SMSS Science Labs in honor of Dr. John and Josephine Alipit was read to the body. It was moved, seconded and unanimously approved.

Mr.  Bomasang, as Chairman of the Board of SMSSI immediately acknowledged the unanimous approval of the resolution. He stated that it was indeed the policy of SMSSI to name classrooms / projects in honor of donors or to whoever the donor want to dedicate the project.

Date and Place of  Next SMSSAFF reunion and business meeting. There was discussion as to whether reunions and business meetings can be spaced such that this can be scheduled bi-annually (every other 2 years) or even triennially (every other 3 years). Dra. Aguilar, citing certain provisions of the by-laws, stated that unless the by-laws were amended we are constrained to have the meetings/reunions annually. She cited the provision specifically mentioning an annual meeting; and the provision that one third of the board of trustees will be elected annually.

After discussing the pros and cons of several suggested places and time, it was decided that the most appropriate place and time for the next SMSSAFF meeting is in New Jersey at Mid-August, 2007. Among those suggested but which was declined by concerned alumni and friends were: Chicago, Michigan, Los Angeles again and Canada. Caesar Castro stated that Vancouver would be able to host subject gathering in year 2009.

The meeting was adjourned at about 4:30 PM. Lambert Sagalla then turned over the proceedings to the SMSSAFF West Coast Chapter President, Max Batong who after thanking the business meeting participants announced details for the Crazy Night scheduled later that evening and the following morning’s Sunday Service.

Picture taking followed shortly.

Minutes was prepared by
Lambert Sagalla with the help of:

1. Frances Jane Pooten Kiat-ong ,

2. Hilda Longid Aquino,

3. Annie-Laurie Todyog-Anderson, and

4. Inez Killip Saley

• Highlights of Aug 25-27 SMSSAFF Meeting
• SMSSAFF Current State of Affairs Report
• Resolution on J & J Alipit
• Diamond Bar Golf Tournament