APCO News Updates
Press Release

Dr Cen Amores receives another Achievement Award

By Ruben Amores
NSW-Australia
February 22, 2016



Following are this year’s awardees: Dr Cen Palomares Amores of San Ildefonso for Education and Community Service; Provincial Board Member Jeremias Singson for Social Services/Government Service; Engr Eugenio Pipo of Bantay for Government Service; Mrs Yolanda Bello-Pajaro of Santa for Entrepreneurship; Dr Orlino Baldonado of Sta Maria for Science and Entrepreneurship; Dr Allan Patrick Macabeo of Santa for Science; Mayor  Eva Marie Medina of Vigan City for Heritage Preservation; and Engr Anacleto Alcantara for Engineering. 
Fr Jose Burgos was a Vigan-born Catholic priest who inspired the Filipinos to fight for Philippine independence from the colonising Spaniards.           

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APCO’s Capacity Building project launched

By Ruben Amores
NSW-Australia
February 22, 2016

“I applaud the steps that my friends at the Alliance of Philippine Community Organisations are taking in setting up a framework of effective governance through their capacity building project. I can ensure the keen interest and support of the Ethnic Communities’ Council in this project”. This was the inspirational message from Peter Doukas, Chair of the Ethnic Communities’ Council NSW Inc at the launch of Managing for Organisational Excellence capacity building project of APCO.
Held at Berala Community Centre on 5 February at 6:30 pm, the program, emceed by APCO Senior Vice President Cora Perez started with the reading of the inspirational message of Ethnic Communities Council of NSW Inc’s Chair, Peter Doukas by Dr Cen Amores, Board of Management of ECCNSW Inc and Founding President of APCO.

Distinguished community leader, Dr Gabriel Carreon and Consul Marford Angeles shared their thoughts on   “What the community leaders should do to improve the Filipino-Australian community? “. This was followed by a Q &A facilitated by Jhun Salazar, Immediate Past President of APCO. Lead Trainer, Ralph Improgo presented a brief eye view of the training package followed by the presentation of the Project Steering Committee composed of Ruben Amores, Jhun Salazar and Cora Perez and Project Staff composed of Dr Cen Amores, Project Manager; Ralph Improgo, Lead Trainer and Wendy Wang, Admin Support.

The Managing for Organisational Excellence project is fully funded by DOOLEYS Lidcombe Catholic Club and supported by Auburn Small Community Organisation Network Inc and Auburn City Council.

APCO represented at Western Sydney Forum

By Ruben Amores
NSW-Australia
February 22, 2016

A forum on Innovative Partnerships and Social Investment jointly organised by Western Sydney Collective, Western Sydney Community Forum, Parramatta City Council and Parramatta Chamber of Commerce was held at the UNE Future Campus Lecture Room in Parramatta on 17 Feb 2016.
Aimed to help community organisations on how to tap innovative partnerships and social investment, the seven top brass panellists delivered  a variety of topics such as: Introduction to Innovative Partnerships & Social investment by Lucy Brotherton, Community Capacity Building Officer, Parramatta City Council; Applying Shared Value in Community Business Partnership by Phil Preston, CEO, The Collaborative Advantage; Partnerships & Social Enterprise by Kelly Hinton, NSW State Manager, White Lion; Making Connections Between  Business & Community by Martyn Ryan, CEO, Benojo and Innovative Partnerships through Cooperatives by Peter Tregilgas Chair, Mercury Centre Cooperative. Facilitating the forum and the Q 7 A was done by Eva Gerencer, Strategic Development Manager, Western Sydney Community Forum.
Dr Cen Amores, Founding president of the Alliance of Philippine Community Organisations Inc (APCO) represented the Filipino-Australian community. When asked if she benefitted from this forum, she opined, “  The forum was quite interesting and provided insight on the need to seek out partners from the corporate and community to facilitate delivery of much needed services and projects that cater to community needs. The information shared was overwhelming but there was not enough time to reflect on the new and interesting ideas shared by the panellists. “