List of officers
PRESIDENT…………………………………... ISMAEL A. AMIGO
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT…………... BENJIE ALEJANDRO
VP-LUZON…………………………………….JUDE TORRES (RPN-9)
VP-VISAYAS……………………………….…JUN MIGALLEN
VP-MINDANAO……………………………… ROY RAMOS (ZAMBOANGA)
VP-OVERSEAS AFFAIRS ...................... RAM BUENDIA BASE
SECRETARY-GENERAL…………………....FITZGERALD CECILIO
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL……….. ENJEL MANATO
TREASURER………………………………....EUGENE LABADAN
CHAIRMAN, EXECUTIVE BOARD………....ISMAEL AMIGO
MEMBERS, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1. EUGENE LABADAN
2. FITZGERALD CECILIO
3. BENJIE ALEJANDRO
4. ENJEL MANATO
5. JUDE TORRES
Constitution and By-Laws
CONSTITUTION
UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA)
PREAMBLE
We, Filipino citizens belonging to different media organizations throughout the Philippines, bonded together by the strongest of desires to work for the upliftment of the social, political and economic conditions of journalists nationwide, hereby form the UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (also known as 1ST-APLUMA) and promulgate this Constitution.
Article 1
NAME OF ORGANIZATION
Section 1. This political party shall be called UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA)
Article 2
PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES
Section 1. UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA) provides the much needed political organization for national and provincial journalists, provincial correspondents, photojournalists and the like who are considered as overworked but underpaid and sometimes abused members of Philippine media.
Section 2. UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA) shall uphold, defend and promote the principles and objectives enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines.
Section 3. Conformably to the foregoing avowed principles and firm commitment to the upliftment of the status of national and provincial journalists nationwide, UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA) shall have the following objectives:
*To work for the establishment of a democratic and nationalist government that is sensitive and responsive to the needs of the people, especially to the needs of provincial journalists.
* To work for the enactment of laws and the amendment of existing ones that will uplift the social, political and economic status of national and provincial journalists, correspondents, photojournalists and the like.
* To work for the establishment of avenues/forums whereby the opinion/ideas/suggestions of provincial journalists on matters affecting them may be heard and/or ventilated.
* To uphold and promote the basic human rights and religious pursuits journalists nationwide.
* To ensure that the marginalized sectors of Philippine society will have greater — if not free — access to courts where they can assert their social and political rights and/or seek protection of the law for these socio-political rights.
Article 3
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Only Filipino citizens 18 years old and above may apply for regular membership in UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA) provided that such applicant adheres in and/or subscribes to the Constitution, principles and programs of the party.
Section 2. Applicants who are members of or are coming from any of the marginalized sectors of Philippine society shall be accorded regular membership status. For verification purposes, an applicant shall be considered as a member of or is coming from any of the marginalized sectors of Philippine society if he is endorsed by a duly-recognized and accredited organization within the concerned sectors.
Section 3. Applicants who do not belong to or do not come from any of the marginalized sectors of Philippine society may be admitted as associate members. Should such member remain in good standing for three (3) consecutive years may be accorded regular membership status.
Section 4. An application shall be endorsed by two (2) members in good standing before any action thereon can be taken by the National President, in consultation with the members of the national executive committee.
Section 5. All applicants—whether for regular membership or associate membership—shall undergo and complete a seminar on the Visions and Programs of Action and Constitution of UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA)
Section 6. Upon favorable endorsement by the National President, any and all application for membership shall be decided upon by the National Executive Committee.
Section 7. Upon admission into the party, applicants shall be required to recite the following oath:
“I, ________________________, do solemnly swear that I will uphold and work for the advancement of the principles, objectives and program of UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA) and abide by its Constitution, for the sole purpose of uplifting the social, political and economic status of all marginalized sectors of the Philippine society.
So help me, God.”
Section 8. Voluntary resignation terminates membership in the party. Membership may also be terminated on grounds that are just and valid and which should be proven after due notice and hearing.
Article 4
RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF MEMBERS
Section 1. Regular members of the party shall enjoy the following rights and privileges:
* To nominate and elect officers of the party, either personally or through authorized representatives.
* To be nominated, elected or appointed as officials of the party. Any regular member may be nominated or elected to any position in the party even if HE/SHE is not present during the election.
* To be present or represented in all meetings of the party, to participate in all discussions therein, and—in cases where a decision of the party is required to be affirmed by the members—to vote on all matters submitted therein.
* To submit proposals or complaints on any matter affecting the party to any appropriate body of the party and such proposals and complaints shall be acted upon within twenty four (24) hours of such submission.
Section 2. Associate members shall enjoy the same rights and privileges enjoyed by the regular members of the party except the right to be nominated and elected officers of the party. Consequently, associate members shall not have the right to nominate and elect officers of the party.
Section 3. The duties and responsibilities of the regular and associate members of the party are:
* To faithfully and truthfully abide by the Constitution and By-Laws of UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA) and all policies and decisions that it has adopted.
* To perform tasks to carry out the objectives of UNANG ALYANSA NG PAMPROBINSIYANG LUPON AT UGNAYAN NG MAKATAO AT MAKADIYOS NA MGA MAMAMAHAYAG! (1ST-APLUMA)
* To pay dues and assessments.
* To immediately inform officers and members of any information directly or indirectly affecting the party.
Article 5
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND PRINCIPLES
Section 1. The organizational structure of UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA) shall be as follows:
* City Chapter, which shall be the basic unit of the party and which may or may not be highly urbanized.
* Regional Chapter, which shall consist of cities—which may or may not be highly urbanized—in a particular region.
* State Council.
Section 2. The President of the party, in consultation with the National Executive Committee, shall appoint representatives/delegates of City Chapters; provided, however, that the appointees to the aforesaid positions should be chosen/elected by a majority of the members in that particular city chapter.
Section 3. The Regional Chapters shall be headed by Regional Coordinators who shall be appointed by the President of the party, in consultation with the National Executive Committee; provided, however, that the appointees to the aforesaid positions should be chosen/elected by a majority of the members in that particular region.
Article 6
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The National Executive Committee shall be the highest governing body of UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA). The National Executive Committee shall have the authority to conduct and administer the affairs of the party in the manner it may see fit.
Section 2. The powers and functions of the National Executive Committee are the following:
* To propose amendments to the Constitution and Programs of Action of UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA)
* To elect the executive officers of the party.
* To fill up vacancies in the National Executive Committee.
* To choose the party’s nominees for the election to the House of Representatives under the party-list system.
* To select the party’s candidates for national elective positions.
* To select candidates for national elective positions who are not members of the party but may be endorsed/supported by the party as well.
* To issue statements and/or make a stand on certain social, political and economic issues in the name of the party.
* To appoint officers of the party as the need arises.
* To decide on any and all matters within its over-all jurisdiction.
*To organize values formation/family-centered seminars for party members.
Section 3. The National Executive Committee shall be composed of the City Chapter delegates/representatives, the Regional Coordinators and members of the State Council.
Section 4. Personalities who have made significant contributions to the formation and growth of the party shall also be eligible for membership to the National Executive Committee.
Article 7
NATIONAL OFFICERS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS
Section 1. From and among the members of the National Executive Committee, the officers of the party shall be chosen/elected. The executive officers of the party shall be the President, Executive Vice-President, Vice-Presidents for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the Secretary-General, the Deputy Secretary-General and the Treasurer.
Section 2. The President shall have the following powers/functions:
* Call and preside over meetings of the National Executive Committee.
* Issue directives and statements in behalf of the National Executive Committee.
* Represent the party and the National Executive Committee.
* Act as the chief campaign officer of the party.
Section 3. The powers/functions of the Executive Vice-President are:
* To act as the president of the party in case of absence or incapacity of the president.
* Act as the deputy chief campaign officer of the party.
Section 3. The Vice-Presidents for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao shall have the following powers/functions:
* Nominate the Regional Coordinators of the party in their respective jurisdictions.
* Supervise the activities of the Regional Coordinators of the party in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
* Act as the chief campaign officer in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
Section 4. The powers/functions of the Secretary General are as follows:
* Act as the chief/head of the secretariat which will run the daily affairs of the party.
* Appoint—with the prior concurrence/approval of the National Executive Committee—such personnel as may be necessary.
Section 5. The Deputy Secretary General shall have the following powers/functions:
* Act as the Secretary General in the absence or incapacity of the latter.
* Assist the Secretary General in the discharge of his/her functions.
* Perform such other functions as may be assigned by the Secretary-General, the National Executive Committee and the president of the party.
Section 6. The power/functions of the Treasurer are the following:
* Prepare the annual budget of the party for approval by the National Executive Committee.
* Act as the custodian of funds and other resources of the party.
Article 8
FUNDS AND RESOURCES
Section 1. The funds of UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA) shall be primarily sourced from the membership dues and other assessments on regular as well as associate members.
Section 2. The funds of UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA) may also be sourced from fund raising activities.
Section 3. UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA) may also accept contributions in cash and in kind, but only when the donors/contributors do not impose conditions contrary to law and principles of the party.
Article 9
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Amendments to any provision of this Constitution may be made with the concurrence of two-thirds of all regular members present in a meeting duly called for the purpose.
Section 2. Any member—regular or associate—may propose amendments to this Constitution. Provided, that in the event that the amendment is proposed by an associate member, such proposal shall not be acted upon by the National Executive Committee without the endorsement of at least three (3) regular members of the party.
Article 10
TRANSITORY PROVISIONS
Section 1. UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA) shall—for the first three (3) years from the ratification/adoption of this Constitution—primarily represent regional and provincial journalists all over the Philippines, thereby vesting in the party at this point with primarily a regional constituency.
Section 2. Pursuant to the provisions of the immediately preceding paragraph, the members of the party’s National Executive Committee—except for the Regional Coordinators—and the party’s National Officers—except for the Vice Presidents for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao—shall be elected from the regular members coming from Metro Manila.
Section 3. The members of the party’s National Executive Committee and the party’s National Officers shall—in coordination with the regular and associate members—work for the establishment of City Chapters nationwide immediately after the ratification and adoption of this Constitution for the purpose of vesting in the party a national constituency.
BY-LAWS of UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA)
NATURE OF THE ORGANIZATION
Section 1. UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA) is a political party adhering to a Constitution and a Program of Action duly promulgated/adopted/approved by its members.
Article 2
OFFICES
Section 1. The national/main office of the party shall be principally located within Metro Manila.
Section 2. Regional and city offices shall be established by the party in such places in the country as the needs of the party may require.
MEETINGS
Section 1. The National Executive Committee shall meet at least four (4) times a year and whenever necessary as determined by majority of the members thereof.
Section 2. The National Officers shall meet at least once a month.
Section 3. There shall be a general membership meeting which shall be held once every three (3) years.
Article 4.
PARTY DISCIPLINE
Section 1. Members or officers of UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA) who—either individually or collectively—commit serious violations of the Constitution and By-Laws of the party and the policies and decisions duly adopted and approved by the party shall be subject to disciplinary action.
Section 2. Disciplinary actions, which shall be meted out based on the gravity or seriousness of the violation, include but are not limited to: censure, demote, suspend and expel from the party.
Section 3. The penalty of expulsion shall be meted to any member or officer of the party for willful violations of the Constitution and for acts inimical to the interest of the party and the people, even if such member or officer committed the said violation only for the first time.
Section 4. The party shall do everything in its power to cause the recall or removal from public office of any member or officer of the party who has been meted the penalty of suspension or expulsion.
Section 5. Proceedings for a disciplinary action against any member or officer of the party shall observe due process. For this purpose, any and all complaints against any member or officer of the party shall be filed with the office of the president who shall then form a fact-finding committee which will conduct the requisite investigation.
Section 6. The findings and recommendations of the fact-finding committee shall be submitted to the National Executive Committee which shall convene within five (5) days from receipt thereof to deliberate thereon. Provided, that a majority of the members of the National Executive Committee shall be sufficient to affirm a finding of guilt and imposition of penalties other than expulsion. Provided, further, that a finding of guilt and imposition of the penalty of expulsion shall be affirmed by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of all the members of the National Executive Committee.
Article 5
DUES AND ASSESSMENTS
Section 1. All applicants to the party shall—upon being accepted as members of the party—pay a one-time acceptance fee of Five Hundred Pesos (P500.00).
Section 2. Regular members of the party shall pay an annual membership due of One Thousand Pesos (P1,000.00). Associate members shall pay an annual membership due of Five Hundred Pesos (P500.00).
Section 3. Members may contribute additional funds as their resources permit.
Article 6
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. The By-Laws of UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA) shall be amended by a majority vote of the members of the National Executive Committee.
VISION AND COMMITMENT of UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA)
In 2009, more or less 30 members of Philippine media, composed mostly of pronvincial correspondents, were brutally killed in Maguindanao while performing their duties as members of the FOURTH STATE.
The incident has brought to forth the plight of provincial correspondents and their families who rely mainly on the pittance fee of correspondents. Correspondents are paid by the measure, column inches of their published stories even as photojournalists are paid by published pictures nothing more, nothing less. They have no security of tenure nor insurance for their families. No social or occupational security no matter how hazardous their course of duty may be. They are only as good as their last story/photo filed.
So that, finally, those who have less in life should have more in law. And have it more abundantly.
Nearly fifty (50) years ago today, a former president of the Republic of the Philippines—newly elected then—vowed to use the law to uplift the social, political and economic status of the country’s largely poor, marginalized people.
Unfortunately, the said former president was never given enough time and opportunity to make good on his promise.
And nobody cared, since then.
This is the reason why we, the members of UNANG ALYANSA NG PAMBANSA AT PAMPROBINSIYANG LUPON AT UGNAYAN NG MAKATAO AT MAKADIYOS NA MGA MAMAMAHAYAG bonded together with a vision to continue whatever work was left out to uplift the social, political and economic status of underemployed national and provincial journalists.
While 1st-APLUMA is initially concentrating on the plight of UNDEREMPLOYED JOURNALISTS, we are confident that we will be able to expand our MEMBERSHIP to cover the entire country and ultimately fight for the rights of all who belong to all the marginalized sectors of Philippine society.
1st-APLUMA firmly believes that the equal application of the law to everyone will inevitably lead to the upliftment of the social, political and economic status of the marginalized sectors in the county.
To these aspirations, we pledge even our lives.
PROGRAM OF ACTION/GOVERNMENT of UNANG ALYANSANG PAMBANSA AT LOKAL NA UGNAYANG MAMAMAHAYAG-MANGGAGAWA (1ST-APLUMA)
With nothing but the best interests of our brothers and sisters in media in our hearts and minds, we hereby affirm the following objectives:
*To work for the upliftment of their conditions, especially with their nature of work and job security, mental and spiritually.
* To work for the enactment of laws and the amendment of existing ones that will uplift the social, political and economic status of the marginalized sectors of the Philippine society.
* To work for the establishment of avenues/forums whereby the opinion/ideas/suggestions of the marginalized sectors of Philippine society on matters affecting them may be heard and/or ventilated.
* To uphold and promote their basic human rights as marginalized sector of Philippine society.
* To ensure that the marginalized sectors of Philippine society will have greater—if not free—access to courts where they can assert their social and political rights and/or seek protection of the law for these socio-political rights.
