PHILCULTAROS

History

At 40 Years of Age, PHILCULTAROS is Still Moving Forward. The year 2005 marked 40 glorious years for the Philippine Cultural and Technical Association of Returned Overseas Scholars (PHILCULTAROS). It was originally formed under the name ABK (Asia Bunka Kaikan) Dosokai in 1963 which eventually changed into PHILCULTAROS two years later, under the leadership of Mr. Ko “Benito’ Kiam Tiu, ’64-’66, the organization’s first President. Succeeding presidents were Alberto B. Periquet, ’66-‘68, Rogelio R. Martinez, ’68-’70, Alberto A. Abanilla, ’70-’72, Moises Mañego, ’72-’76, Benjamin F. Pateña, ’76-78, Serapio A. Bravo, ’78-’80, Delfin H. Torres, ’80-’82, Larry Azurin, ’84-’86, Lucio Lim, ’86-’88, Ernesto V. Abrenica, ’88-’95, Gaspar R. Andres, Jr. ’95-’96, Cristina E. Francisco, ’96-’00, Lorentti T. Velasco, ’01- ’13 and Alex N. Ventura ’13-’14.

PHILCULTAROS was born out of the desire to develop mutual cooperation and maintain friendship among the former residents of ABK, former trainees of Association of Technical Scholarships based in Tokyo, Japan, and other AOTS Alumni Societies. At the same time sharing their knowledge acquired in AOTS trainings to their fellow countrymen. It is a living testimony to the spirit of cooperation between the Philippines and Japan, driven by the single purpose of establishing common values and interests anchored in collaborative efforts to contribute to national progress through human resources development.

In cooperation with AOTS, seminars, workshops, and various discussion groups or lectures on various relevant topics, ie. Total Quality Management, 5S, Gemba Kaisen, Total Production Management, Behavioral Problem Solving, Information Technology and many others are conducted. Socio-cultural projects are likewise pursued. We have strengthened our networks on the international level by, among others, establishing membership with several Japanese-affiliated organizations like the Philippine Federation of Japan Alumni (PHILFEJA) and Federation of Southeast Asian AOTS Alumni Societies (FOSAAS). We have participated in the Asian Local Training Program (ALTP) and the World Network of Friendship Program (WNF). In an effort to bolster net-working among our members, we have launched our own newsletter, called News Net.

Membership strengthening is likewise at the core of PHILCULTAROS’s priorities. Chapters in different areas in Luzon have been organized and quarterly meetings and get-together like golf tournaments and bingo socials were being held regularly every year.

To further strengthen our human resource training activities, two Partnership Agreements between PHILCULTAROS and AOTS were ratified on 30 October 2003. Under the first agreement, PHILCULTAROS is the collaborating organization responsible for the recruitment, recommendation, pre-departure orientation and sending of trainees for AOTS training courses in five training centers in Japan. As the collaborating organization for the second agreement, PHILCULTAROS is responsible for planning, organizing, recruitment and implementation of training seminars here in Manila, Clark and Cavite industrial zones with Japanese experts as lecturers and with employees from Japanese and Japanese affiliated manufacturing companies as trainees.

Today, PHILCULTAROS accounts for about 70 percent of the 6,000 Filipinos who have been trained under the auspices of AOTS. Equipped with technical knowledge, skills and managerial know-how gained through in-plant training in Japanese companies and factories, they support the industrial development of the Philippines and are the foundation of the major industries of the country, particularly in Philippine-Japanese joint venture corporations.

PHILCULTAROS LIST OF OFFICERS

President : Cynthia Reyes
Vice President Internal : Luisito Gutierrez
Vice President External : Brando Barrantes
Secretary/Membership : Ma. Kristina Velasco
Treasurer : Marcelino Yu
Assistant Treasurer : Evangeline Ang
Auditor : Albert Tanching
Public Relations Officer : Ma. Luisa Mascardo

Committees
Ways & Means : Manuel Arturo Sanvictores
Edilberto Gallor
Recruitment : Artemio Baylosis
Continuing Education : Ma. Salvacion Saludo
Internship : Elisa Arriola
Socio-Cultural : Edward Nell Landicho
Constitutional Amendments : Reynaldo Espino

Contact

ADDRESS:
823 S.H. Loyola St.,
Sampaloc, Manila