Referendum on new ASP by-laws on October 25

The Autism Society Philippines will be holding its 2014 General Assembly on October 25 at the Ground Floor, Lopez Building, Meralco Compound In Pasig City. Aside from electing the new board of trustees, the ballot will also include a "yes" or "no" vote on the the new by-laws.

The ASP By-Laws, now 25-years old, needed to change to keep with the needs of an ever-growing family advocacy. The proposed changes are a result of more than a year of research on the most effective approach to certify the society as a genuine non-government organization (NGOs) amidst post-Napoles public scrutiny, a consultation with chapter leaders on policy priorities at the Chapter Leaders Conference on 8-9 March 2014 and multiple ASP Board deliberations in 2014.

The proposed changes on the ASP by-laws can be summarized below.

1. Update communication to include electronic means since there were no cell phones or internet at the time the By-laws were made.
2. Redefinition of duties of National officers as overseers of staff rather than actual performers of tasks.
3. Inclusion of statements required by the Philippine Council of NGO Certification, regarding disposal of organization’s assets upon its dissolution.

The full text of the proposed ASP by-laws can be found here. The line by line comparison of old and new provisions of the ASP By-Laws can be found here.

While many more improvements and changes can be introduced to the By-Laws, the ASP trustees feel that the proposed changes addresses the society's most critical needs and our visibly urgent priorities, while keeping in mind our humble resources, our long-term vision and our fundamental mandate of being an education and support advocacy group for families and individuals who live with autism.

While additional revisions are no longer possible at this time, members are welcome to raise their suggestions on changes to the by-laws for the next general assembly. A member may raise their idea with their chapter leadership, who can then endorse the matter, as a collective, to ASP National. It will be on the chapter to provide substance to support their suggestion's relevance -- not just to their personal circumstance -- but to ASP's general membership.

See you all at the General Assembly!