![[Shown in the photo is my marvelous mentor and friend at right being sworn to by UP Prexy Alfredo Pascual, at left, as UPAA Prexy]](https://i0.wp.com/walteryoungblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/mon-upaa.jpg?ssl=1)
Years ago, my mentor and friend, Mon Maronilla, got elected as Vice-President in an upscale country club association. The President who got elected however, after serving for some time opted to irrevocably resign his position as he eyed running for a congressional post.
Hence, a member of the board, a non-lawyer who felt that he has good chances of winning a by-election for the Prexy post, as majority of the board members are his very close friends; plausibly because of cajolery from the very same friends, was eventually swayed to jockey for the Prexy post.
Meanwhile, the Club President whose eyes were already set for Congress, talked to Mon and told Mon that he has a very urgent request for some kind of favor and he said: “Mon, mag-re-resign ako irrevocably at ako ay tatakbo para sa Kongreso pero gusto ng grupo ay iba ang ipalit sa akin bilang bagong Presidente,pero hindi ikaw ang napupusuan Mon. Okey ba sayo Mon?” [English translation: “Mon, I will tender an irrevocable resignation as President as I intend to run for Congress. However, the majority of the board is inclined to support another to assume the Presidency but it will not be you Mon. Is it okey with you Mon?.”
And Mon replied in the following fashion: “Boss, ako naman ay mag-isa lamang, kayo ang nakakarami, wala akong magagawa kung yan ang gusto ng nakakarami.” [English translation: Sir, I am just one in the board and I cannot go against the wishes of the majority.”]
And the outgoing President retorted: “So, okey lang sa iyo Mon.” [English translation: “So, it is okey with you Mon.”]
And Mon countered: “Pare, wala naman akong magagawa.” [English translation: “My friend, I cannot do anything.”]
Eventually, the outgoing Club Prexy called for a board meeting and what was indicated in the agenda sheet is a purported reorganization of the current officers of the association. And the board meeting went this way:
Outgoing Prexy: “Good morning to all! I would like to announce that I am tendering my irrevocable resignation effective immediately as I will be filing my candidacy for a congressional post in my province. And by reason of my irrevocable resignation, we will have to reorganize the current roll of officers of the association. I am now therefore opening the floor for nomination for the post of President of the association. Any nomination?”
Board Member 1: “I nominate my best friend for the post!” And the nominator went near his best friend and jestingly raised his best friend’s hand, to which the best friend acceded in open acknowledgment of the nomination.
Board Member 2: “ I second the motion!”
Board Member 3: “ I move that the nomination be closed!”
Mon: “Excuse me Mr. Chairman, point of order, perhaps to put the proceedings in the right track, since you have irrevocably resigned, I think, I have to momentarily assume the post of Acting President. Pagbigyan mo na ako Pare, para naman kahit na 5 minutes ay maipagmalaki ko na naging Presidente ako ng asosasyon.” [English translation: xxx Give me that favor friend, so that I could brag that even for just 5 fleeting minutes I became a President of this association.”]
Outgoing Prexy: “Ah oo nga pala. I am now handing over the gavel to the Vice-President who will momentarily act as Acting President .” [English translation: “Oh yes, xxx”]
Mon: “As Acting President, may we now please resume the proceedings.”
And in a seeming déjà vu, the sequel proceedings of the meeting went this way, once more:
Board Member 1: “I nominate my best friend for the post!” And the nominator went near his best friend and jestingly raised his best friend’s hand in open acknowledgment of the nomination.
Board Member 2: “ I second the motion!”
Board Member 3: “ I move that the nomination be closed!”
To this seemingly rehearsed spiel, my friend Mon interjected as follows:
Mon: Are there any objection?
Board Members in unison: “No objection!”
After a while, Mon made a startling declaration, and this was it:
Mon: “The Chair objects!”
And all the other members of the board were shocked in surprise.
And Mon cordially continued…
Mon: “Under the bylaws of the association, in the event of the resignation of the President, it has to be the Vice-President who has to assume the vacated post. I am sorry to disappoint all of you, it is not I who is speaking, it is the bylaws of our association which is speaking.”
For a fleeting moment, everyone inside the boardroom was tight-lipped. And one by one, with a funereal look on their faces, they walked out on Mon, and Mon together with the lady-assistant who was taking down the minutes were the only ones left inside the boardroom.
After a week, Mon, as the new Prexy of the association, sent out a notice of meeting for a sequel board meeting, but not one of the other board members attended.
Mon, sent anew another notice of meeting… again, no one attended.
On his third try, Mon sent out the notices of the meeting with a proviso which served as some kind of a caveat. The proviso which actually quoted the bylaws to the effect that the absence of an incumbent board member for three (3) consecutive board meetings shall empower the President to declare the post as vacant, was printed in bold letters on the notices sent out. And every member of the board attended.
Weeks thereafter, Mon chanced upon the former country club Prexy turned congressional candidate, and he told Mon: “Mon, ang galing mo!” [English translation: You were marvelous Mon!” (as the former country club Prexy referred to how Mon deftly maneuvered his assumption as new country club Prexy)]
After this meeting, marvelous Mon became FRIENDS once more with his co-board members.
