General Meeting of

Democrats Abroad Philippines

Saturday April 6, 2019 from 3:30-5:30pm

Elks Club (Library), 7th Floor, Corinthian Plaza Building

121 Paseo de Roxas corner Legaspi Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City

Attendees: Angelo Goode (Vice-Chair), Maurice “Morrie” Kayanan

(Communications Manager), Eugene Boggs (former Vice-Chair), Brian
Borlongan, Mary Ellen de Jesus, Maria Angela Reyes, Omar Tiwana
(former Secretary), Yasmin Tiwana, and Gay Zialcita (former Treasurer).

Angelo chaired the meeting and Morrie took the minutes because Chair
Lisa Pagkalinawan and Secretary Jeremy Slagle were travelling.

Angelo opened the meeting at 3:30pm; noted apologies from Lisa,

Treasurer Kathy Bergeron, Jeremy, Albert Afan, Susan Afan, Former Chair
John Boyd, Photographer Joan Corpuz, Events Committee Bing Gelman
and Donald Goertzen, and Maria Nieva; and determined a quorum was
present.

Minutes from the previous January 19, 2019 meeting were approved.

Angelo shared International Chair Julia Bryan’s report on 2018 wins:

1. One in 25 races across the country were won or lost by a 1% or
smaller margin—the margin that Americans abroad bring to almost
every congressional district
2. Votes from abroad won Florida's only state-wide Democrat win: Nikki
Fried's Agriculture Commissioner race. This is a big deal for 2020,
and crucial to Florida’s help winning the White House.
3. We won out west in Utah (UT 04 Congressional District) and the
valley of California (CA 21)
4. We won in the east, in New Jersey (NJ 03). We won Representative
Andy Kim's election with 71 votes that pushed him over 50%. Kim is
the first Democratic member of Congress of Korean descent.
5. We won with a tiny budget that did a lot to boost our output (up 800%
from 2014 among our membership).
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Angelo re-emphasized the difference Democrats Abroad (DA) could make

in 2020 if we double or triple that investment. Because when we work with
overseas Americans, they vote. But when we don’t, voting rates drop
precipitously. We make the difference.

The group congratulated Brian for getting certified for Email Blasts in record
time, and thanked him for being a great help.

Brian volunteered for Database Cleanup, so Angelo recommended Brian

get certified for Membership Management.

Omar suggested we look into more demographic-focused online research

about what our members really want when it comes to the services we
bring to our community, toward increased mobilization. He proposed a
Democrats Abroad Philippines (DAPh) LinkedIn page toward expanding
our membership outside Metro Manila, and a “community e-board” where
everyone can share input within a unified interface. The main goal is to
drive engagement, share expertise and prepare for 2020 through greater
levels of participation.

Angelo commented that other DA Country Committees/Chapters—Italy for

example—used a Google Sheet system to poll members, and Global Help
Desk Gail Fagen has shared some useful sample materials. Omar
supported this and further suggested including multiple-choice questions
about membership interests, for instance, to help pinpoint polling.

A tentative Membership Management Committee was formed, composed

of Omar, Brian, Angelo and possibly Morrie.

Omar called a return of the old, and successful, Sherry Get Together
events to discuss the latest news and views in the United States.

Gene, Yasmin and Morrie suggested having an event that would highlight
the more than 20 new Democratic Presidential Candidates participating in
the upcoming Primaries.

Morrie suggested we hold our own “Mock Primaries” wherein each DAPh
member could pretend to be a candidate of his or her choice. Each could
give a 3-minute presentation of their salient issues or platform on reasons
to vote for him or her. Morrie volunteered to take Elizabeth Warren.
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Yasmin suggested that this could fall under a Candidate Education Event.

Our next two events are:

1. Tax for Americans Abroad Seminar on Saturday April 13, 2019 from
3:30-5pm at the Elks Club Manila Room.
2. Memorial Day on Monday May 27, 2019 at the Manila American
Cemetery, organized by the American Association of the Philippines.
We will contribute a wreath, which we intend to pay for through a
Fund-It Yourself Campaign Morrie is trying to create. Cost would be
some PhP4,500-8,000, including delivery.

Member introductions came last.

The next meeting, 3rd Quarter General Meeting, was tentatively scheduled
for Saturday July 6, 2019 from 3:30-5:30pm at the Elks Club.

There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:30pm amid
much goodwill.