SINCE 2010, five lawyers have run for the presidency of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City and all of them won because their candidacies were uncontested.
The IBP Cebu City Chapter, which currently has more than 2,000 members, proclaimed its newly elected set of officers during a nationwide chapter elections on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021. The officers will serve for two years.
The new president is lawyer Michelle Palmares, who had served the IBP Cebu City Board of Officers in various capacities for 21 years. She had no opponents in the election.
She will replace the current president, lawyer Regal Oliva, who also ran unopposed in 2019.
The other lawyers who ran for the IBP Cebu City top post unopposed were Mae Elaine Bathan in 2013, Hidelito Pascual in 2015 (Pascual succumbed to a heart attack in 2017), and Jose Glenn Capanas in 2017.
Asked why there were no other candidates in the elections since 2013, Oliva said she “would have to attribute that to strong and exemplary leadership of the Board. And the transition to one leader to the other has been smooth. The members of the Cebu City Chapter also feel content of the breed of service that we have shown for the last 10 years, putting lawyers first and the compassion and care to serve.”
Other officers
Palmares’ vice president at the incoming 25th Board of Officers is lawyer Rosendo Emilio Hernaez III.
The other lawyers who complete the board are Georgia May Klepp, secretary; Mark Gregory Avila, treasurer; Rhea Mae Judilla, auditor; and Fr. Dan Domingo Angeles Jr., the public relations officer.
Lawyers Abraham Acosta, Bernardino Amago IV, Mark Anthony Gaviola, Lalaine Esmeralda and Darling Chyrmyth Wagas are the IBP Cebu City directors.
Self-defense
Palmares said she is “happy, honored and humbled” for having been chosen to lead the IBP Cebu City.
She said she aims to continue the various projects of the current board, especially its legal aid programs.
“As a security practitioner, one of my priorities is a security program for lawyers which includes training on situational awareness, threat management, and self-defense,” she said.
“Our theme is lawyers first—to mean that we empower, capacitate, engage and encourage our members to actively participate in our chapter’s activities so we can all work together to better serve the least, the lost and the last,” she added.
The election for the chapter was conducted at the City Sports Club in Cebu City. The oath-taking ceremony for the new set of officers will take place before April 1, the day when the new officers will start their duties.
Cebu City Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Marlon Jay Moneva was the observer during the election. (WBS)