Friday, June 08, 2007 JCI Senate leader elected Asia Pacific veep By Albert B. Lacanlale
SAN Fernando City-born Senen Quiambao, who was recently elected national president of the JCI Senate Philippines (JCISP), is now wearing bigger shoes having been chosen among the leaders of the organization in the Asia Pacific region for 2007-2008.
Quiambao, known for his initials SPQ by JCI senators all over the country, was elected vice president of the JCI Aspac Senate, joining in the prestigious rank of officer-diplomats from various countries.
Backstopping newly minted president Kang Shin Sung of Korea, Quiambao is one of the two Filipinos in the JCI Aspac Senate's role of officers. The other one is advisor Cecilio Pedro.
In the whole Aspac region, three vice presidents were chosen -- Quiambao, Ryuichiro Tsuchiya of Japan and Victor Wong of Singapore.
Quiambao will be assigned one-third of all the countries to the Asia Pacific. He will oversee the implementation of programs of the organization in the said countries.
He officially took his oath of office on June 2 during the Aspac Senate Dinner at the Ambassador Hotel in Taipei, Taiwan.
Quiambao said he did not expect to become an officer in the region despite being a common favorite for the national president's position in the country.
The Aspac board, he said, may have probably taken note of the performance of the JCISP since he assumed the top position starting January this year.
"We did not aspire for higher positions when we joined the JCI, but we are not afraid of holding responsibilities especially if it entails helping the whole organization achieve its goals for the betterment of its members and the communities around us," Quiambao said.
Quiambao, a businessman, is a recipient of various awards and recognition in the past, including the Outstanding Fernandino 2005 in the field of business and entrepreneurship feted by the San Fernando City Government and Most Outstanding JCI Senator in the Philippines in 2004.
He was also a former president of the Rotary Club of Dolores in San Fernando, Pampanga and president of the Members of Mimosa Golf and Country Club Association, Inc.
Quiambao, a golf enthusiast, is also one of the founding officers of the Pampanga Golfers Association (PGA), the biggest registered amateur golf association in the country.
In his first month as JCISP president, Quiambao was able to organize the biggest JCI Senate Philippines Invitation Golf Tournament, which was able to raise funds that led to the successful implementation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's 14-point agenda for the national organization.
