BIZ BUZZ: Tali troubles, part 2

Last week’s highly anticipated board elections for the homeowners’ association of the exclusive Tali Beach Resort in Batangas did not push through as originally planned after it was determined that a quorum did not exist for the exercise to proceed.

Biz Buzz learned that the annual membership meeting (during which the elections were to be held) was postponed and that no agenda was discussed since only 116 proxies were presented, while another 40 were present via videoconferencing. This represents a small segment of the 638 members of good standing of the elite beach enclave.

Because of this, we understand that the current board will reconvene in two to three weeks to decide on the date for another attempt to elect their replacements.

Recall, of course, that there has been brewing discontent among some wealthy homeowners about the resort’s current leadership, with several suggesting that it’s time for a change given that some services have been less than satisfactory and that the resort has failed to keep up with its peers like Punta Fuego.

The so-called reform group was, in fact, worried that the forces of the status quo imposed very stringent rules to validate the identities of homeowners before they would be made eligible to vote during last week’s planned polls, including physically submitting proxy forms and several IDs to the Villaraza & Angangco Law Office for validation.

Well, Biz Buzz reached out to the other side of the dispute and learned a couple of very interesting things.

First, the Villaraza & Angangco Law Office stressed that all of the requirements the board imposed on the homeowners in order to determine their eligibility to vote were requirements laid out by government regulators regarding the conduct of remote voting (which became the norm for many corporations during the pandemic).

No impositions were added other than those required under the rules, the law firm said.

But here’s the clincher. Biz Buzz learned that current Tali Beach homeowners association head Fernando Peña—the lightning rod for complaints coming from the reform group—will not be standing for re-election as the group’s president.

Peña is no longer interested in the job and, apparently, will be devoting more of his time to taking care of an ill family member.

That revelation could mollify some homeowners who have been chafing under his leadership. But that also means the race for Tali’s new set of leaders is now wide open. Abangan!

—Daxim L. Lucas

Less ‘bawal’ for Pascual?

Following his confirmation by the Commission on Appointments (CA) a day earlier, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said he now has a freer hand to implement his long-term vision for the Department of Trade and Industry, hinting at big changes and significant reforms coming in the future.

“Sometimes I am concerned about talking to people and making long-term commitments, about our working together, about our cooperation going forward when I was not sure yet that I would get confirmed,” said Pascual during a thanksgiving lunch on Thursday after finally getting the CA nod after three tries.

“The confirmation, at least, opened another vista to me,” he added.

To recall, Pascual spoke of several noteworthy plans under his watch in the months leading to his confirmation.

In August of last year, Pascual mentioned that they were considering plans to exempt newly registered, small businesses from some of the government’s regulatory requirements, including payment of income tax, as well as other taxes.

An e-commerce platform is also being eyed by the trade official for micro, small and medium enterprises, although no definite timetable has been given on when it would be rolled out.

A number of free trade agreements is also part of Pascual’s long-term vision, including bilateral preferential arrangements with India, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, as well as several Latin American countries.

Still, only time will tell if the trade chief will make good on his statements to bring in these significant changes.

-Alden M. Monzon