CHICAGO — August 30, 2026 — The Filipino American Council of Greater Chicago (FACGC) marked a new chapter in its leadership with the formal induction of its Board of Directors and officers during Volunteer Appreciation Day at the Rizal Center on Sunday.
The installation took place amid a celebration honoring the volunteers whose time, skills, and commitment continue to sustain FACGC and the Rizal Center. Holding the ceremonies on Volunteer Appreciation Day underscored the organization’s message that leadership and volunteerism share the same foundation: service to the community.
Board of Directors Inducted
Dely Villalon administered the oath of office to FACGC’s Board of Directors:
Jerry Clarito, Mae Lant, Bobby Luna, Ederlina Fidel, Malou Tabo, and Sally Velasco-Richmond.
With their hands raised, the directors pledged to fulfill their responsibilities and to serve the organization and its community.
Dely Villalon administers the oath to FACGC Board members Jerry Clarito, Mae Lant, Bobby Luna, Ederlina Fidel, Malou Tabo, and Sally Velasco-Richmond during the August 30 installation ceremony.
Officers Take Their Oath
Thereafter, Rey Villar administered the oath to FACGC’s officers:
- Jerry Clarito — President
- Mae Lant — Vice President
- Bobby Luna — Secretary
- Ederlina Fidel — Treasurer
Rey Villar administers the oath of office to FACGC President Jerry Clarito, Vice President Mae Lant, Secretary Bobby Luna and Treasurer Ederlina Fidel during Volunteer Appreciation Day at the Rizal Center on August 30, 2026.
The installation carries particular significance in FACGC’s history. It comes less than two weeks after August 19, 2026, when, four years ago, members of the community reclaimed FACGC and the Rizal Center from what current leadership has described as rogue leadership, restoring the organization and its historic home to the community they were established to serve.
The newly installed leadership now assumes responsibility for strengthening FACGC’s governance, rebuilding trust and participation, caring for the Rizal Center, and ensuring that the organization remains accountable to the community.
The setting for the induction was fitting. Around the new board and officers were the volunteers being honored that day—the people who cook, clean, organize, teach, repair, welcome, donate, fight for the Center, and perform countless other tasks that keep the Rizal Center functioning.
Together, the induction and volunteer celebration reflected the Filipino values of bayanihan, working together for a common purpose; kapwa, shared humanity; and kapitbahayan, caring for one another as neighbors.
FACGC’s history stretches back to its incorporation in 1953, the community’s purchase of the Rizal Center in 1974, and the burning of the Center’s paid-off mortgage in the 1990s. The August 30 induction adds another milestone to that continuing story.
For the new Board of Directors and officers, the oath represents more than assuming positions. It represents accepting stewardship of an institution built and preserved by generations before them—and the responsibility to pass it forward stronger to the generation that follows.
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