Welcome
Today, I humbly accept the responsibility of being the ASHRAE Chapter President for the next 12 months.
Some members may not know that this year, the ASHRAE Philippines Chapter is challenged to successfully hold three international events, namely:
- The Asia Pacific Conference on Build Environment (APCBE) in November, 2013;
- The Tropical Climate International Conference (TCIC) in April, 2014 (Pending Final Decision) and
- The Chapter Regional Conference (CRC) in August, 2015.
The success of these conferences depends on how well the present officers and committee chairs and its member will perform.
The first concern that we have to address is the chapter’s finances. We have to generate enough funds to finance the expenses that will be incurred to lay the foundation for these conferences.
The second concern is that it is difficult to get the right person to handle the committees without getting members who have proven to have worked well and effectively in other organizations.
The third concern is that the present organization has yet to organize a website that could handle on-line registration.
To address the first concern, the Research Promotion chaired by Engr. Shernan Esmenda together with the Publicity Chairman Engr. LA Sevilla and Special Activity Chairman Engr. Alex Trinidad have organized an ASHRAE Night to honor the people who have contributed significantly to the air conditioning and refrigeration industry in the past. The selection process will be handled by the Nominating Chairman Engr. Danny Duya together with the Board of Governors. This event will be a fund raising activity for the ASHRAE Society research program and the Chapter.
The ASHRAE Night is also a fund raising for a book to be published entitled “The History of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration in the Philippines”. This book will record important events and identify the prime movers who have contributed to the development of the air conditioning and refrigeration industry in the country. The book will also define the lessons from the past that can address the present needs and hopefully answer today’s questions on energy efficiency in hot and humid climates like the Philippines.
We intend to address the second concern by recruiting 60% ASHRAE Officers and Chairmen from those who has not been actively participating in the organization and whose membership are not renewed but has shown diligence in working in other professional organizations.
The third concern can hopefully be answered when Engr. Joseph Ting, who is one of those ASHRAE members who organized ASHRAE Region XIII and attended our “kick-off” meeting last Saturday (July 7, 2012), explained that the ASHRAE Society can help us on on-line registration by processing the registrants and then reimburse to the ASHRAE Philippines Chapter the amount paid by the registrants through their system.
The three conferences will entail an estimated income of $ 240,000.00 and on line registration is, to my mind the solution for such a huge responsibility.
Let me end this short speech by saying “ask not what the Society can do for you but ask what you can do for your Society”. In short I say “the Society needs you”.
Fernando S. Guevara PME, PE
President, ASHRAE Philippine Chapter
2012 to 2013
Speech delivered by Engr. Fernando Guevara on ASHRAE Officers’ Induction Night, July 13, 2012 at EDSA Shangri-La Hotel Isla Ballroom