Institutionalization and Fortification of ABPA Objectives and Programmes

INSTITUTIONALIZATION AND FORTIFICATION

OF ABPA OBJECTIVES AND PROGRAMMES

by

Atty. DOMINADOR D. BUHAIN

(on the occasion of testimonial dinner in honor of ABPA Past President, DOMINADOR D.BUHAIN, March 19, 2010 at Bunga Kenanga Room

 Level 3, Hotel Seri Pacific, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia)

GREETINGS!

First of all, in behalf of the honorees, I would like to thank Mr. Law King Hui, President of ABPA and MABOPA and all the officers and members of MABOPA for the honor you bestowed upon us tonight.

Indeed, tonight’s testimonial dinner is a first of its kind in the annals of history of this growing association, ABPA.

As I accept the honor and appreciation as your former president, I would like to share with you some thoughts or words of wisdom that can help our association ABPA to continue moving forward.

Allow me to focus on two things:

• the upholding of the ABPA Constitution and By-laws, and
• The institutionalization of ABPA’s best practices.

Upholding of Constitution & By-laws

In historical input, I wish to remind you that ABPA’s Constitution and By-laws was adopted on August 31, 2005 at SEAMEO INNOTECH, Quezon City, Philippines, when national association presidents of IKAPI, NBCM, PEPA, SBPA, PUBAT and VPA agreed to adopt the proposed ABPA Constitution & By-laws.

As provided in our Constitution and By-laws our objectives are:

1. To exchange ideas among ABPA-member countries;
2. To emulate the best business practices and legal infrastructures among ABPA members;
3. To expand co-publishing programmes, translation and distribution rights among ABPA members;
4. To promote better understanding and goodwill among ASEAN countries;
5. To have better representation in international forum/fora;
6. To work toward securing the right of publishers to publish and distribute the works of the mind in complete freedom, provided that in so doing they respect all legal rights attached to these works within their own country and internationally;
7. To promote and protect by all lawful means the principles of copyright on which depend the encouragement and authorship, publishing and dissemination of creative works and to defend copyright against all infringements which may restrict the rights of authors and publishers;
8. To overcome illiteracy, the lack of books and other educational materials;
9. To promote improvements in editorial and production standards through training and the use of new publishing technology, and to develop more efficient distribution of channels;
10. To seek abolition of all tariffs and restrictions, as much as possible on the importation or exportation of books and raw materials thereof and all present and future forms of electronically retrieved information in order to strengthen the enforcement of the Florence Agreement on the free-flow of information;
11. To give effect to these Objectives by establishing such bodies, conventions and other types of meetings and organizations as are necessary for dealing with all problems affecting publishing;
12. To provide endorsement and support to the APPA and IPA with the expectation that the latter two Associations shall give reciprocally recognition to the ABPA.

Hence, it must be emphasized that in all our courses of actions and dealings we should be guided by the objectives and purposes for which ABPA was created.

The tenets and intents of the Constitution and By-laws should be given paramount consideration, in all our actions and plans.

Institutionalization of ABPA Programmes

When I transferred smoothly the presidency to Mr. Law King Hui on November 3, 2009 in Jakarta, Indonesia, ABPA has already adopted 30 resolutions.

Our programmes and activities were created and given flesh and mandate through the adoption of various resolutions.

The  various Committees, namely:

• Training and Development Committee;
• Legal, Copyright and Licensing Committee;
• Co-Publishing, Translation and Distribution Rights Committee;
• Book Fairs, International Fora and Foreign Affairs Committee;
• Membership, Information and Technology Committee;
• Marketing Distribution and ASEAN-Wide Readership Committee;
• Sub-Committee on Website Development;

were created through adopted resolutions.

Along this line, we would appreciate very much if the best practices done before and being observed should be institutionalized.

I am happy to note that upon assumption into office of Mr. Law King Hui, the first directive is the appointment of respective Chairpersons of the Committees.

Indeed, that was a sign of upholding the actions done before with the end in view of pursuing better and greater scales for the Association.

My only wish is for us to keep ABPA alive and make it more vibrant so that ABPA could achieve its desired “BRANDING”.

To the new president Mr. Law King Hui, more power and good luck and rest assured of our continuing support and cooperation for the betterment of ABPA.

Maraming salamat po.