In The Network ULNOS di Mountain Province
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Green Mountain Circle Organization (GMCO) was the first Igorot organization to be formed in Rome, Italy in 1988. With 80 enthusiastic members led by Aurea Ayubo as the president, GMCO was very active and growing in number. After a year, there were already 120 registered members. But as the saying goes, in every organization there is always an opposition, so it was with GMCO.
Misunderstanding between officers and members began, gossiping went around, criticism was led by the opposing team and the list goes on. These are the reasons why GMCO lasted for two years. It ended in 1990.
BIMAAK was never organized then until 1995.
Because of the continuous flow of Igorot migrant workers in Rome, some courageous Cordillera brothers took the initiative and organized the Cordillera Overseas Workers Association (COWA). With 100 members led by Gregorio Gumayen, Jr. as their president, COWA went on kicking until 1999. It ended that year.
If I were to be asked why these associations lived a short life? I will say, it’s because they rejected the three important characters of their organizations (Mr. Love, Mr. Honor and Mr. Respect).
Love, Honor and Respect were emphasized in our first meeting when ULNOS was founded in April 2009. But in our view, it is almost impossible for an organization to gain these three words without the involvement of the Holy Scriptures. So with the vision of evangelizing the Mountain Province people and preserving our Igorot culture, ULNOS was organized on May 1, 2009. On this day, Jude Bagano was elected president and other officers were elected, too. For three years, ULNOS triumphed over the storms and trials of an organization.
Though we were not recognized by the Filipino and Igorot oganizations in Italy, we collected plaques of appreciation and received applause during our cultural presentation on several occasions. We got the best in cultural presentation during the 1st Grand Cañao in Bologna. Above all these, there are more Igorots now attending the Church services during Sundays. We should have re-elected our officers last May 1, 2012 but it was postponed until September because of the 1st Grand Cañao. Francis Kiwang was then elected president that year and also the other officers. ULNOS is now registered in their district in Rome and accredited by the Philippine Embassy.
After the new set of officers, ULNOS decided to see the world. They sent a representative to Barcelona, Spain for the 7th ICBE Consultation. They are planning to attend the 8th ICBE Consultation in Vienna, Austria, but they have to wait after summer of 2013 to confirm how many are willing to go. I hope they are all willing.
Our first project in the Philippines remains to be seen. We’ll talk about it after the 2nd Grand Cañao in June 2014.
This is “ULNOS” and if it’s the will of God, ULNOS’s dreams will be realized soon.