As a new decade is about to unfold, let me give you a quick tour through 2019, and look at what we have accomplished as an organization and what new things to look forward to this coming 2020.
NEW THINGS
Let’s start with 2019, onset of the year if you have noticed our new website, HAPI took on a newer garb.
NEW WEBSITE LAYOUT
Our website now sports a new layout, better user-friendly theme, invisible recaptcha, extra fields, cleaned inner pages, replaced the social media feed, and PayPal donate button per project. This was made possible through the effort Bryan Valentino, our web master extraordinaire.
NEW HAPI FORMS, ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, GUIDELINES and SEC REGISTRATION.
Our online membership forms are now easier to manage. We now have a more defined and easy to understand organizational chart, many thanks to Kleine Agbayani, Sherwin Haro, and Javan Lev Poblador.
Our Security and Exchange Comission registration documents are already in good shape, special thanks to Executive Secretary Claris Quezon for fixing the dents.
NEW ACTIVE CHAPTERS
HAPI started as an online group, with just more than a hundred members in 2013. Now we have more than 8,000 members spread across the archipelago, with several chapters per region. This 2019 saw a revival of HAPI chapters; Cagayan de Oro and Leyte. New chapters sprouted here and there, most especially HAPI Dumaguete. There are pending chapters; Aklan , Bicol, Surigao and Zamboanga Peninsula. Our officers will visit these would-be chapters first or second quarter of the coming year.
With all of these new things in place, I’m confident that HAPI will be in a better position, with a clearer vision for 2020!
GRANTS WE RECEIVED
Humanist Alliance Philippines, International, once again, received Gold and Silver medal from Foundation Beyond Belief Network, for promoting secular humanism through volunteering and charitable efforts. HAPI also bagged travel grants from Humanists International, one of which was awarded to HAPI CFO Edwin Bulaclac, who represented HAPI in Reyjavik, Iceland last June, 2019. HAPI Youth head Javan Lev Poblador went to Singapore to represent HAPI in Asian Humanist Conference, also sponsored by Humanists International, the second major travel grant awarded to HAPI in 2019. Oh wait, there’s more, HAPI also received travel grants for those who will represent HAPI in Miami for 2020 World Humanist Congress. And finally, I think this one puts an exclamation point for our organization as we close chapter 2019, we bagged the developmental grant from Humanists International should be enough to fund all our events until 2021!
YOUMANIST Vlog and Mobilisation Project
This part is to further explain as to how are we going to utilize the funds we received from Humanists International. Our team will visit all active and would-be chapters of HAPI to, primarily, meet and mobilize members to get involved. So the funds will be spent on projects, vlogging equipment, and travel. To make the most of the travel, we thought of creating vlog entries, of various topics and interests, to basically give distinct HAPI brand of Secular Humanism multi-faceted entry points in YouTube. This will definitely create more opportunities to create space for inquiry and public awareness of secular humanist ideals.
HAPI EXPANDED NETWORK
HAPI is officially recognized by international secular organizations such as Humanists International and Brighter Brains. HAPI recently sealed alliance with Atheist Alliance, International, Atheist Republic, Pinoy Atheist Corner, and Love Yourself. I can say that 2019 is fruitful in terms of building new partnership with other organizations. What to expect in 2020? We will have more collaboration with other like-minded organizations.
I wish not to spoil your New Year’s eve celebration, I’m about to finish, let me just rally this down the stretch before 2019 closes.
CLOSING WORDS
This is also my last year-ender article as I’m also stepping down as the Executive Director of HAPI. Fret not, this is not a bad news, this is actually to pave way for other leaders to take charge and steer the wheel for HAPI. I will also need to take a rest, and take the time I need for personal development.
I will still be with HAPI, of course. We will welcome 2020 with a clearer vision, new officers in the leadership, and with a new Executive Director. This change of roles actually means we are evolving as an organization, a big step into another decade.
WE ARE EVOLVING
Let me flag that point again, we are EVOLVING. In Biology, when life forms evolve, they give up some parts of them to adapt to the new environment. We have to evolve as an organization so we continue to thrive. We challenge the status quo- I think it’s basic already to all of us who subscribe to progressive thinking.
WE ARE BOLDER
HAPI will be bolder in carrying out our mission, to educate people about secular humanism, with no inhibition.
Neil Gaiman
[i]f you’re making mistakes, then you are making new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something.
Our secular humanist cause continues. We will continue to advance humanism, promote conscience and reason, and fight for civil liberties. We will continue to make a difference in 2020 and beyond. We will guide more people to the path of reason and empathy.
This pale Blue Ark we’re on is about to complete its orbital travel, some 150 million kilometers from the surface of the Sun. It’s been a pleasure to have you on board. May the Force be with you, cheers!
PS. Happiest Birthday to HAPI Chairman, Michael Sherman
