|
BY-LAWS OF THE
AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE PHILIPPINES, INC.
ARTICLE I
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 - Eligibility, Qualifications
and Classifications
In general, natural persons, corporations,
branches, proprietorships, partnerships and other organizations having an interest in
trade and commercial relations with the United States of America (hereinafter referred to
as "United States") and an interest in the objectives of the Chamber shall be
eligible and qualified for membership classifications and qualifications as hereinbelow
provided.
(A) Regular Firm Membership - This
classification of membership shall be available only to corporations, partnerships and
other business organizations and enterprises (herein referred to as "firm" or
"firms") which are registered and qualified to do business in the Philippines
and 30% or more of the ownership of which are held by American citizens and/or American
corporations. With respect to stock corporations, 30% or more of the voting stock
must be owned by American citizens and/or American corporations. With respect to
partnerships, the American partner or partners must have 30% or more interest or share in
the partnerships. In case of non-stock corporations and unincorporated associations,
at least 30% of the voting members must be Americans. This class of membership shall
be exercised by an individual representative of the firm duly accredited to the Chamber by
the firm. Such individual representative must rank among the senior executives of
the firm, but need not be an American citizen.
(B) Associate Firm Membership
- This classification of membership shall be available only to firms (as "firms"
are hereinabove described) which are registered and qualified to do business in the
Philippines, 71% or more of the ownership of which are held by citizens or corporations of
countries other than the United States. This class of membership shall also be
exercised by an individual representative of the firm duly accredited to the Chamber by
the firm. Such individual representative must rank among the senior executives of
the firm and may be of any nationality or citizenship.
(C) Regular Individual Membership -
This classification of membership shall be available only to natural persons who are
American citizens and residents of the Philippines and are not eligible for membership
under other membership classifications.
(D) Associate Individual Membership -
This classification of membership shall be available only to natural persons and the
residents of the Philippines and are not eligible for membership under other membership
classifications.
(E) Affiliate Membership - This
classification of membership shall be available only to:
(a) Non-profit
charitable, civic, educational, religious and other eleemosynary organizations,
associations and institutions in the Philippines, which shall exercise membership in the
Chamber through an individual representative duly accredited to the Chamber by such
organizations, association or institution.
(b) Natural persons
residing in the Philippines who are members of the organizations described in the
immediately preceding paragraph and who are not the duly accredited individual
representatives to the Chamber of such organizations.
(c) Natural persons
residing in the Philippines who are spouses of individuals who are duly accredited
representatives of member firms and spouses of individual members under other membership
classifications.
(F) Non-Resident Membership - This
classification of membership shall be available only to firms and natural persons who are
not residents of the Philippines nor registered to do business in the Philippines.
(G) Honorary Membership - This
classification of membership shall be available only to individual persons who are
American citizens and who have gained distinction in government, business, trade,
commerce, civic affairs, arts or sciences; and shall be granted only upon the invitation
of the Board of Directors of the Chamber.
Section
2 - Admission of Members
All classifications of membership shall be
granted and become effective only upon compliance with the following requirements:
(a) Filing with the Chamber of a duly
completed and signed application form prescribed by the Chamber.
(b) Review and favorable recommendation of
the membership application by the Membership Committee of the Chamber.
(c) Approval of the membership application by
a majority vote of the Board of Directors of the Chamber.
(d) Payment of the membership admission fee
as provided in Article II hereof.
Section 3 - Rights and Privileges of Membership
(A) All privileges and rights of
membership shall be exercised only by natural persons who are individual members and by
individual representatives duly accredited to the Chamber by member firms.
(B) Only Regular Firm Members and
Regular Individual Members shall be entitled to vote.
(C) All members shall have full and
free access to Chamber premises and all of its information and membership functions as
well as the use of the Chamber's facilities.
Section 4 - Suspension or Loss of Membership
(A) Non-payment of Dues - Membership in
the Chamber may be suspended or lost for non-payment of sues, under conditions provided
for in Article II hereof.
(B) The Board of Directors shall have
the power to suspend or expel any member for cause. Membership in the Chamber
automatically ceases when a member is expelled.
(C) Disqualification - Membership in
the Chamber will cease when the qualifications for all classifications of membership under
Article I no longer exist; provided, however, that in the event that a member no longer
qualifies for membership under one classification of membership, such member will be
classified and continued under another classification for which such member still
qualifies, and accordingly membership in the Chamber will not cease entirely until a
member no longer qualifies for any classification of membership.
Section
5 - Transfer of Membership
Membership in the Chamber shall be
non-transferable, except and unless approved by the Board of Directors under circumstances
which are deemed exceptional and unusual by the Board of Directors.
Section 6 - Certificates of Membership
Certificates of membership shall be issued to
all classes of members and shall be signed by the President and Vice President and
countersigned by the Executive Director, the Treasurer or the Secretary. (As amended on
September 28, 1990)
|
