PMRB: Best PAREB Board, Again!

Pasay-Makati Realtors Board (PMRB) -- under Nympha Bocaling--  claimed the Philippine Association of Realtors Boards  (PAREB) 2010 Award for Best Board last night at the Manila Hotel.   This is a  big  feat-- given that PMRB also won the same award under the term of Art Evangelista in 2009.

As soon as I reached the Centennial Ballroom,  Atty. Nelson Arquiza-- 2011 PMRB President--  handed   me a button that read:  "Back to Back!  PMRB,  Best Board 2010."  What  could   I say about that?  I pinned it right away  on my barong.

I sat beside Rene Castillo, 2011 PMRB Vice President, and he said fhat for PMRB  to get the Hall of  Fame Award, we would have to win  5 times.  He explained that PMRB already won the Best Board  award  4 times to-date.   So apparently  the challenge to get to to the Hall of Fame  is now on  Nelson and our  current board-- and yes,  on all of us PMRB  members.

Below are some of the posterity shots I took. P.S.  Maita  could not join me at Manila Hotel last night.  Our daughter Mira   needed to review for her quarterly exams at Woodrose and had not been  feeling well  practically  during the  entire exam week;  so Maita-- the good mom that she is-- though already made up and set to party, decided to stay home and attend to Mira.  To me,  that is another thing to cheer about.

MY JOINING PMRB

After Maita and I  agreed that I should join a realtors board other than MUNREB (Munitilupa Realtors Board), I decided to apply with PMRB (Pasay Makati Realtors Board).

I called up the secretariat and spoke to Tere Santana, who immediately sent me by email the application form and requirements for membership.  Among the documents I had to submit was a copy of my real estate broker's license (REBL).  It was a good thing that I was able to  retrieve my original  license that also indicated my HLURB (Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board) control number issued back in 1996.

Tere informed me that  I would be interviewed by the head of the membership committee-- Rene Castillo-- on  August 26, Thursday afternoon, at Max's  Restaurant, Greenbelt 3-- before the MLS  (multi-listing service) meeting. 

When that day came, I was at the venue before  my   1:30 p.m. interview.  The first ones I met  in the room   included the  2010 President Nympha Bocaling and  Most Popular Lady Realtor candidate Sweetie Gardiner-Manez.

While waiting for Rene, Nympha asked me about my background. I  did not immediately realize that her questions were already part of the screening process.

When Rene arrived, we headed for a dining table outside the meeting room. During my interview, one of the first things he asked about was my REBL number.  I said it was 13489 and it was issued to me almost 14 years ago.  I later would find out that Rene's number was only 4 digits, meaning he got it  in the 1980's.

Rene saw in my resume that I was from Ateneo de Manila.  He said that the 2010 Vice-President was  from  Ateneo Law School. I  smiled.  I asked Rene which school he was from.  He said, "la Salle."  I paused, then just smiled again.

At the end of the interview,  Rene said that  I could join PMRB and that he hoped I would be actively particpate-- specially in view of the board's experience with new members who rarely showed up in the meetings after they were sworn in.

Rene excused himself  to go to the MLS meeting room. When he returned  shortly to our table, he was with     Atty. Nelson Arquiza, PMRB  Vice President-- the Ateneo alumnus he earlier spoke about.

Nelson was  young-looking ,  energetic and  very engaging. In the course of our discussion,  I informed him that I  was into marketing, advertising and promotions. 

"Great, see you at the next general membership meeting!" Nelson said. Then we shook hands.

As I walked back to my car, I knew I reached another chapter of my life.