The Reluctant Bride (Completed)

CHAPTER 51: The Board Meeting

Chapter 51 - The Board Meeting

After lunch, tumuloy na ang dalawa sa Board Room ng Buenavista.  Halos kumpleto na ang lahat ng fifteen directors, sila na lang ni Pia ang hinihintay para makapagsimula.  Kasama na doon si Director Perez at si Red.

Natigilan si Kate nang nakita si Red.  He still took her breath away.  He was well-dressed in his Armani Suit and his hair slicked back.  She was just disappointed that he was seated in the middle part of the long table while she was seated at the head of the table.

After the preliminaries, Dir. Perez continued on to brief Kate about what happened after she left.  Apparently, when she left, Gramps appointed Red to be the OIC on her behalf.  Through his leadership the company continued to grow up to 40% in income and assets and through this they were able to maintain their number one rank in the real estate industry.   At ngayon, dahil bumalik na siya, siya na muli ang Presidente ng kumpanya.

Nagpatuloy ang meeting.  Nailatag na ang iba't-ibang mga proposal ng mga buyers.  Na-confuse si Kate.

"Sandali lang Dir. Perez.  We are not selling the company." It was a statement.

"Yes, that is true, but we need to deliberate on these offers and give them an answer soon." Saad ni Dir. Perez.

"Then write all of them a reply that we are not for sale.  Wala ba silang respeto?  Kakalibing lang natin kay Gramps." Iritado na si Kate.

"Alright Ma'am, we will immediately write them a reply Ms. Buenavista." Sagot ni Dir. Perez.

"And it's Mrs. Buenavista-Garcia."  Kate commented which brought an interesting smirk from Red.  Nakita ito ni Kate at tinanguan ang asawa.

"Please..." Kate started, "Make this clear to all of you present here, we are not selling Buenavista.  As long as I am here Buenavista remains in my control.  I will not entertain any offers or proposal to buy any property or shares in this company.  If this is the only agenda then I declare an adjournment of this meeting."  Kate said it with such authority, magsisimula na sanang magsitayuan ang mga director nang may nagsalita.

"If I may Pres. Garcia." Si Director Pablo San Joaquin.  Kate recognized him with a nod.  Everyone went back to their seats. 

"Yes, Director San Joaquin."  Sagot ni Kate.

"With all due respect, considering that Kate has just arrived from the States and Don Jose Buenavista's legacy is at stake here, we would like to move that the Presidency of Buenavista Holdings be declared vacant and open for elections."  Nagulat ang lahat sa motion ni Director San Joaquin.

"Pablo, what are you saying?" Tanong ni Director Perez.  May halong gulat at inis na sinabi ito ni Director Perez.

"Well, ang sinasabi ko lang naman, dahil wala na si Don Jose at lahat naman tayo ay may karapatan na mamahala dito sa kumpanya considering that we all have shares in this company, we can declare the seat vacant and elect a new President."  Pagklaklaro ni Director San Joaquin.

"Is that possible Pia?  Can they declare the seat vacant?" tanong ni Kate.

"Well, the by-laws says that the Board can, by a vote of 2/3rds of all present, after declaring a quorum, declare any position in the company vacant.  I believe this is to give power to the Board to replace any officer of the company when he is not performing up to par.  In this case, there is no ground to declare the Presidency vacant." Sagot ni Pia.  Napakunot noo si Kate. 

"Director San Joaquin, considering that I am still the President of this company and the presiding officer in this Board Meeting, the matter you are proposing is not on the agenda nor was it mentioned as one of the topics to be discussed for the other matters portion of our meeting.  I suggest that it be calendared as an agenda for another meeting." Agad na sinaad ni Kate.  Pwedeng newbie siya sa pagpapatakbo ng kumpanya pero sanay na siya sa mga procedures ng mga meetings na ganito.  Pagwala sa agenda, hindi pwedeng pag-usapan sa meeting.