Is IEC a Legit NFP Org?

 Volume 3, Issue No. 49

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .

 

 Our latest as of Friday, May 6, 2022 

~ A recently-sprang group called "International Entertainment Company" (IEC) is fronting as "the official and sole organizer" of a proposal to salvage the moribund Taste of Manila this summer. A publicist says IEC headed by a certain Cecille Araneta is a not-for-profit organization "registered" with Canada Revenue Agency. That claim is rejected by the CRA itself. IEC is not registered as such. What is it then? Is this another dishonest scheme being perpetrated on the Filipino community by individuals with dubious backgrounds and questionable motives?

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INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

ToM Organizer Is Not Listed as Not-for-Profit 

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ 

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

“When truth is replaced by silence, the silence is a lie.” ― Yevgeny Yevtushenko

TORONTO - An alleged not-for-profit organization eyeing to mount a 2022 version of the Taste of Manila (ToM) festival is not on the official government roster of charities, which means it could be a fly-by-night organization. 

The so-called "International Entertainment Company" (IEC) reportedly headed by a certain Cecille Araneta has been publicizing its efforts to revive ToM in its traditional venue at Little Manila, a North York neighbourhood that had been its home since ToM first came to light in 2014. 

(Videos of Araneta: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdTnX700_a8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-arVEgNPQ4I). Related story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2022/04/who-exactly-is-going-to-run-2022-taste.html

"With respect to the entity you referenced, based on the name provided," a CRA official told this reporter, "we can confirm that, according to CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) records, they are not currently, nor have they previously, been registered as a charity".

According to publicist Tony San Juan, the group's de facto spokesman, IEC has been designated as "the official and sole organizer of the 'Taste of Manila' event in Toronto" after it entered into a "special contractual arrangement" with self-declared ToM founder Rolly Mangante who actually stole the concept from officials of the Philippine Consulate where he had worked as a driver.

San Juan said in an article published in late March in an online blog that the "International Entertainment Company (IEC), led by Cecile O. Araneta, a not-for-profit organization (is) registered with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Ontario's Ministry of Government and Consumer Services".

But a CRA official explained that "For public transparency purposes, when a charity is registered, the CRA publishes this information in its List of charities". IEC is not on that list.

There is no available information about the IEC and/or the people behind it. Searching the internet is of no help either. It just sprang from nowhere soon as city and health authorities announced an easing of restrictions in communal settings owing to COVID. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_398v7dDQhQ).

San Juan emceed the soft launch of the proposed ToM at the Top Silog restaurant on Sunday, April 10, 2022. Attendees to the event included Araneta, Mangante, podcaster Ramon Datol, Danna Luna alias Lovely, Pepito Torralba, Toronto Councillor James Pasternak, and a cheering squad of supporters.

All these officials have been tight-lipped about ToM and the three not-for-profit organizations fronting as the new organizers. Because of mismanagement and allegations of financial fraud, ToM had gone bankrupt even before its last staging in 2019. The coronavirus pandemic was the final nail in the coffin that sealed its fate.

With nothing to show as a historical track record, the new organizers consisting of IEC, International Taste of Manila, and Taste of Manila Virtual Presentation, stole film footage of past ToM events from The Filipino Web Channel and published it on social media like it was their own.

 

When confronted for looting the videos, Ramon Datol, one of the new organizers, claimed the steal did not happen as the creator did not seek permission from ToM before producing the videos in question. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd02DO503DU). Full story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2022/04/lies-incompetence-teem-in-proposed-2022.html

Self-described as a sportswriter, Datol is best known for his money-making venture called Anghel ng Tahanan beauty contest which catered to homesick and lovesick caregivers in the Greater Toronto Area.

On the other hand, Araneta says she's a producer, performer, singer, and somebody who wants to see everybody in the community happy.

Luna is supposed to be an "international reporter" but whether she writes about what, for what, and since when is also questionable. The "body of work" she has consisted mainly of childish postings on Facebook. In fact, she could not even write a decent sentence without lapses in grammar.

Mangante is of course the driver turned "founder" of ToM. His wife Nieves Mangante is the "other face" (the second is Araneta) in the manipulated film footage stolen from The Filipino Web Channel.

So, what do we make of IEC? What do we make of Araneta, Datol, Mangante, Luna, and the others? Is another fraudulent scheme in the offing via ToM? Just asking. 

By the way, none of the people identified with IEC responded to questions by this reporter as of this writing today, May 6. (Copyright 2022. All Rights Reserved).