1. TITLE

The Club will be known as EMIRATES FILIPINO TENNIS CLUB (herein referred to as EFTC).

1.1 AFFILIATION

I.I.I The Emirates Filipino Tennis Club (EFTC,Abu Dhabi) shall be an autonomous club in affiliation with the Emirates Filipino Tennis Club (EFTC, Ruwais) or any other Emirates Filipino Tennis Club (EFTC) that shall be created in the U.A.E. in the future.

1.1.2 All Emirates Filipino Tennis Club (EFTC) shall submit an updated list of members every six months to other EFTC Chapters throughout the Emirates, and vice versa for the purposes of updating the general database of the EFTC.

1.1.3 All Emirates Filipino Tennis Club (EFTC) shall send representatives to participate in any Inter-EFTC Chapter Tournament to be held as specified by the Host-Organizer (Chapter) or any invitational tournament as required.

1.1.4 The Committee officers of the EFTC (all chapters) shall meet every 1st week of November for consultation with each other and to formulate any future planned tournaments.

2. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the EFTC are;

2.1 The prudent and advantageous use of such facilities as are provided by the members for the promotion and furtherance of the sport/game of Tennis within the Filipino community in the United Arab Emirates in general.

2.2 To provide and organize regular Tennis matches for members to participate in

friendly competition.

2.3 To promote camaraderie and sportsmanship among the members and to the

Filipino community as a whole.

3. ADMINISTRATION

All EFTC chapters shall be administered by a general committee (hereinafter called the "Main Committee"). The main committee shall comprise of representatives from the different chapters who are officers of the said chapter.

Each EFTC chapters shall be administered by a "local steering committee" (hereinafter called "the local committee"). The main committee reserves the right to amend terms in the constitution and by-laws where it is found in the best interest of the EFTC. The provisional amendment will be reviewed by all the local committee and the members notified of the final amendment seven (7) days prior to implementation. The main committee will then provide every member with a copy of the amended terms, and will adjust the constitution accordingly.

4. MEMBERSHIP

Membership shall be open to all natural born Filipino OCW's in the United Arab Emirates and their immediate families.

5. ADMISSION OF MEMBERS
Members shall be admitted in the following manners;

5.1 Application for membership shall be submitted to the secretary in writing on

the approved application form.

5.2 The committee shall accept or reject applications as appropriate.

5.3 Persons whose applications are accepted by committee shall become members

on payment of the appropriate subscriptions.

6. SUBSCRIPTION AND FEES

6.1 The main committee shall fix the amount of annual subscription, competition

entry fees, and any other necessary charges made to members.

6.2 Annual subscriptions payable by members shall be changed only with prior

approval of the main committee.

6.3 Annual subscriptions are payable in advance and become due for payment on the 1st May each year, and shall remain fixed for new members regardless of the time of application (i.e. no pro-rata).

6.4 Members shall be notified of all sums due by them to the EFTC. If any member fails within one month of such notification to pay the amount claimed, the main committee shall have the right to strike his/her name from the register of members, where upon such person shall cease to be a member of EFTC.

6.4 No refunds shall be given for any reason.

7. THE LOCAL COMMITTEE
The " LOCAL STEERING COMMITTEE" shall comprise of the following;

Chairman Games Co-ordinator Vice-Chairman Secretary Auditor Treasurer PRO Advisers

All of whom shall be bonafide members and elected by the member in a general meeting. The local committee is wholly responsible for the conduct of the affairs of the EFTC chapter.

In particular;

7.1 It is responsible for the good order of the EFTC chapter and for any other matters affecting the interest of the EFTC as a whole.

7.2 It is responsible to the members for the proper use and custody of the property and funds of the club which are under its control.

7.3 Members of the committee shall retire at the Annual General Meeting next following their election, but may be re-elected by the members.

7.4 Meetings of the local committee will normally be chaired by the chairman, and in his absence, the Vice-Chairman. Minutes, recording the proceedings, shall be taken, and circulated to the membership within seven (7) days of the meeting. The local committee shall meet at least once per calendar month. The secretary shall advise the members of the date, time and place at least two (2) weeks before the date of the meeting. A quorum shall constitute sixty (60) percent of the committee members.

7.5 The committee shall co-opt any eligible member of EFTC within the chapter if a permanent vacancy occurs in the local committee.

The annual general meeting shall be held on the second Thursday of March each year. The business of the meeting shall be limited to ;

8.1 Reading and adoption of the minutes of the immediate previous annual general meeting.

8.2 The reading and consideration of the minutes of the Chairman's report of the previous year.

8.3 The receipt, consideration and acceptance/rejection of the audited accounts for the previous year.

8.4 Election of officers to hold office for the ensuing year, by open voting of the members, where appropriate.

8.4.1 Amendment I:

The Chairman shall hold a term of office not more than one (1) calendar year starting from the time of his election to the post. He shall, after his term of office, automatically hold the position of Club Adviser, to assist the incoming elected chairman in the conduct of the affairs of the local EFTC chapter.

8.5 Review of, and changes if any to, the articles of the constitution.

8.6 Any business arising from the above, and any resolution submitted to the secretary at least two weeks before the date of the meeting. Such resolutions proposed and seconded by members of the EFTC chapter shall be circulated to the membership.

8.7 No proposal for amendment to the Constitution shall be considered at a general meeting of EFTC chapter unless its terms are approved by the main committee circulated to the members at least seven (7) days before the meeting.

8.8 Except elsewhere provided in these rules decision will be taken by simple majority. In the event of equal votes the chairman may exercise a casting vote in addition to his vote as a member.

At least fourteen (14) days' notice in writing shall be given to members by the secretary with a copy of the agenda, but failure to achieve delivery of such notice will not invalidate the meeting. Members may attend the meeting and exercise voting rights. All members, and registered family over the age of eighteen (18), may attend and exercise voting rights a the Annual General Meeting.

The quorum at the General Meeting shall be twenty (20) percent of the total number of members who are not prevented from attending either by absence from the United Arab Emirates, or operational (job) requirements, unless herein otherwise stated.

In the event of a quorum not being present at a General Meeting within thirty (30) minutes of the time for which the meeting was called, the meeting shall continue at the discretion of the chairman, and with the approval of the two-thirds (2/3) of those members present shall be a quorum and may transact business for which the meeting was called.

If the Annual General Meeting is not held as originally scheduled because a quorum is not present and approval to proceed not granted, it shall be rescheduled within two (2) weeks and those members present at that time shall constitute a quorum.

9. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING (EGM)

An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called by the secretary within two (2) weeks of receipt of a request by the EFTC local committee, or not less than twenty (20) percent of chapter members. No subject other than that of which notice has been given shall be discussed at the Extraordinary General Meeting.

10. MINUTES OF THE MEETING

10.1 All minutes of local committee meetings shall be verified by the Chairman, and will be circulated by the Secretary to all chapter members within two (2) weeks of a meeting having been held.

10.2 All minutes of Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting shall be verified and certified by the Chairman and will be circulated to all members within one month of the meeting having been held.

10.3 Minutes of the most recent Annual General Meeting shall be circulated to all chapter members by the Secretary at least three (3) weeks prior to the next Annual General Meeting.

11. MEMBERSHIP CARDS

Membership cards will be issued by EFTC, Abu Dhabi Secretary, upon receipt of notification from the EFTC local chapter Treasurer that the appropriate subscription/fees have been paid.

12. RULES OF THE GAME

12.1 Rules of the game shall be those of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for the time being, with such addition, or modification, to make them applicable to EFTC. Such additions/modifications (known as "local rules") shall be circulated to members with a copy of the Rules.

12.2 The committee shall have the power to make such "local rules" as defined in item 12.1 (provided they are not inconsistent with I.T.F. rules) as is considered necessary for the management of EFTC, and for regulating the playing of the games.

13. GUESTS

No guests will be permitted to participate in any EFTC endeavours, nor utilize any EFTC equipment/court, without the specific, and prior, approval of the main/local committee. Approval may be considered as given provided a minimum of two (2) main/local committee members agree to the request.

14 EXPENDITURES

14.1 EFTC local Committee officers shall be given the authority to approve expenditures associated with EFTC chapter from EFTC chapter account, subject to full local committee agreement.

14.2 All documents requiring to be signed on behalf of EFTC chapter shall be signed by appropriate local committee members when required to do so by the normal administration procedures of EFTC chapter, except cash vouchers/cheques which require the signature of any two local committee members. This shall normally be the Treasurer (or his nominated deputy) and one other local committee member.