About AFE – ADB

The Association was established keeping in mind the interests of its members from a variety of backgrounds. For many, it is an organization that will bring to ADB’s attention the concerns of members about maintaining pensions and health insurance coverage at comfortable and affordable levels. For others, the social activities of AFE – ADB are of utmost importance. And for others again, information about ADB’s activities is important. At the end of 2025, AFE – ADB, has over 3,100 members.

The Association’s office is in ADB’s headquarters building in Manila. It is run by the Executive Committee comprising a chairperson, president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary.

AFE – ADB issues a newsletter, AFE – ADB News, twice a year, in March and September, and the Directory of Members is available online to members. In addition, frequent communications are issued by e-mail. AFE – ADB has 18 chapters worldwide, which hold their own business and social gatherings at least once a year.

The Association’s Chapter Coordinators’ Meeting and its Annual General Meeting take place at the site of ADB’s annual meeting in early May each year. A cocktail reception hosted by AFE–ADB at its annual general meeting is the centerpiece of its annual social activities. The ADB president and vice-presidents, members of the Board of Directors, and senior staff join AFE–ADB members in this traditional social function.

AFE–ADB maintains contact with the alumni associations of other international organizations and occasionally exchanges views with them on matters of mutual interest.

AFE−ADB’s activities are funded by members’ subscriptions and a subsidy from ADB.

In line with the purposes for which the Association was established, AFE−ADB’s objectives are to:

• Protect the interests of AFE−ADB members,
• Facilitate communication and interaction among AFE−ADB members and ADB,
• Keep AFE−ADB members informed about AFE’s and ADB’s activities, and
• Organize social, educational, or similar activities for AFE−ADB members.

AFE−ADB has 18 chapters worldwide. Chapters are formed by people in areas that have a reasonable number of AFE members who have come together to form a chapter. Chapters hold their own business and social gatherings at least once a year. Read more here – Chapters

AFE forms committees to assist and advise on various matters. For example, a Bylaws Committee was formed to assist with necessary Bylaws update and a 25th Anniversary Committee assisted with the massive work of organizing for the members who came to Manila when the AGM was held here.

AFE has three Standing Committees: one each for communications, insurance, and pension. Standing Committees are mandated in the Bylaws

• The Communications Committee comprises Jill Gale de Villa (head), Elizabeth Cabuay, Gam de Armas, Guia Estabillo, Anna Juico, Joy Macaisa Viray, Bobbie Montesa, David Parker, Hans-Juergen Springer, Judy Yñiguez, and Maria Theresa Mercado. The Committee keeps members aware of developments at ADB and publishes the AFE News twice yearly.
• The Insurance Committee comprises Jill Gale de Villa (head), Barbara Palacios, Hiro Murayama, Giogio Iaksetich, Francois Aussell, Axel Weber, and Anne Sweetser. The committee assists pensioners with insurance needs and queries by responding and/or referring them or their queries to the insurance and/or ADB. It liaises with ADB and Cigna on insurance matters and represents pensioners on ADB’s formal Consultative Forum on the Health Insurance.
• The Pension committee comprises Pierre Van Petteghem, Jill Gale de Villa and Graham Walter. The committee responds to pensioners queries or refers them to the appropriate respondents. It represents pensioners on ADB’s pension committee.
  As AFE’s membership and duties expand, the need for assistance also increases. Individuals provide assistance that is essential and much needed and valued. For example, members serve on election committees and as election officers and screeners.

In response to a couple of AFE’s pressing needs, we formed two Temporary Committees in 2023, to review the Bylaws and to create a guide for chapter coordinators.

The Bylaws Review Committee is headed by Bruce Murray with Eveline Fischer as vice chair plus 7 members. The committee’s final recommendations went to the Executive Committee for review and consideration. The result will be voted on by the membership.
A Chapter Coordinators’ Guide was created by a committee comprising current and past chapter coordinators and headed by Günter Hecker (chair) and Gam de Armas (vice chair).

As AFE’s membership and duties expand, the need for assistance also increases. Individuals provide assistance that is essential, much needed and valued. For example, members serve on election committees as election officers and screeners.

In response to AFE’s pressing needs, we form Temporary Committees to handle short-term tasks, such as:

• a Bylaws Review Committee, when the need for reviewing the Bylaws arises;
• a Search Committee, to find appropriate members to serve on the Executive Committee;
• an Election Committee to handle elections for members of the Executive Committee; and
• a committee to handle special events.
• and to create a guide for chapter coordinators.

As of 2026 we also have an Emeritus Committee of former Executive Committee members available to share their knowledge and advice with the current Executive Committee members as the needs arise. And in 2023, a committee comprising current and past chapter coordinators and headed by Günter Hecker (chair) and Gam de Armas (vice chair) created the Practical Guide for Chapter Coordinators and a committee of two started work on a guide to assist surviving spouses with negotiating ADB’s requirements for them to continue to receive pension and health insurance.

The By Laws of the association was approved on 28 February 2006 aand was amended 4 times in 2003, 2016, 2019 and 2025. For more details, refer to the PDF document here 

Membership in AFE – ADB is open to all former ADB members of staff, Management, and the Board of Directors.

To join, please download the form (either in .pdf or .doc or .docx), complete and return it to us at afe@adb.org.