A Review on Year 2014-2015

It’s No Trifling Matter to be President of Rotary Club of Manila

The year of President Frank Evaristo

When a member of the Rotary Club of Manila becomes a candidate for its nine-member Board of Directors, they need to be prepared to serve as its president. Chartered on June 1, 1919, RC Manila became the first Rotary Club in all of Asia. It still has its original constitution and bylaws, which have an unusual provision: the director elected with the highest number of votes becomes the club’s next President, and second place becomes Vice President! This year, that has been Frank Evaristo, Teddy Ocampo and Ebot Tan, respectively. Frank, long time President of Alay Lakad Foundation, is also a past President of Philippine Jaycees International, Inc. and the Philippine British Society. Teddy is President of National University & Ebot is Managing Partner, Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALAW).

It’s no trifling matter to become the leader of RC Manila because the expectations are extremely high and the shoes to fill of its previous leaders are nothing less than huge. Rotary International’s Presidents Manual details more than sixty-eight responsibilities, each of which demands a substantial commitment of time, talent, and treasure.

The president represents the club as its spokesperson, responsible for Public Relations, including the club’s famous Journalism, Tourism and Tower awards, which are among the most important recognition programs in the country. This year, the Rotary Club of Manila had the most press coverage in recent years, for thirty-one times in eight different print media, plus numerous airings on television and radio.

The club’s president must assure that the club plan and implement successful projects that address the needs of its community and communities in other countries. These programs generally have to fall within one or more of Rotary International’s “Six areas of Emphasis: Peace and conflict prevention / resolution, Disease prevention and treatment, Water and sanitation, Maternal and child health, Basic education and literacy, and Economic and community development.” This Rotary year, RCM’s emphasis was on working with international partners and continuing relief in the Yolanda corridor, including the turnover of two additional motorized bancas (in addition to the 100 from the previous year), and was recognized as the best Economic and Community Development project among all Manila Rotary Clubs. The club delivered the first 30 of 80 funded houses valued at ± 12,000,000, had the Best Basic Education and Literacy project, the Best Water and Sanitation project, and undertook numerous additional projects in livelihood, medical mission, provided typhoon and fire relief, donated a tiger to the Manila Zoo, hosted noted entertainer Mr David Pomerantz for a special Halloween Party to bring joy to the special children and elderly of Hospicio de San Jose through Rtn Ray Davis, as well as summer recreational activities including a pool party. The club also sponsored Christmas gift giving for the socially challenged children of Asilo de San Vicente de Paul, and continued sustaining seamanship training, in cooperation with the Propeller Club.

The president must assure comprehensive and collaborative strategic planning, including realistic on base. RCM has the most diversified international membership of any club in the country, with members hailing from seventeen countries. As the oldest and largest Rotary Club in the country, RCM prefers that every member is either number one or number two in their organization. New members of RCM this year include Emyl Eugenio, Willy Villanueva, Jappy Pascual, Byron Chua, Aris Tan, Aldo Claparols, Steve Mommaerts, and Dennis Montecillo. Honorary members include eleven ambassadors, long time RCM member former President F. V. “Eddie” Ramos, Vice President Binay, Rotary International Past President M.A.T. Caparas, and former RCM members Mar Roxas, Cesar Purisma, and retired SC Justice Puno. The club’s regular membership includes the honorary consuls of eight countries.

The president must demonstrate support for The Rotary Foundation through both program participation (grants, PolioPlus, etc.) and with substantial financial contributions. This year, members of our club held back from their usual level of grantsmanship and substantial contributions to The Rotary Foundation because the entire district was under an exclusion from Ri grants, due to the illegal misappropriate on an RI grant by a now-defunct club. We are happy to announce that the restriction has just been lifted this week, and once again the club will be active again in The Rotary Foundation.

The president has to develop future leaders not only for the club, but also capable of serving in Rotary at the district, region and international level. Several members undertook numerous Rotary Trainings, including seminars in grants stewardship, the Rotary Leadership Program, and the campaign to End Polio.

RCM’s weekly meetings, usually held at the Polo Club, must have compelling speakers to get members to attend. If the speaker isn’t of interest, RCM members, mostly high-ranking executives from business and industry, government officials, diplomats, etc., are simply too busy otherwise. This year, RCM’s who’s who list of distinguished speakers included honorary RCM member Vice-President Binay, Senators Loren Legarda and Grace Poe, PHR Rep of Pasig City Roman Romulo, the Ambassadors of Australia, Canada, India, Pakistan, the United States, Mexico, Chile, Bangladesh, Germany, Iran, and the United Kingdom (Fifteen ambassadors, eleven of whom became honorary members of the club). Take a breath, because here’s the rest of the speakers: DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario, BSP Governor Tetangco, Budget & Mgmt Scty Butch Abad, PCOS Chrm Jose Rojas, OPARR Chrm Ping Lacson represented by Atty Karen Jimeno, AFP Chief of Staff Gen Greg Catapang, MMDA Chrm Francis Tolentino, DOE Secretary Carlos Petilla, BIR Comm Kim Henares, LTFRB Chrm Winston Ginez, Tourism Promotions Board Chrm Ramon Enerio, former NSC Exec Dir Gen Jose Almonte, former Commelec Comm Gus Lagman, Smart Communications Chrm Manny Pangilinan, PAL Chrm/Pres Jimmie Bautista, Gawad Kalinga Founder/Chrm Tony Meloto, Phil Red Cross Chrm Hon Dick Gordon, AIM Pres RCM Rtn Steve Dekrey, Stargate Media CEO RCM Rtn Babe Romualdez, Manila Standard columnist Jojo Robles, German Correspondent Carsten Stormer, DGE RCM PP Obet Pagdanganan (former Gov of Bulacan, former Secty Agrarian Reform), Makati Med Robotics Surgeon Dr. Becky Singson, representatives of the Bruno Groening Spiritual Healing Circle of Friends, and a public forum on the territorial issues of the West Philippine Seas, as well as club assemblies, turnovers, and so forth.

By the way, clubs presidents are part of a “class” of presidents of clubs in the district, and are encouraged to support each other. This year club president Frank Evaristo attended the turnovers and installation of officers of thirty-seven other clubs in RI District 3810. That’s a lot of evenings in barongs and who knows how much time in traffic!

Rotarians are dedicated first to “Service above self,” but also want to have fun together, so eight club “fellowships” were arranged. The first was a favorite, a videoke and live music evening at RJ Bistro. We enjoyed a birthday fellowship with former speaker of the house, Rtn Joe de Venecia in his home and other birthday with PP Babes Reyes. Always a club favorite, “Oktoberfest” was hosted again at the German Club by our members from Germany, Finland and Denmark. The fellowship at RJ’s was so popular, the physicians and surgeons in our club hosted another. The club hosted a Valedictory Fellowship at CCP, and Rtn Ed Lee hosted again at his famous Yu Lai Seafood Restaurant in Malate. PP Boy and Monette Guevara invited the entire district leadership team and all of the incoming presidents to a special fellowship in the Penthouse of his office tower in Mandaluyong.

One of the more unusual foreign visitations was that of the Rotary Club of Thanjavur, who traveled here for their induction and turnover, just be be in the birthplace of Rotary in Asia. Numerous members participated in special visitations abroad, including the 80th Inaugural of RC Singapore, the 75th Anniversary of RC Guam, and the 45th Anniversary and Fund Raising Ball of RC Kowloon East. The “World Famous Chorale” continued its traditions of spirited song for weekly meetings and special events, bolstered by frequent rehearsals at Central Colleges of the Philippines.

Following last year’s elections, some wondered if Frank was up to the job. The record speaks for itself, and the district recognized him as the Most Outstanding Rotary Club President in Manila, the club as the Most Outstanding in Manila, the Best in Club Meetings in Manila, the Best Club Bulletin in Manila, and for co-hosting numerous District activities and assemblies.

Congratulations and thanks to Frank Evaristo, setting the example for the incoming RCM President for Rotary Year 2015, distinguished Atty Eusebio V. “Ebot” Tan, the managing partner of ACCRA, the largest law firm in the Philippines. Good luck, Ebot! We’re sure that your club will stand by you, just as they did for soon-to-be PP Frank.