President's Corner

Dear Fellow Manila Rotarians,

Last week, one of our former associates at ACCRALAW and, now, a visionary legislator in the upper chamber of Congress, Senator Juan Edgardo M. Angara, or Sonny, was the Special Guest and Speaker at the regular Thursday general membership meeting of our club, the Rotary Club of Manila, the First Rotary Club in Asia. Sonny shared with us his ground breaking advocacies, particularly those involving his proposals to reduce personal and corporate income taxes. Just like his Manila Rotarian father, Rtn. Ed, who is best known for his authorship of the Senior Citizens Law, Senator Sonny Angara is definitely taking the high road to meaningful and beneficial legislation. On this note, our club wishes him well as he continues to push for important pieces of legislation that will affect our lives and our country’s economy.

Also last week, our club was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation on 26 July 2015 during the 130th Foundation Day Celebration of the Asilo de San Vicente de Paul. During this occasion, our ES Anna Toledo received the Certificate in behalf of our club and the Sagip Kabataan Foundation.

On news from around the district, last July 24, 2015, DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan, CoS/PP Rudy Bediones and AG/IPP Frank Evaristo attended the 36th Induction and Handover Ceremonies of the Rotary Club of Bagumbayan Manila at the New World Manila Bay Hotel, where WCP Wilson L. Ngie Gan was inducted as Club President. The Rotary Club of Bagumbayan Manila is our largest daughter club in the district.

Earlier that day, DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan and CoS/PP Rudy Bediones took part in the tree planting and installation of a 4 Way Test Marker of the Rotary Club of Dasmariñas Cavite led by WCP Divina Lory Ann Mendoza.

The next day, July 25, 2015, both DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan and CoS/PP Rudy Bediones took part in the District 3810 National Disaster Preparedness Seminar hosted by the Rotary Club of Manila Midtown led by WCP Teodulo Hidalgo at the Pasay City Sports Complex.

Three days later, both DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan and CoS/PP Rudy Bediones attended the Induction and Handover Ceremonies of the Rotary Club of Rosario Magdiwang at the Seven Pairs Bar and Restaurant in Noveleta, Cavite.

After starting our work week with President Aquino’s last State of the Nation Address where he expressed his gratitude to everyone who helped him achieve his “Daang Matuwid”, today, we shall have the Honorable Albert “Bert” D. Lina, Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs, as our Special Guest and Speaker, who will talk on the meaningful reforms being undertaken by his agency in curbing graft and corruption. Let us all attend our luncheon meeting and actively participate during the open forum which will follow Commissioner Lina’s talk.

Again, I encourage each and every Manila Rotarian to take an active role in the various activities and projects of our club this Rotary year.