President’s Corner

Dear Fellow Manila Rotarians,

Last week, Former Solicitor General, Former Minister of Justice, and Past RCM Director Titong Mendoza, shared with us his insights and sentiments regarding the majority of prisoners in our jails, who have been detained for very long periods without, in his opinion, due process. It made all of us who listened to PD Titong’s speech really think of about the way our justice system treats our prisoners and what it means to all of us.

On news within our club, today is a Red Letter Day, as we hold the Elections for our Club’s Board of Directors for RY 2016 -2017. Candidates/nominees are expected to have paid their membership dues for at least one semester in the amount of Php12,500.00 and to have fully paid all their other Club-activity financial obligations before they can be considered a qualified candidate. Other Club members are expected to have paid their membership dues for at least one semester in the amount of Php12,500.00 for them to be qualified to vote.

Aside from the elections, I wish to invite you to actively participate in the ALAY LAKAD 2015 walk with the theme, “Alay Lakad Para Sa Magandang Kinabukasan”, on Sunday, 6 September 2015. Meeting time is 5:00 am at the Manila Planetarium. Please be there at the appointed time. Those who will participate in the walk will be given a free t-shirt courtesy of the Alay Lakad Chairman and will be entitled to have breakfast at the Manila Hotel courtesy of Rtn. Rickie Yap. There is still time to signify your intention to join the walk. Please inform our Secretariat and support our ALAY LAKAD FOUNDATION President, our very own AG/IPP Frank Evaristo, and RCM Alay Lakad Chair IDCoS/ISDG/PD/IPS Albert Alday.

On news from around the district, last August 27, 2015, DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan and CoS/PP Rudy Bediones attended the Induction Ceremonies of the Rotary Club of San Jose Tamaraw at the Tierra Roja Resort, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, where WCP Leticia “Letty” Espiritu was inducted as Club President. During lunch time of the same day, they attended the Induction and Handover Ceremonies of the Rotary Club of Samarica San Jose in Occidental Mindoro, where WCP Eleanor Fajardo, the Mayor of the Municipality of Magsaysay, was inducted as Club President. On the evening of the same day, they attended the Induction and Handover Ceremonies of the Rotary Club of San Jose in Occidental Mindoro, where WCP Oswald Dizon was inducted as Club President.

Two days later on 29 August 2015, I joined both of them in attending the 15th Induction and the 14th Handover Ceremonies of the Rotary Club of Hiyas ng Bacoor at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City, where WCP Jeanine Policarpio was inducted as Club President. Another two days later, on 31 August 2015, both DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan and CoS/PP Rudy Bediones attended the Induction and Handover Ceremonies of the Rotary Club of Jose Abad Santos Manila at the Manila Grand Opera Hotel in Manila, where WCP Jan Ivan Santamaria was inducted as Club President.

Last 1 September 2015, I attended the District 3810 Area Meeting for the month of September at the Aloha Hotel in Manila, where DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan, CoS/PP Rudy Bediones, and AG/IPP Frank Evaristo were likewise present. The following day, 2 September 2015, DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan and CoS/PP Rudy Bediones attended the Induction and Handover Ceremonies of the Rotary Club of Trece Martires at the Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park in Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite, where WCP Martino “Mar” Francia was inducted as Club President.

Our Club booked a table at the Mid-Autumn Mooncake Festival of RI District 3810, which we are co-hosting with RC Chinatown Manila, which is scheduled at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, 18 September 2015, at the Golden Bay Seafood Restaurant along Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City. Those of you who wish to go, please let our Secretariat know.

Today, the former Dean of the UP College of Law, Associate Justice Marvic Leonen of the Philippine Supreme Court, a co-alumnus of Columbia University, will be gracing our luncheon meeting. We can expect a very stimulating and educational discussion with him on matters he has been attending to in the Supreme Court and on various other legal issues.

We are also in the midst of organizing a Golf Tournament scheduled to be held sometime in November this year to raise funds for our Club’s projects and outreach programs. Please actively participate and support this effort.

Mabuhay ang Rotary Club of Manila