President’s Corner

Dear Fellow Manila Rotarians,

Last week’s luncheon meeting had our Guest of Honor and Speaker, Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, a former Dean of the College of Law of the University of the Philippines, eloquently discuss with candor and openness various legal issues, including the draft bill on the Bangsamoro Basic Law. It stimulated questions from many of our lawyer-members and led to very interesting discussions.

On news within our Club, today we continue the process of electing our Club’s Board of Directors for RY 2016-2017 since we failed to muster a quorum last week. Let us all come out and actively participate in the election process to elect our next set of Directors.

In the evening of 3 September 2015, Director Bobby Joseph organized a very successful staging of the SKAL Awards at the New World Hotel in Makati City. I and many other Manila Rotarians attended the affair, which offered a sumptuous buffet dinner, good entertainers, and the raffling of many prizes.

On Sunday, 6 September 2015, the Alay Lakad walk was conducted from 5:00am in the morning from the Planetarium at the Luneta until the Quirino Grandstand. I wish to thank all the members of our Club, led by Alay Lakad Foundation President IPP/AG Frank Evaristo and RCM Alay Lakad Chair/IDCoS/ISDG/PD/IPS Albert Alday, who participated in the ALAY LAKAD 2015 “Alay Lakad Para Sa Magandang Kinabukasan” walk with me. After the walk, all of us, together with the members of the Rotaract Club of Manila and the Rotaract Club of De La Salle University Manila, as well as the visiting Rotaractors from the Rotaract Club of Subang Malaysia and the Rotaract Club of the Marianas (who walked with us), had breakfast at the Sampaguita Room of the Manila Hotel hosted by Rotarian Rickie Yap. It was over this breakfast that we were able to get to know each of the Rotaractors better and to introduce ourselves, our Club, and our Club’s projects and activities to them. The emceeing chores were led by Dir. Amading Valdez and Dir. Oca del Rosario. On this occasion, we were also asked to act as witnesses to the renewal of the sisterhood agreement between The Rotaract Club of Manila and he Rotaract Club of Subang Malaysia.

On news from around the District, last September 3, 2015, DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan and CoS/PP Rudy Bediones attended the Induction and Handover Ceremonies of the Rotary Club of Sampaloc at the Quezon City Sports Club, where WCP Dante “Dan” Taverner was inducted as Club President.

Three days later, on September 6, 2015, practically all of the Rotary Clubs In RI District 3810, including our Club, participated in the Alay Lakad 2015 walk, led by our very own DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan, CoS/PP Rudy Bediones, and ALAY LAKAD Foundation President AG/IPP Frank Evaristo. We understand that approximately P1 Million was raised as a result of the Alay Lakad walk.

Today, the popular lady legislator from the Third (3rd) District of Camarines Sur, Rep. Maria Leonor G. Robredo, the widow of the late DILG Secretary Jessee Robredo, will be gracing our luncheon meeting to talk about her plans and advocacies. Please actively participate in the program for our luncheon meeting and support the other plans and activities of our Club this Rotary Year.

Mabuhay ang Rotary Club of Manila!