President's Corner

Dear Fellow Manila Rotarians,

Senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, the Hon. Antonio T. Carpio, gave a very interesting lecture to us during our regular general membership luncheon meeting last week on the historical background of the islands and reefs within our territorial jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea and on the construction activities being conducted by the People’s Republic of China thereat. All Manila Rotarians and guests present at the meeting listened closely and learned much about the facts and issues involved in the controversy. A lively discussion followed. Justice Carpio showed us that he is indeed an expert on the matter.

On news within our Club, last 1 October 2015, our Club held a very successful First Fellowship Party for Rotary Year 2015-2016 at the Salvatore Roof Top, Low Rise, Pacific Star Building, located along Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue in Makati City, which was co-hosted by PD Pepo Nuñez and Rtn. Hermie Esguerra. Forty-two (42) Manila Rotarians attended the affair, plus two (2) ambassadors who are honorary members of our Club, one (1) fellow World Class President from the Rotary Club of Pasay Silangan, and three (3) guests. Many took turns rendering their favorite songs, as well as dancing the night away to the music of the live band on hand. Congratulations to ICoS/SDG/PP Cesar Ubaldo, Chairman of the Fellowship Committee, and his Co-Chair, Rtn. Celso Abastillas, as well as co-hosts PD Pepo Nuñez and Rtn. Hermie Esguerra, for arranging a great fellowship party for all of us to enjoy and to remember.

On another matter, I am proud to announce that our Club has endorsed the candidacy of CoS/PP Rudy Bediones for District Governor Nominee this year. Should he win, he will be the District Governor of our Rotary District during our centennial and the centennial of Rotary in the Philippines, which falls in RY 2018-2019.

On news from around the District, last 3 October 2015, DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan and CoS/PP Rudy Bediones graced the Rotary Leadership Institute (“RLI”) seminars hosted by the Rotary Club of Quiapo Plaza Miranda headed by WCP Benson Hari-Ong at the Discovery Suites in Ortigas Center, Pasig City. I joined several WCP’s in a dinner fellowship right after the RLI seminars to celebrate the graduation of several WCP’s at the just concluded RLI seminars. Two days later, on 5 October 2015, DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan, CoS/PP Rudy Bediones, and AG/IPP Frank Evaristo attended the 12th Induction and Handover Ceremonies of the Rotary Club of Ramon Magsaysay at the Aloha Hotel in Manila, where WCP Leo Vedan was inducted as Club President. The following day, on 6 October 2015, DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan, CoS/PP Rudy Bediones, AG/IPP Frank Evaristo, and I attended the RI District 3810 Area Meeting for the month of October at the Aloha Hotel in Manila.

Today, we shall have the Dr. Sevillo D. David, Jr., Executive Director of the National Water Resources Board, as our Guest of Honor and Speaker. He will enlighten us on the true state of our water resources and of how we can expect to deal with the El Niño phenomenon that we will all experience this year. Please actively participate in our program today and continue to support all our Club’s activities and projects.

Mabuhay ang Rotary Club of Manila!