President’s Corner

Dear Fellow Manila Rotarians,

At last week’s luncheon meeting, Former Senator, Former Manila Mayor, and our Club’s PSAA Alfredo “Fred” S. Lim shared with us his ideas on what makes an ideal public servant and explained to us the attributes and qualities that a good leader should have. He is expected to run for the mayoralty seat of the City of Manila in the coming elections and hopefully return to the Manila City Hall as Mayor. We wish PSAA Fred all the best in his quest to return as Mayor of the City of Manila, as he certainly possesses all the qualities and attributes of a good servant leader.

On news within our Club, last 1 November 2015, I, together with several Manila Rotarians, including PP Archit Bartolome, PP Boy Ampil, ICoS/SDG/PP Cesar Ubaldo, AG/IPP Frank Evaristo, Dir. Ning Lopez, PT Jim Chua, and Rtn. Nilo Aventura, and Former RCM Member Rey Alejandro, attended the 80th Birthday Celebration of PP Dong Saludo at his residence in Pasig City, where we were treated to a lavish gastronomical feast. Indeed, it was a different kind of All Saints’ Day. Three days later, 4 November 2015, our Honorary Member, the Japanese Ambassador, His Excellency Kazuhide Ishikawa, hosted a Farewell Reception at his residence in North Forbes Park, Makati City, for our member, Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission Tetsuro “Terry” Amano, where I and several Manila Rotarians were in attendance. Terry, as he is fondly called by our fellow Manila Rotarians, will be given a new assignment for which we wish him well.

I would like to remind everyone that one of the most awaited fellowship parties of the Rotary Club of Manila, the Oktoberfest, will be hosted this year by the German members of our club, namely, PSAA Gunter Matschuck (the Chair of the RCM Oktoberfest), His Excellency Rtn. Thomas Ossowski (who is the German Ambassador to the Philippines), Rtn. Bodo Goerlich (who is the President of the Philippine-German Chamber of Commerce), Rtn. Uwe Hesse, Rtn. Henning Karcher, Rtn. Klaus Muller, and Rtn. Horst Kessler Von Sprengeisen, and co-hosted by the other European members of our Club, namely, Rtn. Mikael Avellan and PD Knud Hedeager, and will be held on Tuesday, 10 November 2015, at 7pm, at the German Club in Makati City. Let us all attend the affair and enjoy the hospitality of our hosts.

On news from around the District, last 29 October 2015, DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan and DGND/CoS/PP Rudy Bediones attended the Induction and Handover Ceremonies of the Rotary Club of Malate Prime at the Alegria Lounge of the Waterfront Pavilion Hotel and Casino, where WCP Ronilda Reluya was inducted as Club President. The following day, on 30 October 2015, DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan, DGND/CoS/PP Rudy Bediones, and I attended the District 3810 Halloween Party hosted by the Rotary Club of Pasay North under WCP Kristine Marie Corpuz at the Navy Fleet Marine Restaurant and Café at the Bonifacio Naval Station in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Four days later, on 3 November 2015, DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan, DGND/CoS/PP Rudy Bediones, and I attended the District 3810 Area Meeting for the month of October at the Aristocrat Restaurant in Manila.

Today, we shall have our very own Star Rtn. Joaquin “Jackie” Rodriguez as our Speaker. He will enlighten us on the rudiments of managing restaurants and his other business interests, including projects involving renewable energy. Please actively participate in the program and continue to support our Club’s various projects and activities this year. Please help in recruiting new members into our Club. Please submit the name(s) of prospective new member(s) to Anna Toledo at our earliest convenience so that the review and acceptance process can be started as soon as possible.

Mabuhay and Rotary Club of Manila!