President's Corner

Dear Fellow Manila Rotarians,

At our luncheon meeting last week, our very own Manila Rotarian legal luminary, Dir. Amading Valdez, shared with us his insights on the Constitutional requirements of citizenship and residency that anyone who wishes to run for President of the Republic of the Philippines must comply with - the burning issue of the day. You will all recall that Director Amading is one of the persons who filed a disqualification case with the Commission on Elections against Senator Grace Poe.

On news within our Club, today we shift the venue of our weekly luncheon meeting to the posh New World Makati Hotel as we celebrate the Christmas season within our Club. I would like to thank our very own Rtn. Farid Schoucair for his generosity - Rotarian Farid offered to shoulder the additional cost of the sumptuous buffet lunch that all of us will partake of at the luncheon meeting at the New World Makati Hotel as his way of sending glad tidings this holiday season to all of our Club members. The total cost for our buffet lunch is actually P1,600, but each of us is paying only P1,000.00. Thank you very much, Farid, from the bottom of our hearts!

As suggested during last week’s luncheon meeting, we are encouraging all members who will attend today’s luncheon meeting to purchase raffle tickets at P500 each, in the spirit of Christmas. Half of the total amount collected from the sale of the raffle tickets will be donated to the wards of our Sagip Kabataan Foundation as our Club’s Christmas gift. The other half of the amount collected will be divided and given as prizes to the winners of the raffle.

On another matter, please be reminded of the Rotary International Convention that will be held from 28 May to 1 June 2016 in Seoul, Korea. I encourage all of you to attend and actively participate in the affair as a way of showing support for our District Governor PP Obet Pagdanganan. Please coordinate with our secretariat, as AS/PD Alvin Lacambacal is arranging a hotel and airfare package for RCM members. Also today, our World Famous Chorale will serenade us with Christmas carols in the spirit of the season.

On news from around the District, last 7 December 2015, DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan, DGND/CoS/PP Rudy Bediones, AG/IPP Frank Evaristo, and I attended the District Area Meeting for the month of December at the Aloha Hotel in Manila, where DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan and I formally opened the registration for DISCON 2016 while AG/IPP Frank Evaristo, President of the Alay Lakad Foundation, presented a plaque of appreciation to Rotary International District 3810 as the Most Organized Group during the last Alay Lakad event, and for its support to the Foundation.

Today marks a red letter day for our Club, as our very own Manila Rotarian, DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan, conducts his official Governor’s Visit to our Club, Also today, two American defense experts, in the persons of Christopher K. Johnson, the former CIA China Station Chief, and Samuel Locklear, III, a retired US Admiral and Former Pacific Commander, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), will address our Club as our Guest Speakers at our last meeting for the year. I encourage all of you to take an active part in the discussions with our Guest Speakers and to continue participating in and supporting our Club’s programs and activities for the rest of the Rotary Year.

Mabuhay Ang Rotary Club of Manila!