President's Corner

Dear Fellow Manila Rotarians,

A Very Happy, Blessed, and Bountiful New Year to one and all! The long Yuletide Season has given us the needed respite to be with family, friends, and loved ones, as we rekindle our ties with each one of them. After all, that’s what Christmas is all about.

Before we ended our Club’s activities last year, we had US Intelligence and Naval Experts Christopher K. Johnson (Former CIA China Station Chief) and Retired US Navy Admiral Samuel Jones Locklear III, who were both actively involved in the launch of the US-Philippine Strategic Initiative Program of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, enlighten us with very important information relevant to our national security situation. Our last meeting day in 2015 also coincided with our District Governor’s Visit. Our Club was highly commended by our very own DG Obet Pagdanganan and his District Team for our achievements during the first half of this Rotary Year 2015-2016, which DG Obet proudly acknowledged during his address before our Club at this last meeting day of 2015.

On news within our Club, last 16 December 2015, PD Phillip Ong led a group of Manila Rotarians, including ISDG/AG/IPP Frank Evaristo with Ms. Vicky Montilla, PE/VP Teddy Ocampo, Dir. Amading and spouse, Nellie Valdez, PD Ner Lonzaga, and AS Alvin Lacambacal, who attended the Christmas Party for the Hospicio de San Jose Special Children and Elderly Persons, which PP Boy Guevara contributed to. Two days later, on 18 December 2015, PD Ed Lee treated our Rotary Club of Manila Secretariat to a Christmas Lunch at his Yue Lai Restaurant along Mabini St. in Manila, which was attended by our very own DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan. Four days later, on 22 December 2015, the Solstice Bistro located at 8 Rockwell, which is a restaurant owned by Rtn. Joe Assad and Rtn. Jack Rodriguez, was formally opened, with several Manila Rotarians gracing the occasion. Six days later, on 28 December 2015, Former House Speaker and our very own Manila Rtn. Joe de Venecia celebrated his birthday, with a big group of Manila Rotarians led by no less than Honorary Manila Rotarians and Former Philippine Presidents Fidel “Eddie” V. Ramos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada (the incumbent Mayor of the City of Manila) attending the party. Other Manila Rotarians seen during this event were ISDG/AG/IPP Frank Evaristo, ICoS/SDG/PP Cesar Ubaldo, PE/VP Teddy Ocampo, IDCoS/ISDG/DE/IPS Albert Alday, Dir. Amading Valdez, Dir. Susing Pineda, Rtn. Joe Assad, PD Rod Valencia, PD Ner Lonzaga, Rtn. Nilo Aventura, and STAR Rtn. Vee David.

On news from around the District, the Yuletide Season was a busy one for Rotary. On 12 December 2015, the Rotary District 3810 Christmas Bazaar 2015 was opened at the SMX Function Halls 1-2 in Pasay City, where our very own DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan, DGND/CoS/PP Rudy Bediones, and I were in attendance. Later that day, ICoS/SDG/PP Cesar Ubaldo, ISDG/AG/IPP Frank Evaristo, and PE/VP Teddy Ocampo attended the All Star Team Presidents’ Christmas Fellowship at the Marina Bay East Clubhouse in Parañaque City. Two days later, on 14 December 2015, ISDG/AG/IPP Frank Evaristo and DGND/CoS/PP Rudy Bediones attended the District 3810 Past Presidents Council (“PPC”) Christmas Party at the residence of PPC Chair ISDG/PP Ruben Siao of the Rotary Club of Manila Centennial at his residence in Manila. Three days later, on 17 December 2015, the Rotary Club of Manila Bonifacio Drive, led by WCP Gwendolyn Pang, who also happens to be the Secretary-General of the Philippine Red Cross, hosted the District 3810 Christmas Party at the Philippine Red Cross Center in Mandaluyong City, with our very own DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan, DGND/CoS/PP Rudy Bediones, ISDG/AG/IPP Frank Evaristo, Dir. Oca del Rosario, PDG Vince Carlos, PVP Lance Masters, PD Nick Locsin, PT Jim Chua, and me in attendance. Eleven days later, on 28 December 2015, together with our very own DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan and DGND/CoS/PP Rudy Bediones, I attended the World Class Presidents’ Yuletide Fellowship at the Center Stage Family KTV and Resto Bar at the Seaside, MOA, Pasay City. Finally, to start 2016 in the right direction, last 4 January 2015, DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan, DGND/CoS/PP Rudy Bediones, and I attended the District 3810 Area Meeting for the month of January at the Aristocrat Restaurant along Roxas Boulevard in Manila.

Today, as is traditional for the past several years, our Guest of Honor and Speaker for our first meeting day of the New Year will be none other than the Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and Chairman of the Monetary Board, the Hon. Amando M. Tetangco, Jr., who will present his insights on how the Philippine economy will fare in the New Year, in a joint meeting with the Rotary Club of Forbes Park.

I urge all Manila Rotarians to actively participate and support all of our Club’s activities and programs this New Year. In particular, I remind you all to help build up our membership base by helping recruit at least one new member each. Please submit the name(s) of your prospective recruit(s) to our Membership Committee or to our Secretariat as early as possible, as it takes some time to process membership applications.

Mabuhay ang Rotary Club of Manila. Isang Masagana at Manigong Bagong Taon sa lahat!