President’s Corner

Dear Fellow Manila Rotarians,

We were treated to an advance Valentine’s celebration and to a post Chinese New Year celebration, with a “goodie” bag (which included a neck pillow and tikoy) for everyone present, at last Thursday’s weekly luncheon meeting courtesy of PVP Manny Dy. We were all likewise serenaded with love songs rendered by Ms. Lisa Cabahug, also courtesy of PVP Manny Dy. Thank you very much PVP Manny Dy.

After the aforementioned serenade, we listened to the very animated speech of Senator Sergio “Serge” Osmeña, III on the state of Philippine politics and on his take on the different burning issues of the day. After being prodded on by our members, the good Senator gave us his insights and views on the major candidates vying for the Presidency in the May 2016 national elections.

On news within our Club, your DISCON 2016 Committee continues to meet on a regular basis to update the arrangements for the accommodations, venue, exhibition booths, and souvenir program for the DISCON scheduled on 1 and 2 April 2016 at the Manila Hotel. Please help in any way you can to enable us to meet our target collections to cover the expenses of the event, which we are mandated to host, being the home club of the current District Governor, our very own DG Obet Pagdanganan. I strongly urge all of you to immediately register for the DISCON and show that all of us in the Rotary Club of Manila strongly support DG Obet Pagdanganan. The DISCON is the most significant event of DG Obet’s term as District Governor of Rotary International District 3810.

On news from around the District, last 12 February 2016, I, together with several other Manila Rotarians led by DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan, including DGN Rudy Bediones, Rotarian Philip Ong, and PD Abe Pascual, together with many of my WCP classmates, District Officers, and Rotarians from several Rotary clubs in our District, trooped over to the Hospicio de San Jose for the “Handog Mula sa Puso” event, a District 3810 Valentine’s Party, where Php 226,000.00 in cash was raised, in addition to many other gifts in kind, to be given to the resident indigent children and elderly at the Hospicio. Around thirty-five (35) WCP’s, fifteen (15) District Officers, and more than twenty (20) Rotarians from different clubs interacted and bonded with the children and the elderly to show how we all care for them. The cash donation will be used to refurbish and equip a playroom with special facilities aimed at preventing injuries to those who will use the playroom. Our very own Sagip Kabataan Foundation, Inc. donated thirty thousand pesos (Php30,000.00) for this cause.

Today, we shall have as our Guest of Honor and Speaker, the Hon. Lilia de Lima, Director-General of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (the “PEZA”), who will explain the role of the PEZA in the economic development of our country and how very many foreign investors have been convinced to establish facilities in our PEZA zones, which provide employment to many of our people and earn a significant amount of foreign exchange for the Philippines.

Please continue to actively participate in, and support, our Club’s activities, programs, and projects. Also, I urge each of you to please identify at least one new good recruit for membership into our Club.

Mabuhay ang Rotary Club of Manila!