President’s Corner

Dear Fellow Manila Rotarians,

Last week, we had Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. as our Guest Speaker. Senator Marcos spoke to us about his platform of government and the plans and programs he intends to implement if he is elected as Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines. The luncheon meeting was very well attended, and included other Rotarians within our District and foreign and local journalists who were covering the speech of Senator Marcos. A very spirited open forum followed the speech of Senator Marcos, which required our meeting to be extended by about 30 minutes to enable our Guest Speaker to reply to the many questions raised.

On news within our Club, I wish to congratulate All Star PE/VP Teddy Ocampo (the Host Club Chairman), ICoS/SDG/PP Cesar Ubaldo, IDCoS/ISDG/DE/IPS Albert Alday, and ISDG/AG/IPP Frank Evaristo for leading our Club in the preparations for a very successful hosting of Rotary International District 3810’s Training Assembly for 2016 (“DISTAS 2016”), which was held last 7 May 2016 at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City. The venue was jampacked with three hundred sixteen (316) paying attendees on hand for the Rotary International mandated activity, which had several Past RI District Governors in attendance. Our Club was ably represented at the affair by DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan, DGND/CoS/PP Rudy Bediones, PE/VP Teddy Ocampo, ICoS/SDG/PP Cesar Ubaldo, IDCoS/ISDG/DE/IPS Albert Alday, ISDG/AG/IPP Frank Evaristo, Dir. Oca del Rosario, DE Art Lopez, Rtn. Hermie Esguerra, and STAR Rtn. John Emyl Eugenio. Our Club scored another first, as this was the first time that a foreign Rotarian, Dato’ Dr. Siva Ananthan of Rotary International District 3300, spoke during a local DISTAS and it happened during our time as the host of the DISTAS.

During the evening of that same day, Dir. Amading Valdez celebrated his birthday at the Tower Club in Makati. Manila Rotarians in attendance were DGND/CoS/PP Rudy Bediones, ISDG/AG/IPP Frank Evaristo, PE/VP Teddy Ocampo, VP Babe Romualdez, Dir. Susing Pineda, Dir. Issam Eldebs, PP Archit Bartolome, PP Boy Guevara, PD Ner Lonzaga, PD John Cenica, Rtn. Hermie Esguerra, Rtn. Tong Payumo, Rtn. Jing Lapus, and STAR Rtn. John Emyl Eugenio.

On news from around the District, last Tuesday, 10 May 2016, I attended the District 3810 Area Meeting for the month of May at the Aristocrat Restaurant in Manila, which happened to be the deadline for the submission of our Club’s Year End Report. Also at this meeting were DG/PP Obet Pagdanganan and DGND/CoS/PP Rudy Bediones.

Today, we shall have our Club’s Program Committee Chairman, Rotarian Tong Payumo, give us his views and comments on the topic: “Post-Elections Discussion: What a Duterte Presidency Portends” from a political perspective. Our Club’s Program Committee Co-Chairman, Rtn. Babes Romualdez, will give us his views and comments on the topic from a media perspective.

Please continue to actively participate in, and support, all of our Club’s plans, programs, and activities during the remainder of this Rotary Year. Most importantly, please recommend at least one good recruit to beef up our Club’s membership.

Mabuhay ang Rotary Club of Manila!