President's Corner

Last Thursday weekly luncheon meeting seemed like a blessed Sunday at Holy Mass as Bishop Teodoro Bacani evangelized us on the stand of the Roman Catholic Church on extra-judicial killings happening around. With so much ease speaking at the podium, Bishop Bacani’s words seemed to mesmerize the audience as Manila Rotarians and guests alike were listening intently to his two cents on the matter. Personally, I think God had a way of getting a usually rowdy Manila Rotarian crowd to digest and heed the call of our guest clergy. Indeed, it was a one-of-a-kind Thursday meeting that brought out simply the best in Manila Rotarians.

As for updates within our club, the 60th Anniversary of our sister club, the Rotary Club of Osaka East, this coming May 27, 2017 is fast approaching. For more details, please coordinate with our Secretariat.

Last May 4, 2017, we held our Centennial Committee Meeting where IPDG Obet Pagdanganan, PDG Alex Cureg, DGN Rudy Bediones, IPP Ebot Tan, PP Boy Ampil, PE Jimmie Policarpio, Rtn. John Emyl Eugenio and I met with PDG Chit Lijauco to draw up plans for the Centennial of our club. Likewise, on the same day, we likewise held our Club Awards Meeting as our Rotary Year is about to draw to a close where PDG Alex Cureg, DGN Rudy Bediones, PP Francis Juico, Dir. Chito Zaldarriaga, AT Hermie Esguerra and I conferred with each other on the people from our club to be rewarded for their efforts this Rotary year.

Before I forget, in behalf of our club, I wish to congratulate our fellow Manila Rotarian, Former Speaker Jose “Joe” de Venecia on his appointment by President Duterte as Special Envoy for Inter-Cultural Dialogue. Certainly, another feather in the cap of our storied club which has produced several of the nation’s leaders all over the years.

As to updates within the district, last May 8, 2017, CoS Cesar Ubaldo and SDG / Dir. Albert Alday attended the last Area Meeting for the Rotary Year 2016-2017 at the Aristocrat Restaurant in Manila. They have done our club proud for representing our club well in district affairs as part of the district’s Executive Committee. They truly deserve a warm round of applause for their efforts.

Today, we welcome His Excellency Jan Christian Gordon Kricke, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Republic of the Philippines as he delves on Federalism and the present state of bilateral relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Philippines.

I look forward to your cooperation as we endeavor to make our stars shine in the remaining months of Rotary Year 2016-2017 through meaningful projects and fellowships that will strengthen the bonds of Asia’s First Rotary Club.