RC Manila Incoming Board Holds Strategic Planning with RC Manila Centennial Celebrations Committee and Outgoing Board

Festivities are fast approaching and so too are the activities that would define the 100 years of Asia’s First Rotary Club as well as those of the Rotary movement in the Philippines and in Asia. As such, nothing beats careful planning towards the success of an impending milestone. Because many Rotarians of our district and those of the other districts in the archipelago look up to us as their elder statesmen in Service Above Self, we, as a club, ought to live up to our billing. A community of leaders as we have always been, certainly, a sea of ideas naturally sprout such that the need to synthesize and synergize our collective efforts entail a need to act early and sift the chaff from the grain so to speak.

With the wealth of experience in the corporate sphere under his sleeve, PE/Dir. Susing Pineda, in his capacity as the club’s President during the Centennial Celebration, took the lead in graciously hosting, together with his Rotary Ann Maritess Pineda, a Strategic Planning last October 7, 2017, 9:30am, at his residence on 22 Xavier Street, Greenhills West, to set the priorities and goals of the Centennial Board in line with the celebration of the Centennial Year. Many members of both the Incoming and Outgoing Boards of our club as well as the Centennial Celebrations Committee came in full force.

The brainstorming event, aside from the hosts, PE/Dir. Susing Pineda and Ann Maritess Pineda, was attended by DGE Rudy Bediones, President Jimmie Policarpio, PP Archit Bartolome, PP Benny Laguesma, IPP Teddy Ocampo, VP Chito Zaldarriaga, IS/Club Secretary Alvin Lacambacal, DE/Dir. Caloy Reyes, DE/Dir. Issam Eldebs, DE Raffy Alunan, IPSDG/IPDCoS/DE/IPD Albert Alday, DE Jackie Rodriguez and Rtn. Jun Alvarez. On hand to assist us were ES Anna Toledo, Eloisa and Photographer Amiel Hernandez.

PE Susing presided over the meeting where it was suggested that the Centennial Celebrations Committee and the Centennial Board synchronize their actions where the Strategic Planning Committee would be the oversight committee which will be steered by DGE Rudy Bediones, PE Susing Pineda and President Jimmie Policarpio.

The thought of a strong brand for our club and that of a Legacy Project came into fore during the discussions where suggestions for a history revisit on the creations of our club such as the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, the Philippine Band of Mercy and the Community Chest became part of the highlights. DE Raffy Alunan was tasked with setting up the criteria for the Legacy Project.

The need to be a 100% Paul Harris Fellow Rotary Club was likewise brought up with IS/Club Secretary Alvin Lacambacal being tasked to find out how many Manila Rotarians have not yet been Paul Harris Fellows and with PE/Dir. Susing Pineda requesting IPSDG/IPDCoS/DE/IPD Albert Alday to help by making an outline explanation of where the Paul Harris Fellow donation to The Rotary Foundation goes to and what kind of benefits do our club reap for such donation.

It was likewise the decision of the collegial body that the incoming and outgoing President as well as the District Governor-Elect be given the authority to decide on the Centennial Logo.

The One Rotary One Philippines One For Marawi Project spearheaded by our club which involves the entire Philippine Rotary was briefly discussed with DE Raffy Alunan giving a rundown of updates.

A Special Centennial Yearbook Directory was likewise suggested by PE/Dir. Susing Pineda to showcase the members of our club throughout the years. A Media Center was likewise suggested to handle the building of the momentum towards the centennial through press releases in different media to assure the strength of our brand through various exposures culminating in the agreement of the body towards the Centennial Theme of ONE CENTURY. ONE MISSION. ONE ROTARY.

The role of the Ann’s of Rotarians were likewise discussed were the body unanimously chose Ann Maritess Pineda, in her capacity as the wife of the Incoming President, to spearhead certain projects and activities that would assist the Manila Rotarians. At this juncture, many worthwhile fundraising projects were suggested from the floor.

The Strategic Planning ended before the stroke of lunchtime as participants savored on the delectable dishes graciously served by PE/Dir. Susing and Ann Maritess Pineda. Indeed, all is well that ends well as the collective efforts of great minds acted in synergy towards the welfare of one club, the Rotary Club of Manila, the First in Asia. Redefining our roles has never been this great as together we will rewrite history as the turn of our century unfolds towards a more resilient, a more steadfast and a more responsive Rotary Club of Manila we could all be proud of.