RCM History

The Rotary Club of Manila does not tell time, it tells history.

Manila Rotary is Born

The initiative to organize a Rotary Club in the Philippines was taken by Leon J. Lambert, President of Lambert Sales Co. and one of the leading American businessmen in the country at the time. He corresponded with John Poole, then President of the Association of International Rotary Clubs, as Rotary International was originally known until the change to the present name was effected in 1922. As a result of this exchange of correspondence, Roger D. Pinneo, a member of the Rotary Club of Seattle, was specially designated to visit Manila for the purpose of pursuing the possibility of organizing a Rotary Club of Manila.

On January 12, 1919, Mr. Lambert hosted a lunch-meeting at his home in Pasay attended by Rotarian Roger Pinneo, and to which were invited Messrs. E.E. Elser, James Geary, A.W. Beam, and F.N. Berry, all prominent American businessmen of Manila. Several more meetings were held to discuss organizational matters. On January 29, 1919, the charter members signed the Articles of Incorporation of the Rotary Club of Manila! On June 1, 1919, the official Charter of the Rotary Club of Manila (Charter No. 478) was granted by the Association of International Rotary Clubs.

The first officers of RCM on June 1, 1919, date of its official charter, were: Leon J. Lambert, President; Alfonso Sycip, Vice President; Walter A. Beam, Treasurer; E.E. Elser, Secretary. Of the original 38 charter members of RCM, there were only three non American members, two Filipinos – Gabriel Lao, a practicing lawyer (a brother-in-law of PP “Carling” Arguelles), Gregorio Nieva, a businessman and wealthy landowner (an uncle of PDG “Marianito” Lichauco) and Alfonso Sycip, a Chinese citizen.

In the Beginning

Leon Lambert, served officially as first president of the club only for one month from June 10 to June 30, 1919. Before that, from January 29, 1919, when the Articles of Incorporation of the club were formally signed, he was Acting President until the official charter was handed down in June 1 of that year

On July 1, 1919, James C. Rockwell, a charter member, assumed the presidency of the club. He would complete his term until the end of the first full Rotary year on June 30, 1920. Until 1935, the Rotary Club of Manila was a non-district club and was under the direct supervision of the President and Board of Directors of R.I. In Rotary Year 1936-37, RCM was included in China District 81. In 1938, Rotary International created District 81 (the former China District) for RCM and for other Philippine clubs.