RCM 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.

Rotary Club of Manila Through The Years

After some correspondences initiated by Leon J. Lambert, President of Lambert Sales Company to International Association of Rotary Clubs (now known as Rotary International) President John Poole, Rtn. Roger Pinneo of the Rotary Club of Seattle was commissioned to assist in the organization of Rotary Clubs in the Far East. On January 12, 1919, Lambert entertained Pinneo at a luncheon in his Pasay home with four other businessmen, Messrs. E.E. Elser, James Geary, Walter A. Beam, and Fred N. Berry. The five then constituted themselves into a committee with Lambert as Chairman to work on the organization of a new Rotary Club. Recruitment followed with informal meetings on January 14, 16, and 24.

With 36 Americans, 2 Filipinos (Gabriel La’O and Gregorio Nieva) and 1 Chinese (Alfonso Sy Cip) comprising the charter members, the organization was finally completed. However, it was not until June 1, 1919 when Charter Number 478 was granted, formally organizing the Rotary Club of Manila with Leon J. Lambert as President, Alfonso Sy Cip as Vice President, E.E. Elser as secretary, and Walter A. Beam as Treasurer. The Rotary Club of Manila first held office at the Benguet Consolidated Mining Company at Kneedler Building located along Carriedo Street in Sta. Cruz, Manila. It was here where further meetings and additional members were elected into the club.

As Rotary celebrated its centennial, Rotary Club of Manila is proud to have been credited in the organization of 23 Rotary Clubs: RC Cebu in 1932, RC Iloilo in 1933, RC Bacolod in 1937, RC Baguio in 1937, RC Davao in 1938, RC Guam in 1939, RC Malolos in 1949, RC Lucena in 1950, RC Batangas in 1950, RC San Pablo in 1950, RC Cavite in 1952, RC Pasay in 1959, RC Kalookan in 1959, RC Quezon City in 1960, RC University District Manila in 1972, RC Raha Sulayman in 1975, RC Panday Pira in 1977, RC Bagumbayan in 1979, RC Intramuros in 1980, RC Manila San Miguel in 1983, RC Tondo in 1992 and RC Sta. Mesa in 2001. From these clubs came all the other clubs in the 10 districts of Philippine Rotary.

Rotary Club of Manila produced the only Filipino President of Rotary International in PDG M.A.T. Caparas during the Rotary year 1986 – 1987; a second Vice President in Don Paco Delgado in 1970 – 1971, and a Director without being a District Governor in Gen. Carlos P. Romulo in 1935-1936.

The club has had a rich tradition of community service having encouraged the Boy Scouting movement in the Philippines, the Community Chest Foundation, Philippine Band of Mercy, Philippine Safety Council (forerunner of the Safety Organization of the Philipines), Philippine Cancer Society, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Philippine Tourism Association, Welfareville, Gaches Village, emergency relief for the Baguio earthquake and victims of eruption of Mt Pinatubo, among others.

In partnership with the private businesses, NGOs and the government, the Rotary Club of Manila have through the years, institutionalized the following recognition awards and community projects: (1) TOWER (The Outstanding Workers of the Republic) Awards; (2) Journalism Awards; (3) Tourism Awards; (4) Scientific Inventions, Discoveries and Innovations (SIDI) Awards; (5) PP Flor Santos Medico Surgical Mission; (6) Sight Conservation; (7) Medical Equipment Training and Repair; (8) Save A Heart Save A Life; (9) Special Children and Paul Harris Senior Citizen Center for Occupational Therapy at Hospicio de San Jose.

In June 2005, the Commitment to Justice Awards was launched, and the first awarding ceremonies were done on November 17, 2005. In RY 2004-2005, a shelter project in cooperation with the Habitat for Humanity and the City of Taguig was undertaken by the Club by providing medium rise building shelter for low income earners of the City of Taguig. In RY 2009-2010, the club adopted the Concentrated Language Encounter, a Rotary literacy project, as an additional literacy project.

A club responsive to the needs of its communities, calamity relief operation was undertaken for victims of Mt. Hibok-Hibok eruption in 1951-1952, Taal Volcano eruption in 1956-1966, earthquakes in 1968-1969, Baguio Earthquake in 1990-1991, Mt. Pinatubo eruption victims in 1991, Habagat typhoon flooded towns of Calumpit, Paombong, and Hagonoy in Bulacan serving more than 3,500 beneficiaries and the joint medical-surgical-opthalmological-dental missions in cooperation with the local government unit and local medical societies.

Global history witnessed the power of a storm surge that hit the Visayas region. By far, the strongest typhoon in world history, Typhoon Yolanda (International Code Name: Hayan) wrecked havoc over Leyte, Samar and the rest of the Visayas, resulting in massive destruction to life, infrastructure and property, leaving a myriad of victims homeless and without power and livelihood. In response to this unfortunate spate of events, the Club, through the assistance of its members, In 2017, the club was quick to respond to the needs of the victims of the Marawi Seige with “One Rotary One Philippines One for Marawi” where, under the Chairmanship of Director-Elect Raffy Alunan, the club, leading a whole of Rotary Philippines project, provided medical, psychological and palliative care to wounded soldiers who have fought for the liberation of Marawi from the shackles of terrorism as well as civilians who have been displaced as a result of the armed conflict.

During RY 2015-2016 under the presidency of Eusebio Tan with District Governor Roberto “Obet” Pagdanganan at the helm, a 23rd daughter club, the Rotary Club of Natividad Almeda Lopez, was established.

The club, in its preparations for its centennial celebration during the RY 2017-2018 under the leadership of President Jimmie Policarpio, obtained a milestone Presidential Proclamation. Proclamation No. 413 declaring 01 July 2018 to 30 June 2019 as the “Year for the Celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the Rotary Club of Manila and the Rotary movement in the Philippines and in Asia” was signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on January 24, 2018. It was also during his tenure as President that the club regained supremacy of the district by winning the most coveted “Overall Most Outstanding Club” and the “Overall Most Outstanding Club President”, a feat which our club last achieved almost twenty years ago.

As the Club approaches the centennial of Rotary in Philippine shores which coincides with its own centennial, it is proud to have touched the lives of each and every citizen of the archipelago and beyond as it continues its odyssey towards achieving greater heights in “Service Above Self”.

Rotary Daughter Clubs in the Philippines

In 1937, while still under the China district, the Rotary Club of Manila sponsored the organization of the Rotary Club of Bacolod and the Rotary Club of Baguio. The Rotary Club of Cebu, in turn, sponsored the organization of the Rotary Club of Davao. There were then six clubs that became part of District 81 in 1938. Then followed the Rotary Club of Dagupan which was organized by the Rotary Club of Baguio. In the following year, the Cebu Club organized the Rotary Club of Dumaguete, bringing the number of the Philippine clubs to eight.

In 1939, the Rotary Club of Guam was the first overseas club to be sponsored by the Rotary Club of Manila. On Oct. 20, 1989, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, a delegation from the Rotary Club of Manila headed by then President “R.R.” de la Cruz (1989-90) visited its daughter club.

In 1972, for the first time in the history of the Rotary Club of Manila, it sponsored the organization of the first additional Rotary Club to share its territory within the City of Manila. It was the Rotary Club of the University District, organized by Manila Rotarian “Doc” Ayesa (Past President, 1971-72). Later RCM organized other new clubs within its Manila territory: Raha Sulayman (1975), Panday Pira (1977), Bagumbayan (1979), Intramuros (1980) and San Miguel (1983). Other clubs sponsored by RCM were those of Malolos, San Pablo, Lucena, Caloocan, Batangas, Cavite, Quezon City and Pasay.

Chronologically the clubs directly spawned by RCM are: 1932 – Cebu; 1933 – Iloilo; 1937 – Bacolod; 1937 – Baguio; 1938 – Davao; 1939 – Guam; 1949 – Malolos; 1950 – Lucena; 1950 – Batangas; 1950 – San Pablo; 1952 – Cavite; 1959 – Pasay; 1959 – Caloocan; 1960 – Quezon City; 1972 – University District Manila; 1975 – Raha Sulayman; 1977 – Panday Pira; 1979 – Bagumbayan Manila; 1980 – Intramuros; 1983 – San Miguel Manila (Manila San Miguel); 1992 – Tondo; 2001 – Sta. Mesa; 2016 – Natividad Almeda Lopez