President’s Corner

Dear Fellow Manila Rotarians,

Last week’s break from the successful series of worthwhile speakers at our club proved to be a much needed breather for our members as our “Let’s Fiesta” Fellowship was an opportune time to rekindle ties with our fellow Manila Rotarians as this afforded them the opportunity to savor the delectable Filipino cuisine courtesy of IPP Jimmie Policarpio on the occasion of his natal day while being serenaded by singers who made the luncheon a truly memorable fellowship. Further, payments made on that occasion will go a long way towards funding our many service projects.

On our centennial projects, we likewise made a significant breakthrough when we met with the district governors and representatives from the various Rotary districts in the Philippines last week to define their respective roles in the Rotary Club of Manila Centennial Chorale Competition and A Legacy of Rotary Service for which we received much excitement on their end with their most favorable response towards these two projects. Likewise, last week, our “Sari-Saring Aralan” Project was formally launched with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between Rotary Club of Manila and Ayala Foundation, Inc. where Ayala Foundation President Ruel Maranan briefed Manila Rotarians on the project.

With respect to our SEEDS OF CHANGE by Rotary Club of Manila, I wish to invite everyone to participate in the Ceremonial Tree Planting at the “rotonda” of Okada Road and J.W. Diokno Extension in Parañaque City, tomorrow, September 28, 2018, at 8:30 am. Eco-shirts will be distributed to participants.

Our ALAY LAKAD 2018 last September 23, 2018 was an overwhelming success where sixteen (16) of our members braved an early morning rise together with our Rotaractors from our Rotaract clubs and led the pack of the first walk group with a huge tarpaulin, symbolizing our dominance as the First Rotary Club in Asia. No less than the ALAY LAKAD Foundation led by SDG/PP Frank Evaristo, who sits as its President, recognized our role in the propagation of Rotary in the Philippines as Rotary was made the lead organization with our very own PD Oscar del Rosario as Chair of the Executive and National Coordinating Committee of this year’s ALAY LAKAD. With both of them at the helm together with Director-in-Charge Albert Alday and Rtn. Dong Benedicto as Chair of the club’s ALAY LAKAD Committee as well as the immense help of Rtn. Rickie Yap in sponsoring the breakfast at the Champagne Salon of the Manila Hotel aside from the free shirts provided by the committee, our club, indeed, had the perfect blend for a successful walk-for-a-cause. As such, a depth of gratitude goes to SDG/PP Frank Evaristo, PD Oscar del Rosario, Dir. Albert Alday, Rtn. Dong Benedicto, Rtn. Rickie Yap, Rotaract Club of Manila, Rotaract Club of De La Salle University Manila, Rotaract Club of De La Salle-College of St. Benilde and our fellow Manila Rotarians present during that event under the guidance of DG Rudy Bediones.

On the fellowship front, I wish to thank the World Famous Music Chorale led by Chair PP Babes Reyes and Co-Chair PP Benny Laguesma for staging a fun fellowship last September 20, 2018 at the Central Colleges of the Philippines in Quezon City where Manila Rotarians took turns in singing to their heart’s content amid a sumptuous feast complete with alcoholic beverages that lent the needed kick for the evening’s festivities.

Today marks an important event in club history as we elect our Board of Directors for RY 2019-2020 as they will serve as the first Board to begin our next century. Hence, I exhort everyone to participate in making this election a success. Likewise, we are delighted to have today His Excellency Igor Anatolyevich Khovaev, the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of the Philippines, who will enlighten us on GEOPOLITICS and bilateral relations between Russia and the Philippines.

Let us all do our share in making this centennial a Rotary Year to remember as I exhort everyone to participate in our centennial projects. Great things in Rotary are never the works of a single individual, but, by a team of Rotarians working together towards a common goal. This is a colossal undertaking necessitating colossal efforts. Indeed, the best is yet to come. In ONE CENTURY ONE MISSION ONE ROTARY, I remain.