President’s Corner

Dear Fellow Manila Rotarians,

Last week, we celebrated Valentine’s Day with a renewed love for our economy this 2019. with great insights from Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia. With our Rotary Ann’s present and red roses distributed amid the serenade of Ms. Kate Castillo, our club experienced a celebration like no other.

The day of reckoning for our centennial culminating activities is fast approaching. Hence, to ease the burden on our shoulders, our club has formally engaged the services of Prime Trade Asia, Inc. as the events team for our activities and Mr. Frederick Alegre to handle our public relations.

We are vigorously campaigning throughout the Rotary districts, participation in “A Legacy of Rotary Service”. Towards this end, we are making our presence felt in the 81st Charter Anniversary of the Rotary Club of Baguio as well as in the Rotary Concerns Forum in Clark. Likewise, I will be delivering the Welcome Address at the DISCON 2019 in OKADA MANILA on March 1, 2019 and will take the opportunity to invite fellow Rotarians in the district to attend our centennial celebration.

The Centennial Awards Committee has already closed the reception of entries. Twenty-eight (28) entries have been submitted from the ten (10) districts of the Philippines. Towards this end, we have invited His Excellency Sung Kim, Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of the Philippines, to head the panel of judges composed of Ayala Foundation President Ruel Maranan and Gawad Kalinga Founder Antonio Meloto. Two other distinguished judges will be invited to complete the panel.

The Rotary Club of Manila Centennial Chorale Competition has just revised the Final Guidelines for the Grand Finals. The members of the committee met with representatives of the DepEd for this purpose. On this note, I wish to thank DE/BLA Amading Valdez for hosting the meeting at the Tower Club.

The Centennial Commemorative Stamps are now on sale. Please don’t miss the opportunity to secure for yourself this once in a lifetime memorabilia.

The Rotary Club of Manila Educational Assistance Program (REAP) needs more benefactors so that we can help more students from PLM and PUP realize their dreams of a better life.

Today, we welcome our very own Manila Rotarian, the Hon. Jose “Joe” de Venecia, Jr., Special Envoy for Inter-cultural Dialogue, Founding Chairman of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) and Former Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines, as he talks on “Rebuilding Roads to Peace” in the Asian region. Earlier, we had a fruitful Governor’s Visit to our club. Undoubtedly, all these are colossal undertakings which need our earnest efforts in furtherance of Service Above Self.

Indeed, great things in Rotary are never done by a single individual, but, by a team of Rotarians, moving together towards a common goal. Under ONE CENTURY, towards ONE MISSION and in furtherance of ONE ROTARY, the best is yet to come. Let us all BE THE INSPIRATION as we embrace Rotary in our everyday lives.