President’s Corner

Dear Colleagues in Service,

Although we skipped one meeting last Thursday, February 25, 2021, because of the holiday, we spent the day usefully by organizing a bloodletting activity with Red Cross at Programs Committee Chairman IPVP Hermie Esguerra's farm in Lipa, Batangas. Thank you, Programs Committee Chairman IPVP Hermie Esguerra and the other members who joined the project.

The next day, Friday, February 26, 2021, was the Rah Rah Rah Campaign of IPP Jackie Rodriguez wherein we encouraged members to bring their prospective guests to join the briefing at Manila Elks Club in Makati City. It is the dream of the Board to invite the best of the best to join RCM.

RCM is active with our sister and other clubs through our Ambassador of Goodwill Program, collaborating with domestic and international Rotary Clubs. Another program is our Circle of Centennial Rotary Clubs (CCRC), which is getting more member clubs that have been serving humanity for over 100 years. RCM is the first Chair of CCRC. PD Nick Locsin, International Director, is very active in coordinating and meeting with the Rotary Club of Calcutta, the Rotary Club of Shanghai and other clubs which are fulfilling the entry requirement, meeting with their presidents and submitting some information. We shall await their completion of formalities. I have been attending meetings with the Rotary Club of Madrid, the Rotary Club of Seattle 4, the Rotary Club of Minneapolis 9 and the Rotary Club of Washington DC. Our other Ambassadors are working on some clubs. These projects were initiated by IPP Jackie Rodriguez, PDG Vince Carlos, DE/VP Thad Liamzon, PD Nick Locsin, Rtn. Juan Montel and a few more during his term.

We shall organize sports activities and tournaments that are targeting non-Rotarians to entice them to join us. The first Chair volunteer is Chairnan of Membership PVP Fausto Preysler, Jr. When we go back to normal, we may be able to invite our members to join and propose different events.

In March, we will have another Council of Past Presidents Meeting to be chaired by PDG Vince Carlos who did a fantastic job in chairing last month’s Past Presidents Meeting with the undersigned as special guest. Through his initiative, we clarified matters to their satisfaction. We encourage participants to share positive and creative ideas and invite younger members who are successful leaders in their own rights.

We urge our colleagues to invite new members to increase our membership and hit our target ‘Beyond 225’. So far, we have inducted 14 Rotarians, plus three (3) new members by next week. We now have a total of 17 new members. The highest number of recruits from 2014 to 2019 was 17. We will do our best to invite quality members who are committed and want to actively contribute to the success of RCM. Let us make RCM stronger and do our part in changing lives and improving communities all over the world.

Last Saturday, we were able to turn over the donation of CoVid-19 test kits worth Php 4,000,000.00 to Batangas Governor Dodo Mandanas. Incidentally, he was IPP Jackie Rodriguez’s high school buddy at La Salle. The Governor was very hospitable and gracious. He gave us an overview of the development and prospects of the growing province. We were there with IPP Jack Rodriguez, Chairman IPVP Hermie Esguerra and Rtn. Juan Montel. Other CoVid-19 test kit beneficiaries were the cities of Pasay and Parañaque, and the municipality of Taytay. This completes our Php 16,600,000.00 worth of CoVid-19t test kit donations.

Things are happening with God’s blessings. I am glad with the turn of events. So much transformation is happening in our Club and the Districts in the country. Our Save Manila Bay is also in full blast because of the leadership of the President and DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu. I’m thanking everyone for your relentless support and valuable contribution.

Skal! Cheers! Mabuhay!

Your Servant,

Robert “Bobby” Lim Joseph, Jr. President RY 2020-2021 (101st President)