Why I Continue to Give to The Rotary Foundation

I was born from poor parents who were just high school graduates. My father was a government employee and my mother, a farmer. Growing up and being the second child from a brood of twelve, I am a living witness to so many hardships, struggles and challenges in our daily family lives. What my parents taught us was to be prayerful and be brave enough to face any adversity in life, to always believe that God is always there for us and that we should strive to study harder and despite being poor, must finish college education as my parents believed that having a good education is like a passport to success in life. They also taught us values to always share to others whatever blessings we receive in life since they do believe in the saying that it is better to give than to receive.

To make the long story short, true enough, all of us became successful in life. Except for my brother, Bert, who died at the age of 5, all eleven of us became professionals and gainfully employed. Some of us succeeded in putting up our own businesses. Looking back, indeed, we've gone through a lot in our lives and I cannot help, but to always thank the good Lord for giving us the success I need in life. With my humble beginnings, I really could not imagine how I was able to succeed. Now that I was given so much in life, that I can earn more than what my family needs, I thought that it is time to give back to the community and share whatever blessings I receive in life in my own little way.

My happiness in giving back and sharing my blessings started when I joined the Rotary of Diliman of Rotary International District 3780 (Quezon City) in 1998 and after a few months as a Rotarian, I involved myself in various community service projects of my former Rotary club. Seeing the plight of numerous people in the barangays of Capitol Hills, Krus na Ligas and Matandang Balara, Quezon City, it reminded me of my past, of how difficult it is to live in poverty. After working so hard in starting a construction business of my own due lack of capital, I realized that I am, indeed, so blessed and fortunate to have succeeded and improved my life and that of my family from poverty.

It was during this time that my former club was discussing and doing a TRF grant project that would give clean water to the barangays coming from The Rotary Foundation (TRF) grant and discussion of the Polio plus project that the TRF has been supporting every year since 1986 which started in the Philippines to eliminate POLIO virus around the world. Learning much of the TRF programs around the world, I decided to contribute a thousand dollars in 1999. Despite that, we were still lurching from the effects of the Asian Crisis back then and the exchange rate was I think Php 58.00 to a dollar. During that time, the money I gave to TRF was drawn from my small savings balance after it was depleted because I just finished building my first new house in Don Antonio Royale Estate. However, despite low in savings, I still decided to give because my parents inculcated in us the belief that in sharing our blessings, it will return to the giver a thousand fold in some other ways. I also believe that in helping others, it would make my life better. True enough, more contracts did come one after the other. I also realized that my giving did not make me poor, but, rather, gained much in life. Seeing the big smiles of the people we helped during our service projects, inspired me even more to give and share to the needy.

During RY 2008-2009, when I served as Rotary District Governor in Quezon City, I became TRF Major Donor Level 1 because as a leader, I have to lead by example in giving to the TRF. It was really hard to convince Rotarians to give as it was during that time that the global economic crisis affected us all, but because of good leadership and efforts of my District TRF team, we were able to collect a modest contribution during that Rotary Year.

When I transferred our residence and business to the south of Metro Manila since our company has been doing projects in the Cavite and Batangas area and partly, due to the traffic problem in visiting my projects, I transferred to the Rotary Club of Manila from the Rotary Club of Diliman in 2012. I think my TRF contribution was at US $12,000 and with my membership in the Rotary Club of Manila and my trust to the TRF, I continued to contribute every year. Living in the south of the metropolis, my construction business continued to prosper which allowed me and my spouse, Anna, to contribute a bigger amount to the TRF in the succeeding years. Today, our spousal contribution stands as TRF Level 4 Major Donor and will continue to give every year whenever I can.

It is also my personal view that giving to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) is once in a lifetime opportunity for us to be part of the global force united to improve and change lives. Aside from my contribution to the TRF, I continue to contribute to the Rotary Club of Manila projects every now and then.

In some instances, some Rotarians asked me the following questions as to why I give a big amount to TRF. I always say to anybody that it is my personal belief that giving back whatever blessings we have in life brings more blessings and prosperity. Did I enjoy giving? YES, I feel very happy whenever I give something to the needy. Did my family become poorer because of our big contributions? NO. In fact I continue to receive more blessings than ever before.

Finally, I wish that my belief in life of giving shall be an inspiration to our fellow Rotary Club of Manila members whom I know have more means in life than us. I know that they, too, shall realize very soon that giving to the TRF does not hurt us, but, rather, it gives us the opportunity to fulfill our Rotary Motto of “Service Above Self”. I therefore encourage each and every Rotary Club of Manila member to contribute to the TRF and be part of the biggest charity organization that continues to do good in the world.