President’s Corner

Dear Colleagues in RCM,

Time travels fast! This is our 37th Weekly Meeting. We still have eight (8) more meetings then we welcome PE/VP Chito Zaldarriaga, as the 102nd President of the Rotary Club of Manila together with the incoming Board of Directors and Executive Officers for RY 2021-2022.

I had been in contact with Rtn. Dr. Jack Bautista who was involved in the Rotary Club of Manila Outreach Eye Operations for years. I advised him that my personal donation of Php 100,000 on behalf of the Rotary Club of Manila, is ready to have an Eye Saving Project for the poor. He was very enthusiastic as he will get the approval of UST Hospital free use of the operating facilities. He added that his former students who are doctors will volunteer to do the operations in May. They will contact the indigents to come to UST for the operations. Funding on the transportation, food and other logistics requirements will be taken cared of by the Rotary Club of Manila. During our audit, this project was abandoned by the Rotary Club of Manila and funds for eye operations were transferred to our Foundation. I will be in touch with Rtn. Dr. Jack Bautista and keep you abreast of the developments. I appreciate any suggestions/donations on the matter.

Dualtech Training Center Foundation Inc., located in Carmelray Park, Canlubang is TESDA-accredited. It was founded in 1982 and adapts the German Dual Training System on Electromechanics Technology via online learning, in-campus workshop training and company immersion over the course of 24 months to produce accomplished training. The training equipment was donated by German Companies. The scholarship program cost is Php 65,000 per student to cover the first six (6) months of training. It will include housing, meals, uniforms, insurance and others. In the next eighteen (18) months, they will be given allowances by the companies who will get them with respect to on-the-job training. Companies who sponsored will end up hiring these young professionals with strong value systems. Allow me to quote Dualtech’s Code of honor, “I will not lie, I will not cheat, I will not steal, I will not not tolerate those who do! I will act gentlemanly at all times, always upholding the name of Dualtech wherever I go, so help me God.”

In the name of the Rotary Club of Manila, with my personal donation of Php 185,000, we shall be sponsoring three (3) scholars to be chosen by Dualtech to take their training program for two (2) years. There may be those of you who might be interested to help. I have suggested to the Board to consider getting a spokesman for Dualtech to inform the members in one of our weekly meetings.

I would like to thank Rtn. Kenji Mori of the Rotary Club of Kuzuha who has donated 90,000 face masks to the City of Pasay through the Rotary Club of Manila. He has been donating for the last eight (8) years in the country through the Rotary Club of Manila because of his friendship with PDG Rudy Bediones. Maraming Salamat po, Kenji san.

As of April 24, 2021, we have around four (4) new prospects to be invited to join the Rotary Club of Manila. Our deadline for inviting members will be on May 31, 2021. We have produced thirty-two (32) exceptional leaders from various fields in the business community during this Transformational Year! We thank those who went out of their way and still are zealous in their desire to get more STAR Rotarians during our term. This is one way of breaking expectations.

Thanks CCRC Chairman IPP Jackie Rodriguez and members of the Executive Committee for the formal organization of the Circle Of Centennial Rotary Clubs, worldwide. We have now seven (7) clubs and the circle is still growing.

Thanks STAR Rtn. Lance Tan for your activities and support for the Rotary Club of Manila. Thank you for our partnership projects with JCI Makati under your leadership as President.

On behalf of the Rotary Club of Manila Board, thank you for the support during this very trying time. Stay well. Stay safe. Keep smiling. Be grateful and may God have mercy on us. Amen.

Your Servant President,