STAR Rotarian Bertel Ingmar Bertelsen Found Home in the Philippines

STAR Rotarian Bertel Ingmar “Ingy” Bertelsen moved to Davao fourteen (14) years ago after sorting out how to manage his business in Netherlands from the Philippines, considering the six to seven hours time difference between the two countries. In this interview, STAR Rtn. Ingy shares many interesting snippets of his life, why he thought he was born in the wrong country, and what he likes best about living in the Philippines. Not to be missed was his amusing encounter with DGND Jackie Rodriguez at the Rotary International Conference in Hamburg in 2019.

Rhea Vitto Tabora (RVT): Please share something about yourself that your fellow Rotarians might not readily know.

Bertel Ingmar Bertelsen (BIB): My name, Bertel Ingmar Bertelsen, is a tradition that goes back centuries to my ancestry in Norway. The tradition is that the oldest son of the oldest son is given Bertel as the first name. So, my father’s name is Bertel Bertelsen (which, in Norwegian, means ‘Bertel, son of Bertel’) and the name of my oldest son is also Bertel Bertelsen. Another thing that my fellow Rotarians might not know is that, when I was a college student, the rock musical HAIR asked me to tour with them. Since I just started college, I regretfully declined. As a college student, I founded a student union and was an elected official for the board of all the student unions nationwide in Netherlands. That gave me a chance to negotiate with the Dutch government about having better teachers and more money for our colleges. I was also one of the last Dutch men to do a mandatory service of one and a half years in the Dutch army. Within three months, I was stationed at the army’s headquarters, and I even rose to the rank of sergeant at that time.

RVT: Please tell us a bit about Acquisitium – Insite Media. What types of magazines do you publish?

BIB: I still have my company in Europe and am fortunate having a good partner and employing a team of professionals over there. We started off with educational magazines for teachers regarding nature education, cultural education, social emotional education and technical education. Most of these magazines have been running for the last fifteen (15) years and with a steady group of readers. We have also been organizing different fairs for teachers where companies can present themselves to the teachers. Since the start of COVID though, that part of our business has not been doing well. But all our publications have shown continued growth. Ten years ago, we also started publishing magazines for inheritances and major donors. This is a billion-dollar market in the Netherlands, and we now have four different publications where NGOs and foundations can present their organization to mostly protestant rich people. Almost every two years, we come up with a new format of magazine and a new target group. Most of our magazines have 70 to 80 percent recurring customers, so we know the magazines really help them raise funds.

RVT: How long have you been in the Philippines and what brought you here?

BIB: Fourteen (14) years ago, I met a Filipina online and fell head over heels in love with her. After exchanging emails with her for months (yeah, it was that long ago), I bought a ticket to the Philippines for a vacation-of-a- lifetime. For more than a month, I travelled with her around Davao and her home province, Surigao del Sur. At the end of the vacation, I proposed to her, which she accepted. Back in Netherlands, I found out how racist the immigration laws were and how difficult it would be to get her into Netherlands. So, I spoke with my two business partners at that time, and we worked out a way I could move to the Philippines while still maintaining my role in the business. The time zone difference between the Philippines and Netherlands is six hours at summertime and seven hours at wintertime. That means I start working at around 3 or 4 pm and finish at around 11 or 12 pm. However, my relationship with that woman did not last, and we parted as good friends after a couple of years. After we broke up, there was not one moment that I thought of leaving the Philippines. A year later, I met my wife Jane, who is also the mother of my children. And of course, I stayed here.

RVT: What has this international move taught you?

BIB: It has taught me that I was born in the wrong country. I never felt at home in Netherlands. After high school, I worked and lived in Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Emirates, France, and the United States. Only Switzerland made me feel at home a bit, but still, I did not stay there. When I came here in the Philippines for the first time on vacation, I felt at home right away. And that made moving here so much easier. Over the years, I have found out that life here fits me like a glove, and that the only thing I still need to do to become Pinoy is to learn the language better.

The other thing that this move taught me is that I like to give back. From the first time I joined a Rotary meeting, it was already a great fit. It also gave me a great insight into the many facets of life in Lupang Hinirang since lots of the projects we did were also in the hinterland of Davao and Samal. In other countries where I lived, I did not join any groups like Rotary, so it’s really related to the Philippines.

RVT: What do you like best about living and working in the Philippines?

BIB: I am not working here, unless you count tree planting and beach clean ups as work. I do have investments here in Mindanao, which are all in tree plantations (teak and mahogany). What I like best about living here in the Philippines is the high quality of life that I get to enjoy. I love the combination between the social life and great restaurants in modern Makati and the natural life in Mindanao. In Davao, I live at the edge of the city, and I love driving my 400cc motorcycle in the backroads, visiting projects or just driving to see new natural views. And, last but not the least, the wonderful Pinoys I meet living here and through Rotary.

RVT: What do you miss most while you are living in the Philippines?

BIB: Only my father who still lives in Netherlands. Although before Covid, he would visit us here every year. Thankfully, modern technology helps us in keeping in touch weekly, and my kids love facetiming with their ‘Putit Lolo’. All the other things like good cheeses and charcutier are readily available in delicatessen shops in Makati and Davao. So, my father is really the only thing – or person – that I miss.

RVT: Looking back at your life thus far, what are you most proud of?

BIB: First of all, my kids, of course. I am a real hands-on father, and during this Covid period, I am also my kids’ teacher. Although they are still young (aged 6 and 7), I can already see that they are growing into wonderful human beings, and hopefully, also future Rotarians. Before they were born, I had a long list of accomplishments that I am proud of. But now, they all fall back, far back, in second place.

RVT: What experiences do you feel shaped you the most?

BIB: I think that living in many different countries shaped me to the person that I am now. Starting anew every time I am in a different country climbing the corporate ladder gave me a chance to reinvent myself and grow immensely as a person. Another experience that shaped me was working in the family business. Having my father as a boss is so much harder than a regular boss, but the experience was very rewarding in the long run.

RVT: What are your interests and hobbies? What do you do when you are not at work?

BIB: When I am not at work, I enjoy riding my Yamaha SR 400. I mostly ride alone since I am a trained rider. I also have a big interest in arts and culture. Since there are not that many museums in the Philippines compared to Netherlands, I mostly enjoy going to various tribes and learning about their customs and culture as well as the natural locations they live in. Before Covid, I would really enjoy the nightlife and restaurants in Davao and Makati, but we all know what happened to the restaurant, bar, and food services industry.

RVT: What ignited your interest in joining the Rotary Club of Manila?

BIB: I was already a Rotarian at the Rotary Club of South Davao. It is a Club with wonderful projects and with a good standing in Rotary District 3860. One of its members, PDG Nonoy Villa-Abrille, really introduced me to the lifestyle of a Rotarian. But after six years with that Club, I started to notice that the projects they were doing were not focused enough on my big passion, which is trees. When I went to the Rotary International Conference in Hamburg, I was wearing a Barong Tagalog as a sign of respect to my new motherland. One day, I was walking past a terrace and one man commented, “Wow, that is a mighty fine barong.” I asked him how he knew about that clothing style, because he clearly struck me as a Spanish. He said, “Well, I am a Filipino, my name is Jackie Rodriquez, and I am from Rotary Club of Manila.” He was sitting with another gentleman who clearly looked like he is a German. That man turned out to be his fellow club member, Dr. Gunter Matschuck. After having a nice lunch and some beers, and finding out that we had many friends in common, Jackie and I stayed in touch. As you may know, he made me ambassador to the Rotary Club of Manila during his presidency. I also joined his T.R.E.E.S. program and started writing the manual. And after being present during many Zoom meetings of the Rotary Club of Manila, I decided it was time to change clubs and follow my mentor and friend, Jackie.