President’s Corner
President Chito Zaldarriaga recounts the club’s Typhoon Odette relief shipment to Cebu and previews BSP Governor PVP Ben Diokno’s 2022 outlook.
Happy and Blessed New Year my dear RCM brothers.
As I write this I am still reeling with the alarming rate of infections we are getting on this pandemic. Nonetheless, we must go on.
Before the year ended, as most of you must have been monitoring, your club went into a hyper drive to get mercy assistance to the areas that were devastated by Typhoon “Odette”. PE/PVP Hermie Esguerra quickly organized a team to attend to the logistics in order to market, collate, bag and ship the goods consisting of sleeping mats, blankets, slippers and portable solar gensets. PE/PVP Hermie Esguerra advanced the amount needed as we were building up funds being poured in by all you who donated much needed cash for this effort.
Point man IAS Mike Albaña did a remarkable job ably assisted by ISDG/ISAG/DE/Dir Albert Alday, who, despite a next day flight to New York, led the Divisoria Purchase Team, STAR Rtn. Inov Talusan, STAR Rtn. Xavy Zialcita, RCManila Foundation, Inc. EA Sol Troniado-Encarnacion and her husband, Egay Encarnacion. With the aid of the Philippine Coast Guard team, they commandeered Hotel 101 nearby and assembled the goods before bringing these via convoy to the Philippine Navy Headquarters along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. There, they met us with DE Raffy Alunan. He had made prior arrangements with Captain Jonathan Zata and crew to transport the goods to Cebu.
IAS Mike Albaña and STAR Rtn. Inov Talusan went with the Philippine Navy crew to Pier 13. There they stayed until 11:00 pm to ensure the goods were all loaded to the vessel, M/V Legaspi. The long line did not deter these formidable gentlemen to ensure the job was done and done well.
A medical mission is on its way headed by DE Raffy Alunan and we continue to pray for support and relief for those victims.
We start this year with the traditional BSP Governor, our very own PVP Ben Diokno, giving us a review and prognosis for the brand new 2022. Let us pray that we will, indeed, have a better year ahead!
Stay safe everyone!!!
Humbly yours in Rotary, FSZ
The Week That Was