History of the RCManila Foundation, Inc.

Relationship of RCManila Foundation, Inc. and the Rotary Club of Manila

The RCManila Foundation, Inc. and the Rotary Club of Manila are two separate and distinct entities. The RCManila Foundation, Inc. is an incorporated foundation while the Rotary Club of Manila is a societas anonimas, a kind of unincorporated association with a distinct legal personality. The foundation, in accordance with PCNC requirements, should have its own projects. Funding of projects of the Rotary Club of Manila may be undertaken as an ancillary activity subject to availability of funds after allocation of funds for the institutional projects of the foundation.

Members of the Rotary Club of Manila can opt to become members of the foundation by way of payment of the membership admission fee of Php 5,000.00. Likewise, the nine (9) Members of the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Manila are automatically nominated to the Board of Trustees of the RCManila Foundation, Inc. together with six (6) others nominated from the members of the foundation during the annual election of the Board of Trustees to make the fifteen (15) total members of the Board of Trustees. The Chairman and the President of the RCManila Foundation, Inc., in turn, sit as Ex-Officio Members of the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Manila by virtue of a Board Resolution of the club in RY 2019-2020.

The RCManila Foundation, Inc. shares the same office and consequently, the same office address as the Rotary Club of Manila. Thus, the relationship of both organizations is at arms length, so to speak.

Historical Background

The seeds of the RCManila Foundation can be traced back to 1975 when it was conceptualized by well-meaning members of the Rotary Club of Manila with the end in view of funding the projects of the Rotary Club of Manila. However, it was only in 1979 that the Foundation was incorporated with the Securities and Exchange Commission with PDG Benny Angtuaco as Chairman and Fr. Frank Reyes as President during the term of Rotary Club of Manila President Alberto “Bert” Romulo. It was registered in the Social Security System as Rotary Club of Manila Foundation, Inc. on October 25, 1990.

From its inception, several projects had been planned which included a proposed RCManila Foundation Community Service Center Building along a city property on Vito Cruz Street corner Maytubig Street in Manila, the sublease of the Ground Floor of which was granted on October 17, 1991 during the term of RCManila Foundation, Inc. President PDG Romy del Rosario, and a four storey Social Housing Project on Juan Luna St., Tondo, Manila in RY 1993-1994. This was the prevailing norm of undertaking activities for several years until a foundation found national prominence when it hugged the limelight as it served as a conduit for siphoning funds which prompted the national government to craft and impose stringent rules on the setting up as well as documentary requirements in the registration and operations of foundations.

In the light of these events which overtook the otherwise smooth and seamless flow of operations in the past, the RCManila Foundation first applied for accreditation with the then newly created, Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC), the certifying body of Philippine Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in 1998. However, this first attempt for accreditation served as a learning experience for the foundation as its application was denied due to the absence of its own activities and insufficient funds.

During RY 2004-2005, the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Manila signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the RCManila Foundation, Inc. to transfer project funds that were underutilized to the RCManila Foundation, Inc. on loan for the purpose of representing it as funds of the Foundation in furtherance of PCNC accreditation. In RY 2006-2007, a Policy on Conflict of Interest was crafted, signed by then RCManila Foundation, Inc. President Alex Yap and by then Secretary Monte Montecillo. It was not until August of 2007 that then PD Pat Viloria sought the Amendment of the By-Laws and the Articles of Incorporation through the auspices of the Saludo Agpalo Fernandez and Aquino Law Office of PP Aniceto “Dong” Saludo. Forthwith, the said law office extended help pro bono in amending the By-Laws and Articles of Incorporation during RY 2008-2009.

The Board of Trustees of RY 2010-2011 considered applying for accreditation again with PCNC. However, it was not until RY 2015-2016 when the foundation made headway with the hiring of a experienced staff by the name of Shirley Fajarito to help in the process of obtaining the PCNC accreditation of which the foundation came as far as obtaining a Certificate of Registration from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as the staff left for another employment. Ardent pursuits for the accreditation in RY 2017-2018 fell in vain.

A breakthrough, however, was forthcoming in RY 2018-2019 when Chairman Rob Sears contracted the services of an experienced lady by the name of Caridad Basila, a Certified Public Accountant and a PCNC Assessor, who undertook necessary paperwork which resulted in the renewal of its Certificate of Registration and the obtaining of a Certificate of License to Operate from the DSWD together with the much coveted accreditation from the PCNC as well as the foundation’s Donee’s Tax Exemption from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). During the RY 2019-2020, the foundation submitted the amendment to the Articles of Incorporation to the SEC in order to change the address of the RCManila Foundation, Inc. and to conform to the PCNC requirement that the administrative expenses of the organization, on an annual basis, shall not exceed 30% of total donations and of total expenditures for the taxable year. This happened last February 20, 2020.

An ailing Chairman Rob Sears, turned over the Chairmanship to IPVP Herminio Esguerra, who, with the untimely resignation of certain members of the Board of Trustees which created a vacancy in the positions of President, Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer, quickly filled the vacancies with the conformity of the Board of Trustees in RY 2020-2021 and hired a new dedicated staff, Mirasol Troniado-Encarnacion, to pursue the PCNC re-accreditation which expired in December of 2020 with the end in mind of finally obtaining the Donors Tax Exemption status with the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Meanwhile, the amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the foundation submitted in February of 2020 was only granted by the SEC in October of 2020 due to the lockdown brought about by the global pandemic.

After going through the interview processes of PCNC earlier in 2021 and after the onslaught of the global pandemic that resulted in lockdowns where the PCNC’s operations were hampered in 2020, the foundation reclaimed its PCNC accreditation valid for one year last February 24, 2021 and after constant follow ups with the BIR, finally, reached a milestone in obtaining its Certificate of Registration for its Donors Tax Exempt status last May 10, 2021. Hence, five of the members of the Board of Trustees of the foundation attended the 22nd PCNC General Assembly last June 1, 2021. Thereafter, the foundation obtained a second renewal of its PCNC Accreditation last February 22, 2022 where it was bestowed an accreditation of three (3) years. The foundation is now poised to move forward in its activities.

Historical Milestones

1975: Conceptualization of the RCManila Foundation, Inc.

1979: The RCManila Foundation, Inc. was born with its registration with the SEC.

October 25, 1990: The foundation was registered with the SSS as Rotary Club of Manila Foundation, Inc.

October 17, 1991: During the term of RCManila Foundation, Inc. President PDG Romy del Rosario, then Manila Mayor Gemiliano “Mel” Lopez” granted the request of the foundation to sublease the entire Ground Floor of the multi-storey building proposed to be put up by the foundation as the RCManila Foundation Community Service Center on a city property under lease to the foundation, located at Vito Cruz St. corner Maytubig St. in Manila.

1998: First Attempt at applying for PCNC Accreditation

RY 2004-2005: MOU of the Rotary Club of Manila with RCManila Foundation for transfer of underutilized project funds of the Rotary Club of Manila for the purpose of representing it as funds of the Foundation in furtherance of PCNC accreditation.

RY 2006-2007: Policy on Conflict of Interest was crafted, signed by then RCManila Foundation, Inc. President Alex Yap and by then Secretary Monte Montecillo.

August 2007: Sought Amendment of Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of RCManila Foundation, Inc.

RY 2008-2009: Amended By-Laws and Articles of Incorporation

RY 2010-2011: Considered re-applying for PCNC Accreditation

RY 2015-2016: Obtained Certificate of Registration from DSWD

RY 2018-2019: Renewed Certificate of Registration and Obtained Certificate of License to Operate from DSWD. Obtained PCNC Accreditation. RCManila Foundation, Inc. obtained Tax Exemption as an institution from BIR.

RY 2019-2020: Amendments to the Articles of Incorporation (February 20, 2020) to change the address of the RCManila Foundation, Inc. and to conform to the PCNC requirement that the administrative expenses of the organization, on an annual basis, shall not exceed 30% of total donations and of total expenditures for the taxable year.

RY 2020-2021: Obtained First Renewal of PCNC Accreditation (valid for one year) (February 24, 2021). Obtained Certificate of Registration from BIR for Donors Tax Exemption Status (May 10, 2021).

RY 2021-2022: Obtained Second Renewal of PCNC Accreditation (valid for three years) (February 22, 2022)