RCM in the Rotary World

My brothers in RCM, this is an update on the status of RCM’s continuing efforts to expand its network of friendship and cooperation in the Rotary World. Despite the ever evolving nature of the virus that has been causing havoc on the travel plans of many…..we have maintained our initiative to strengthen our relationships with many of our counterparts in Asia and with the rest of the Rotary world as well.

We keep in close contact with our sister-clubs. We are an active member in the Circle of Centennial Rotary Clubs. We recently renewed our sisterhood agreement with RC Singapore. Considering that we maintain regular communications and zoom meetings with them plus the rare visit afforded us, I see that this reaffirmation of our mutual commitment as largely ceremonial. Our relationship with them is fast and strong and continues to strengthen. We have a new ambassador to RCS (RCM Amb. JB Pallasigue) and we are resuming work on a global grant project that was suspended last year.

We have active communications and exchanges with RC Bangkok. A lot of this can be attributed to our indefatigable Ambassador Steve Mommaerts. Yours truly has also been in regular touch with the officers and members of RC Bangkok. Bangkok presents great opportunities not only for RCM in cooperative projects with RCB but as well for members who are inclined to travel. Bangkok offers outstanding dining, shopping and golfing options. I recommend a visit to Bangkok, because in addition to the above, we can have friendly and fun-filled interactions with our brother Thai Rotarians. We are currently exploring opportunities to work cooperatively on certain projects. Anyone interested to visit Bangkok, please communicate with me or Amb. Steve Mommaerts.

We continue to stay in close touch with our brothers from RC Osaka East. This very warm relationship is reflected in their continuing support for some of our longstanding projects. Maybe it is time that we reciprocate their support. I am sure that they will very much appreciate if a group of us visit them when the covid travel restrictions let up, hopefully in the very near future.

Recently we have only had occasional communication exchanges with RC Seoul Muak and RC Taipei. In an effort to increase our interactions with them, we assigned an RCM ambassador to each of these sister clubs. We expect to see more exchanges with them in the coming months.

The travel restrictions to Hongkong are quite severe and this has practically ruled out, for now, any planned visits to our longstanding sister club RC Kowloon East. For many of our members, we remember and surely miss attending the fun and bonding at RC Kowloon East’s annual anniversary ball. The changed political climate in Hongkong may also have discouraged many potential visitors from visiting this erstwhile cosmopolitan center of free trade. Despite these impediments, the IR committee has kept in regular contact with several of our friends in RC Kowloon East. I have started to invite them to visit Manila in lieu of our visits to Hongkong. This close sister club sent a 27 person contingent to participate in our centennial celebrations.

Our hardworking Director-in-charge of International Service, the ever affable Johnny Chotrani has volunteered to spearhead our renewed communications with RC Guam. Considering his already significant burden of work for RCM we appointed Amb. Teddy Tee, to support him and to help restrengthen our ties with RC Guam. Ambassador Teddy has already connected with RCG President Duce Romias and we are expecting a visit from President Duce in the coming proximate months.

Outside of Asia, RCM is a driving force in the Circle of Centennial Rotary Clubs (CCRC). This group of 100-year-old-and-more Rotary Clubs currently has eight members. The latest addition is RC San Francisco 2. This second club established in Rotary history is a 170 member-strong club of friendly, dedicated and resource rich Rotarians. San Francisco is also a popular travel destination. If any RCM member needs to connect with our friends at RC SF2, please do not hesitate to communicate with me or RCM Amb. Joel Valdes. RCSF 2 joins RC Manila, RC Shanghai, RC Calcutta, RC Seattle 4, RC Minneapolis 9, RC Washington DC (46) and RC Madrid to complete the current Circle of Centennial Rotary Clubs.

In the recent RI convention in Houston, the CCRC hosted a booth to create an opportunity for us to meet more Rotarians and rotary clubs from around the world. All member clubs of the CCRC pitched in to get this booth up and operating. But the heavy spade work was contributed by RC Seattle 4, represented by their super efficient PP/PDG Cathy Gibson. She was ably supported in person, by RC Minneapolis 9 represented by their very cooperative President Melissa Musliner, RC San Francisco 2 represented by P Mary Liu and RCM. From halfway across the world RC Calcutta and RC Shanghai pitched in ideas and design suggestions for our booth. The results of this cooperative endeavor only underscored the dedication and efficiency of women leaders in Rotary. We are indebted to PDG Cathy Gibson, P Mary Liu and P Melissa Musliner for their support of and personal presence at the booth. This endeavor indeed strengthened our friendships with the US clubs.

There are some cooperative projects already off-the-ground and in discussion with RCSF 2. Amb. Joel Valdes, a veteran Rotarian and Bay area regular, is in place to assist in the coordination of these projects with RCSF 2. Joel and myself have attended meetings of RCSF 2 in person. We are confident of achieving meaningful cooperation with them in the coming months.

The growth prospects for the CCRC are also looking good. Currently we have three seriously interested 100 year old clubs exploring membership in the CCRC. I am excited that RC London, represented by President Ian Balcomb has been in contact with me and has expressed his intentions to push for RC London (established in 1914) to join the CCRC. I am planning to meet him in person later in the year. Indeed when RC London joins us, we will have expanded our network to literally around the globe. In recent weeks I have also been in regular contact with the President of RC Barcelona and a Past President of RC Wilmington (Delaware USA). Both these clubs have expressed their desire to join the CCRC. We continue to encourage RC Tokyo (est. 1920, the fourth centennial club in Asia) to join the CCRC. As we know, the Japanese tend to be very cautious and calculated when making long term commitments.

On June 30 of this year, RC Manila completed its two-year term as the first chair (as a club) of the CCRC. We were given the privilege of being the first chair because of our role in the establishment of the CCRC. During this two year term PP Jackie Rodriguez served as the organization’s founding Chairman and yours truly served as the second Chairman, both of us for RCM. For the next two Rotary years, RC Calcutta will serve as chair of the CCRC. The current representative of RCC and CCRC’s current chairman is Centenary President Purnendu Roychowdhury. Chair Purnendu was instrumental in establishing the CCRC. Looking back, we signed the documents that established the CCRC in Calcutta in the presence of then RI P Mark Maloney and then RI PE Shekhar Mehta. Both Past RI Presidents remain strong supporters of the CCRC. CP Purnendu has become a good personal friend of RCM and of mine as well.

The global friendships we built/build and maintain in the spirit of Rotary are for the Rotary Club of Manila and for you its members in particular. I am always reminded that the great Rotary visionary, Paul Harris, established his circle of friends and eventually the rotating wheel of hosting meetings, for business networking and for personal friendship. In due course their relationship blossomed into a friendship with the spirit of Rotary. What these eventually produced we are all aware of. Similar prospects for connections internationally are fast developing for RCM and these are for the benefit of each and everyone of us. Allow your International Relations Committee to be your bridge to our rotary brothers and sisters around the world. I will keep you updated on RCM’s connections in the Rotary world.

We adjourn for now. Thank you.

Nick Locsin, Chair, International Relations Committee