President's Diary

Dear Fellow Manila Rotarians,

It has been a busy, productive week for our Club. I attended several meetings and events, and I am proud to say that this week, we achieved a milestone for the Rotary Club of Manila. It happened last Monday, August 29, 2022, the same day we celebrated National Heroes Day. It was a milestone not only because we were able to complete three activities in one day, but also because, for the first time in the Philippines, Rotary International (represented by RCM) and Lions Clubs International (represented by San Pablo City Seven Lakes Lions Club) collaborated on a project. I am happy to share with you the highlights of the events in the past week.

RCManila Foundation, Inc. (RCMFI) Board of Trustees Meeting

Wednesday, August 24, 2022, 4:00 p.m.

RCMFI Board of Trustees held a meeting last Wednesday, August 24, 2022, at the 5th floor Tranzen Office, Pacific Star Building in Makati City. During the meeting, we discussed the affirmation of the partnership between RCM, RCMFI, and Manila Times for the Journalism Scholarship Project, presented by Dean Amading Valdez. Trustee/Treasurer Paco Magsaysay also gave us an update on the proposed study on How to Create Value for the Hospicio de San Jose Baclaran Property.

We then had a post-Board of Trustees meeting co-hosted by Chairman Pepo Nuñez and Pres. Lito Sibayan. Also present at the meeting were PD Beda Fajardo and Secretary Joel Valdes.

RCM Weekly Membership Meeting

Thursday, August 25, 2022

It was another successful and productive weekly meeting. We're happy to welcome two STAR Rotarians: Pablo Calles Arguelles, Sales and Marketing Manager, International Sales Head, Tabacalera Incorporada, and Michael D. Roxas, Chairman and CEO, MOORE, Roxas, Cruz, Tagle & Co. I was also very pleased to provide a recap of the previous week's Rotary activities, as well as future events and projects that we are working on.

48th Induction Ceremony of the Rotary Club of Raha Sulayman Manila

Friday, August 26, 2022

I was honored to attend the successful induction ceremony of the Rotary Club of Raha Sulayman Manila and was happy to witness the induction of Phenomenal Leader President Luigi Firmalino.

Imagine Your Vibrant Club: A Seamless Seminar for Membership, Public Image and TRF

Saturday, August 27, 2022

Rotary District 3810 organized a seamless online seminar for Membership, Public Image and TRF hosted by Rotary Club of Malate Prime. I attended the webinar together with Rtn. JB Pallasigue and STAR Rtn. Aries Balanay. RI President Jennifer Jones delivered a message of inspiration followed by DG Joyce Ambray's welcome message.

Three Projects. Three Hundred Smiles.

Monday, August 29, 2022

The merry men of the Rotary Club of Manila, led by yours truly, became instant heroes during the National Heroes Day celebration as we embarked on a series of three projects that advanced the cause of “Service Above Self” that sought to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise – all in just a span of one day.

1. Blessing and Turnover of Fire Truck to Barangay 146, Pasay City

The first activity, the blessing and turnover of a fire truck in Barangay 146 Pasay City, is a joint undertaking of the Rotary Club of Manila and the Rotary Club Pasay Cyber City headed by President Elmer Francis “Jun” Pasion, who also leads the Joint Effort of Pasay Rotary Clubs (JEPROCS) as president. The event was graced by Rotary International District 3810 Governor Joyce Ambray, and former DILG Secretary and a proud Rotary Club of Manila Director Raffy Alunan. The said pumper fire truck, which was handed by the Rotary Club of Manila to the Rotary Club of Pasay Cyber City as one of our beneficiaries of the donation, was duly received by Barangay Captain Antonio Reyes and the Spectrum Organization as partners-in-service by the Rotary Club of Pasay Cyber City and Pamayanang Handa-CARES. This project covers the Rotary’s Community and Economic Development Area of Focus.

2. Ocular Inspection of Rtn. Marcus Dee’s Aquaponics Urban Farming System

Our intrepid RCM team then quickly proceeded to conduct an ocular inspection of Rotarian Marcus Dee’s residence in Pasay City, where a working prototype of his Aquaponics Urban Farming System—an end-to-end farming solution through his patented Favela Aquaponics Technology that promises an economic, flexible, and scalable integrated farming system that grows edible, leafy vegetables on either urban or rural areas easily, efficiently, cost-effectively and sustainably—is seriously being considered to address the community’s impending food crisis. If scaled properly, this project will most certainly benefit the countless urban indigents of Manila who do not have ready access to healthy food supply. This project aims to cover Rotary’s Environmental, Economic and Community Development Area of Focus.

3. Eye Prosthesis for Pediatric Cancer Survivors

Finally, our RCM group rendezvoused to the Viridian Social Hall in Greenhills, San Juan City where we, the Rotary Club of Manila, together with the District Officers led by District 3810 Governor Joyce Ambray as well as the other Phenomenal Leader Presidents of the District, in cooperation with the San Pablo Seven Lakes Lions Club, conducted an Eye Prosthesis for thirty-three destitute children, pediatric cancer survivors all, as a way to tread the basic Rotary Service of Child and Maternal Health, Disease Prevention and Treatment, and Basic Education and Literacy Areas of Focus, who have been victims of retinoblastoma – an eye cancer that begins in the retina that most commonly affects young children—for a better and normal happy life despite the enormous difficulties they have undergone. Apart from the procedure, the children were treated to an entire afternoon of festivities, which included movie watching, gift-giving and art therapy sessions, amid a jubilant party atmosphere, which was covered by many major news networks, courtesy of RCM Director Tony Lopez.

This is how we continue to make a difference in the communities we serve. We’re delighted that the event was covered by many major news networks to share awareness on how eye prosthesis and project like this can change the lives of eye cancer survivors.

Indeed, August 29 was a red-letter day for our fellow Rotarians who have demonstrated our collective power as heroes; we are people of action who have used our passion, energy, and intelligence to act on sustainable projects. From fire truck donations to aquaponics to eye prosthesis projects, we are always working to better our communities, and we stay committed to “Imagine Rotary.” Kudos to the following RCM members who graced these three events: VP Reggie Yu, Directors Hans Palacios, Raffy Alunan, Jujut Enriquez, Albert Alday, Johnny Chotrani, Tony Lopez, SAA Nagi Zeitouni, Treas. Karlo Castro, AS Mike Albaña, PP Archit Bartolome, STAR Rtn. Mike Roxas, PD John Cutter, PD Issam Eldebs, PAT Marcus Dee, PDSAA Bollie Bolton, Rtn. Rami Chahwan, Rtn. Willie Peliño, Rtn. Raf Dionisio, STAR Rtn. Aries Balanay, STAR Rtn. Richard Everingham and STAR Rtn. Junjie Vazquez. For that ONE day, we completed THREE projects, and generated THREE HUNDRED smiles.

Union Bank Checkwriter Online Orientation

Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Union Bank conducted an online orientation on the use of Checkwriter, an online bank-assisted check disbursement facility. I attended the virtual meeting with Treas. Karlo Castro. Also present was Fund Coordinator Grace Aquino who assisted us during the orientation.

Meeting in Preparation for a Joint Project with the Rotary Club of San Francisco, USA

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

We had a meeting with RCManila Foundation, Inc. Sec. Joel Valdes to prepare for our partnership with the Rotary Club of San Francisco, USA for the Cleft Lip and Palate Project. PD Nick Locsin, Chairman of International Relations Committee, and ES Anna Kun Toledo were also in attendance at the meeting.

It has been a fulfilling week. I am proud of our Club for always being at the forefront in helping others, especially our less fortunate brothers and sisters. I would like to give a big thank you to those who attended and helped with our Club's activities. We could not have done these without your support. I am looking forward to more projects that we can do together in the days to come. Once again, thank for your support to the Rotary’s Motto, “Service Above Self.” Together, we achieve more. Until next week, my dear fellow Rotarians.

Very truly yours, Herminio "Hermie" Esguerra, Phenomenal Leader President