Editor’s Note

Rotary is an organization of leaders. The Rotary Club of Manila, Asia’s First, continues to be composed of a group of amazing individuals with proven leadership acumen. We have, among others, former department secretaries, undersecretaries, bankers, business leaders, and local government executives in our midst. Truly, RCM could easily elect a group of leaders who will, with a deep sense of responsibility and dedication, compose the Board and work to be an active policy-making body. Next month, with the advent of a new Rotary Year, the elected Board led by PE Jujut will begin to take on the huge task of leading our Club. Godspeed, PE Jujut and Board!

During last week’s weekly membership meeting, I had the opportunity to sit beside PE Jujut and was able to talk to him on his upcoming role as Club President. I can see that he is upbeat and confident that the incoming Board will do well in preserving the legacy and pursuing the institutional projects of the Club. For this to happen, the incoming Board must hit the ground running, and this is what PE Jujut intends to do. With the incoming President’s can-do attitude and enthusiasm, which hopefully will be supported and complemented by the other elected members of the Board, the next Rotary year could be another eventful era for RCM.

Team Gilas Pilipinas will be honored by RCM today, with the conferment of the “Athlete of the Year” award. The Team has clinched the gold in the Asian Games, which indeed is an amazing feat. The country’s participation in international basketball competitions is an exciting story. It will be recalled that the Philippines first participated in international basketball in the Far Eastern Championship Games in 1913, where it defeated China. It was the first international game in Asia. The Philippines would eventually win all but one (1921) championship until 1934.

The 2nd RCM Cup spearheaded by RC Manila Foundation, Inc. is just around the corner. After the successful holding of the inaugural tournament last year, RCM golfers are again excited to participate in this thoughtfully organized golf event for a cause. Kudos to RCMFI Chairman Lito Sibayan, Pres. Willie Pelino and the team who have untiringly worked to put together this project, which is now turning to be a signature annual fund-raising activity of RCM and RCMFI.