RCManila Foundation, Inc.

THERE are days when the future begins — not with fanfare or formal proclamation, but in the quiet gathering of minds stirred by purpose. One such day unfolded on the afternoon of April 10, 2025, as the incoming leadership of the RCManila Foundation, Inc. (RCMFI) convened for their pre-planning meeting high above the city's pulse, on the 9th floor of 1 Raffles Drive. The air buzzed — not with ceremony, but with commitment, vision, and the unmistakable energy of something meaningful being set into motion.

The meeting was graciously hosted by Chair-Elect Alex Cureg, who not only offered the venue but would also later open his table to the fellowship of dinner, anchoring the day’s deliberations with generosity and camaraderie.

With purposeful calm, Chairman Reggie Yu called the meeting to order, his voice steadying the room like a keel to a ship. The invocation followed — delivered with grace by Consultant Anna Toledo, reminding all in attendance that while strategy and structure would guide the year ahead, it is still faith and shared values that would illuminate the path.

President Jujut Enriquez, together with Past District Governor (PDG) Alex Cureg, formally established the quorum — confirming not just attendance, but the collective readiness of a board preparing to author the next chapter of the Foundation’s legacy.

Chairman Yu commenced with the RCMFI Update, a state-of-the-foundation address of sorts. More than a recounting of metrics, it was a reaffirmation of mission: to uplift lives, respond with relevance, and always, to lead with integrity. His words, steeped in institutional memory and seasoned insight, became the compass by which the rest of the meeting would navigate.

The floor then belonged to PDG Alex Cureg — Chairman-Elect not only by designation but in spirit, voice, and vision. In his segment, aptly titled “Chairman-Elect’s Time,” he unveiled the goals for Rotary Year 2025–2026: targets not merely framed in spreadsheets, but sculpted around impact, innovation, and inclusivity. Alongside these ambitions came the formal Rules of Order, duly presented and approved, laying the procedural foundation for governance in the months to come.

The meeting’s heart beat strongest perhaps in the formation of the new committees, which promised to bring order to the many moving parts of service. The following key bodies were proposed:

Executive Committee – the inner sanctum of decision-making, where direction meets execution.

Ways and Means – the engine of sustainability, already revving up with plans for a Golf Tournament on June 16, and other fundraising endeavors yet to be imagined.

Audit Committee – the ever-watchful steward of transparency.

Project Proposal Evaluation Committee – a crucible of discernment, where proposals are tested not just for feasibility, but for alignment with values.

Membership Committee – tasked with sustaining the human lifeblood of the Foundation through strategies on joining fees and annual dues.

Joint Committee (RCMFI) – ensuring seamless collaboration with the mother club, Rotary Club of Manila.

Special attention was also given to sub-topics relevant to these committees. For the Executive Committee, the matter of a Joint Induction with RCM was floated — signaling a spirit of unity and ceremonial grace for the incoming leadership. For Ways and Means, beyond the golf event, brainstorming on new fundraising channels began to take form, though the conversation was wisely left open-ended to allow creativity its full breadth.

The meeting touched on Other Matters, including the important business of scheduling the next gathering, along with choosing its venue and host — a detail logistical on the surface but essential in nurturing the rhythm and continuity of engagement.

As twilight slipped through the windows, casting long shadows over notepads and resolutions, Chairman Yu brought the meeting to a close. But far from a conclusion, it was merely a pause — the first full stop in a long sentence yet to be written.

Then came dinner. In the relaxed setting of shared food and freer conversation, the lines between colleague and friend softened. Chairman-Elect Cureg, in hosting, had not only opened a table, but reinforced a truth at the heart of Rotary: that service, to be enduring, must also be human. It must taste of laughter and warmth, and the kind of stories that outlive minutes and motions.

In that room above Makati, on a plain April afternoon, the RCMFI Board of Trustees-Elect did more than plan a year — they planted it. And if the deliberations are any indication, the harvest, in time, will be both abundant and kind.