A Gavel’s Last Echo

THE air at the Manila Polo Club that Thursday afternoon held a quiet gravity — not heavy, but reverent. Beneath the soft clinking of cutlery and hum of familiar greetings, one could sense the pulse of a club nearing the end of its annual odyssey. This was not just any Thursday. This was the Rotary Club of Manila’s 36th and final Weekly Membership Meeting for Rotary Year 2024–2025 — a gathering not of farewells, but of fulfilled covenants.

At precisely 12:30 PM, President Eduardo “Jujut” V. Enriquez III called the meeting to order. No theatrics, no grand flourish — just the confident voice of a man who had carried the weight of tradition with grace and grit. By his side stood Incoming Club Secretary Antonilo “Anton” D.C. Mauricio, today’s program moderator, whose steady hand orchestrated a well-paced flow of ceremonial and spontaneous moments alike.

The invocation, led by RCMFI Chairman Reginald “Reggie” T. Yu, was more than a prayer—it was a benediction for a Rotary year marked by impact, tempered through storms, and lit by quiet victories. As the RCM World Famous Music Chorale rendered the Philippine National Anthem and the Rotary Hymn in rousing harmony, the chamber softened into reflection. Director Teddy Kalaw followed with the Four-Way Test, grounding the day in the club’s unshakable moral compass.

It was a moment of lightness when Rtn. Chito Tagaysay was serenaded with the birthday song by the Chorale, his smile wide as the room lifted its spirits. In Rotary, even the smallest celebrations carry weight — they remind us that people, not programs, are at the heart of service.

But the heart of the day belonged to the awardees.

Star Rotarian of the Year: Secretary Delfin Lorenzana

With his trademark wit, former Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana stepped up and asked the room, “What is a Star Rotarian?” The answer, as he later shared — gleaned humorously via ChatGPT — was a composite of what he modestly claimed not to be: a bringer of new members, an indefatigable leader, a beacon of positive energy.

Yet by the end of his speech, no one doubted that he was precisely that. He described the “Star Rotarian” as the gold standard of club life — someone indispensable, consistent, and inspiring. With a smile, he said, “I sincerely hope that I will live up to these criteria.” Unbeknownst to him, in the eyes of his peers, he already had.

Rotarian of the Year: Programs Chair Carlos “Caloy” Serapio

If Lorenzana’s speech was laced with humor, Caloy Serapio’s acceptance was pure heart. “Service is its own reward,” he declared early on, echoing the soul of Rotary with quiet conviction. At 75, having never joined a civic organization until now, Caloy confessed he found in RCM not just a platform, but a home.

With warmth and candor, he invoked Fiddler on the Roof — a metaphor on tradition as balance, on the need to remember where we come from lest we lose ourselves. And when he spoke of those who supported his journey — Jeff Lord, Ms. Lhea, Jonathan, Ricky, Anna, and more — it was not lip service. It was gratitude sharpened by memory.

He called the Rotaractors his “Augmenting Force,” and with fond teasing described the “late” Ralph Joseph as “always late.” The room laughed, but beneath it all, one could sense this was not just a speech. It was a love letter to a club that had changed him.

Leon J. Lambert Award: PP Herminio “Hermie” Esguerra

When Past President Hermie Esguerra stepped forward to accept the highest award the Rotary Club of Manila can bestow, he did so with solemn humility. “Leon Lambert’s legacy is not only our history, it is our inheritance,” he said.

Valedictory Address: RCMFI Chair Reggie T. Yu

With precision and poetry, Chair Reggie Yu delivered his final address — a tour de force of gratitude and stewardship. His 13-year journey with the Club was distilled into a testimony that honored both pain and purpose. “There were moments of profound impact,” he acknowledged, “and moments that tested our unity.” But in true Rotarian fashion, he reminded his peers that leadership isn’t about applause — it is about resilience, bridge-building, and integrity in the face of division.

His call to “build and not break, to heal and not harm, to unite and not divide” fell like an anthem, uniting everyone in a shared reminder that legacy is not in what we achieve — but in what we sustain together.

His message painted a mosaic of a Foundation that didn’t merely fund projects, but breathed life into them. From ₱2 million for Hospicio de San Jose, to emergency aid for typhoons Egay, Odette, Carina, and Kristine, to compassionate initiatives for fire survivors, prisoners, and even stray animals — RCMFI under his helm became a beacon of calibrated kindness.

He proudly announced PCNC’s fresh three-year accreditation and DSWD’s commendation, not for himself, but for the board and staff who carried the weight beside him: Amy Babiano, Jonathan Lagarto, Anna Kun Toledo, and a battalion of trustees and volunteers. His gratitude was detailed, heartfelt, and complete.

“To my successors,” he said, “I pass the torch with joy and full confidence… because at RCManila Foundation, we don’t just serve — we stand together.”

Final Address: President Eduardo “Jujut” Enriquez III

Then came the voice that had anchored the Club through a year of quiet storms and thunderous change. President Jujut Enriquez, in his final address, invoked Hemingway: “Be prepared to work without applause.” The quote hung in the air, not as a lament, but as a guiding light — a mantra that defined his leadership.

He outlined the three pillars of his presidency: safeguarding the Club’s legacy, embracing transformation, and upholding the Object of Rotary. He acknowledged that the year had its share of controversy, of hard decisions, but he assured the room: “We acted with integrity. Not for popularity, but for principle.”

His words rang not with bitterness, but with a seasoned understanding. He saw change not as threat but as necessity. “Transformation doesn’t mean losing our identity,” he said. “It means respecting our traditions while opening the door to innovation.”

As he turned over the gavel to President-Elect Raoul Creencia, Jujut didn’t list his achievements — he honored the journey. He had parked his ego, walked the road, and now left behind not just a report card, but a living model of what Rotary leadership could be.

At 2:00 PM, the meeting was formally adjourned. But in truth, the Rotary year had ended not with the stroke of a gavel, but with the soul of a gathering that reminded every Rotarian present: service, in its purest form, is the applause that matters most.

And somewhere, between the laughter of friends and the soft strains of the Chorale’s final notes, a new Rotary chapter quietly began.