Editorial

THERE are days in the life of a Club that feel less like routine and more like a turning of the page in a book we all write together. September 11, 2025 will be such a day for the Rotary Club of Manila — a day aptly called a Triple Treat, where wisdom is spoken, stories are shared, and service is celebrated.

At the helm of this gathering stand two pillars of the law. Atty. Allan G. Panolong, National President of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, brings with him the voice of a profession sworn to uphold justice even in the most turbulent of times. His words remind us that Rotary and the law are bound by the same thread: integrity, accountability, and the defense of what is right.

Alongside him, Atty. Solomon M. Hermosura, Government Corporate Counsel, offers a steady hand of governance, carrying lessons from boardrooms and courtrooms alike — lessons that resonate with our call to serve above self.

But the day does not end with discourse alone. Into this tapestry comes a story, woven by the deft hand of Dean Amado D. Valdez. His novel, They Will Be in Heaven Before the Devil Knows, launches on this very occasion, carrying readers into the moral struggles and triumphs of men and nations. Literature, like law and like Rotary itself, has the power to reveal truth and stir conscience. It is a gift to us all that Dean Valdez now turns his pen to narrative, reminding us that words can move mountains just as surely as deeds.

And yet, perhaps the sweetest note of the day is struck not on the podium or the printed page, but in the ballot box. We pause to extend hearty congratulations to the newly-elected Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Manila for Rotary Year 2026–2027. Their election marks not just a transition of leadership but a renewal of trust, a reaffirmation of fellowship.

Past President Archit Bartolome and the COMELEC team deserve our highest commendation for orchestrating the Club’s first-ever hybrid election — a seamless exercise in democracy where 94 members cast their votes, swiftly establishing quorum and producing results that were beyond reproach. The process itself was a triumph: a testament to our Club’s ability to blend tradition with innovation, past with present, continuity with change.

In this convergence of law, literature, and leadership, we glimpse the very soul of Rotary. For here, justice is spoken, stories are told, and democracy is lived.

September 11 is not simply a date in our calendar; it is a reminder that ours is a fellowship that does not stand still. We listen, we learn, we elect, we serve. We write the next chapter — together.