PDG Alex Cureg’s Valedictory Address

FELLOW Trustees, Manila Rotarians, members of the Foundation, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:

Right off the bat, I would like to thank my esteemed Board of Trustees,for a year well-spent together.Not only was the year well spent -- together, my board and I were able to institute a work culture with a pervasive ethos characterized by responsibility, accountability, and transparency. It is my sincere hope that this ethos will continue to flourish under the capable leadership of incoming Chairman Raoul Creencia, incoming President Mike Roxas and the incoming Board of Trustees.

When we began our term, we inherited an organization whose administrative foundations had been shaken by years of neglect. Yet rather than dwell on the difficulties, we chose to confront these challenges.

Today, I can say with confidence that the Rotary Club of Manila Foundation stands stronger, more disciplined, more transparent, and better prepared for the future than when we assumed office.

Allow me to briefly share some of the milestones we achieved together.

Our former Executive Director, Ms. Amy Babiano was requested to step down from office because of her incapability or lack of capability to manage the foundation diligently and efficiently. In this regard, I wish to acknowledge the invaluable assistance of our Board Legal Adviser, Caloy Serapio for sharing his expertise in this delicate process. Personnel concerns were addressed with fairness, professionalism, and due process. Long-standing operational issues were reviewed and resolved, enabling the foundation to function more efficiently and effectively.

Given that Ms. Babiano lacked the skills to deliver what the foundation needed, outsourced consultants were hired prior to our term, just like Carie Basila. Some consultants, unfortunately, were less than truthful in their submissions to the government on behalf of the foundation. Because former consultants misrepresented the foundation as a “standard social welfare agency”, this structural misclassification led to inefficiencies, financial ambiguities, and procedural confusion.

Our board, guided by our pervasive ethos of good governance, accountability and self-reliance, was able to avoid costly contracts for outsourced consultants and less than competent employees. I recommend that the foundation, in the future, avoid hiring external consultants which are not only costly but are also not entirely reliable.

The foundation successfully renewed its authority to issue tax-deductible donation certificates to our benefactors. This accomplishment was achieved without reliance on costly external consultants and was made possible through the efforts of my spouse, Atty. Anna Cureg, our treasurer Mike Roxas and Star Rotarian Chris Tamesis. We were successful in having the Bureau of Internal Revenue recognize that indeed, our foundation is deserving of this privilege despite that we do not belong under the purview of the Department of Social Welfare and Development as we are a mere resource agency and not a social welfare agency in the strict sense of the term.

A major accomplishment of this Board was the clarification of the foundation's institutional identity. We reaffirmed that the Rotary Club of Manila Foundation exists primarily as a resource-generating institution that supports the service projects of the Rotary Club of Manila across Rotary's Seven Areas of Focus. This distinction was important. By defining our role clearly, we were able to align our governance structure, compliance requirements, and operational priorities with our true mission. In doing so, we strengthened our credibility with regulators, donors, and stakeholders alike.

We instituted office protocols that restored order and accountability within the secretariat, especially introducing metrics for performance. For example, our staff, which right now is composed of just Jonathan, is required to submit overtime requests.

Faced with disarrayed records and compliance gaps, we spearheaded the digitalization of records via Google Drive, envisioning a future where every transaction, contract and report, could be retrieved with ease and efficiency. For the first time in years, institutional memory is preserved, not in dusty filing cabinets, but through digital archiving.

For purposes of good governance and corporate housekeeping, I requested Atty. Anna to create a New Manual of Operations, which manual was duly adopted and approved by the board and applied meaningfully through-out our term. This new manual was transformative. It is pragmatic, easy to-follow and designed not just for regulation, but for lasting institutional discipline. Good governance should not just be a buzzword but a daily and consistent practice.

This new manual,in part, highlighted the importance of accountability and transparency in the funding of service projects. Included were the project evaluation and monitoring systems. Clear criteria and scoring mechanisms were implemented to ensure that funded projects aligned with the foundation's objectives, complied with regulatory requirements, and delivered measurable social impact. Likewise, enhanced fund utilization reporting requirements ensured that every peso entrusted to us was properly accounted for. For his diligent oversight of this process, I extend my appreciation to Project Evaluation Committee Chairman Bertel Ingmar Bertelsen.

Financial discipline remained a central priority throughout the year. To ensure that the foundation’s fiscal position continues to be stable and strategic, the board, through Treasurer Mike Roxas engaged Racuya Business Solutions to professionalize accounting operations, implement prudent internal controls, and adopt best practices in financial reporting.

Our approach to finance was both conservative and visionary. To safeguard restricted funds while generating income, the foundation made a landmark investment of Php5,000,000.00 in a low-risk time deposit. Every peso we hold carries the trust of our donors and members. It is our responsibility to multiply it– not through risk, but through prudence. As of date, this investment already earned Php129,195.55 since its original placement.

It was not my intention to let problems fester. There were, allegedly, unpaid contributions and penalties to the Social Security System, which issue was pending since 2019. Again sharing his exceptional expertise, financial genius, Treasurer Mike Roxas was able to resolve this issue with finality with the SSS giving the foundation a clean slate.

Given the problems that we faced, we had to overhaul the foundation’s management model, replacing consultant-driven operations with board-centered governance, a structure that placed accountability squarely where it belonged: in the hands of the elected trustees and not on the whims of the secretariat or outsourced directors. Our board was not just a ceremonial body, but a working one – hands-on,pro-active, and guided by the spirit of fiduciary stewardship.

Our board functioned as a cohesive, decision-making unit and we met regularly. We held seven productive meetings, three over the mere four that were required by our by-laws. Proudly, I can say we encountered no quorum problems. At this point, I again have to express my gratitude to our board for their cooperation, support and dedication.

Inspired by the brainchild of Past Chairman Lito Sibayan, an initiative called the Legacy Endowment Fund was launched during last year’s induction ceremony. This fund, which was supported by our generous members is meant to ensure the continued viability of our foundation and further its lofty mission in helping others. Let us please give a resounding applause to all those who contributed generously.

We are not nearly done. Vice President Elect Karlo Castro chairs the 4 RCMFI Golf Tournament committee and his team intend to raise a hefty Php 6 million to make the foundation’s financial standing even more robust.

Meanwhile, through the efforts of Membership Chairman Chito Zaldarriaga, our membership continued to grow, reaching 164 members after welcoming 16 new Foundation members during the year.

Finally, I proudly present to you the successful projects accomplished through the funding support given by the foundation. Please direct your attention to the screen. The foundation’s humanitarian reach expanded across multiple provinces and causes, directly impacting hundreds of families, communities, and even animal companions. Each initiative reflects the foundation’s guiding principle: that service must be inclusive, responsive, and rooted in empathy.

Conclusion

I could go on and on with unbridled passion on how serving this institution became one of the meaningful experiences in my years as a Rotarian, but I won’t. Instead, I pass the torch to incoming Chairman Raoul Creencia, incoming President Mike Roxas and the next Board of Trustees, with optimism and confidence. I leave you with the hope that its future leaders continue to nurture this foundation with what we Filipinos beautifully call malasakit— that deep sense of care, ownership, and responsibility that transforms duty into service.

To my fellow Trustees, thank you for an unforgettable year. Together, we strengthened the foundation's legal standing, we improved its operational systems, we reinforced its financial position, we established governance structures that will benefit future generations of Manila Rotarians and most importantly, we demonstrated that stewardship matters. Leadership is temporary. Institutions endure. The true responsibility of every trustee is not merely to manage the foundation during his term, but to leave it stronger than he found it. I believe we have done exactly that.

To our members and donors, thank you for your trust.

And to the Rotary Club of Manila Foundation, may your finest years still lie ahead. God bless the Rotary Club of Manila Foundation, Inc. God bless Rotary Club of Manila.

Mabuhay!