RCM Sponsors Its 26th Daughter Club

The Rotary Club of Manila (RCM) has reached another historic milestone in Rotary Year 2026–2027, becoming the first club in Rotary International District 3810 to successfully charter a new Rotary club this Rotary year.

On July 31, 2026, the New Rotary Club Application for the Rotary Club of Sparkling Manila Harbor was formally completed and endorsed, marking the birth of RCM's 26th daughter club. The application was personally witnessed and approved by District Governor Maria Rosa "Bing" Nieva Carrion, with District Governor-Nominee Herminio S. Esguerra, a member of the Rotary Club of Manila, serving as New Club Adviser throughout the organization process.

For nearly a century, the Rotary Club of Manila has been at the forefront of expanding Rotary in the Philippines. In 1932, only thirteen years after its own founding, RCM sponsored its very first daughter club — the Rotary Club of Cebu. Since then, it has helped establish Rotary clubs across the country, extending the ideals of "Service Above Self" to countless communities. The chartering of the Rotary Club of Sparkling Manila Harbor now brings that remarkable total to 26 daughter clubs, further strengthening RCM's legacy as the cradle of Rotary growth in the Philippines.

The newly organized club begins with 15 charter members under the leadership of Charter President Christina U. Aliada, together with President-Elect Gabriel Reyala, Secretary Jowan De Veyra, Treasurer Atty. Jocelyn Reyala, Membership Chair Fe Zurita, and Rotary Foundation Chair Geraldine Repollo. The club will hold its regular meetings on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Orchid Garden Suite in Malate, Manila, while also providing virtual participation through Zoom.

Reflecting a strong commitment to humanitarian service, the Rotary Club of Sparkling Manila Harbor has chosen to focus its initiatives on combating human trafficking, promoting human rights awareness, supporting community protection initiatives, and advancing programs that safeguard the health and welfare of mothers and children. These advocacies closely align with Rotary International's Areas of Focus and underscore the new club's desire to create meaningful and lasting impact in the communities it serves.

For the Rotary Club of Manila, this achievement represents far more than the chartering of another club. It reflects the Club's enduring commitment to growing Rotary through leadership development, membership expansion, and institution-building. As the oldest Rotary club in Asia, RCM continues to fulfill its historic responsibility of nurturing future generations of Rotarians who will carry forward the ideals of service, fellowship, integrity, and peace.

The successful organization of the Rotary Club of Sparkling Manila Harbor also advances one of the key priorities of Rotary Club of Manila President Reginald T. Yu for Rotary Year 2026–2027: to strengthen Rotary by expanding its membership base and empowering new leaders to serve their communities.

As the Rotary Club of Manila celebrates the establishment of its 26th daughter club, it reaffirms a legacy that has endured for nearly a century — not merely by building new organizations, but by cultivating new communities of service that will continue transforming lives for generations to come.