The Rotary Balita no. 676 (July 19, 1951)

The Achievement Week lunch was Vince Bunuan's first as President, and for this. occasion the program committee went all out to produce an impressive array of personalities. Guests were headed by Vice President Fernando Lopez and Ambassador Myron Cowen. A special feature of the gathering was the reading of the independence day message from former President Sergio Osmeña, wherein he said that it was not a mere coincidence that both events would take place on the same day July Fourth, but that it was the result of deliberate action by two peoples joined by a common bond of democracy. He emphasized the fact that as in the case of America, the Philippines came to independent existence as a new birth of freedom fully prepared to engage in a work of Christian civilization and democracy of justice and peace. In equally eloquent words Hans Menzi read the citation of award for Ambassador Cowen and for a good piece of work received an unscheduled ovation. Ambassa Idor Cowen in his address pointed out that America's greatest achievement lies in not only making democracy work but also in having successfully exported a way of life. the democratic way of life and in having it accepted voluntarily by another people-the Filipino people. He emphasized Civil liberties and a free press, carefully guarded but responsibly used have given us the strength to resist communism internally without depriving our citizens of their basic rights. Our military, by national tradition and preference, is under civilian control and does not indulge in political matters. Vice-President Lopez although deploring the meager funds allotted to his department of agriculture and natural resources, show. ed the progress achieved by citing statistics to show how far the Philippines has gone toward achieving economic self-sufficiency. He regaled Rotarians and their guests with figures before and after the war and also showing the depletions made by the war and in all instances the Veep pointed to a general increase in production both in the agricultural field as well as those in lumber and mining. Nicely featured too Jimmy Norton's solo, "God Bless America" and Gene Puyat's "Philippines My Philippines." The only pity was that one song didn't follow the other immediately, but in general very few slept mainly perhaps because the mikes really got a workout that day.