The Rotary Balita no. 725 (July 16, 1953)

The Rotary Club of Manila observed the seventh anniversary of the Republic on July 2, the first meeting under the presidency of Danding Romualdez. One of the features was the parade of flags. Photo shows, left to right: the tattered flag of the Filipinos used in the revolution of 1896, held by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo; the PI flag borne by the 19th BCT led by Col. Ramon Aguirre, extreme 1ight. The flags drew respect and applause from the Rotarians. On July 2, 1953, two days before the 7th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of the Philippines, the first meeting of the Rotary Club of Manila under the Danding Romualdez administration took place at the Winter Garden, Manila Hotel. Gathered at the head table for this patriotic occasion were Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo (now 84), president of the first Philippine Republic; Gen. Mateo Capinpin, (he rose from the ranks) who commanded the 21st division in the hell that was Bataan; and Col. Ramon Aguirre, leader of the famed 19th BCT that has seen service on the Korean front as a separate unit. General Aguinaldo recalled the days of the revolution and of those of Andres Bonifacio and his own. He spoke of the valiant Filipinos who, poorly equipped but inspired by lofty patriotism, fought against great odds. Their efforts resulted in the establishment of the present Republic. The General, to round up his speech in Tagalog, paid tribute to the worthwhile projects that the Rotarians here have been undertaking not for their welfare but for the benefit of the less fortunate. General Capinpin, the Philippine Scout soldier who rose to the two-star rank, was one of the Filipino division commanders in Bataan. He spoke of the trials and tribulations of the American-Filipino forces who, like the revolutionists of 1896, had to fight against a much better equipped and larger army. He repeated what historians have already said before that the boys in Bataan held off the enemy until America and her allies could marshal their resources for the counter-attack. Colonel Aguirre, speaking extemporaneously, rattled off facts and figures and incidents in Korea that elicited favorable comments from the Rotarians and their guests. Before the speech making, General Aguinaldo, General Capinpin and Colonel Aguire bore their respective flags to the dais, the emblems remained till after the meeting. Dr. Dalup Dalupan, head of the fines committee, gave a long dissertation on fines and their uses and pledged (he is assisted by Fary Farolan, Jimmy Norton and the inimitable Leroy Young) to equal if not better last year's intake of almost P9,000. And to prove he meant business the UE president also tried to show he has access to the income tax returns. He levied a P100 fine on Hans Menzi, Gene Puyat, Go Puan Seng and Julius Kaufmann, a neophyte.