The Rotary Balita no. 753 (September 9, 1954)

Dalbed as "the northernmost outpost of Rotary District No. 48," the Rotary Club of Laoag was informally organized in October 1950, but it was formally organized on Friday, April 6, 1951 when is Charter No. 7704 was presented by the then governor of District No. 48, Rotary International, Fernando "Nanding" Manalo. The sponsor of the Charter presentation was the Rotary Club of Tar- lar, represented by Patrick Pineda, the president of the club. The affair, which was in the form of presentation, reception and ball, was held at the Social Hall of the St. William College. Among the prominent men and Rotarians who at- tended the charter presentation were: Speaker Eugenio Perez, who was the guest of honor, Past President Balmie Balmaceda, Past Governors Emy Javier and Marianito Lichauco. The layout of the program was: Philippine National Anthem Speech of Welcome - by Rizal "Zaling" G. de Peralta Sponsorship Speech - Patricio "Patrick" Presentation of the Charter - Governor Pineda Nanding Manalo Response by - Felix R. Domingo Vocal Solo - Rotary Ann, Porfing Raval Introduction of the Guest of Honor - Governor Primo Lazaro Address by the Guest of Honor - Hon. Eugenio Perez Master of Ceremonies - Dumaual. Ulpiano "Pianong" The Charter presentation was held to coincide with an intercity General Forum, attended by Ro- tary Club of Baguio, Rotary Club of Dagupan and the Rotary Club of Vigan. The Charter members of the Rotary Club of Lasag and their designations and classifications Officers Felix R. Domingo - President Rizal G. de Peralta Vice-President - Gregorio Dimaano Secretary - Arturo Raymundo Treasurer - Francises U. Ponce Director - Ulpiano C. Dumaual Director - Francisco Gerardo Director - Lorenzo Valenciano Director - Castor Raval-Spt.-at-Arms Members Amboy, Gonzalo "Along" - Institution and Hospitals Abaya, Cipriano "Pianing" - Building Construction The first noteworthy project of the Rotary Club of Lasag was the placing of street names along the principal thoroughfares of Laoag. The town, the biggest north of Manila, counts with hundreds of streets but the naming of its streets has never been pushed through for decades by the municipal government because it lacked funds. In accordance with the constitution and by-laws of the club, the annual election of officers was held the second Saturday of February, 1952, to July, 1953. The officers elected were: President, Rizal G. de Peralta; Vice-President, Hilario Criso- logo; Secretary, Francisco U. Ponce; Treasurer, Miling Monroy: Felix R. Domingo, Immediate Past President; Cipriano Abaya, Primo Lazaro and Alberto Suguitan, Directors. Sergeant-at-Arms was Gonzalo Amboy. Before the officers were inducted, however, the elected secretary resigned and the Club proceeded to elect a new one in the person of Leandro Rafales. The worthy contribution of President Peralta towards club service is his taking of a 20-year endowment life insurance in the amount of P1,000 with the Rotary Club of Laoag as his beneficiary. The club again had its annual elections in February 1952 for officers for the Rotary year 1953-54. The following were elected officers: President, Pianong Dumaual; Vice-President, Frank Gerardo; Secretary, Francisco Ponce; Treasurer, Adramelec Monroy; Directors, Immediate past president Rizal de Peralta, Narciso Chua, Pablo J. Raval and Luciano Raymundo with Tex Burnaman as Sgt.-at- Arms. The new officers were inducted on July 11, 1953 by the Honorable Judge Juan O. Reyes of the Court of First Instance of Ilocos Norte. During the cere- monies, Past President Felix Domingo set a pre- cedent which consisted in the giving by the im- mediate past president to the out-going president a diamond-studded Rotary pin. The induction cere- monies was also an occasion for the induction of three Baby Rotarians, Lucio Chiu, Nicanor Sanches and Francisco Tan. President Dumaual set the wheel of his adminis- tration rolling by the repainting of the street signs of Laoag which, by the time have faded and became illegible. The major project for the year, however, is the construction of a waiting shade south of the eastern gate of the Ilocos Norte High School for the use of students of the surrounding school community. The presentation coincided with the visit of Governor Art Ilagan on December 5, 1953. He, with Rotary Ann President Aurora Suguitan cut the ribbon to open the shed to the public. Aside from these major projects of the Rotary Club of Laoag, it has done and is doing some minor activities; as a club it maintains a scholarship fund in the high school; its individual members are also doing the same.