The Rotary Balita no. 765 (February 23, 1855)

On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Rotary, I add my felicitations to those thousands who, on this occasion, will be wishing Rotary greater impetus and a more vigorous growth. Even if I were not a Rotarian, I would be sharing these sentiments because to everybody must be obvious the fact that Rotary has contributed so much good in the many places where it exists. I will not dwell on the history of Rotary. It is well known not only amongst us Rotarians but amongst members of other civic and service clubs that it was founded by one man with a clear and lucid idea, with a philosophy clearly defined and objectives clearly discerned. Other organizations have been conceived and founded on the foundations of certain moral virtues. Rotary was founded not on an abstraction but on something positive which is - service to others, service to one's fellowmen. And so, instead of being satisfied by saying merely that one should be helpful or one should render assistance to others, Rotary makes a positive contribution that to complete the cycle, the good thoughts, the noble ideas must be translated in terms of deeds and acts performed to benefit others. It has been said, time and again, that ideas move the world. This must be taken more in rhetoric than in substance. This saying is good only in the sense that the idea becomes the basic premise for the formulation of a program of action. Unless that idea is translated into some deed or act, it will remain just a thought. It is for the man who will have the vision, the industry and the goodwill to translate this idea into an effective act that will complete the cycle of goodness that starts with the inception of an idea until it becomes a reality. That Rotary has been accepted as a part of life all over the world is manifested by the 8,400 clubs and 400,000 members that constitute the world family of Rotary. All of these Clubs and all of these members in unseen ways, hourly and daily perform acts of constructive service in their small communities, in the bigger cities and in the countries where they live. Where Rotary exists, community life has become happier and richer. Where the influence of Rotary is felt, life acquires a new meaning. Where Rotary operates, the people feel a sense of significance and of importance because they are given the opportunity to be of service. In a world beset with doubts, conflicts, suspicions and cross-purposes, it is comforting and satisfying to see a group where such undercurrents do not exist. On the other hand, one can see only the cementing influence of goodwill and the unifying strength of people banded together to perform acts of goodness. May Rotary grow and may other service and civic organizations founded on the same principles multiply and grow too. There is such an infinite opportunity to improve our ways of life. There is such an infinite need for alleviating misfortune and misery so that every bit of effort contributed by men of good faith and goodwill is indeed welcome. We, in the Philippines, are fortunate that Rotary here was founded soundly. From the start, its sights were correctly focused. It's the good fortune of Rotary that outstanding men who thought not of themselves but of others, storied the Rotary movement in the country and today it is undeniable that it is one of the most potent forces for good in our country. If, on the occasion of our Golden Anniversary, we feel that surge of emotion that comes from a consciousness of a job well done, we Rotarians can be pardoned for such an emotional outburst not so much in the contemplation of what we have done but in the conviction that examples such as ours, that the little good we are doing today may be done by others on a scale gradually expanding over the years.