Renewal and Relevance
After the restoration of democracy in 1986, the Club revived its Journalism Awards and made Sagip Kabataan for street children a flagship program. Eye care became permanent infrastructure through eye operating rooms, mass cataract surgeries and the RCM Eye Bank Foundation.
- 1979–1980
PresidentFrancisco M. Ortigas III
Francisco “Paqui” M. Ortigas III, a Filipino businessman who later served as ambassador to Mexico, led Manila Rotary as its sixtieth president. His term expanded membership beyond 400 and supported medical and surgical missions across Luzon and the Visayas, including Bohol. The club also partnered with the Bureau of Posts on stamps commemorating Rotary’s seventy-fifth anniversary and welcomed eight new Paul Harris Fellows.
- 1980–1981
PresidentMarcelo S. Balatbat
Marcelo “Liloy” S. Balatbat, a businessman and former Secretary of Commerce and Industry, served as Manila Rotary’s sixty-first president. His term provided typhoon relief in Cagayan and Isabela, funded lighting around the GOMBURZA monument, and supported early cancer detection for women. He also promoted road safety, sponsored a mini-marathon for newsboys, and organized the Rotary Club of Intramuros.
- 1981–1982
PresidentReynaldo A. Concepcion
Reynaldo “Rene” A. Concepcion, a Filipino industrialist and corporate executive, served as Manila Rotary’s sixty-second president. His term brought membership to 403 and provided medical assistance to 1,869 disadvantaged patients. The club also planted 600 mahogany trees in Tondo, published an illustrated safe-driving manual, supported charitable institutions, and honored twelve outstanding workers through the TOWER Awards.
- 1982–1983
PresidentVicente J. Carlos
Vicente “Vince” J. Carlos, a lawyer who later became Philippine Tourism Secretary, served as Manila Rotary’s sixty-third president. His term rehabilitated fifty communal toilets at the National Penitentiary, earning Rotary recognition, and raised ₱135,200 for medical missions. He also renovated Rotary Circle, organized the Rotary Club of Manila San Miguel and PLM’s Rotaract Club, and strengthened international sister-club ties.
- 1983–1984
PresidentAurelio H. Reyes Jr.
Aurelio “Relly” H. Reyes, Jr. a businessman and Philippine Racing Club director, served as Manila Rotary’s sixty-fourth president. He established a supply bank for medical missions, launched a blindness-prevention campaign, and published a history of the TOWER Awards. His term also sponsored Newsboy Sports Day, forged sister-club ties with Bangkok, and increased membership by 44, or twelve percent.
- 1984–1985
PresidentSantiago F. Dumlao Jr.
Santiago “Santi” F. Dumlao Jr., a corporate lawyer and financial executive who later headed FINEX, served as Manila Rotary’s sixty-fifth president. He hosted Rotary’s Asia Regional Conference, attended by Mother Teresa, and launched the club’s first National Issues Forum and teacher development training for 104 public-school beneficiaries. His term returned meetings to Manila Hotel and added 55 members and fifteen Paul Harris Fellows.
- 1985–1986
PresidentRomulo M. Del Rosario
Romulo “Romy” M. del Rosario, a civil engineer who later served as DPWH Undersecretary, led Manila Rotary as its sixty-sixth president. He revived the Journalism Awards, supported victims of election and People Power violence, and helped rehabilitate Radio Veritas’s transmitter. His term also improved the Rotary Center in Paco, supported livelihood projects, and raised ₱200,000 for the Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Street Children.
- 1986–1987
PresidentEdgardo P. Reyes
Edgardo “Ed” P. Reyes, a corporate executive and real estate developer associated with Gonzalo Puyat & Sons, served as Manila Rotary’s sixty-seventh president. He launched “Sagip Kabataan” and shifted scholarships toward vocational training, benefiting 300 Tondo youths in its first year. His term also supported medical missions for police and military personnel, established international sister-club ties, and added 44 members and twelve Paul Harris Fellows.
- 1987–1988
PresidentJose Antonio Santos
Dr. Jose “Joe” Antonio Santos, a general surgeon and UST medical professor, served as Manila Rotary’s sixty-eighth president. He organized medical missions serving 2,156 disadvantaged patients, facilitated eye care for 7,917 people, and supported childhood vaccination. His term also raised ₱650,000 for vocational scholarships, promoted teacher training, established a youth exchange with Nagasaki, and hosted the 1988 District Conference.
- 1988–1989
PresidentArsenio M. Bartolome III
Arsenio “Archit” M. Bartolome III, a banker and corporate executive, served as Manila Rotary’s sixty-ninth president. He inaugurated the Sagip Kabataan Center and opened an eye operating room at the Rotary Center in Paco. His term also strengthened sister-club ties with Seoul, supported youth competitions and Scouting, and welcomed 45 members and eleven new Paul Harris Fellows.
Presidents and term notes from the Past presidents roll, drawn from “The Work That Endures” (2026) and the Balita archive.