Rotary Club of Makati, Philippines

The Rigodon Ballroom of The Peninsula Manila was abuzz with excitement and anticipation in the early evening of Friday, the 9th of July, as ladies and gentlemen—the ladies resplendent in their black and white long gowns, the gents dapper in black tie—streamed into the foyer. The early birds had the luxury of time at cocktails, catching up with friends old and new, amidst cocktail tables bedecked with red roses that provided a dramatic contrast to the evening’s B&W theme. As the night began to deepen, the guests moved to the ballroom proper, passing through the reception line where they were welcomed by about-to-be-inducted Pres. Filadelfo “Jun” Rojas & First Ann Pina, outgoing Pres. Felix Amparo & Ann Tessie, and IPDG Sid Garcia & Ann Tesha.

At a photo op booth set up at the end of the registration desk, guests were invited to pose for souvenir photographs, a copy of which they were gifted with to take home.

The ballroom was a picture of understated elegance that complemented guests’ attire. PP Tito & Brin Panlilio took their places at the podium on a stage, all set to take on the role of emcees. PP Pepito Bengzon said a musical prayer, a.k.a. a doxology, a plaintive song from a grateful heart.

Outgoing Pres. Felix Amparo unfurled a verbal red carpet of welcome for the guests, many of whom had traveled long distances to be at the Pen. He said he welcomed the opportunity to have met the foreign Rotarians at the Welcome Dinner the night before and the Philippine Rotarians at the Welcome Lunch on that day, and to welcome them again tonight and thank them for gracing the occasion.

PP Jonny Carlos introduced the Global Presidents, “classmates” of Incoming Pres. Jun Rojas; Rotary dignitaries -- Gov. Ed Alvarez & spouse Mariz, PRID Paing Hechanova, PDG Jun Tambunting, PDG Tony Rufino, PDG Guiller Tumangan, PDG Tony Quila & Ann Angela, PDG Vince Carlos, IPDG Sid Garcia & Ann Tesha and DGE Billy Villareal; and delegations from our Sister Clubs—RC Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia led by Pres. Rick Loh & Ann Irene; RC Hou Kuong-Macau led by Pres. Alan Lao; RC Itako-Japan led by Pres. Seisaku Horie; RC Fukui Ajisai led by Pres. Tomoharu Ooshima; RC Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia led by Pres. Alfred Sii; RC Metro Kuantan-Malaysia led by Dato Dr. Eric Wong; and RC Taoyuan-Taipei led by Pres. Paper and PDG Archi; and Brother Clubs—RC Baguio North led by Pres. Edna Nevada, RC Balintawak led by Pres. David Bongala, RC Bay led by Pres. Narding Malagna, RC Calamba led by Pres. Maddy Maranan, RC Dagupan led by Pres. Marcel Novales, RC Dau led by Pres. Glovi Yap, RC Davao led by Pres. Carlos Valverde, RC Naga led by Pres. Everett Olivan, RC Puerto Princesa led by Pres. Nick Hernandez, RC San Pablo South led by Pres. Garry Valvuena, and RC Vigan led by Pres. Condring Ragucos.

For his part, PP Charlie Rufino took charge of introducing the new set of officers, directors and advisers for 2010-2011: Filadelfo “Jun” S. Rojas, Jr., president; PE Renato “Rene” Limjoco, Vice President and Director for Club Administration; Dayal “Dayal” Nandwani, Treasurer; Francis “Francis” Macatulad, Secretary; Javier “Javier” Fernandez de Castro, Asst. Treasurer; Dean “Dean” Velasco, Asst. Treasurer and Director of Vocational Projects; IPP Felix “Felix” B. Amparo, Director of Membership A; Rafael “Ai-Ai” Galvez, Director of Membership B; Ramon “Mon” Diokno, Director of Public Relations; Eduardo “Eddie” Galvez, Director of Educational Projects; Fernando “Ferdie” Ordoveza, Director of Community Projects; Christopher “Toffy” Concepcion, Director of International Projects; Antonio “Tony” Herbosa, Director of RI Programs; Dexter “Drexx” Laggui, Director of The Rotary Foundation; and Francisco “Frank” Chavez for legal matters; and PRID Rafael “Paing” Hechanova; IPDG Isidro “Sid”Garcia, PP Joe Alejandro and PP Juan N. R. Peña, advisers.
IPDG Sid Garcia prepped the inductees with a charging session where he took note of the concept of fellowship as the foundation for Rotary, adding that friendships foster a sense of team that gets things done faster and better, because they are done with more fun and enjoyment. He praised PP Robert Kuan for promoting fellowship during his term by establishing a number of new Brother and Sister Clubs and strengthening ties with old ones.

The highlight of the program, the very reason for the gathering, was the swearing in of the new set of officers, directors and advisers. And there to do the honors was no less that His Excellency, Jejomar C. Binay, Vice President of the Philippines. There were plenty of opportunities for the just-inducted to pose for pictures with the new Vice President, and they took advantage of every second of it.

With PDG Tony Quila annotating the ritual, the two presidents—outgoing and incoming—performed the ceremonial turnover of the gavel and bell, symbols of authority and responsibility; the banners bearing the RI themes of their respective terms (The Future is in Your Hands for RY 2009-2010, Building Communities, Bridging Continents for RY 2010-2011); and the Rotary pin for president and past president.

The new president, Pres. Jun, then awarded a huge plaque, on which was mounted the very gavel that IPP Felix began and ended each meeting with throughout his term, a token of appreciation for a year of service wrapped in fellowship. The citation read: “For dedicating an entire year of his life to the work of Rotary, pushing forward the programs of the Rotary Club of Makati, Inc. in response to the demands of the times, while promoting the causes and ideals of Rotary International and of The Rotary Foundation, in the process giving life to the Rotary theme, ‘The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands.’”

District Governor Ed Alvarez delivered an inspirational message that carried fulsome praise of RC Makati and its work. He made special mention of the Partnership in Service Program (PSP), the instrument with which the club and MRCFI are able to help smaller clubs, our TB Eradication Program and our Gawad Kalinga community project in Villa Paraiso under which we have built over 150 houses and a water system for the residents. He congratulated IPP Felix Amparo for bagging the precious Most Outstanding Club-Overall award at last month’s district awards and wondered aloud why RC Makati hasn’t been elevated to the Hall of Fame for bagging that coveted plum quite frequently. He also spoke about the Parañaque Rotary Homes, a housing initiative conceived by IPDG Sid, who chairs the project. He enjoined the RC Makati members to support Pres. Jun Rojas with better attendance at club meetings and at the District Conference 2011.As for his TRF targets, Gov. Ed said he wasn’t a bit worried about TRF contributions because, with PP Ric Librea as committee chair, he is confident that the target per capita contribution of $100 will be surpassed. He ended by thanking a number of RC Makati members who will be working as district officers this RY: PRID Paing Hechanova, IPDG Sid Garcia, PDG Tony Quila, PP Puno Peña, PP Robert Kuan, PP Jonny Carlos and PP Pepito Bengzon.

PRID Paing Hechanova, who had been requested to talk about Rotary, chose, instead, to talk about “Jun Rojas the Rotarian golfer.” He shared that Pres. Jun is part of a foursome of golfers composed of PRID Paing, PP Fidel Alfonso and PP Puno Peña, past presidents all, so they had jokingly told him he ought to be president as well. They told him that he’d make a good president because “he is not a cheat,” who in fact would penalize himself for violations he alone was aware of. Pres. Jun had asked PRID Paing to be his inducting officer, but with the victory of then Mayor Jejomar Binay in the vice presidential race, PRID Paing himself had suggested that the new officers be sworn in by the Club’s very first vice president.
PP Fidel Alfonso, also a part of the golfing foursome, was tasked to introduce the new president—graduate of LIA-COM from De la Salle University-Manila, with a Masters in Industrial Management from the American University in Washington, D.C. and another Masters in Executive Management from St. John’s University in New York City; he managed for a few years the family construction company that handled road construction in sugar centrals in the Visayas and dike construction in Central and Northern Luzon. Retiring from RCBC after 25 years, he accepted the chairmanship of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) whose mandate was to develop the military bases abandoned by the US. The SCTEX highway was a project he initiated.

Pres. Jun then delivered his inaugural address in which he called on everyone—the past presidents and past district governors of the club for guidance; the new officers, directors and advisers to commitment; our members for involvement; our Brother and Sister Clubs to work together for Rotary’s causes; our Anns for their untiring support. (Full text of speech on p.12)

It was time to introduce the family of Pres. Jun—First Ann Crispina “Pina” Meer and their three children—Rosanne, a practicing lawyer (married to Jamie Gonzaga); Filadelfo Rojas III, a doctor, and his wife Dra. May Rojas; and Ma. Rica, an interior designer an entrepreneur, and her husband Bernard Tanega
As has become tradition in the club, the entertaining was provided by a group of Rotarians and Anns who performed excerpts of the Phantom of the Opera, the climax of which was the appearance of Pres, Jun and First Ann Pina who joined the cast in song and mime. The performers: Menchit Ordoveza and Reggie Nolido, Trina Galvez and Raymond Garcia; Teody Buenaflor, Rose Galvez, Charina Garcia ,Florie Ignacio, Melanie Laggui, Anna Macatulad, Menchit Pascual, Cat Rufino, Mitch Santiago, and Marie Segura; Gani Buenaflor, Mon Diokno, Ai-Ai Galvez, Francis Macatulad, Ferdie Ordoveza, Fred Pascual, Rico Pelaez, Carlo Rufino, Richie Santiago, and Rodrigo Segura.

Dance music was provided by the Dixie Band, while another club tradition was honored in the President’s Breakfast to which everyone who stayed behind was invited.
As the guests partook of the midnight repast, the band played on for those who cared to dance or sing along.

Later, as they headed for the door, there was that warm, lingering feeling that comes at the end of a day gone well, a day that went according to plan and, one hopes, will augur well for the Rotary Club of Makati.