Rotary Club of Makati, Philippines

IT RAINED MOST OF the day and through the night on Friday, 8th July 2011, but RC Makati Rotarians are too high-spirited to surrender to a major-to-minor mood swing on account of rain. The occasion—the Club’s 46th Induction Ceremony and Ball—was too important an event for that.

Friday evenings and rain make the perfect ingredients for messy traffic in Makati , so the 6:00PM cocktails got pushed back a bit. But soon the guests started coming in, dressed in their formal best, wearing their warmest smiles, and exchanging their tightest handshakes and beso-besos, and everything just fell neatly into place.

As far as the seating arrangements were concerned, nothing was left to chance, as each of the confirmed attendees had been assigned to one of 22 numbered tables in the Rigodon Ballroom. They were also treated to a souvenir photo taken in an open booth at the registration area. They were greeted at the entrance to the ballroom by outgoing Pres. Jun Rojas and Ann Pina and incoming Pres. Rene Limjoco and Ann Lu, as melodies from the beloved musical, South Pacific, filled the air, offering a foretaste of things to come.

For the last time, Pres. Jun called the meeting to order (yes, the induction ball counts as a regular meeting), after which a Philippine Air Force honor guard (courtesy of Col. Paul Magno) brought in the colors for the Philippine National Anthem. In his invocation PP Freddie Borromeo called on the Lord God who is “not only almighty and powerful but also kind and merciful” to bless our new leaders with the gifts they need “to lead our Club in embracing humanity with purpose, with every means available to fight poverty, disease and ignorance” and to “uplift the living standards of the poor You have entrusted to our care.”

The induction ball also occasioned, and fittingly so, the unveiling of the new Rotary Club of Makati hymn (yes the Club has one every year), which was inspired by this year’s RI Theme, “Reach Within to Embrace Humanity.”

PDG Tony Quila and PDG Sid Garcia teamed up for the emceeing, while DGN Robert Kuan introduced the Rotary dignitaries and delegations from Sister Clubs—RC Bukit Bintang, RC Kota Kinabalu, RC Sydney and RC Taoyuan, and Brother Club delegations from RC Baguio North, Dagupan, RC Midtown Tarlac, RC Puerto Princesa, and RC Vigan; and PP Pepito Bengzon introduced the district officers, Changemaker presidents (club presidents for RY 2011-2012) and non-Rotarian guests.

As it turned out, it was a very important moment for PRID Paing Hechanova, who turned 83 on that day. With his Ann Mely by his side, he was presented with a birthday cake as a band struck up the ‘happy birthday’ song for him. Everyone then settled for a sit-down dinner, accompanied by music by Marcy’s Band.

The formalities began after dinner, with AG Larry Boyer introducing new DG Billy Villareal. In his brief speech, Gov. Billy focused on the need for Rotary to expand its membership base and for clubs to recruit young professionals so that Rotary can “grow young.” He also compared the club to an orchestra, with every member playing a part to create harmony.

On a request by incoming Pres. Rene, PRID Paing delivered a speech on the history of Rotary as reflected in the words and works of past RI presidents, men of vision who had done much to shape Rotary into what it is today: the best NGO in the world. Against the backdrop of the words of Rotary founder Paul Harris who proposed that “Rotary needs men who will look at the molecules and atoms but also men of vision who will look at the stars” and 1996-1997 Pres. Luis Giay, who bid Rotarians everywhere to “build the future by honoring the past,” PRID traced the major Rotary milestones through: 1917 Pres. Arch Klumph, who created The Rotary Foundation, 1934 Pres. Herbert Taylor who promoted The Four-Way Test; 1978-1979 Pres. Clem Renouf who established the TRF 3H (Health, Hunger & Humanity) Program, 1990-1991 Pres. Paolo Acosta, who was responsible for the promotion of the Preserve Planet Earth program in Rotary, and 1999-2000 Pres. Carlo Ravizza who laid the groundwork for the drafting of Rotary’s Strategic Plan for 2010-2013 and the TRF Future Vision Plan. PRID Paing also made special mention of the Rotary Club of Duarte in Southern California, USA that labored hard to get Rotary to open its doors to women, to give our organization “additional hands and brains to do the work” of Rotary. While paying tribute to RI’s past leaders, he reminded everyone of Rotary’s core values—service, friendship, diversity, integrity, and leadership—and of the fact that, when we come down to the bottom of it, “love for others is what Rotary is all about.”

The main highlight of the evening’s program began with the introduction of the new set of officers, directors and advisers—Pres. Rene Limjoco, VP/Dir. Bing Matoto, Treas/Dir. Jun Jun Dayrit, Sec./Dir. Dean Velasco, Dir. Ai-Ai Galvez, Dir. Drexx Laggui, Dir. Fred Menzel, IPP/Dir. Jun Rojas, Dir. Carlo Rufino, Dir. Rodrigo Segura, Dir. Mike Varela, PP Ric Librea, Controller, Reggie Nolido, legal counsel, and PRID Paing Hechanova, PDG Tony Quila and PDG Sid Garcia, Board advisers.

PP Rene Paras showed us all why he is considered charger par excellence. It is, we saw, mostly because he can dish out wise counsel with sharp wit and endearing humor. His advice to the new Board: 1) start and end each Board meeting with a prayer; 2) avoid angry discussions: remember “anger” is only one word shy of “danger;” 3) It’s alright to make mistakes, as long as they’re not habitual. Remember, he who does nothing makes no mistake; 4) the success of the Club depends on how many in the Board will deliver Service Above Self, not Service for Self; 5) Keep in mind the words of President Truman: “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit;” 6) It is not only what you do but also what you do not do for which you will be taken to account; 7) Given the Club’s finite resources, whenever you have the urge to splurge, purge the urge; 8) Follow the advice of the late Louie Garcia: “To stay happy during your service, be like a Swiss chocolate—half sweet and half nuts;” 9) Remember that God created us with two ends, one to sit with, the other to think with. The future of the Club depends on how you use them: heads you win, tails you lose. And finally, a piece of wise advice: “Aspire to inspire before you expire.”

With that, Communications Sec. Sonny Coloma, a past district governor of District 3830, administered the oath of office of the officers, directors and advisers, and the turnover rites that completed the transition from one Rotary year to the next, one president to another, began with the exchange of pins, banners, and gavels between IPP Jun and Pres. Rene, and the presentation by Pres. Rene of a bound compilation of a year’s worth of Kaunlaran issues and plaque of appreciation to IPP Jun, followed by the exchange of bouquets between IP First Lady Pina Rojas and new First Lady Lu Limjoco.

It was only fitting that PDG Tony Quila was chosen to introduce Pres. Rene, First Ann Lu, and their children; after all, it was he who had brought Pres. Rene into the Club in 2002. Pres. Rene then delivered his inaugural speech, in which he outlined the changes he wants to introduce during his term and thanked all those who had helped make the induction ball a success (full text on p. 12).

The Club’s yearly campaign for Paul Harris Fellows was off to an auspicious start with the recognition of 23 contributors, the year’s first batch of TRF contributors who were presented by Gov. Billy Villareal and PP Ric Librea: Pres. Rene Limjoco, First Ann Lu Limjoco, PP Felix Amparo, PP Pepito Bengzon, PP Cesar Campos, Frank Chavez, Dir. Toffy Concepcion, Cesar Cruz, Eddie Galvez, Mundy Gonzalez, George Inocencio, Joe Kuan, Leo de Leon, PP Ric Librea himself, Francis Macatulad, Aris del Mundo, Dayal Nandwani, John Palanca, Gary Quemado, PDG Tony Quila, Richard Santiago, Johnson Tan and Alvin Teng. PP Ric has earned for himself the designation of perennial PHF Committee chairman because of his unequalled ability to “charm” or “strong-arm” members into parting with another $1,000 for The Rotary Foundation and its myriad humanitarian programs. DGN Robert Kuan, who only a couple of months back put in a gift of $100,000 to TRF, checked in for another $50,000. DGN Robert remains a Level 3 major gift donor.

The formalities ended with the exchange of gifts between Pres. Rene and three Sister Clubs: RC Taoyuan, represented by Pres. Case and PDG Archi, RC Sydney, represented by PP Gary Browne and PP Rene Benitez, and RC Kota Kinabalu, represented by Rtn. Alex Sham.

The program climaxed with a performance of South Pacific, starred-in by Casey Young, Soonhwa Yi Botman, Tere Boyer, Trina Galvez, and Chito Cantada, with a supporting cast of dancers—Bali Hai Dancers – Jojo Borromeo, Vicky Cantada, Lia Ignacio, Melanie Laggui, Babylyn Newfield & Caling Young; Waltz Dancers – PP Felix & Tessie Amparo, PP Pepito Bengzon and Charina Garcia, Chito Cantada and Trina Galvez, Ai-Ai & Rose Galvez, PDG Sid & Tesha Garcia, Pres. Rene & Lu Limjoco, Bimbo & Queenie Mills, Richie & Mitch Santiago and Rodrigo & Marie Segura.

As in years past, the evening ended with the traditional breakfast hosted by the new president and his Ann.