The Rotary Club of San Mateo, which was registered with Rotary International (RI) on 7 March 2007 through the efforts of the Rotary Club of Marikina which laid the groundwork in looking for San Mateo-based capable leaders and members, celebrated its 17th anniversary last 8 March at Istilo Food Park in San Mateo, Rizal.

Since its establishment, the Club has produced 17 able presidents who have given the community, particularly San Mateo, significant service projects aligned with RI’s areas of focus. 

Annually, the Club conducts 10 to 12 service projects focused on basic education and literacy; maternal and child care; disease prevention and treatment; peace and conflict resolution; water and sanitation; economic and community development; and environmental protection.

Yearly, the Club gives benefits and hope to over 10,000 individuals in barangays and schools in San Mateo.

Annual projects

Annual Club projects include medical and dental mission conducted in barangays; construction of hand washing areas and comfort rooms and participating in the annual Brigada Eskwela at various schools; free ultrasound for pregnant women; mental health seminars; tree-planting, creek and river clean-ups; livelihood seminars for various groups; free legal counselling; free vocational service to various TESDA centers and colleges and universities; and gift-giving to children San Mateo’s depressed areas.

Professionals and business owners in San Mateo, except for two members currently based in Antipolo and Pasig make up the Club members. Gender as well as age of members — from 25 to 65 — vary. In its thrust of diversity, equity and inclusion, RI has opened its doors to the younger generation and to women and other genders.

Rotational leadership

Leaders were shaped in the club and throughout the Club’s 17-year existence, not one president has served twice, an indication that Club leadership has been growing and that members and officers live the Rotary tenet of rotational leadership with Club presidents serving for only a year.

Charter members’ guidance is one of the Club’s firm foundations, bringing it to where it is now.  In Rotary, all are volunteers and pay annual dues to RI and their Club. There is a saying that volunteers are not paid —  not because they are worthless — but because they are priceless, and indeed, Rotarians ARE priceless.

They pay dues, give time for projects, and are generous with their resources, for the love of service to humankind.

RC San Mateo is one of 46,000 Rotary Clubs worldwide, and the 33 members in RC San Mateo are part of the 1.4 million individuals doing good in the world.

Giving hope

This year, Hope Creating president Edwin Imperial of RC San Mateo continues to give hope to communities in San Mateo, encouraging more professionals and business owners to join the Club so it can help more. 

Also, in line with the club's 17th anniversary, another Rotary Marker was unveiled last 8 March 2024 witnessed by District 3800 Public Image chair Pleshy Wee and senior assistant governor Brian Ligsay together with Club members.