The past 12 months have sped swiftly by like a burst of fireworks exploding brightly, colorfully, gaily into the night exuding great memories as the new dawn approaches. Sort of like the last hurrah at day’s end, a one big fight! The memories of my Rotary year as Club President will forever be etched in my memory bank but a notable few stand out. What are they?

It is often said that the first time is always, for most, the sweetest; for some, with a bit of trepidation and pain; but certainly for all, always an unforgettable moment. My first foray into actual service work where you roll up your sleeves and do some heavy lifting yourself was a few months before my induction as President. I was by then labeled a President-Elect. For the uninitiated out there, Rotary protocol requires naming the successors way in advance, at least two years before. Wisely so, the breaking-in period is meant for the candidate to start understanding and getting a feel for what the position will entail.

It was 18 November 2022, the waning months of the deadly Covid pandemic, in a flood-stricken place called Barangay Dila in Bay, Laguna that was just struck by the heavy winds and downpour of typhoon “Paeng.” It was particularly tricky for me because of my lingering concerns that Covid could still easily infect the vulnerable. Together with the energetic stand-out Director Bom Villatuya and our club’s indefatigable Chief of Staff Ron Dotaro, amidst flooded dirt roads we motored for several hours to the barangay situated at the edge of Laguna de Bay to bring relief packs to the displaced families.

We were greeted by a pitiful scene of 174 families tightly ensconced, side by side, encamped in a makeshift evacuation center of clustered tents crammed in a vacant lot sitting ironically beside an unfinished, empty but completed two-story building. When I asked some residents why they did not just move into the building, I was informed that the structure was unsafe for occupancy and had been in its present state for a few years.

Peering into one of the tents, I was immediately struck by the pitiful state of the sleeping accommodations of the evacuees. There were no mattresses to provide some elevation from the ground that was covered in muddy, murky water. Wow, doesn’t all that speak volumes of an inane, inutile and ludicrous public governance?

We forthwith distributed our modest sustenance assistance of two kilos of rice, canned goods and instant noodle packs each to a long line of distraught residents with numb, zombie-like gazes, standing patiently for their turn on a cement basketball court open to the elements except for sheets of galvanized roofing. It’s going to be a long while before the memory of the faces of those shivering, partly clothed destitute residents, old and young, with babies and kids in tow, fades away.

For the uninitiated out there, Rotary protocol requires naming the successors way in advance, at least two years before.

Another memorable but much more pleasant outreach that will always be top of mind for me happened on 30 July, the maiden month of my Rotary year which coincided with my birthday. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my birthday. In cooperation with the Rotary Homes D-3830 Development Foundation, a brainchild of Past District Governor Sid Garcia, a fellow RC Makati member and a visionary leader always breaking new ground, together with a group of Rotarians led by District Governor Nominee Reggie Nolido and Rotary Homes President John Vinta, we trooped to Heneral Luna in Siargao, Surigao del Norte, a province devastated in 2021 by Odette, the second most costly typhoon after Haiyan to hit the Philippines. The mission was to build 50 new homes for families who lost their homes, in pursuit of a key Rotary service area of focus, to provide shelter to the homeless.

As we reached Barangay Corazon, we were greeted by a long row of children on each side of the road waving flags with a band to boot signaling the welcoming festivities. Halfway through the program, a fantastic surprise came my way. The village folks, accompanied by the band, belted out a birthday song as the children individually gave me flowers. Never had I experienced that kind of birthday celebration before, definitely a memory that I will always cherish.

Capping the festivities was the distribution of certificates to the beneficiaries, some of whom were in tears. I felt a lump in my throat and had to try real hard to hold back my tears as well. Unfortunately, not all fairy tales can come true, at least not yet for this particular community, because of some unexpected political turn of events that necessitated a change of beneficiaries. Alas, the vagaries of Philippine politics!

Until next week… OBF! (To be continued)

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