Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko" Moreno Domagoso formally thanked the Rotary Club of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) at the Manila City Hall on Friday, praising the civic organization for delivering critical neonatal ventilators to the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center.

The face-to-face acknowledgment took place a day after the turnover ceremony for the newly donated digital ventilators — now fully operational in the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) alongside its breastfeeding facilities.

While the ventilators address a dire shortage that previously forced families to rent expensive external equipment, Rotary Club of AIM charter president Jake Que stressed that publicizing the turnover is not a mere exercise in self-promotion.

"We don't invite the media just to broadcast the achievements of the Rotary Club," Que said. "Importantly, it's more about sharing kindness and inspiring others — through acts of goodness for the community."

The ventilators, secured through a Rotary Foundation Global Grant, mark the first step in a long-term collaboration. Hospital administrators have already presented a "wishlist" of medical equipment needed to elevate patient care, with Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) machines identified as the next urgent target.

"Fulfilling that wishlist requires rigorous, data-driven preparation," Club President Adam Ong emphasized. Likening the international grant process to an academic thesis, he said it requires thorough community needs assessments and solid data before funds are ever released.

"Any act of donation requires a strong reason," Ong explained. "The Rotary Foundation doesn't just want one-time or single-use donations. They want something that can last for a very long time and create a massive amount of impact."

Regardless of the rigorous requirements needed for future projects, the Rotary Club of AIM maintains its enthusiasm to continue its momentum as one of the few clubs to secure a global grant within two years after its founding.