THE CIRCUIT

‘I took over a company that was half dead and I’m speaking from an industry that had seen its best days 100 years ago,’ Universal Leaf Philippines, Inc. president Winston Uy told RC Makati members during a dinner meeting at the Club’s Makati headquarters last Tuesday, 30 June 2024. Today, ULPI is the country’s biggest tobacco exporter and the biggest broadleaf producer in the world.

Empowering farmers, innovation, digitalization key to agri progress: ULPI’s Winston Uy

04 Aug 2024

4 min read

Winston Uy has transformed Universal Leaf Philippines Inc. into the Philippines’ biggest tobacco-growing and processing company. From a domestic tobacco grower with a three percent market share in the ...

Public servant and daring explorer Art Valdez has organized teams that climbed Mt. Everest twice (May 2006 and May 2007) and sailed twice on a local craftsmen-built replica of the balangay — a type of sea craft used by Filipinos’ ancestors to sail what is now known as West Philippine Sea, long before the shadow of the Chinese were seen on these waters.

Explorer extraordinaire Art Valdez asserts WPS sovereignty through the balangay

Kathryn Jose

04 Aug 2024

3 min read

Members of the Rotary Club of Makati Disaster Relief Team, led by RC Makati president Keith Harrison (right, wearing eyeglasses), along with Rotarians CB Rivilla (left, in sunglasses), RC Makati chief of staff Ron Dotaro (standing, at the back of the truck bearing relief goods) and RC Makati VP Chris Ferareza (at the back of president Harrison) giving relief goods to members of the community in Montalban, Rizal affected by the flood brought on by super typhoon ‘Carina.’

RC Makati deploys quick-response for habagat victims

28 Jul 2024

2 min read

Famed architect and urban planner Felino ‘Jun’ Palafox, who, as senior architect and planner for the government of Dubai from 1977-1981, was involved in the spectacular planning of the UAE’s iconic investment hub, is a staunch anti-corruption and environmental protection advocate. ‘I returned $1 million for the architect’s fee for a proposed hotel in Subic when I was instructed by clients to destroy 366 trees,’ he relates. His efforts in fighting corruption and environmental protection were cited when Forbes Asia Magazine named him among 48 Heroes of Philanthropy in Asia in 2013 and Outstanding Professional of the Year in the field of Environmental Planning by the Professional Regulatory Commission in 2019.

With good urban planning, governance, Phl can be force to reckon with — Palafox

Kathryn Jose

28 Jul 2024

4 min read

Keith Harrison, the new RC Makati president’s compassion for persons with special needs flows from his own experience as a parent to Julyan, his son who is autistic but has an amazing talent for painting.

Rotary Club of Makati’s new president bares priority plans

21 Jul 2024

3 min read

The Rotary Club of Makati, in partnership with Angat Pilipinas Foundation led by former Vice President Leni Robredo, has put up several dormitory projects in various parts of the country, including this one at the Palawan State University in Puerto Princesa. Photo shows (from left, front row) director Rodrigo Segura, vice president Howie Calleja, president Bing Matoto, Robredo, director Ramon Docto and past president Louie Aseoche. At the back are (from left) director Bom Villatuya, director Winston Uy and president-elect Eddie Galvez.

RC Makati opens 4th dorm in Puerto Princesa

21 Jul 2024

2 min read

New Rotary International 3810 district governor Joaquin ‘Jackie’ Rodriguez has also been named this year's Alay Lakad Foundation chairman.

Freshly-minted RI 3810 district governor’s heart beats for poor children

14 Jul 2024

2 min read

Eduardo ‘Jujut’ Enriquez III, who has had long years in banking, with particular focus on serving small and medium enterprises, was formally inducted as new president of the Rotary Club of Manila on 11 July 2024 at the SMX Convention Center in SM Aura, Taguig City.

SME financial inclusion advocate elected new RC Manila president

Kathryn Jose

14 Jul 2024

3 min read

New RC Makati president Keith Harrison and wife Rachel Fernandez Harrison flank former Senator Leila de Lima, who was the much-applauded guest speaker at the Club's 59th Induction Ball last Friday, 5 July 2024 at The Peninsula Manila.

New RC Makati president vows keener concern for mental health, environmental concerns

Kathryn Jose

07 Jul 2024

3 min read

Rafael M. Alunan III, former secretary of Interior and Local Government under then President Fidel V. Ramos, ended his term as (RY) 2023-2024 Rotary Club of Manila president on 30 June 2024. He will be succeeded in that post by Eduardo V. Enriquez III.

Outgoing RC Manila president Rafael Alunan delivers poignant valedictory address

30 Jun 2024

7 min read

(FILE PHOTO) Sacadas have been around since the advent of hacienderos, where hectares of sugarcanes are being harvested for sugar production.

Planters chide imports plan

Vivienne Angeles (VA)

30 Jun 2024

2 min read

Rina Neoh, secretary general of ESG Association of Malaysia, keynote speaker in the seminar on Transforming the Philippines From Its Plastic Legacy through EPR jointly organized by the Rotary Club of Makati and P&A Grant Thornton, is congratulated and given a plaque of appreciation by RC Makati president Bing Matoto. The seminar was held last 20 June 2024 at the P&A Office, Tower 1, The Enterprise Center in Makati.

RC Makati, P&A Grant Thornton hold talk on weaning the Philippines from plastics use

Kathryn Jose

23 Jun 2024

2 min read

Rotarians donate water system to Simanta Elementary School

23 Jun 2024

2 min read

Of all the pressing problems plaguing the country, three are keeping former Senator Bam Aquino sleepless at night: high cost of living in the Philippines suffered by average Filipinos, the serious learning inadequacies affecting grade school children, and the bullying of Communist Chinese of Filipino fishermen in the latter’s traditional fishing grounds even as they (the Chinese) claim what has been judiciously recognized internationally as Philippine sovereign waters. Aquino was the guest speaker in the last weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Makati at The Peninsula Manila in Makati last 11 June 2024.

Bam Aquino and the things that keep him awake at night

Richbon Quevedo

16 Jun 2024

5 min read

Gilas Pilipinas was honored by the Rotary Club of Manila at its last weekly meeting on 13 June 2024 at the Manila Polo Club in Makati for winning the gold at the 19th Asia Games in Hangzhou, China. Photo shows Gilas Pilipinas head coach, Tim Cone (center) receiving a plaque of appreciation from RC Manila president Rafael Alunan III (left) and RC Manila District Governor-elect Jack Rodriguez (right) for gracing the RC Manila meeting as guest of honor and speaker.

Rotary Club of Manila honors Cone, Gilas

Ivan Suing

16 Jun 2024

2 min read

RC Makati officers, with a local priest officiating in the blessing of reef buds before these are dropped in Sulvec, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur. This is part of the Club's Save Our Reefs project in the area. An additional 60 reef buds were cast, bringing the total to 340 reef buds. In the photo are (front row, from left) Rotarian Paolo Turno, two United Philippine Leaf Inc. female employees, RC Makati treasurer Tetu Garcia, UPLI president and RC Makati director, Winston Uy, Narvacan Mayor Pablito Sanidad, a local priest from Narvacan, RC Makati president Bing Matoto, and Rotarians Benjie Tayag, Philip Soliven and Andy Mañalac.

RC Makati spends Service Project Day in Ilocos Sur

10 Jun 2024

2 min read

Passionate about his advocacy against corruption in government and as head of the group, Mayors for Good Governance, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Bañez Magalong urged the public, especially the youth, to speak out and expose corruption in government. ‘Silence — yours and mine — is one of the most powerful tools of corrupt politicians,’ he told members of the Rotary Club Manila as the Club’s guest speaker in its meeting at the Manila Polo Club in Makati last 6 June. Before entering politics, Magalong, who graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1982, served in the Philippine Constabulary and Philippine National Police, including as chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and head of the Special Action Force’s Special Operations Battalion (1997-2001). He retired from the police force in December 2016 as the PNP’s Deputy Chief of Operations with the rank of Police Deputy Director General.

Baguio mayor exposes corrupt practices, urges youth to speak out

Kathryn Jose

10 Jun 2024

5 min read

Rotaract Club of Makati members marking the end of its UBER leadership learning program’s 10th year atop Mt. Talamitam in Nasugbu, Batangas.

Rotaract Makati members strive living a life imbued with Ikigai

02 Jun 2024

1 min read

The Storytelling Project (TSP) executive director Daniel Benito is urging the Rotary Club of Makati to support its projects which include teaching, reading and building libraries and book clubs in poor areas around the country. ‘We want to foster a loving and nurturing environment for children where reading can be fun and an engaging activity. We want to cultivate children's imagination,’ says Benito. Since its founding in 2012, TSP has shared stories with over 10,000 kids from 30 provinces and conducted storytelling workshops for more than 10,000 teachers, volunteers, soldiers and students across the country.

Group helps Filipino kids read for better future

02 Jun 2024

2 min read