Lead Team Get Together with Gov. Butch

Yesterday, we had a small get together of former Lead Presidents, RY 2006-2006 of RI District 3830. Modest reunion, we just met at Starbucls in Fully Booked, Bonifacio High Street, Fort Global City in Taguig.  It was a nice occasion. The last time we had a get together was last December, our former Gov. Butch Francisco treated us to watch "The Sound of Music" play at the Resort World, near the airport terminal 3. I did not write a blog article about it. My last blog post about our Lead reunions was in February 2009, there were many of us then, about 40. See photos and story here,  "Sea bass regal and a fellowship",

http://rotarianpinoy.blogspot.com/2009/02/sea-bass-regal-and-fellowship.html.

One of our group photos before Gov. Butch arrived (above) and with him (below). Standing from let to right: Classmates Patty Naoe, Edwin Afzelius, Lilibeth dela Cruz, Charlie Fuentes, Palmy Layug, Palmy's wife Nini, Rose Acoba, me. Sitting from left: Archie Jimenez, Amore Isip, Fely Rosales, Luz Reyes, Barbie Rivadeniera.

Above, the three right most: Maling Francisco (Gov Butch's wife), Maling Mom, and Gov. Butch.

Among the big revelations yesterday was classmate Inky Reyes' really slim look (upper left photo, white shirt). He used to be fat and bulky. He must have lost at least 50 lbs since many months ago. I kidded him that his house must have been severely flooded recently that he was not able to eat for three days or more. He said he was gulping this particular enzyme that really enhances the body's metabolism, so that almost no fat is  stored even after eating lots of food.

More photos... Some two of those who left before Gov. Butch came were Rey Alas (behind Archie Jimenez) and Tess Sanchez (front of Archie) in the upper left photo below.

We were supposed to wear dress that identifies our color code during our President-Elects Training Seminar (PETS), that was in early March 2006. Below, lower right, Charlie and I forgot to wear a red shirt, so we shared holding the red bag of fellow Red teammate Luz Reyes, hehe.

Pa-cute, hehe. Beside Tess. Tess is a medico legal at MMC. Said she does not know how to facebook, haha. 

When Gov. Butch came, he invited us to a nearby resto, also at the 3rd floor of Fully Booked, The White Hat resto. Nice place, not crowded unlike Starbucks.

Gov. Butch ordered many food at The White Hat. Yummy yummy. More chika-han. 

I left about 7pm, had to go to the MOA signing, my club's sisterhood partnership with RC Diliman North of RI D3780, near Pantranco, Quezon City.

Thanks for the endless good camaraderie, classmates. Thanks for organizing the get together, classmate Rose Acoba. Thanks for the nice food, Gov. Butch.

It's unfortunate that two of our classmates in the District have already joined our creator. Emil Sanglay and Lorenz Tato. Lorenz died only last month of a heart attack.

One more reason why I join reunion with various friends whenever my time would allow. We don't know who will be gone next.

Club Relief Operations After the Manila Flooding

Our Rotary Club of Taguig Fort Bonifacio (RI District 3830), through the efforts of President Rose Antonio, partnered with RC Makati President Reuben Valerio, in distributing food items to victims of flooding in Lower Bicutan, Taguig City, last Friday, August 10.

From left: RC Makati President Reuben Valerio, clubmate Carmen Penalosa, Rose's son, President Rose, me, clubmate Eric Lucero, and Past District Governor (PDG) Sid Garcia. Most of these photos are from President Rose's camera.

It was my first visit to the RC Makati building actually and I was impressed. Nice, clean building, with a good garden and wide parking lot at the back. It is located in Camia Street, Barangay Guadalope Viejo, Makati. At the back of Metro Club in Rockwell, and just beside the Barangay Hall and Health Center. The tall buildings of Rockwell Center behind the parking lot are not far.

Had a short chat with President Reuben. He said that for their club, money was not a problem as they received lots of cash donations from club members, also from their brother clubs abroad. District Governor-Elect (DGE) Robert Kuan for instance, who is also one of their clubmates, eceived a call from his classmate DGE from an RI District in Taiwan and asked how things are in the country. His classmate simply donated $5,000 just for the relief-donations. Cool.

There were four of us from our club, plus President Rose's son and driver. This is her pick up, full of food items for distribution. Eric's car is nice here, small but full of items for donation. I hitched a ride with him.

This is the small village in Lower Bicutan that we visited. The floodwater has not receded yet, two days after the heavy rains have stopped. Lower photo, these children are in danger of getting leptospirosis and other water-borne diseases as the water is muddy and dirty.

Picture taking before the actual distribution of relief items.

A short but orderly line of people, mostly mothers, came in front of the pick up. No disorder, people just lined up, got the food packages, and walked away.

The Barangay Health Worker (BHW), a city hall employee assigned to barangays to provide health and sanitation programs and services, estimated that there were less than 100 households in this area. The food packages we brought were just enough for them. Plus extra food packages for other affected families outside of this small village, delivered at the BHW office.

We were done distributing the goods in about 20 minutes. Thanks to my club, thanks to Rotary Club of Makati. We have done our small share in helping the flood affected families.

Our District 3830 through the untiring efforts of District Governor Sue Sta. Maria, also conducted various relief and charity work in other parts of Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. Before the new round of heavy rains last Wednesday afternoon, I delivered some used clothes and shoes to the District drop off point in Crown Tower, HV dela Costa, Makati.