Discon 2012 Photos

I mean photos of our club participatioin only, not the entire District as there are hundreds of those photos.

?he first District Convention I have attended was Discon (December) 2006 during my term as Club President of RC Taguig Fort Bonifacio, RY 2006-07. I have not attended all other Discon after that, so I was curious what's new in the annual big event of the District. This is my 2nd Discon attendance so far.

There were only five of us from our club who attended the District Convention 2012. Immediate Past President Niel Antonio, his wife and club President-Elect Rose Antonio, President Norlan de Leon, his wife and Club Secretary Meann de Leon.

With District Secretary Lito Colona (4th from left, between Niel and Rose) and District Governor Billy Villareal (2nd from right, between Meann and President Norlan). The guy beside me is Pres. Norlan's classmate from another club.

The Antonio and de Leon couples. Upper photo from left: Pres. Niel, Meann, PE Rose and IPP Niel.

Lower photo is with Asst. Governor Jules Nivea from RC Rizal West. This is our "mother club", they chartered our club in March 29, 2000 or 12 years ago. Jules is also a good friend of the club, he has visited us several times.

Below, upper left photo with Immediate Past District Governor (IPDG) Ed Alvarez. Sen. Chiz Escudero was the guest speaker at lunch time. He spoke about the impeachment proceedings with CJ Corona, other political issues.

Sen. Chiz talked in very fluent but straight Filipino. I was wondering how the foreign guests -- high rotary officers from S. Korea, Japan, other Asian countries, the GSE teams from Germany and Netherlands, as well as foreigner rotarians of the district -- were able to understand.

My photo with the two couples.

Lower photo is my good friend from UP, also the godmother of my 2nd child Bien Mary, Rotarian Cecilia Quiambao from a club in Alabang. I was surprised to see her that night, she said she was a new Rotarian, inducted only a few months ago.

I like the discussions in the morning until early afternoon, but not so much in the late afternoon. In the evening, the presentations by the current team -- Club Presidents and District Officers -- were nice and cool. They have a number of good singers.

RC TFB New Newsletter

My club, Rotary Club of Taguig Fort Bonifacio, has resumed the production of a newsletter. Thanks to President Norlan de Leon.

Upper 3 photos, are during the club induction led by District Governor Billy Villareal. Smaller photo on the left, during our club Christmas Party last December 2011 at Immediate Past President Niel Antonino's house. We brought our families for a night of fun and fellowships.

Lower photos are during the club's participation in the huge district activity, "A Liter of Light". Our club was assigned to deliver the bottles for solar lighting in a big depressed barangay in Caloocan, aided by some soldiers from the AFP. Hundreds of people greeted the club officers and members who went to the place.

I will post more photos about this event later in this blog.

Discon 2012, RI D3830, March 17-18, 2012

The District Convention (Discon) of Rotary International (RI) District 3830 will be this coming Saturday-Sunday, March 17-18, 2012. Day 1 will be a full day event at Shangrila Hotel Makati, while Day 2 will be the "Family of Rotary" at the University of Makati (UMak).
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DAY 1 – March 17, 2012
Makati Shangri-la Hotel

PRE PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

7:00 am - Registration: DISCON 2012 Opens (venue: Manila A )
7:30 am - Opening of Rotary Windows (venue: Manila B )
8:00 am - Photo Sessions: Gov. Billy, RIPR & their Spouses with the following: (venue: Main Lobby)
• Change Maker Presidents
• District Officers RY 2011- 2012
• Past & Future District 3830 Governors & Spouses
8:15 am - Entry of DISCON Delegates & Guests
8:30 am - Assembly of Program Participants (venue: Gallery)

PROGRAMME

OPENING PLENARY SESSION (venue: Rizal Grand Ballroom)

8:45 am - Entry – Program Participants Only:
• Change Maker Presidents
• Assistant Governors
• Excom DISCON 2012
• DGN/DGE/PDGs and Spouses
• Incumbent Governors and Spouses
• DISCON 2012 Chairman
• RIPR and Spouse
• District Governor and Spouse

9:00 am - Call to Order Gov. Ismael ‘Billy’ Villareal
- Entry of Colors
- Philippine National Anthem Makati City Hall Employees Choral
- Doxology PP Renato “Atoy” Co
- Welcome Remarks CP Jejomar Erwin Binay, Jr.
by the DISCON 2012 Chairman Mayor, Makati City
- Introduction of Change Maker Presidents DGN Angelito “Lito” Colona
- Introduction of Dignitaries PP Patria “Patty” Chiong
- Introduction of the Governor and his Family CMP Victoria “Bingbing” Singson
- Governor’s Address: State of the District Gov. Ismael Villareal
- Introduction of RIPR PDG Eduardo “Ed” Alvarez
- Plenary Address: Rotary Worldwide RIPR PDG James Dee, D3800
- Cultural Presentation Makati City Hall Employees Choral
- Exit of Colors
- Adjournment Gov. Ismael Villareal


CMP Leo “Leo” Gellor CMP Marshelly Grace “Shelly” Lazaro
Moderators

COFFEE BREAK
15 minutes

“MARD BUSINESS PLENARY SESSION

11:00 am - Call to Order Gov. Ismael Villareal
- Conference Resolution
- Announcements
• selection of membership for the Zone Nominating Committee for RI Director
• selection result for District Governor Nominee

11: 25 am - Adjournment Gov. Ismael Villareal

EFFECTIVE CLUB LUNCH

11:30 am - Invocation

12:20 pm CMP Tomas Emerito “Emy” Magdangal
- Recognition of Effective Clubs Gov. Ismael Villareal
11:45 am - Lunch Break
- Introduction of Guest Speaker CMP Arvin “Arvin” Lim
- Message Hon. Francis Joseph G. Escudero
Senator – Republic of the Philippines

CMP Leonides “Leo” Tagle CMP Catherine “Kath” Osial
Emcees

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL THEME: Reach Within To Embrace Humanity

12:55 pm Raffle Draw PP Anthony “Papa Tony” Cristobal
1:00 pm

1:55 pm - Call to Order Gov. Ismael Villareal
- Introduction of the RIPR PDG Romeo “Romy” Cruz
- Rotary Theme RIPR PDG James Dee
- Introduction of DGN for RY 2014 – 2015 PP Socorro Alicia “Cory” Quirino
- Remarks DGN Angelito “Lito” Colona
- Introduction of DGN for RY 2013 – 2014 PP Jose A. R. “Pepito” Bengzon III
- Remarks DGN Robert “Robert” Kuan
- Introduction of DGE for RY 2012 – 2013 PP Ma. Criselda “Marycris” Oplas
- Remarks DGE Suzanne “Sue” Sta. Maria
- Adjournment Gov. Ismael Villareal

CMP Mario Gil “Gil” Jocson CMP Renny “Renny” Harman
Moderators

DISTAS 2010

I attended the RI 3830 District Assembly (DISTAS) 2010 last Saturday, May 8, 2010, held at the AIM Conference Center, Makati City. I arrived later as I woke up late because I was watching my daughter who has a fever the night before. When I woke up, her fever was gone but it was already 9 am!

After registration, the first speaker I caught was PDG Sonny Coloma and he was introducing the guest speaker that day, his fellow AIM Professor and head of the AIM Policy Center, Dr. Poch Macaranas, an economist. Although I have heard Dr. Macaranas spoke in the past, recently I haven’t heard much from him, so I was curious what he would say to the probably 300+ Rotarians from D3830 that day.

Judging from the first 3 minutes of his talk, I figured that it was the usual pessimistic viewpoint of the world and the country in general. Among Dr. Macaranas’ points that day that he wanted Rotarians to realize were the following:

1. The Philippines will slowly be overtaken economically by Vietnam and Cambodia.
2. The world is getting more interdependently chaotic, the level of globalization in all aspects of our lives is now high.
3. Climate change is here and the Philippines is among the most susceptible to its negative effects.

There were other points but I could not remember them now. Those 4 points are still fresh in my mind.

When it comes to private enterprises and voluntary civil society organizations like Rotary, I am generally more optimistic. When it comes to governments – local, national and multilateral/foreign aid – I am more pessimistic. The main reason is that private enterprises and civil society organizations like Rotary rest on voluntary exchange and support from their customers and supporters. There is always pressure to be results-oriented and be more accountable to their customers and supporters, otherwise said people will simply stop supporting them anytime, anywhere. In contrast, governments rest on mandatory and forcible exchange. Whether we like the plans and programs of the politicians and the various bureaucracies and agencies that implement them or not, we ordinary citizens are forced to support them with our tax money and compliance with their regulations.

So when Dr. Macaranas emphasized the growing chaos and instability (political, economic, social and cultural) around the world, I don’t agree with this view. To me, there is more chaos around the world as governments and multilaterals become bigger and enforce more mandatory social entitlements. While there is improvement in human conditions as private enterprises and civil society groups like Rotary go on with their lives.

Many may not also agree with me on this, but just look around if we’re indeed getting more miserable with the products and services by private enterprises and our civic organizations: cell phones, laptops, televisions, internet connection, cars, air travel, other transportation-telecommunications goods and services are becoming more affordable to more people, becoming more modern, and inter-connectivity among people across countries and continents are getting faster and quicker.

The opportunity to acquire and train on new skills are now higher, so long as an individual has some ambition and has patience for hard work.

And my favorite punching bag: climate alarmism. Climate change (global warming and global cooling) is natural, is cyclical and is continuous. It is never man-made and is never “unprecedented” in human history. Recent “wild weather” like typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” last September and October 2009, respectively, were not exactly “unprecedented”. More of this in my various papers and presentation materials, available at our website, www.minimalgovernment.net

Although I noticed that many Rotarians that day nodded their heads in agreement with Dr. Macaranas, I do not think that such generally pessimistic viewpoint of the world is a good way to start a training seminar for the key officers of the 80+ rotary clubs of the District in the coming Rotary year.

In the service-oriented movement of the Rotary International, rotarians around the world can somehow be considered among the “social warriors”. Juggling their time with work and business, family, other social and family network, and the high expectations of voluntary service to the less-fortunate members of society is not easy.

I believe, therefore, that Rotarians in an important training seminar deserve a message of more optimism and more encouragement. Again, mainly because many governments, from the Philippines to other countries, are the main source of pessimism and complaints of many people around the world.

Classmate Ces Singson's birthday party

The other night, classmate Cesar Singson -- in photo with me -- past president of Rotary Club of Makati McKinley, celebrated his birthday party with his clubmates, some classmates, his law office and other family friends. It was held at the Philippine Columbian Assn. in Paco, Manila.

Ces is perhaps the most gallant classmate in our batch. During our term, Rotary year 2008-2007 with RI's theme of "Lead the way", there were about 77 clubs in the District. It was standard practice for some richer clubs and/or richer club President, to invite all of their "classmates" club President from other clubs in the district, to attend their club induction ceremony. Ces did that. During that rotary year too, when Ces celebrated his birthday, he again invited all of his classmates to a festive party. And in that same year, he celebrated his silver (25 years) wedding anniversary and again, invited all his classmates! What a guy.

Below are some of the food on the table. My favorite was the "kalderetang kambing", so deliciously prepared, perfect with cold beer. Then sashimi and balut. I did not bother eating the litson, lumpia, pansit, rice, siopao, etc.


The whole evening was full of fellowship, eating and singing! So many singers and entertainers from the guests. Some sang the classic 60s and 70s songs, the younger singers belted out some current hit songs and ballads. I sang, of course, the Beatles' "twist and shout" and "hey jude", rock version :-)

Below are some of the singers and drummers, and Ces wife, Mel Singson. Mel is a very mild-mannered and friendly lady. No wonder they kept their marriage entering the 30th year soon.


Other classmates who came were Inky Reyes, Tess Sanchez, and Rey Alas. Inky sang, of course. Other classmates who confirmed failed to show up though.

The trouble with attending such a festive party is... the hang-over the following day. But then again, it's the festivity, the fellowships and singing, that mattered.

Classmate Ces, advance happy birthday for January 2011! hehehe.

Tuloy sa Don Bosco

The Tuloy sa Don Bosco project in Alabang is among the biggest projects being helped sustained year after year, by many Rotary Clubs of RI Disrict 3830, especially by the Rotary Club of Alabang. It is a project to help hundreds of street children recover their soul and dignity, giving them hope and inspiration.

Those previously street children are housed, schooled and trained in some particular skills, and after a certain age or training, when they are confiden and productive enough, are "released" to the outside world to be on their own. And the project takes in new batches of street children, and the cycle continues.

The facilities in Tuloy are beautiful, you wouldn't think they are for street children. Below are some young children, elementary school age perhaps, on a recess. They have uniforms and ID.


Last August, I joined the District Governor's lunch at Tuloy. It is an annual event being spearheaded by RC Alabang and other clubs in the south. It's a big fund-raising event where individual Rotarians or clubs from the District make pledges. Participants also give a donation. There are some health products being displayed (those firms are owned by some Rotarians) where a certain profit margin, or donations in cash or in kind, are also donated to Tuloy.

That afternoon, I was impressed by the huge donation, a total of something like half a million pesos. That's for a one-day event only. There are other clubs and Rotarians that donate in cash or in kind at any day of the year.


It's fascinating how "service above self" is working. Selfless charity project, volunteerism, zero coercion and taxation, to pursue a down to earth project of helping the poor and needy. Another reason why I remain being a Rotarian.

DTP Vaccination Project, May 23-24 ‘09

Past District Governor (PDG) of RI, District 3830, Rafael “Butch” Francisco, celebrated his birthday yesterday, May 23, among several thousand children 4-6 years old and their parents (mostly mothers), in Dipteria-Tetanus-Pertusis (DTP) vaccination project. It was held in Pasay Sports Plaza. I wasn’t there yesterday, but this morning, May 24, I attended the 2nd day of the activity. It was held in Malibay Sports Gym, also in Pasay. PDG Butch was my Governor when I was the President of my club, Rotary Club of Taguig Fort Bonifacio, in RY 2006-2007.

This two-days activity was jointly sponsored by the Rotary Club of Pasay North, D3810, and Rotary Club of Paranaque East (RCPE), D3830. Two rotary clubs from two districts of RI with solid and sustained health projects through the years. Funding for this rather expensive but worthy project mainly came from PAGCOR, in coordination with VAXEN, a young but big distributor of vaccines in the country. Other rotary clubs from D3830 also pitched in various assistance, like food and drinks for the hundred-plus people involved in the 2-days activity.

The Pasay City government also extended support by mobilizing the city health and social welfare departments, their staff moving house to house to distribute pre-registration forms for families with children 4-6 years old. I think this is an efficient system. First, only parents or guardians of children 4-6 years will be given the registration form, and only the targeted beneficiaries, Pasay residents, will be served. Well if the sponsors bought vaccines for 4,000 children and 10,000 will come from various cities, then you will have logistical nightmares and thousands of disgruntled parents and guardians who will say more bad things than good about Rotary.

When I arrived at Malibay Sports Gym a little past 9am, there were hundreds of parents with their respective children already. I immediately went to Gov. Butch to greet him a (belated) happy birthday. As time goes, more parents with their toddlers were coming.


PP Rene Aquino of RCPE served as the MC. He briefly introduced what the project is all about, and what the vaccines can do for their children. The parents/guardians and their toddlers happily greeted Gov. Butch on his worthy birthday project. There were other speakers during the short opening program, like the Presidents of the 2 sponsoring clubs, the Vice Mayor of Pasay, an official of VAXEN who is a club member of RC Pasay North.

Below, Gov. Butch (3rd from left) with RCPE guys.



Then the vaccination started. A long line of eager parents who will save some P1,000 for the vaccine if purchased in commercial clinics, was formed. There were 4 tables with 2 health personnel in each table, so 8 toddlers can be served at the same time. And this is where “children’s drama” unfurled.

Although about 70 percent of the children did not cry during the “injection”, a portion of the 30 percent who cried really cried wildly! I surmised they were already crying and resisting while queuing, and their screaming was directly proportional to their distance to the attending health personnel holding the syringe. That is, 2 meters away, the cries were loud. When they were face to face with the health staff, they were screaming to the top of their lungs, really huge teardrops, waggling and kicking, and looking at the health personnel as if the latter are the most evil persons on Earth!

Since I was finding out how I can help since the city welfare staff are in charge of making the long lines in order, I just went to those children who cried the loudest. I did not intend to pacify them because I knew they won’t listen to me since they do not know me, so I went to hold their waggling and kicking feet! When the “injection” is over – usually in just about 3 seconds – these children were wondering if all their resistance was worth the very brief pain of the needle. I was kidding their mothers or guardians, “mas mahaba pa ang iyak kesa injection ah”, to which they nodded smiling or laughing.


Gov. Butch was walking around distributing lollipop candy to children who finish the “injection”. By that time, even those who cried wildly were already pacified. The parents were obviously very happy – you can see it in their eyes and smiles – that their toddlers now have protection against those 3 dangerous diseases.


With the quick and systematic vaccination process, the vaccination was over in about an hour covering several hundred, or perhaps a thousand, children. But the team did not leave since there were still other parents with their toddlers coming. They will wait and do their work until 3pm today, the designated closing time. I heard that the volume of children yesterday was much larger than today.

After the morning snacks and brief chat with other Rotarians, including my 2 classmates, Jo Salcedo (RC Makati Cristo Rey) and Lorenz Tato (RC Makati Bonifacio), I said ba-bye to them and Gov. Butch. Classmate Jo said, “Wait Nonoy, did you greet Gov. Butch on camera?” I said No, and she set up the camera crew quickly. I earlier looked for classmate Ric Santiago of RCPE, but I was told that he was not well.

Projects like this makes you proud of being a Rotarian. When I got out of the sports gym, I realized I needed a haircut. Ahh, there’s a barber shop nearby...

Sea bass regal and a Fellowship

A month ago, PDG Butch Francisco invited his Lead Team ("Lead the Way" club Presidents, RY 2006-07) for a dinner-fellowship, at a nice restaurant at Fort Bonifacio. That was our "belated" Christmas party gathering.


There were plenty of us Lead Presidents from our District who came, maybe about 35 to 40. And as usual, when old friends meet after sometime, the old camaraderie is immediately rekindled -- personal and professional updates left and right, laughter and jokes, picture-taking left and right.

From left: Amore Isip, Charlie Fuentes, Joey Lina, Luz Reyes, me.
Me, "Barbie the Pooh" Revadeniera, Charlie Fuentes, Efren. Among our classmates who showed up was good-looking Paolo Martelino. Paolo did not finish his term due to some internal club issues, so he was not able to attend many District activities during our term, did not attend other meetings and parties after our term. So a number of our classmates did not recognize him, they were whispering and asking, "Classmate, sino sya? ka-batch din ba natin?"

(Lorenz Tato, Amore Isip, Luz Reyes) My answer to some classmates was long-winded. I'd reply, "Yes, he was our classmate. He did not finish his term because he became a model for famous clothing brands. He's a jerk, he stole a number of modelling contracts that were offered to me, because everytime the shooting for the ads were scheduled, I'd get sick and Paolo would immediately jump in and steal the show from me!" hehehe, joke!

The food during our fellowship was great, there were 2 choices for the main course, but the most-requested was the sea bass. Really yummmmmyyyy! I kidded that "seabass regal" was really nice :-)

Gov. Butch and wife Maling remained as cool and friendly as before. They also brought various gifts to us. We also learned that night that Gov. is planning a career shift within 2 years. Everyone in the room expressed support for him, some already made unsolicited pledges.

We hope that Gov. Butch will be successful in his planned career shift. As for our batch, the friendship made three years ago among us should be a lifetime bond. I am very happy and proud of my friendly and warm classmates.

Mabuhay ang Lead Team ng District 3830!