The Globalist (Special Issue)

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Rotary Club of Taguig Fort Bonifacio - RI District 3830
The Globalist
Chartered: March 29, 2000 RI District 3830
Special Issue March - April 2013
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER
WHAT’S INSIDE
RCTFB Club Officers 2
A Brief History 3
Roster of Presidents 4
RCTFB Past Presidents 5
Rotary Trivia 6
RI President’s Message 7
D-3830 Governor’s Message 8
The President’s Message 11
The Gallery 12-32
Art Peace 2013 20-25
Coercion, Volunteerism & Rotary 33
Maybe is No 34
Rotary’s Guiding Principles 36, 39-43
On to Lisbon 37-38
End Polio Now 44
RI Training Calendar 45
WELCOME TO ROTARY GRANTS!

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A BRIEF HISTORY
The idea of organizing a Rotary Club in the emerging growth area of 'Global City' or
Taguig-Fort Bonifacio was put forward by Rotary Club of Rizal West (RCRW) Past
President Almanzor "Al" Tubig (now deceased).
At the start of the term of RCRW President Al Montecillo (August 26, 1999), PP Al Tubig invited
Arch. Bobby Dimayuga of the Bonifacio Estate Services Corporation to the regular weekly meeting
of RCRW. He was then introduced as "The person who would help him charter what would become
the Rotary Club of Taguig Fort Bonifacio (RCTFB)".
Now appointed as District Governor's Guiller Tumangan's Special Representative (DGSR; RI.
District 3830), PP Al Tubig organized the first meeting of the nascent group on October 6, 1999 at
the Max's Restaurant, Jupiter Street, Makati City. Also in the meeting were: President Al
Montecillo; Bobby Dimayuga; Philip Gaac and Robin Cu Unjieng. The second and third meetings
were held at the Fat Willy's at The Fort on October 10 and 20 respectively, during which the group
was joined by Charles Mercado and Emerson Medrana. In the subsequent meetings held on October
27 and November 3 at the Cafe Jose in Fort Bonifacio, Caloy Morante joined the group.
On February 18, 2000, at the Cafe J in Makati's Amaiz Street, the Charter Officers of RC Taguig
Fort Bonifacio were elected with Bobby Dimayuga as Charter President and Mel Manansala as
Charter Secretary. The other club members who were present included the following: Joel Ciron,
Nani Codera, Jed Inciong, Marilyn Martin, Yette Morales, Tess Pangilinan, John Henry Parker,
Gie Villanueva, Romel Villegas, Mark Ang, and Rose Arbis. The group was afterwards joined by
Jun Obra.
DG Guiller Tumangan signed the Club's charter application for membership to Rotary
International in a simple ceremony held on February 22 at Caramba's at The Fort in the presence
of District Extension Chairman PDG Willy Segovia, members of the sponsoring club, RC Rizal
West, and the charter members of RCTFB. On March 2000, the Rotary International approved the
chartering of what is now the ROTARY CLUB OF TAGUIG FORT BONIFACIO.

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Bobby Dimayuga 1999 ~ 2000 Act with Consistency, Credibility, Continuity
2000 ~ 2001 Create Awareness Take Action
Jed Inciong 2001 ~ 2002 Mankind is our Business
Charles Mercado 2002 ~ 2003 Sow the Seeds of Love
Carlos Morante 2003 ~ 2004 Lend a Hand
Joel Ciron 2004 ~ 2005 Celebrate Rotary
Glenn Inciong 2005 ~ 2006 Service Above Self
Nonoy Oplas 2006 ~ 2007 Lead The Way
Owe Lozada 2007 ~ 2008 Rotary Shares
Rommel Villegas 2008 ~ 2009 Make Dreams Real
Paul Irao 2009 ~ 2010 The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands
Nielson Antonio 2010 ~ 2011 Building Communities Bridging Continents
Norlan De Leon 2011 ~ 2012 Reach Within to Embrace Humanity
Rosemarie Antonio 2012 ~ 2013 Peace through Service
ROSTER OF PRESIDENTS

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RCTFB Past Presidents
RY1999-2012

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On 23 February 1905, Paul P. Harris,
Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, and
Hiram E. Shorey gathered in Loehr’s office for
what would become known as the first Rotary
club meeting. Harris’s desire for camaraderie
among business associates brought together these
four men and eventually led to an international
organization of service and fellowship.
Arthur Frederick Sheldon, the Rotarian
whose convention speech inspired Rotary's
secondary motto, One Profits Most Who Serves
Best.
One of the more colorful traditions of Rotary
is the exchange of club banners. Rotarians
traveling to distant locations often take banners
to exchange at make-up meetings as a token of
friendship. Many clubs use the decorative
banners they have received for attractive
displays at club meetings and district events.
The world's first service club, the Rotary Club
of Chicago, was formed on 23 February
1905 by Paul P. Harris, an attorney who wished
to capture in a professional club the same
friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of
his youth. The Rotary name derived from the
early practice of rotating meetings among
members' offices.

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Dear fellow Rotarians,
Rotary is an international organization, and when I travel for
Rotary, I usually speak in English. But it has been a long
time since my last English exam, and when I am working in
Evanston, I always have a Japanese interpreter. It is important
to understand every word of the meetings, and it is important as
well that the staff understand what I am saying.
It was a new experience for me to speak Japanese to a group,
and then hear my words spoken in English. Even now, I find it interesting. I hear new ways of
expressing myself in English, and I also have a small glimpse of what it must be like not to speak
Japanese.
But perhaps the most interesting moment came early on in my year as president-elect, when I was
in a meeting with Rotary staff members. To be sure that we could communicate well, I had with me
a Japanese interpreter. I spoke in Japanese, and she interpreted what I said into English. We had a
pleasant and productive meeting.
After it was over, one member of the staff came up to me and asked, “There is one word I heard you
use many times in Japanese. I would like to know what it means. What is the word ichiban?” I told
her that ichiban in Japanese does not convey any philosophy or complicated thought. It simply means
to be the best.
But it made me think. Of all the words I had used in Japanese, of all the words she had heard over
and over, this was the word she had heard the most. I did not realize I had used it so often. But for
me, that one word, ichiban, is essential to how I feel about my job as a Rotarian, and as president of
RI.
For me, Rotary service means being ichiban. It means doing your best, and being the best you can
be. It means working as hard as you can – not for yourself, but for others. It means achieving as
much as you can, to make other people’s lives better.
In the dictionary, ichiban means “best.” But in Rotary, “best” means something different. It means
bringing Service Above Self into all of your thinking. It means looking at your own effort, not in
terms of what it costs you, but in terms of what it can give. In this way, we are inspired to do so
much more. It is our job to see to it that our Rotary service is ichiban – so that we do the most we
can to build Peace Through Service.
Sakuji Tanaka
President, Rotary International
RI President’s Message

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D-3830 Governor’s Message
Excerpts from Handover Speech,
June 29, 2012 GML Vol. XIV, No. 4
Like all governors, I would like to leave a
mark in this district’s history. I would like
to be remembered as the Governor who
accomplished two significant things:
First, that I ensured the installation of a
strategic plan in each club, a strategic plan
that spells out the club’s vision for the next
3 years, a strategic plan that spells out the
annual goals that will bring the club towards
its vision.
It is a club strategic plan based on Rotary’s
Strategic Plan, stemming from the organi-
zation’s hard-nosed self-evaluation on its
100th year in 2005, and is intended to en-
sure Rotary’s success in the next 100
years.
RI President Sakuji Tanaka has said, “In
Rotary, we have made the decision to adopt
the goals and priorities of the RI Strategic
Plan as the roadmap for our organization.”
I have been receiving very positive reports
from our Assistant Governors on the results
of their team visits. As of today, June 29,
2012, 42 clubs have a strategic plan in
place. The other clubs have yet to be visited
by the Assistant Governor’s Team.
What is Rotary?
Rotary International is a volunteer orga-
nization of business and professional lead-
ers who provide humanitarian service, and
help to build goodwill and peace in the
world. There are approximately 1.2 million
Rotary club members belonging to 34,000
Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries
and geographical areas.
Founded in Chicago in 1905, Rotary celebrated
100 years of service in 2005. The Rotary
Foundation has awarded more than US$2.1
billion in grants, which are administered at the
local level by Rotary clubs.
What is the purpose of
Rotary?
Rotary clubs exist to improve communi-
ties through a range of humanitarian, inter-
cultural and educational activities. Clubs
advance international understanding by
partnering with clubs in other countries.
Rotary also encourages high ethical stan-
dards in all vocations.
What do Rotary clubs do?
Rotary clubs address critical issues at
home and abroad by providing health care
and medical supplies, clean water, food,
job training, youth development, and edu-
cation to millions of people. in need.

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I give the credit to the Assistant Governors
headed by Lita Wells, Rhoda Salas and Fed
Sapitan. They have done a terrific job in men-
toring and coaching the Peace Presidents on
strategic planning with the help of the Club
Strategic Planning Committee headed by
Rennie Andrews, Dennis Decena and Mon
Escueta.
Second, I also would like to leave behind a
renewed and revitalized interest in, and
awareness of, the Guiding Principles of Rota-
ry. I have observed that our clubs have been
enthusiastically carrying out many activities
and service projects, but have forgotten what
the guiding principles of Rotary are.
Towards this end, Patti King and Camil Kitane
have created an assertive program that will be
conducted at club level. I hope that the Peace
Presidents will initiate club meetings on the
Guiding Principles of Rotary.
Chochit Tobias and his committee have in-
cluded both legacies in the District Citations
program, more commonly known as the
awards. We hope to encourage the clubs to
exceed the minimum performance expecta-
tions as defined by Rotary International and
the district, based on selected projects that
have been supported by the district over the
years. The clubs have been informed of the
District Citations, or the awards program,
since early this month.
We are instituting a completely paperless sys-
tem of reporting. Club events and service
projects will be electronically reported through
our “Share A Story” program via Facebook.
Since strategic planning is being encouraged
by Rotary International, I am happy to report
the creation of a District Strategic Planning
Committee.
It is composed of the incumbent District Gov-
ernor and all elected future governors. District
Governor Billy Villareal, and the District Gov-
ernors for the next 3 years – Robert Kuan, Lito
Colona, and myself – have held several meet-
ings to define our collective vision for our
district, and the annual goals that are neces-
sary to achieve this vision. The Strategic Plan-
ning Committee is under the advisership of
PDG Sonny Coloma.
The District Strategic Planning Committee will
traditionally be headed every year by the Dis-
trict Governor Nominee who will be heading
the district in 3 years, at which time the strate-
gic plan formulated should take complete frui-
tion. The system is being institutionalized in
RY 2012-2013, my term of office. The first
Chair therefore will be District Governor Nom-
inee Lito Colona.
In line with the district’s strategic plan is the
creation of a Strategic Training Committee
which will be headed by the District Governor-
Elect.
This committee will be responsible for
strengthening the clubs in Rotary information
and leadership development, in preparation
for the next year of service, which is the Dis-
trict Governor- Elect’s term of office. The first
Chair therefore will be Robert Kuan. This com-
mittee will be institutionalized also in RY 2012-
2013, my term of office.
Coordinator for both committees is Rennie
Andrews, who shall thus oversee the Strategic
Planning Facilitators and the Rotary Acade-
my.
My presidents and I have the daunting task to
live up to the theme of our Rotary Year:
“Peace Through Service”.
In keeping with this theme, our presidents will
be called the “Peace Presidents”.
The Peace Presidents, together with the Dis-
trict Officers and I, will make up the Peace
Team.
At this juncture, I feel that I am duty-bound to
give two simple reminders to my Peace Presi-
dents.
FIRST, ON BEING CALLED A “PEACE”
PRESIDENT:

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The label of “peace” is daunting because
there is a false perception that peace is a state
where conflict never happens.
In Rotary where diversity is considered a core
value, conflicts in values are bound to surface.
As you take your journey as Peace President,
when a conflict confronts you, I advise you to
make an effort to achieve a state where truth
and fairness will prevail.
The basis of what is acceptable in Rotary is
the 4-Way-Test.
When a conflict arises, all assessments must
pass the first two tests of,
1. “Is it the truth?”; and
2. “Is it fair to all concerned?”
Anything that fails the tests of truth and fair-
ness do not belong in Rotary,
3. Even if it passes the third test, “Will it build
goodwill and friendship?”; and
4. Even if it passes the fourth test, “Is it bene-
ficial to all concerned?”
An untruth, commonly called a “lie”, can bring
goodwill and friendship. It can be beneficial to
all concerned.
But there can be no peace where there is no
truth. And there can be no peace where there
is no fairness.
In your journey as Peace President, be guided
by the 4-Way-Test. The first two tests are the
most crucial tests. These are the tests of truth
and fairness.
MY SECOND REMINDER IS ON THE ES-
SENCE OF BEING CLUB PRESIDENT.
I would like to strongly remind each of the
Peace Presidents, that your first and foremost
role, is to be THE PRESIDENT OF YOUR
CLUB. Your energies must be spent on YOUR
CLUB. Your time must be managed with
YOUR CLUB as your priority concern. YOUR
CLUB must be your FIRST priority at all times.
Love YOUR CLUB. Serve YOUR CLUB. Plan
for your meetings well. Inspire your members.
Be a diligent, conscientious and inspirational
CLUB PRESIDENT.
Let me go back to the theme for our year of
service, “Peace Through Service”. The cherry
blossom plays a prominent role in the graphi-
cal representation of our year’s theme.
We have often talked about SHIBUMI, the
concept in Japanese culture that is intrinsical-
ly tied to the cherry blossom, and the festival
where thousands of Japanese come out to
view the falling of the flowers.
SHIBUMI reminds us that peace is oftentimes
easily won but just as easily lost.
Peace is lost when the advocacies of truth and
fairness in the 4-Way-Test are violated. It is
lost when you lose your way in your journey as
Peace President. It is lost when you are not
diligently attending to your club.
I pray that each of you will guide your clubs
well in your search for your SHIBUMI moment
– your moment of brilliance, your moment of
excellence, your moment of perfection. I wish
for you and your clubs, not one, but many
SHIBUMI moments.
Suzanne “Sue” V. Sta. Maria, Governor, RI
District 3830

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The President’s Message
My Dear Fellow Rotarians,
As I look back from the time that I’ve started to serve
as the President of this club, I came to realize that
there are so much more to be done. We see boundless
potential… more opportunities to carry out our goals. Time
flies so quickly and the District Handover is just around the
corner. In a way, I’m glad that many projects had been done
and accomplished. And, I’m also glad that I can now relax
and have more time for myself and my family. Many sleepless
nights had paid off planning, doing presentations and
submitting reports.
Going through our citation report, it came to my attention
that we are very near to achieving the requirements of the
district. A little more cooperation and coordination with our members and we will surely
make things happen. Being involved is as important as to being engaged. In Rotary, we
cannot give what we don’t have. That’s why commitment is essential prior to joining the
club. A potential member must be properly “Rotarized” to have the repository of guiding
principles and motivation needed in doing volunteer works.
This is what I admire in Rotary. Everything is properly organized and with
corresponding protocol. From strategic planning to training, everything is well accounted
for. Members are united people from different professions and vocations; contributing their
time, treasure and talent to the needy sectors of the community. Where else can you see
something like that? Wherein, diversity is considered as a virtue and an important factor
in the success of a club.
With regards to our wonderful year together, I would like to thank Gov. Sue for being
supportive of our projects and activities, my classmates – the Peace Presidents for bringing
back the smile on my face when things are too stressful for me and my club members for
joining me in achieving our projects and upholding RC Taguig Fort Bonifacio’s thrust and
ideals.
Now, we can truly say that we have been an agent of change… a catalyst of “Peace
Through Service”. Another Shibumi moment for us… God bless! Cheers!
Rosemarie Antonio
Peace President RY 2012-13

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The Gallery
RCTFB Cash Hosted the following delegates – Inbound GSE Team District 1110 (England & Channel Island)
Lynne Cooper, Laura forward, TL Berenice Deakin, Jade Martin and Nathan Silk

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The Gallery
Discon Opening Ceremony
Manila Hotel March 22, 2013

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The Gallery
Discon Governor’s Ball
Manila Hotel March 23, 2013

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The Gallery
CABARET
DISCON TALENT NIGHT MARCH 22, 2013

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The Gallery
CATS

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The Gallery
BOMBAY DREAMS

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The Gallery
LION KING

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The Gallery
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

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ART PEACE 2013
By PP Bienvenido "Nonoy" Oplas
As the world modernizes, and as people mobility across countries and continents expands, it
creates more diversity among people. While this is a good thing to recognize that after all, we
live in just one global village. It also creates some animosity and even anger for some people as their
previously mono-cultural city or community undergoes piecemeal changes towards multi-cultural and
economic activities. Thus, the quest for peace and tolerance at the global, national and local community
levels, is a continuing challenge for humanity. And, most especially among Rotarians.
To contribute to this search for peace and tolerance, the Rotary Club of Taguig Fort Bonifacio
spearheaded an important project for the youth, the “Art Peace 2013” competition for college/university
students in Metro Manila. Its main objective is to campaign and reiterate Rotary's thrust, ideals and
advocacy to the new generation or the youth through visual arts.
The project covers the following: Public Image, New Generation and Areas of Focus. This is
consistent with this year’s Rotary International theme, “Peace Through Service” via Rotary's Areas of
Focus:
1. Peace and Conflict Prevention / Resolution
2. Disease Prevention and Treatment
3. Water and Sanitation
4. Maternal and Child Health
5. Basic Education and Literacy
6. Economic and Community Development
The club secured an endorsement from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), printed posters
and invitation letters to the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) of different colleges and universities in
Metro Manila. These were distributed in early March 2013. The competition had been trending for 1
month in the Facebook scene with 446,625 clicks, 670 Likes and 45 shared the post. Pretty soon, many
entries and art pieces were submitted to the club. Some were arranged for pick up in their universities.
Judgement day, the “Art Peace 2013” was set last April 7, 2013, from 1-6 pm. Venue was the Arts
in the City, FVR Park, Federacion Drive corner 7th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The top six
contestants were invited, Club members brought their friends, and some District officials and a Presidents
of other clubs in the District came.
Aside from the top six art pieces displayed that afternoon, impressive art works of three guest artists
were also shown -- by Arnan De Leon, Nice So, and Vanessa "King" Tan Gana.
RI District 3830 Governor Sue Sta. Maria was the main guest of honor that afternoon. She led the
ribbon cutting. She was one of the judges and she gave an inspirational talk about Art, Peace and Rotary.
The club was very honored to have her come and stay for several hours.
The most awaited part of the event that day was made, the announcement of winners. The contestants
were called up on stage. Their youthful faces showed some anxiety and excitement as they faced the
audience. The results are as follows.
Melchor Santiago, Jr.
won the grand prize
consisting of a
trophy, a certificate
of recognition and a
check amounting to
P15,000.00

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The 1st Place (P15,000 + Trophy + Certificate) went to Melchor Santiago Jr. His art work was
entitled “Empowering a Peaceful Nation Through Responsible Youth Service”. It was an elaborate
painting with bold letters of ROTARY in the middle. Melchor is a 4th Year BS Medical Technology
student at Our Lady of Fatima University in Valenzuela City.
The 2nd Place (P10,000 + Trophy + Certificate) went to Justen Paul Tolentino. His entry title was
“Spreading Peace with Service”. Justen is a 1st Year BS Medical Technology student at Far Eastern
University in Manila.
Third Place (P5,000 + Trophy + Certificate) went to Ruzzle Abella with an art work entitled “Bigyang
Gabay”. He is a 2nd Year Visual Communications major at EARIST.
The three other entries got consolation prizes (P2,000 + Certificate) each. The contestants, their
respective entry titles and schools were:
1. Clint Rey Policarpio, “Larawan ng Nakaraan”
3rd Year Fine Arts, Major in Painting, University of the East - Caloocan
2. Kristie Sheene Villeza, “Winning Peace”
1st Year BS Information Technology, National Teachers College
3. Prikern Leighry Balbuena, “Heart of a Mother”
2nd Year BSED Major in MAPE, Far Eastern University
It was a wonderful afternoon of viewing different paintings from different artists, meeting young
aspiring artists and painters, club members and their families and friends, District officials and other
guests. The venue was nice, food was plentiful and delicious, the music and sound system was great.
It was indeed a big, signature project of the Rotary Club of Taguig Fort Bonifacio this year. Peace
President Rosemarie Antonio has shown once more the kind of stuff she is made of – very hard working,
highly dedicated, unquestionably service-oriented leader.
Kudos to you, President Rose.

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The Gallery

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The Gallery

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The grand prize winner of ART PEACE 2013 entitled “Empowering a Peaceful Nation Through
Responsible Youth Service” by Melchor Santiago, Jr. (4th year BS Medical Technology student) of Our
Lady of Fatima University in Valenzuela.

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The Gallery
Collaboration with PCPI in Global Grant Application to support the Medical & Therapeutic needs of the kids
Philippine Cerebral Palsy, Inc. March 18, 2013

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The Gallery
AG Chary Misa talked about “On Being a Rotarian” & Rotary Guiding Principles
MetroClub, Rockwell, Makati March 18, 2013

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The Gallery
Donation of 10% of the building cost or P13,000 to Rotary Homes in Paranaque
Rotary Homes Paranaque March 21, 2013

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The Gallery
Club anniversary & Pre-strategic planning hosted by Rtn Jun Mendoza
Arayat, Pampanga March 28 to 30, 2013

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The Gallery
Sponsorship of the 11th Pambansang BAKAS Seminar-Workshop for Educators
Pila, Laguna April 3 to 6, 2013

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The Gallery
Classification talk by Life Coach Mike Michener
Starbucks, Bonifacio Global City April 3, 2013

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The Gallery
Our very own Charter President Bobby Dimayuga talked about “The Beginning
of Rotary Club of Taguig Fort Bonifacio”.
MetroClub, Rockwell, Makati City April 8, 2013

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Coercion, Volunteerism
and Rotary
By PP Bienvenido “Nonoy” Oplas
The world can move into war or peace, conflict or harmony,
depending on the degree of coercion that are imposed on
certain groups of people – an ethnic group, a clan, a religious group, a
sectoral group, or a country. If there is more coercion and imposition
by those with stronger force, if there is less respect for diversity of other
people, there is more animosity and conflict in society and the world.
Our modern world is characterized by more diversity and spontaneity, not uniformity and monotony. For
instance, there are more varieties, more brands of cars and trucks, cell phones and computers, rice and corn, beer
and wine, medicines and vaccines, shirts and shoes, and so on worldwide. The changes in designs, the dumping
and thrashing of previously touted as great, are very spontaneous. Many products and services are customized and
deliberately designed for unique type of consumers and buyers.
It is imperative, therefore, that there should be more tolerance, more respect, for diversity and spontaneity of
people. Our high school kids for instance, can be fascinated with culture and the arts now, then dump such interest
in favor of social sciences, or business and economics, or the life and physical sciences, in just a year or two. As
parents, a high degree of respect and tolerance would be expected from us as we do not want to directly antagonize
the interests and curiosity of our children.
One of the things that keep me stay in Rotary despite my poor condition in life, is the high degree of
volunteerism that I see among active Rotarians. I come from a small club, been a Past President of it, and our
resources and capacity to do community and humanitarian work is limited. But I have seen other clubs and other
friends, doing great work to help our less privileged countrymen and women, often by digging deep into their own
pockets, or by utilizing their wide network of friends who have the material and financial capacity for certain
projects.
This week and the previous weeks, I have seen or have been involved, in some debates on whether we should
have a Reproductive Health (RH) law or not. I have taken the negative position even though I have utilized zero
religious or church argument on the subject, just pure economics. I believe that many of the arguments of the bill
like controlling maternal death and reducing early or teen pregnancies are noble. But what I find objectionable is
the use of coercion, of forcing everyone else in the country, to finance that proposal via legislation and taxation.
Can’t those measures be done via volunteerism?
I like the Gawad Kalinga (GK), the Rotary Future Vision, and other voluntary projects of many other groups
and charity organizations. There is zero legislation, zero taxation, zero coercion involved. If people want to help
build houses for the poor, or give water and sanitation for the poor, or provide mobile X-Ray and maternal/pediatric
clinics for the poor, they do so with the least political hassles and media noise possible. They simply do it because
they want to help. They did not go on prolonged and sustained political lobbying to convince anyone who cares to
listen, to take their side and to declare the other side as wrong and irrational. No such thing.
It is the spirit of volunteerism and non-coercion, that keeps people to be attracted in Rotary, to stay in Rotary
or any other civic, charity and voluntary organizations. People get “paid” for it not in monetary form or business
or political fame, but in peer respect, in the feeling of having helped less privileged people in the more sincere
manner.

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MAYBE is NO
By Dr. Zeus Salazar
In the Philippines, yes is yes, maybe is no and no is rarely
heard. Ask a Filipino a yes or no question. Whether trivial
(Are you coming to my party?) or serious (Can I borrow money?),
one is likely to get a yes, if the idea sits well with him. If it doesn't,
he won't say no, he'll say maybe. His response, irresolute as it may
seem to non-Filipinos, doesn't necessarily reflect an inability to
make decisions. Rather, it shows a well-mastered tact of protecting
the other person from hurt. He says maybe though he means no to
soften the force of a direct negative and thus immediately assuage
the other person's feelings.
A description of Filipino society may be culled from what anthropologists call a high-context
culture, one in which the modes of behavior are not explicitly stated but are instead inferred in many
different ways, such as tone of voice, body language and the idiosyncrasies of the linguafranca. (By
contrast, the low context behavior of Western societies is seen as abrasive, uncouth and impersonal.) In a
high context culture, interpersonal communication operates both on personal feelings as well as upon the
anticipated reaction of the other person.
This explains the Filipino's sharp intuitive sense or what he calls pakiramdam. It is a skill, learned
from birth, which enables him to grasp nuances, much like a trained musical ear distinguishes secondary
and tertiary themes in a dense symphony.
Pakiramdam, the level on which Filipinos carry on day-to-day relationships is the externalization
of an inner sensitivity called damdam. Damdam is made up of sentiments that collectively form the
Filipino's sense of self. Thus hurting the feelings of a Filipino is the same as hurting his self-esteem. It is
tantamount to destroying the person himself. And when he loses face, he rises in defense of his life.
Philippine history is replete with examples of how far Filipinos would go to salvage wounded
pride. Many of these occurred during the Spanish period, the archipelago's first contact with the West, an
encounter between a people secure in their island-world and a people who were the product of the brutal
age of colonization. Poles apart, their twains never met because they failed to read each other.
Although forced labor was an underlying cause of an 85-year revolution led by Bohol Island
chieftain Francisco Dagohoy, it was the refusal of a Jesuit priest to give his brother a Christian burial (the
insult and loss of face) that triggered it. Apolinario de la Cruz, a lay associate, was refused admission into
the religious order because he was an indio. He rebeled against the Spanish priests and founded a religious
order exclusively for natives.
In more recent times, the Filipinos' need to regain their pride led to the EDSA Revolution of 1986.
Their parliament in the streets removed the Marcos regime and restored the nation's democratic processes.
How did Filipinos develop their own brand of sensitivity and how does it perpetuate itself in modern
society? Certain aspects of Filipino history and culture offer some clues.
Then, as now, Filipinos tend to move in small social circles. Their groupings began with riverine
settlements called barangay populated by families belonging to the same clan. In the barangay society
everyone knew each other by name and by personal history, followed the same traditions, fought common
enemies.

35
Through the years, the barangay became a village, the village became a town, the town became a
city and so on. But the quality of interpersonal relationships barely changed. Today, even in a megapolis
like Metro Manila, Filipinos mingle in close, almost incestuous societal units.
It is not unusual in Filipino society for one's best friend to be a sibling or a first cousin. When
moving outside the family unit, the school or profession becomes the next societal grouping. These
bonding groups are close enough to be considered surrogate families. As with any close group, whether
it be the family, the community or an entire nation, shared behavior patterns form.
Everybody knows the basic tenets of behavior. In the Philippines, as in most of Asia, these tenets
are based on respect, another outward manifestation of pakiramdam. Only in the Philippines would one
find a young executive addressing the company messenger, a much older man, in the third person plural
and using the respectful term po.
Language has trained Filipinos to distinguish between intentionality and non-intentionality. For
example, the word suntok, which in English has the neutral meaning to hit, changes color when infixed
or prefixed: sinuntok means was hit intentionally, nasuntok means was hit unintentionally. Because
directness is considered impolite, Filipinos use indirect speech to convey a need or desire. If a guest so
much as talks about the heat, the host's rejoinder must be cold drink.
Filipinos also have their own body language which, oftentimes, they alone can read. They can
detect an insincere smile, which they call ngiting aso, the smile of a dog; a dour disposition (mukhang
biernes Santo, or a face for Good Friday); honesty (maaliwalas ang mukha, or a clean, fresh face.)
If in the West a declaration of decisiveness is I mean what I say and I say what I mean, in the
Philippines it is watch what I do and you will know what I mean. Through a highly developed sense of
person, the Filipino has extended communication from a me/you model to a me/ you/us model, internal-
izing the person he is trying to reach. It is communication which heeds the Filipino saying, Kapwa ko,
kapatid ko. My fellowman is my brother, therefore, the person in him is the same person in me.?
KABIG NG KALIKASAN
By Rtn Prof. Ma. Carmen Peñalosa
Anong kaligayahan ang di lipos ng kalungkutan? Anong
kalungkutan ang di dumudungis sa maginhawang pag-
iral. Oo lalaki ka nga! Mabuway! Mapaglayaw! Subalit,
mapalad ka’t tao ka. Nakakikilala ka rin ng katotohanan,
nakapagtitimbang ng mga katuiran, at may sukdulang diwa
na di natitinag. Hala! Humayo ka’t pagharian ang walang
katuturang kabig ng iyong kalikasan!

36
Basis for Our Club’s
Projects
Areas of Focus:
Peace and Conflict
Prevention / Resolution
Disease Prevention and
Treatment
Water and Sanitation
Maternal and Child Health
Basic Education and Literacy
Economic and Community
Development
Avenues of Service
For years, Rotary’s commitment to Service
Above Self has been channeled through the
Avenues of Service, which form the
foundation of club activity.
Club Service focuses on strengthening
fellowship and ensuring the effective
functioning of the club. Learn about
effective club service in Membership and
Training .
Vocational Service encourages
Rotarians to serve others through their
vocations and to practice high ethical
standards. Observed each October,
Vocational Service Month spotlights
Rotary club projects related to this avenue,
offering opportunity for clubs and districts
to use their professional skills in service
projects.
Community Service covers the projects
and activities the club undertakes to
improve life in its community.
International Service encompasses
actions taken to expand Rotary’s
humanitarian reach around the globe and to
promote world understanding and peace.
Rotarians can support International Service
by sponsoring a project in another country,
seeking international project partners to
support projects in their own communities,
or by personally volunteering at an
international project site. Visit the
ProjectLINK database to post a project in
need of assistance, find projects to support,
or learn about successfully completed
projects to replicate.
New Generations Service recognizes
the positive change implemented by youth
and young adults through leadership
development activities as RYLA , Rotaract
and Interact , service projects, and creating
international understanding with Rotary
Youth Exchange .

37
Schedule at a Glance
Rotary gets ready
to explore Lisbon

38

39

40

41
ROTARIAN’S PLEDGE
I am a Rotarian,
I will always uphold the truth.
I am a Rotarian,
I will always strive to be fair
in all my dealings with my fellow men.
I am a Rotarian,
I will always endeavor to build goodwill
and understanding in my community,
among my countrymen and among people of all nations.
I am a Rotarian,
I will always seek to promote the greatest good
for the greatest number of people in the spirit of Rotary service.
I am a Rotarian,
I will always uphold the Rotary International Motto:
“Service Above Self”

42

43
In 2012, the effort to end polio made historic progress. The year ended with the lowest number of new polio cases in the fewest places
ever. There were fewer than 250 reported cases, compared with 350,000 cases in 1985, when Rotary began the fight to end polio.

44
Scientific
Experts
Join Fight To
End Polio

45
RI Training Calendar
July
● New Rotary officers begin their year of service
● District Governor's Training Manual and Manual of Procedure sent to district governors-elect
● District Rotary Foundation seminars take place July-November
August — Membership and Extension Month
● Governors-elect training seminars take place August-December in conjunction with Rotary zone institutes. Other training meetings
held in conjunction with Rotary zone institutes may include programs for governors-nominee, governor- elect partners, and district
trainers. Rotary zone institutes also often include a regional Rotary Foundation seminar and a zone-level membership seminar.
September — New Generations Month
● Begin preparing for training meetings held February-May: district team training seminar, presidents-elect training seminar, and district
assembly
● Training and membership materials sent to district governors-elect electronically. This message contains links to publications intended
for the district trainer.
October — Vocational Service Month
● Begin promoting dates of training meetings to incoming club and district officers
● District team training materials are sent to district governors-elect for distribution to assistant governors and district committee chairs
before the district team training seminar. District committee chairs should ensure that members of their committee have the necessary
training materials. The Assistant Governor’s Training Manual and District Committee Manual include discussion questions that should
be considered before the training meeting.
November — Rotary Foundation Month
● World Interact Week (week including 5 November)
● Club Officers’ Kits sent to district governors-elect for distribution to club presidents-elect (includes the Club President’s Manual, the
Club Secretary’s Manual, Club Treasurer’s Manual, and the Club Committee Manuals: Administration, Membership, Public Relations,
Service Projects, and The Rotary Foundation). Club presidents-elect should then distribute the contents of the kit to incoming club
secretaries, club treasurers, and committee chairs. Each manual includes discussion questions that should be considered before the training
meeting.
December — Family Month
January — Rotary Awareness Month
● Governors-elect make final preparations for the International Assembly and their district training seminars
● District governors-elect attend the International Assembly
● Theme materials and RI information sent to district governors-elect for distribution at presidents-elect training seminars
February — World Understanding Month
● 23 February is World Understanding and Peace Day (Rotary’s anniversary)
● District team training seminars take place for assistant governors and district committees
March — Literacy Month
● World Rotaract Week (week including 13 March)
● Presidents-elect training seminars take place. Presidents-elect should develop preliminary goals using the Planning Guide for Effective
Rotary Clubs (found in the Club President’s Manual).
April — Magazine Month
● District assemblies take place in April and May. Incoming club leadership teams should further develop goals using the Planning
Guide for Effective Rotary Clubs
● District membership seminars should be held immediately following district assemblies
May
● Incoming club officers finalize their goals on the Planning Guide for Effective Rotary Clubs for the upcoming Rotary year and share
them with their club at a club assembly
June — Rotary Fellowships Month
● RI Convention

46

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