Ang Magiting - The Official Web Site of Rotary Club Makati North

Perhaps we were fortunate…..

By: Rtn. Vince Tan
Feb. 23, 2011

President Mac called the meeting to order early at 12:47pm, as he had another commitment on Club business elsewhere early in the afternoon. PP Ed Mijares acting as moderator expressed great disappointment at the last-minute cancellation of previously-scheduled guest speaker Miriam Quiambao, citing the tremendous amount of research he had conducted in preparation. Treasurer Robert Syjuco offered the day’s Invocation, a short but moving message about opening doors.

PP Pabling Calma, who celebrated his wedding anniversary today, expressed his wish “that I will get married again … to the same woman” (lots of coaching by the audience). He added that if we can get thirty members together for lunch at some future date, he would pay for it.

PP Joe Reaño together with PDG Ato Magadia announced further details of the Don Pabling Calma Cup golf tournament, now moved to April 1st at the Ayala Greenfields Golf and Leisure Club, with arrangements being made by PP Bert Lina. The event is strictly invitational (no entry fees) with a grand cash prize of P20,000 plus P10,000 each for the winners of two classes, A and B: hcap 1-18 and 19-28. In addition, there is to be a permanent trophy designed by PP Pabling’s brother Lor Calma. Scoring is to be System 36, summer play. As stipulated by PP Pabling, in the event of a tie, the prize is to go to the higher handicapper. RCMN is expected to benefit to the tune of P100,000 to P150,000, and any excess will go to PP Pabling’s foundation, the Gregorio B. Calma Foundation. The event is sponsored by Don Pabling’s company: Clipp Machenson.

When asked to describe that foundation, PP Pabling explained that it is designed to provide a foundation for people, much as construction of any building will start with its foundation. In particular, it is intended to provide scholarships for children of his employees, or if an outsider, in the top 10 of the class.

Perhaps we were fortunate that Ms. Quiambao could not be bothered to address our Club (yeah, right!) because we had the opportunity to hear at some length from our visiting Rotarian, Lou Alfonso from Chino, California, including a prepared powerpoint presentation. Rtn. Lou is in pharmaceuticals with Johnson & Johnson, and said he came to the Philippines for 3 reasons – to meet Rotarians, to play golf, and to make way for early retirement. He carries with him a letter from his Club President Julie Reyes appointing him as their Ambassador of Goodwill. He was fortunate to have met PP Donnies Alas on his return from Davao and thus gained an introduction to our Club, as he had been unable to connect with the other Makati clubs. Prior to our Club, Rtn. Lou has met with the clubs of Kalookan North, Loyola Heights and Davao South.

Chino is in the heart of the Chino Valley of the San Gabriel Mountains. Rtn. Lou is a member of the “morning club”, the Rotary Club of Rancho del Chino. (The “noon club” is the grandparent club, the Rotary Club of Chino.) He is the incoming President of the spin-off “evening” club, a remarkable achievement considering he has only been a Rotarian since November.

Rtn. Lou described his Club’s projects including an artesian well project at the Bagumbong Elementary School , a four-story building in Caloocan with no running water. Phase 2 of their project will be a water filtration system. They provided funds amounting to P500,000 for seven wells, five in the community and two in the school.

Lou reminded us that it is always a good idea to post our proposed matching-grant projects on the matchinggrant.org website. Apparently the Rotary Club of Kalookan North is quite active in using this website. While RCMN is also active on the site, PE Archie Reaño committed to familiarize himself with this process and will further coordinate with Rotarian Lou on future areas of cooperation.

All in all, an interesting talk and a good save from what would have been an uneventful lunch.