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

Leadership Vacuum and help for the victims of typhoon Sendong

By: Rtn. Vince Tan
Jan. 11, 2012

Almost from the moment that PP Roger Nicandro began to recite his Invocation, it became clear to the rest of us that a number of momentous issues had just been discussed at the Past Presidents’ meeting which preceded today’s luncheon. PP Roger included in his prayers the Club’s leadership vacuum for the coming Rotary Year, as well as the perennial problem of the financial deficit, but hinted that solutions were in hand to these difficulties, which it was pointed out are also being experienced by clubs other than ours.

With no visitors to introduce, PP Vic Austria (filling in as emcee for PP Ed Mijares) accepted our birthday greetings, the other birthday celebrant PP Pabling Calma (on the 15th) not being on hand. Launching into Committee Reports, PP Vic then proceeded to mention a Club Sisterhood under discussion with RC Guam, whose President is his client.

PP Boy Sevilla discussed the Feb 4-5 trip to the Aetas community in Botolan, subject to confirmation by RC Makati Dasmariñas who will join the trip and provide doctors and nurses. Special acknowledgments were given to PP Bert Lingad, who is sponsoring Noel Dumulot, expected to be the first Aeta lawyer, for his bar review at UP; and to PP Joe Reaño (now affiliated with DA) for his efforts to improve agricultural productivity in the Pinatubo area.

In his President’s message, President Archie Reaño cited two Past Presidents we had not seen in a while – PP Boy Ampil for attending last week after a long absence, and PP Toti Herbosa who has now attended two meetings in a row. He also added that PP Ato and PP Roger will talk with Rtn. Chris Bellinger regarding the “leadership vacuum” situation.

Besides the Botolan visit, other important dates include:

• Jan 26th, the 4th leg of the Governors’ Cup golf tournament, at Summit Point Lipa. He mentioned also PP Donnies Alas’ 3rd place finish in Class B, at the 3rd leg which we sponsored.
• March 16-17th, the District Conference, a 2-day event where we are expected to take one table of 10-12 persons, a step up from the 5 who have already registered from our Club.
• May 2nd, our Charter Anniversary. We are encouraged to invite former and lapsed members.
• May 6th to 9th, the Rotary International Convention in Bangkok. Betty has already posted in our e-group the web site where to register.
• July 18th, our 40th induction.

President Archie also mentioned that we are still accepting donations to the Sendong victims which will be sent directly to the affected areas.

PP Karl McLean then introduced well-known journalist Cito Beltran, the only man who has ever drunk him under the table with San Mig Light. Cito is a columnist for the Philippine Star who was previously on television with ANC.

Many of us were looking forward to hearing from this “worthy son of an outstanding journalist” (in the words of PP Roger) and he did not disappoint, giving us a deeply personal sharing of his recent experiences over the Christmas holidays.

As a born-again Christian, Cito dislikes how commercial Christmas has become in the Philippines. Learning of the Sendong disasters, he wanted to do something more to help the victims than merely sending old clothes and cash. However, not being a “professional volunteer” with an organization behind him, he didn’t know how. But a chance encounter with Sister Eden from the Sisters of St. Paul who was on her way to Cagayan de Oro led him to a quick decision to fly out with her the next day, December 23rd. There were several additional chance encounters recounted by Cito, with generous people giving money and gifts for them to bring to the victims (e.g. a stuffed toy given by a child who had just received it, an OFW with two chocolate bars). To paraphrase Cito, when you go forward, God will send people to help you, and there will be divine opportunities.

Another theme in Cito’s narration was how serious the damage was, for which he has coined the phrase “atomic (water) bomb” in an attempt to convey to those of us who haven’t seen it the sheer intensity and extent of the devastation. He talked about bridges being washed away by the force of onrushing waters, unusual in that these were bridges over roads and not over rivers. He talked about the combined power of loose logs and water to break down structures. He advised us not to get into our cars during strong flood surges, as some newer cars are now designed to automatically lower the windows when hit hard from the side, and many people drowned that way.

The damage was particularly severe, he said, in Iligan, which needs help even more than Cagayan de Oro.

Cito also mentioned some people who through their thoughtlessness might have contributed to the casualties. One was a large home in a walled-in compound which blocked the exit to safety for many of their neighbours. He mentioned the parallels between SM (during Ondoy) and the condos built along the riverbanks of Cagayan de Oro as contributors to the funnelling of water into a larger force. He also mentioned that while people from Manila were converging on Cagayan to help, the rich residents there were continuing their ways of playing tennis and going to bars.

But Cito spent more time giving credit to those who were doing good work. The Sisters of St. Paul are very trustworthy. Xavier University is doing a very good job. Others who are doing good work include Vice Admiral Pama of the Philippine Navy and Secretary Dinky Soliman of DSWD who was personally in the thick of things. He credits even the Philippine Mines and Environmental Safety Group with whom he is normally on opposite sides of the mining debate.

Finally, Cito shared with us some thoughts on how the will to act and individual leadership he observed in many during his trip might help us with our own “crisis of leadership” in RCMN.