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Ang Magiting » The Week That Was

"As We Continue to be Your Servants”.

By: Sec. Bob Hecks
August 12, 2009


It was a well-attended meeting, partly because of the many guests, some of whom were attendant on our most unusual two guest speakers. We also hosted Michelle Bellinger and our Gawad Kalinga partner Bobon Topacio. It was also a very full and active meeting with several Committee Announcements. And Dan Villanueva showed up after a lengthy absence from our regular weekly meetings.

In his invocation, Ariel Rivera asked God’s help in being better family men, “as we present ourselves to others as we continue to be your servants”.

PP Ed Mijares provided us with two most unusual guest speakers. He and a representative of Sen. Manny Villar’s “Sagip OFW Helpline” were on hand in Cairo, Egypt when two Filipino prisoners were released from Egyptian jails after serving a 20-year sentence for involvement with drug trafficking. “They were very young at the time,” said PP Ed. Certainly they did not look or sound like criminal types. They returned to the wreckage of their lives, movingly expressed. An interesting spin-off – they now speak several languages. But the low points were near-suicide. Now, “I need help to be a father to my son,” said Paterno Fabuna. PP Porong Herrera offered to help both men through Red Cross.

There’s another “Le Cabaret” coming up on Saturday, September 12th, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Michelle Bellinger provided the details, distributed flyers, and asked us to attend. The event is again in support of “Operation Smile” which corrects hare-lip deformities, especially in children. Tickets from 0927-383-9517 or mmgtheatre@gmail.com.

“I am really happy with RCMN and have met some great people and friends here.” This quote is from PE Mac McLean in the “Getting to Know You Better” page in ‘Ang Magiting’ last week. PE Mac is being active in several projects in RCMN at present, particularly in our Gawad Kalinga “Ave Maria” village at Tanay, Rizal. Mac asked us to be at our Tanay site on Saturday August 29th for some more constructive activities.

Appropriately, our meeting was attended by Bobon Topacio, our GK partner, who reminded us of our commitments at “Ave Maria” and urged us to do even more. Helpfully, he told us about a fund-raising golf event at Valley Golf, Cainta on 16th September (Wednesday) and asked us to sponsor the first hole and provide some raffle prizes. “We are proud and happy to have the Rotary Club of Makati North on our side,” he said.