To be honest, I joined Rotary by accident. I was just invited for lunch, and before I knew it, I was being inducted the very same day! But looking back, I truly believe it was a beautiful accident...

To be honest, I joined Rotary by accident. I was just invited for lunch, and before I knew it, I was being inducted the very same day! But looking back, I truly believe it was a beautiful accident.

At first, I didn't know much about Rotary. But as I started attending meetings, joining service projects, and building friendships with people who genuinely care, I felt something shift. I slowly fell in love—with the purpose, the passion, and the people. I got hooked. That little spark to serve became a steady flame in my heart.

Rotary gave me not just a platform to serve, but a deeper sense of purpose. It inspired me to do more, give more, and be more. That's why I committed to doing my best—not just to be a member, but to be of true value to the club, to the people we serve, and to the community we're part of. Joining Rotary wasn't planned, but it turned out to be one of the most meaningful decisions of my life.

I was invited by CP Luz to join Rotary. With lots of prodding from friends, RCMF was born August 4, 1999. I was a reluctant President then, but the success of humanitarian projects, friendship and more made me stay...

I was invited by CP Luz, joining Rotary is actually by invitation. She was still with the Rotary club of his brother, Eli Gardiner, the RC of Pasay North D3810. By 1999, the district had 113 clubs with more than 4500 Rotarians, and was the biggest in the country and in the world.

The Rotary International Board approved in June 1998 the redistricting plan to create District 3830. The redistricting was effective July 1, 1999, which released the cities of Makati, Paranaque, Muntinlupa, Las Pinas, the towns of Taguig and Pateros and the province of Palawan.

With lots of prodding from various CP Luz' friends, RCMF was born August 4, 1999. And the rest is history.

Same with you, I was a reluctant President then, but the success of series of humanitarian projects, friendship and a lot more, that sometimes beyond comprehension and cannot be explained, all of these made me stay.

I was invited by my schoolmates CP Luz Pacifico and PP Des Gurne to join as a charter member of RCMF. I've been with this RELEVANT CLUB for the last 26 years and still counting...

I was invited by my schoolmates CP Luz Pacifico and PP Des Gurne to join a new club in the new Rotary District 3830. They briefed me on what Rotary is all about. I was already Chairman of the Board of Fortune Star Construction and Development Corporation, and I was thinking of joining a relevant civic organization that serves communities. Hearing about Rotary from them, I did not hesitate and joined as a charter member of RCMF. I've been with this RELEVANT CLUB for the last 26 years and still counting.

In this club I learned that we can help more by pooling our time, talent and limited treasure to have meaningful, inspiring and relevant projects in poor communities. As early as our first year, we learned to tap resources through the RI FOUNDATION and the MATCHING GRANT, now known as GLOBAL GRANT.

These meaningful projects—SERVING the less privileged members of our adopted communities—INSPIRE ME to continue being a ROTARIAN. Now I can relate TWO GREAT ORGANIZATIONS: WHEN I WAS YOUNG, the BOY SCOUTING MOVEMENT whose MOTTO is "BE PREPARED" (LAGING HANDA) and the SLOGAN "DO A GOOD TURN DAILY" (GUMAWA NG MABUTI ARAW-ARAW). NOW: AS A ROTARIAN OUR SLOGAN IS "SERVICE ABOVE SELF". ONCE A BOY SCOUT ALWAYS A BOY SCOUT. ONCE A ROTARIAN ALWAYS A ROTARIAN. These two great organizations founded on serving others will continue to live long after we are gone.