|
Jan. 5, 2000 |
|
What Are We in Power
For?
By
Dennis O. Valdés
Welcome to the 1st RCMA meeting of the new millennium!
Now before the mathematicians in the club jump all over that statement and quibble about
the actual start of the 21st century let me just say that I am simply following the
popular sentiment that a new millennium has started. Besides, hasn’t our calendar
odometer rolled over from 1999 to 2000?
As I always do in this column, I’d like to start with a brief
review of what has happened since our last RCMA meeting. Well that meeting was a blast
because it was our Christmas Party and Q4 Birthday Bash all rolled into one. Everyone
commented that the party was so cool, hosted by Club Service B Director Eugene Go, his
ever-so-
organized Ann Leni and my own wife, First Lady Tessa. As I mentioned during the party, my
wife is a real A-S-S-E-T, which happens to be her name spelled backwards.
The food got especially high marks. Everyone was commenting to me
earlier that week that it would be difficult, if not impossible to match the Via Mare
catering laid on by Dir. Dong Rosal and his Ann Linda at the previous year’s
Christmas Party. Well, thanks to the big three mentioned above, the combination of
Elar’s lechon and Ellie’s
roasted calf met the challenge.
A big “Thanks!” to all the RCMA’ers who came, double
“Thanks!” to those that brought their Anns and triple (etc.) “Thanks!”
to those that brought their kids. Your presence made the event! Special mention goes to
the very casual Baby Rotarian Tristan Choa, whose green silk bathrobe will never be
forgotten. Also to Baby Rotarian George Lagos who brought the entire gang, fresh off the
plane from
Singapore, Dir. Eugene, who brought Dan and Gregory, etc., etc.
The quote of the evening will forever be Tristan’s, as he tried to guess the father
one of the kids by saying, “Well, you look like an intelligent boy, and that is
usually the opposite of the father, so your Dad must be … Alvin!” Clearly the
irreverent atmosphere in the club that PP Coch Cochingyan fostered has taken root.
The Christmas Party was the last RCMA event of the previous decade,
century and millennium. What a thought.
Now that we are firmly into Y2K territory, we need to really start
thinking of RCMA 2000 – building on this magazine’s title of Pagkakaisa 2000.
If all goes according to plan, today we should be inducting our 19th
and 20th new members for RY 1999-2000. Welcome to PP Sammy Tanchoco and Bet-bet Espiritu.
PP Sammy actually retired from the club about two years ago. Last December, he led the
medical team at our Barangay Calabuso Medical Mission and graced us with his presence at
our Christmas Party. Upon the invitation of several directors, notably Sec. Alvin Co, PP
Sammy has decided to rejoin us as a Senior Active Member.
In the case of Bet-bet, this is probably the third time I am welcoming
him to the club in this column. Bet may have set a record for the most time elapsed from
eligibility to join and actual Induction. Interestingly, as I am actually writing this
column in December, there’s a possibility that I might yet have another chance to
welcome Bet in a future column, assuming the Induction is delayed.
I have to apologize to all because I will be leaving tonight for Paris,
for a long-delayed buying expedition with Tessa to furnish our house. From there, we move
to New York to attend a wedding on the 22nd. If all goes according to plan, we will be
back on January 30.
This does mean that I will miss 2 RCMA meetings, the RGFFP Golf Tournament in Baguio and
the District 3830 Mid Year Review. Fear not. RCMA is more than adequately covered to deal
with my absence.
In fact, “covered” is the perfect word because in my absence,
Insurance Czar and President Elect Paul Chuatico will be taking over the ringing of the
bell and other seemingly important duties that I do up on the stage each Wednesday
morning. Here’s a quick look at what to expect over the next 3 weeks:
January 12 – Club Assembly. RGFFP Planning Meeting.
January 15-16 – District 3830 Mid Year Review.
January 18-23 – Rotary Golf Fellowship Foundation of the Philippines Golf
Tournament. Baguio City.
January 19 – No Meeting.
January 26 – Back to Manila Golf with Guest Speaker. Tentative schedule is for
Tourism Undersecretary Ram Antonio.
How about the Mid Year Review? (No doubt the Past Presidents are
gasping – this is one of the highlights of the Presidential Experience and should NOT
be missed!) Well, I had a talk with Gov. Guiller Tumangan already about this at the
Millennium District Christmas Party last year. His advice was to send Sec. Alvin, which is
perfect because I hope the experience will leave him with a thirst for the Presidency that
can only be quenched by his ascension to the position in RY 2002-2203. To ease
Alvin’s distress at having to present RCMA’s accomplishments for the past year
to my classmates and fellow presidents, I have already prepared all his materials. All he
will have to do is read them properly.
As for the RGFFP, the absence of my “pussy drive” and errant
putting should mean a positive impact towards the team’s performance in Baguio. I
will miss the beautiful, lush fairways and towering pine trees of the new Club John Hay
course. I have always said that it is arguably the most beautiful course in the
Philippines. Does that sound like hyperbole? Well, I’m sure we can debate that topic
no end upon my return from New York. For now, do enjoy our first breakfast of the new
Millennium. You’ll be happy to know that the breakfast is here on time because it is
Y2K Compliant. Cheers
and see you all soon. |
|
|
