I'M YOUR PUBLIC RELATIONS GUY

As public relations guy, I regularly come up with news items, essays and editorials....here are three of my outputs for the Rotary Club:

ROTARY WELCOMES HOME JOSIE MONTES

by

Raul Phillip Gatal

Rotary Club of Tagbilaran scored another triumph when its GSE nominee Ms. Josie Marfe Montes, the DILG LGOO of the Municipality of Calape, returned home recently after successfully completing a very memorable month- long Rotary Foundation GSE trip that took her to the United States last summer.

That's me taking the photo of Josie . The three other ladies
are Lanie Pasok, Maricel Madrona & Butching Gango

Miss Montes, together with a lawyer, a dentist, and a law professor, was chosen from hundreds of nominees from all over the Visayas to compose this year’s team headed by Rtn. Edgar Chiongbian to participate in the annual Rotary Foundation’s Group Study Exchange (GSE) program. 

It is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young business and professional men and women between ages 25 and 40 years old who are in their initial years of professional life. The program provides travel grants for teams to exchange visits in paired areas of different countries. Team members experience the host country's culture and institutions, observe how their vocations are practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas.

The District 3860 Visayas team travelled to the states of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York to observe the diversity of the American culture, vocational orientation and interact with Rotarians. Their trip was highlighted with their participation in a Rotary District Conference

At present, Josie is the Calape Local
Govt.  Operations Officer 

Ms. Montes intimated that it was a grueling yet enriching learning experience that has given her a broader outlook and fresher perspective.

It was also an opportunity to showcase to the world the Boholanos’ inherent talent, intelligence, and world- class capability being the only Boholano delegate since the 1990s.

In a related vein, Rotary Club of Tagbilaran President Rtn. Nila Montero revealed that Ms. Montes will be accepting speaking invitations from socio- civic clubs, govt. offices, schools and colleges to discuss and share the learning insights she gained from the GSE exchange.

ROTARY CLUB OF PANGLAO SETS CHARTER DATE

by Raul Phillip Gatal 

The world’s first civic service organization, Rotary International, is expanding in Panglao, Bohol. Local members will receive its Rotary International charter recognition from outgoing Rotary District Governor Leoncio Villa- Abrille on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 at the Alona Kew White Beach Resort, Tawala, Panglao, 6 pm to join RI’s global association of 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.

I'm seated in the middle flanked by my good friends Butching Gango & Nila Montero
during the group photo session and individual close up photos for the club ID's

According to Rtn. Nila Montero & Rtn. Irena Heberer, incoming charter president “ We feel that there is really a need for a Rotary club in Panglao in order to reach out and make a difference in people’s lives.” 

The Rotary Club of Panglao Island, Bohol plans to put up a women’s crisis center as its flagship community project. The club joins Rotary’s global network of volunteers in enhancing their communities and promoting international goodwill through club projects, scholarships, cultural exchanges, and grants for development and humanitarian projects.

The Rotary Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the association, awards millions of dollars each year to worthy projects carried out by clubs and districts working locally and in international partnerships. The Rotary Foundation also sponsors the world’s largest privately funded international scholarships program.

Since 1985, eradicating polio worldwide has been Rotary's top philanthropic goal. Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge is The Rotary Foundation’s response to $355 million in challenge grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for polio eradication efforts. These grants represent a tremendous validation of the approach and success of Rotary’s PolioPlus program.

Founded in Chicago in 1905, Rotary is an organization of business, professional, and community leaders united worldwide to provide humanitarian service and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Rotary clubs meet weekly and are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures and creeds.

FATEFUL JOURNEY TOWARDS CHARTERHOOD

by Raul Phillip Gatal

Tuesdays of the week are supposed to be the regular meeting days of our club, the Rotary Club of Panglao Island, but last Tuesday, May 22, 2012 was not just a regular meeting. It was more than that. It was the day when District Governor- Elect and District Trainer Ed Chiongbian , together with his better half Cely who came not only to orient and to train the new Rotarians but also to see for himself how our group has fared in our bid to become the newest chartered Rotary club in District 3860

Asked individually for our reasons in joining the group, everyone spoke with conviction and sincerity and how we all did gave us immense pride and further sealed our solidarity and sense of camaraderie.

Rtn. Ed Chiongbian must have liked what he saw and heard for he has given us his full assurance of support and words of enlightenment. Indeed, spoken and elucidated to our group the way a father does to his children

Adding a special ingredient to the meeting was the presence o the team from the Rotary Club of Tubigon composed of club president, Special Governor’s Representative AND Assistant Governor for RY 2012- 2013 Grace M. Campo, club secretary Merna Echiverri and their executive secretary Victoria Heyrana

The ball is now in our hands. Let us tighten our grip lest we lose it. Let us keep the momentum going so we can we see the fruition of all the hard work we have all done. 

And as we move along in our fateful journey towards charterhood, let us not lose ourselves along the way and always remember the reasons for all of these; to be able to reach out, to make a big difference and to serve above self ALL done in the spirit of fun and camaraderie