Published in the FilAm Star
Responding to the pandemic situation with creative flexibility, the Global Kalinga eRotary Club (GKeRC) observed its virtual induction ceremonies of its officers and directors on July 25, 2020, Saturday 6:30 PM with tremendous success. GKeRC is one of District Governor 3780 Johnny Gaw Yu's Transforming clubs that is based in Orange County, California.
Rotary is the oldest and most prestigious service club in the world where business and professional leaders are joined to serve for the common good of humanity. These positions of dignity and importance is the highest honor that GKeRC can bestow. Past District Governor 3860 Evelyn Magno inducted the following for the Rotary Year 2020-21:
President - Lino F. Caringal, Jr.
Secretary - Irene Alzate
Treasurer - Jesse James Alunan
Club Information and Administration Director - Immediate Past President Romeo Leonardo Toledo
Rotary Foundation Chair - Past President Art Azarcon
International Service Project Director - Gloria Zubair
Community Service Project Director - Frank Cunanan
Vocational Service Project Director - Minda Medrano
In her inspirational address, PDG Evelyn Magno challenged the club to promote peace, fight disease, support education and grow the local economy. She asked the officers and directors to remember that a Rotarian is someone who dreams big, achieve much, and makes contribution to the entire community. Following the Governor, GKeRC President Lino Caringal, Jr. inducted new Rotarian Leezel Tanglao and President Roche Rigos of the satellite club Philippine Eagle eRotary Club based in the Philippines.
Immediate Past President (IPP) Romeo Leonardo Toledo turned over the gavel to
President Lino F. Caringal, Jr., the symbol of authority, with the Four-Way Test tenets as his guide to wield it righteously, with courage but with humility and compassion. In his acceptance speech, President Caringal lifted the Rotarians to new heights, stressing the need for fresh infusion of young blood, to replicate themselves and gather promising teammates who have the same minds and strong hearts to act on planned projects.
President Caringal outlined the club’s goals, foremost is strong membership,
meaningful projects, partnerships with other clubs and collaboration with foundations and humanitarian organizations. Among those are the Philippine Eagle eRotary Club, SVD Fr. Benigno Beltran’s initiatives to enhance the poor kids’ education in Metro Manila and environmental impact through massive bamboo planting in the Philippines. As the new virtual reality experience is here to stay, he encouraged his fellow Rotarians to connect more, continue to meet via Zoom and have effective productive meetings.
Together, the club will unite with other clubs in the Philippines and United States and work with other philanthropists to implement planned projects for the communities where the unfortunate and needy will experience a dramatic change in their lives. The club will support
the humanitarian project in Southern Philippines, particularly in Davao region. Slowly but surely, this will be the norm to follow, to help change the world one community at a time.
President Caringal edified the members and officers saying that their successes in their respective fields show their own discipline and sense of purpose when collectively harnessed is a potent force that will make possible the success of its projects. In the past, GKeRC has given joy to the poor kids of Rosarito, Mexico, supported Gawad Kalinga housing and livelihood project of Soledad Montilla in Villasis, Pangasinan, provided annually Christmas cheers and lunch to young adults without homes in the city of Orange and completed with flying colors the Cebu medical mission with a group of doctors and nurses during the presidency of Romy Toledo. The array of communities served in various parts of the globe is a testament of the determination, resiliency and vibrance of the club.
It is going to be another exciting year with families and friends working together to achieve the club’s defined goals. “We have only just begun,” he said. One of the things he has learned in the President Elect Training Seminar (PETS) in Los Angeles last February 2020 came from Rotary International (RI) President Holger Knaack who restated this year’s theme Rotary Creates Opportunities. What RI President Knaack meant was that there is an opportunity for people and Rotarians – people like needy kids who need computers as tools for their education, housing for the indigent and water supply pumps in remote
areas of the Philippines. Rotarians will have an opportunity to be a part of an international network of professionals and business leaders as well as an opportunity to pursue a program for the youth to lead them to a more meaningful life.
Just as timely, there is an opportunity to adopt, change and keep what one learns from this current pandemic crisis. There is an opportunity to create. RI President Knaack has said, “be nimble and rethink how we can tackle our projects. We shall grow with new innovative ideas and be more flexible.”
Such is the essence of how we can convert a crisis into an opportunity for us.
The focus is on the need for continued growth by inviting quality leaders and
professionals to strengthen the club to which Director Jesse Alunan alluded to in his closing remarks. President Caringal says, “We can only achieve what our minds can imagine in the next 5 years! What I see from the windows of my eyes are great things to achieve if we work together as one. In unity there is strength. We are Rotarians – the people of action. Yes, we can!”
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