Christmas Message: There is something good in this world and it's worth fighting for

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
December 10, 2011
Christmas Party with the Anns

This is it! It's Christmas time indeed.

As we all know, "Christ" in Christmas refers to Jesus Christ. We celebrate his birth on December 25 of every year. The Philippines is one of the two countries in Asia who celebrate Christmas not just as a national holiday but as a full season.

But what does Christmas mean to us today outside of gifts we give, the bonuses we pay out or receive, the carolers on the streets and the Christmas lights that we see all around the city?

QC Rotarian's Archivist Brother Reclaim Two Silent PH Films ‘Pirated’ by US; Film Fest Opens Aug 26

Featured archivist Teddy Co is the younger brother of  PP Andy Co of the Rotary Club of Sto Domingo QC. Support of Rotarians to this endeavor in whatever way possibly would be greatly appreciated by the Rotary Club of Sto Domingo QC. This is an endeavor that upholds Filipino art and culture.

This article appeared in the front page of Inquirer on August 26, 2011

Archivists reclaim 2 silent PH films ‘pirated’ by US; film fest opens Friday

Bayani San Diego Jr of the the Philippine Daily Inquirer writes: For years, members of the Society of Filipino Archivists for Film (Sofia) have been investigating whether an American B-movie titled “Brides of Sulu,” released in 1934, was actually two Filipino silent films “reedited and assembled together.”

Sofia member Teddy Co likened it to solving a jigsaw puzzle where “almost all of the pieces are already there.”

After painstaking research that bordered on detective work, Co and colleague Dr. Marti Magsanoc believe they have established a connection between “Brides” and Filipino prewar films “Moro Pirates” and “Princess Tarhata,” both produced in 1931.

Click this to read the full article at Inquirer.net

West Valley Fault System: It's closer than we think

General Elmo San Diego (Ret), Head of the Department of Public Order and Safety of the Quezon City Government, did not mince words about the grave danger posed by the West Valley Fault System that runs underneath the streets, houses, and backyards of Metro Manila residents. The Fault is capable of causing an Intensity 7 earthquake. Even hospitals are expected to crumble to the ground and the open spaces of QC would be reserved for emergencies. It would be a terrible day for the Head of his department when that day comes, he said.

Gen Elmo San Diego, Head of the Department of Public Order and Safety of Quezon City, spoke in front of Rotarians on Aug 16, 2011

San Diego spoke to around 50 Rotarians on Aug 16, 2011 about the burning issues that confronted his department. This was on the occasion of the Joint Club Meeting among the Rotary Club of Sto Domingo QC, Rotary Club of Kamuning, Rotary Club of Dilman Central, Rotary Club of Kamuning East and the Rotary Club of St. Ignatius. San Diego comes from the Rotary Club of Kamuning.

The Creation of Quezon City

A Research and Compilation by former City Councilor Alberto M. Galarpe

Manuel L. Quezon
2nd President of the Philippines and 1st Mayor of Quezon City
Photo from Wikipedia

On September 2, 1939, Assemblyman Ramon P. Mitra of the 2nd District of Mountain Province stood before the National Assembly with a bill proposing the creation of a capital city in the country. The bill could have been approved easily but Mitra wanted it named Balintawak or Andres Bonfacio City for historical reasons.

Two assemblymen from Pangasinan, Narciso Ramos, the father of former President Fidel V. Ramos, and Eugenio Perez, teamed up to delay the passage of the bill so that a more appropriate name could be selected. When the matter was bought to Malacañang, President Manuel L. Quezon called a group for reaction. Quezon preferred to have the capital city named Harrison City after the former American Governor-General of the Philippines. Another suggestion was Taft City in honor of the first Civil Governor of the Philippines. However, Don Alejandro Roces, Sr., the person closest to President Quezon, said “Let us call it Quezon City”. Quezon reacted by saying, “Why can’t you people wait until I’m dead before you name anything after me?” But the decision was unanimous for which Quezon just smiled.

The Joint Club Meeting was a Huge Success

The Joint Club Meeting among RC Sto Domingo, RC Kamuning, RC Dilman Central, RC Kamuning East and RC St. Ignatius on August 16, 2011 was a success. More than 50 Rotarians were present during the Joint Meeting.

During this event, Gen Elmo San Diego gave a very enlightening talk about the burning issues about traffic violations, colorum tricycles, tri-sikads, and prosecution of errant traffic enforcers. Then he focused on what he considered was a very real, yet often downplayed, threat of the West Valley Fault System.

Additional details and photos in succeeding posts. Stay tuned.

The Creation of Rotary (in the Philippines)

A compilation of facts about Rotary
by PP Bert Galarpe* of RC Sto. Domingo, Q.C., RI District 3780

Paul Harris

The first Rotary Club in the world was organized in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. A. on 23 February, 1905 by Paul Harris, a young lawyer, who gathered together in a spirit of friendship and understanding, a group of men, each of whom was engage in a different form of service to the public. That basis of membership – one man from each business and profession in the community – still exist in Rotary. At first, the members of the new club met in rotation at various places of business of the members and this suggested the name “Rotary”.

Since 1905, the ideas of Paul Harris and his friends have become ideals which have been accepted by men of practically all nationalities and of many political and religious beliefs. Today there are Rotary clubs in Austria and America Samoa, in Brazil and Brunei, in India and Italy, Scotland and South Africa – in some 168 countries and 36 geographical regions. The universal acceptance of Rotary principles has been great that as of July 2000 it has a global membership of 32, 317 Rotary clubs, 528 Rotary Districts and 1.206, 670 million Rotarians in 168 countries worldwide.

Rotary Club of Sto Domingo QC To Host Aug 16 Joint Meeting

The Rotary Club of Sto Domingo will be hosting a Joint Meeting among four RI District 3780 clubs on August 16, 2011 at 7:30pm at Serye Cafe Filipino QMC (see map and directions below).

This Joint Meeting is organized primarily to give audience to Gen Elmo San Diego, Head of the Department of Public Order and Safety of Quezon City. San Diego will talk about the burning issues that his department is facing today. San Diego is a Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Kamuning.

The New Rotary Year Begins

‘Reach Within to Embrace Humanity’ is 2011-12 RI theme

Joseph Derr of Rotary International News writes: Banerjee emphasized the family as a starting point in serving others. "The communities we live in are not built of individual people but of families -- families living in homes together, sharing their lives and their resources and their common destinies. Good families lead to good neighborhoods, and good neighborhoods build good communities."

Rotary Theme 2011 from Rotary International on Vimeo.