DISTRICT GOVERNOR EMMA “EMS” NAVA VISITS RC ROXAS

District Governor Emma Nava of RI District 3850 for Rotary Year 2008-2009 will visit the Rotary Club of Roxas today. She arrived yesterday afternoon from Kalibo after her visit to the two Rotary Clubs of Aklan. She was accompanied by Zone 4 Assistant District Governor Carmelo “Mel” Deslate, who is incidentally a past president the Rotary Club of Roxas.
Governor Ems was met by the Rotary Club of Roxas headed by President Pip Acepcion at the Roxas City Arch in Barangay Baliwagan yesterday afternoon.
DG Ems with AG Mel , PP Reubin, President Pip, Director Leah, Assistant Director Bonnie and PP Mark with the welcome banner.
The district governor is set to visit the Rotary Club of Roxas during the club assembly at 6:45 PM today at the Rotary Center. Part of her itinerary is to visit the newly renovated day care center in Barangay Baybay, the mangrove reforestation area in Barangay Punta Cogon, and Olotayan Island, the proposed beneficiary of the PISO Project.
Members of RC Roxas during their relief operations in Olotayan; below, Rotarians Lovelle, Jo and Leah trying to navigate their way to Barangay Punta Cogon at the aftermath of typhoon Frank.
RC Roxas, together with Save Olotayan Foundation is also set to distribute school supplies to the elementary school students of Barangay Olotayan. The island is the lone island barangay of the City and was severely affected at the aftermath of Typhoon Frank. More than 95% of the houses were damaged, including their school. Presently, search and rescue operations are being done in the area for sunken fishing boats. Ninety one people remain missing as of this writing.

ABS-CBN ROXAS SAGIP KAPAMILYA DONATES 350 BOTTLES OF DISTILLED WATER TO RC ROXAS

ABS-CBN Roxas Manager Joanne Dadivas turned over 350 6-liter bottles of Wilkin’s distilled water to RC Roxas for the club’s relief operation in Aklan in a simple ceremonies at the Rotary Center. This is part of agip Kapamilya operations of the station in Panay Island. The goods were received by President Pip Acepcion and were immediately brought to Aklan for distribution through the Rotary Clubs of Kalibo and Metro Kalibo.
President Pip Acepcion formally acknowledging donations of ABSCBN Sagip Kapamilya from ABSCBN Manager Rtn Joanne Dadivas.
The bottles of water were turned over to President Megs Lunn of RC Kalibo and President Rod Solidum of RC Metro Kalibo during the former’s Induction at the Kalibo Rotary Center last Saturday.
The Rotary Club of Roxas has been an active partner of both Rotary Clubs in sending out help to the people of Aklan immediately after the destructions of the recent super typhoon.

PROJECT “LAPIS KAG PAPEL” CONDUCTED

564 students from four different elementary schools in the City were given free notebooks and pencils as part of the disaster rehabilitation program of the Rotary Club of Roxas. The activity was the brainchild of newly inducted Rotarian Chief Inspector Pancho dela Cruz of the Bureau of Fire Protection, and was spearheaded by Dr. Leah del Rosario, director for the club’s service projects.
Grades 1 and 2 pupils from Talon Elementary School, Punta Cogon Elementary School, Barra Elementary School and Libas Elementary School were identified beneficiaries, them being one of the hardest hit areas in the City of the recent super typhoon. It is also at these grade levels that the highest drop-outs are reported due to lack of food and school supplies.
In Barangay Talon, school structures remain dilapidated and the school principal voiced concerns on the lack of proper nutrition among her students. Many of them are reportedly going to school without food. The principal of Barangay Punta Cogon on the otherhand has resorted to asking for used notebooks from other better off public schools in the city to augment the lack of supplies in her area.
The Rotary Club of Roxas has sourced out funds from the donations extended for the relief operations after typhoon Frank. The club, however, wishes to extend more help by organizing feeding programs and facilitating sustainable livelihood to depressed areas in the City.

32nd National Milo Marathon Elimination Held in Roxas City

The Rotary Club of Roxas hosted for the fourth straight year the National Milo Marathon Elimination in Roxas City last Sunday, July 13, 2008. Even just a few weeks following the onslaught of the super typhoon, the club was able to muster 6,704 runners to run the 3K, 5K and 21K races. Past President and Protocol Officer Mark Ortiz was the club’s over all coordinator for the event.
Mayor Bermejo firing the starting gun with Pres Pip and a Nestle official
Roxas City Mayor Vicente “Vic” Bermejo fired the starting gun at exactly 6 o’clock in the morning beside the Roxas City Hall at the City Plaza.
21K winner Rene Desuyo at the top with Mayor Bermejo, PP MArk Ortiz, Pres Pip and a Nestle official
Rene Desuyo of Bago City, Negros Occidental won the 21-kilometer elimination for males, while Hanny Jean Delfin, a native of Roxas City, won the 21K elimination for women. Both, together with the other top 3 contenders will compete in the marathon finals on November 30 in Metro Manila.
One of the highlights of the marathon is the cheering competition for elementary and secondary schools. This year, Culasi Elementary School bested 6 other elementary schools in the City while, Tanque National High School bested the Filamer Christian College in the secondary schools competition. Judges in this years cheering competition were Rotarian Doctors Leah del Rosario, Cherry Anne Distor and Richie Olandres.
Judges of the cheering competition
The Capiz National High School won this year’s biggest delegation awards.
The awarding ceremonies were held at the Roxas City band stand with Mayor Bermejo, PP Mark Ortiz, RC Roxas President Pip Acepcion and Nestle officials headed by AVP Pat Goc-ong.
This yearly Milo Marathon is a continued partnership between Nestle and the Rotary Club of Roxas as part of the club’s avenue of vocational service.

FIRST SECTIONAL SEMINAR HELD

The Rotary Club of Roxas was able to muster the first ever sectional seminar on addressing the issue of child mortality just before the induction and turn-over ceremonies.
It was a luncheon symposium held at the Provincial Health Office Conference Room attended by members of the Rotary Clubs of Roxas, Metro Roxas, Metro Roxas Central, and Kalibo. Several Municipal Health Officers were also in attendance. There was a very good exchange of ideas among the participants with our resource person Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan.

45TH INDUCTION OF OFFICERS AND TURN OVER CEREMONIES HELD

The 45th Induction and Turn-Over Ceremonies were held last July 5, 2008 in a formal ceremony at the Hall of Governors. The affair was very well attended by other Rotary Clubs in the City as well as from Aklan, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental.
Rotary VIPs who graced the occasion were Past District Governor Phil Abello, who was inducting officer the night, Assistant District Governor Dr. Carmelo Deslate, District Secretary Bill dela Fuente, Past President and District Officer Louie Gonzaga, District Director for Fellowship and President of RC Kalibo Megs Lunn, President of RC Metro Kalibo Rod Solidum, President of RC Central Iloilo Richard Angeles, President Nonoy Contreras of RC Metro Roxas, and President Chit Noche of RC Metro Roxas Central.
Guest of Honor, former Health Secretary Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan delved on the thrust of the Rotary International President DK Lee of reducing Under 5 mortalities. He stressed the point that Rotarians in Region 6 should take extra effort in improving maternal health through health education inorder to lower infant mortalities. The region is incidentally on the red line as far as infant mortalities are concerned, which is above the 40% national average.
The Rotarians and guests partied ‘til the wee hours of the morning, enjoying each others fellowship. With overflowing drinks, some jammed with the live band and even extended the party at the Chill bar, owned and managed by Rotarian Rey Fuentes where people sang their hearts out in a very lively videoke party until 4 AM the next day!
The Rotary Club of Roxas is definitely off with a big bang and hopefully will be together in their pursuit of making dreams real for the children of the world.

RC ROXAS MEMBERSHIP NOW 41

Ten new young and quality members of varied professional classifications were inducted to the Rotary Club of Roxas during the 45th Induction and Turn-Over Ceremonies held last July 5, 2008 at the Hall of Governor’s of the Capiz Provincial Capitol. This makes the clubs membership grow to 41 which, according to President Pip Acepcion, is past their quota for 2009.
The new members inducted include Board Member Raymund Locsin of the 1st District of Capiz, pediatrician allergologist/immunologist Dr. Cherry Anne Distor, , Petroleum distributor and the son or past district governor Gabi Viterbo Mr. Mati Viterbo, pediatric orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richie Olandres, Printing Press Owner and Manager Mr. Raymund Malapajo, Chief Superintendent Pancho de la Cruz of the Bureau of Fire Protection, Printing Press Part Owners and Manager Gabi Ignacio and Trina Almalbis-Ignacio, brilliant young and upcoming lawyer Atty. Albert Potato, and Insurance Company Manager Mr. Gudz Gudin.They were inducted by President Pip Acepcion, as his first official responsibility for his term. The charging of new members were done by no less than the District Secretary Bill de la Fuente