D3830 GOVERNORSHIP ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
By DGE SID G. GARCIA
March 21, 2009
Past Rotary International President Raja Saboo & spouse Usha, Real Good Gov. Boyet Limon, Past Rotary International Director Paing Hechanova and spouse Mely, my fellow District Governors, my Smiling Visionary Presidents, all incoming visionary District Team Leaders, and of course my fellow Rotarians, Good Afternoon!
Let me begin by congratulating our hard-working Real Good Governor Boyet Limon for an outstanding District Conference. Let’s all give him a big hand! Truly Governor Boyet has had an outstanding year. Let us continue to support him in the next few months so together we attain the goals he has set for our District.
As I take on the leadership of this District a few months from now, three things come into my mind – these three things I feel at this very moment:
First, I am humbled – for you have chosen me to be your leader for this coming rotary year. It is not an easy task but I pledge to do my best. Thank you for the honor and privilege to serve as your District Governor. Yes, I shall be your leader but much more than that I shall be your servant leader.
Second, I am challenged – because we are in the midst of a global financial crisis. Everyday we read in the newspapers and see on television of the many people losing their jobs and companies closing down. It is during this crisis that I say it is the best time to be a Rotarian. Now is the time for Rotarians to rise to the challenge in providing more humanitarian services to the communities we serve. Yes, now more than ever, we need to show that we truly care. We need to show that we as Rotarians, united and bounded, can do more service to our communities. Let us shine and show our communities and the world that Rotary International is the foremost humanitarian organization in the world.
Third, I am also encouraged – because of the tremendous and overwhelming support all of you have given me: the Past Presidents, the District Officers, the college of Philippine Governors; all of you have said “We will support you!,” “Don’t worry, we will be there!” Most of all, I am encouraged by the all-out support I get from my Smiling Visionary Presidents and District Officers!
WALK THE TALK
Last January 20, 2009 I was in San Diego, U.S.A to attend the so called “boot camp of Rotary Governors”. In one of the plenary sessions I had the opportunity of listening intently to the message of Past Rotary International President Raja Saboo. In his message he encouraged us during this time of crisis not only to provide humanitarian service but to stand up and walk the talk –—to live the four way test in our daily lives.
He called on us to live the four way test in the way we “say, think and do things.” He called on us to promote the practice of high ethical standards in the exercise of our profession and to be the best you can be in your profession or business.
That my fellow Rotarians is the challenge that our PRIP Raja Saboo has given us. I call on each one of you to take up this challenge to heart.
PASSING THE BATON
Many, many moons ago or shall I say many, many years ago, back when I was still in High School, I was part of the track and field team. I used to run the 800 meters, the 1500 meters, the 3000 meters; and the 4 × 400 meters relay. To succeed in track and field, I knew one had to be consistent and focused. And on the 4 × 400 meters relay, you need to build on the success of each individual runner while passing and receiving the baton.
I mentioned this because unlike the 4 × 400 meters relay event, Rotary work is a never ending race. But like the 4 × 400 meter relay, Rotary service is about passing the baton to your team mate. Governor Boyet has done an outstanding job. Governor Ato has done so as well and so have the previous governors. So a few months from now, the baton shall be passed to me together with the Smiling Visionary Presidents and my district team and we will endeavor to do our very best to provide greater humanitarian service during our year.
PROMOTE ROTARY EMPHASES IN OUR COMMUNITIES
This rotary year we will not introduce new programs. We have so many good things going for us. For instance under the 2007-2010 R.I. Emphases we need to continue greater work in the areas of water and sanitation. We need to provide water to communities who have none. We need to do projects to promote clean water and sanitation and thus reduce water-borne diseases especially among the children.
In the area of health and hunger we need effective programs to lick the problem of malnutrition. We will likewise promote wellness among the youth and in the communities we serve. Equally as important, we will promote wellness among each of us Rotarians for how can we serve well if we ourselves are not healthy?
We will push ahead with the many good thrusts of the district such as combating diseases like tuberculosis, dengue, cholera, and malaria. We will intensify the battle against child mortality that we are pushing hard this year and we shall do so in cooperation with local health centers, the department of health, and the world health organization.
In the area of literacy and education we shall promote closer partnership with the local governments and the Department of Education. We will also promote functional literacy among the youth and out of school.
PROMOTE DISTRICT PARTNERSHIPS
My dear Rotarians, we have so many partners in the district and we shall work hand in hand with them this rotary year. We have tapped so many government and non-government organizations as our partners such as Gawad Kalinga for Community Building, the Department of Health for the Adopt A School Program, the World Health Organization for disease control and nutrition, and the Philippine National Red Cross on disaster preparedness and assistance. Moreover, we will have closer cooperation with the various cities in the district such as those in Makati, Paranaque, Taguig, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, and Puerto Princesa.
We will continue to promote the many good environmental projects that the present leadership is doing such as save the Pasig River, save the Laguna Lake, and save the Parañaque River.
ADOPT A COMMUNITY
For Rotary to remain relevant and meaningful, each club is encouraged to adopt a community and organize a rotary community Corp. I have noticed over the years that some clubs have yet to adopt a community. I thus call on all clubs of my Smiling Visionary Presidents to adopt a community and make a commitment to stay there for the next 2 to 3 years in order that we can make meaningful changes and contributions in these communities.
SUPPORT THE ROTARY FOUNDATION AND END POLIO CAMPAIGN
In order to give more and to provide more for the poor, our District must remain strong in its commitment to the Rotary Foundation. I shall ask all of you to continue to promote the “Every Rotarian, Every Year Program.” Simply put, in the words of PRIP Raja – “We must not rely on a few people to support the Foundation, we must ask each one of you to commit a hundred dollars each so that in the end we will attain the per capita contribution of every Rotarian in every club.”
We are so grateful to have among us Past Rotary International Director Paing Hechanova as we honor his generosity today for he has given 100K US Dollars for this rotary year as contribution to the “End the Polio Program”. I would like to thank and honor Paing and Mely for their kind gesture.
As you all know, as PRIP Raja Saboo said, polio started in the Philippines and it was in 2005 that we pledged to end polio. So my fellow Rotarians, let us support and end polio worldwide with our financial assistance.
WE NEED STRONGER CLUBS
To do all of these and much more, it is important that clubs become strong and committed. I have always believed that adequate information & education is the key to more committed Rotarians. To attain this goal, we will mobilize the Rotary Academy and the Rotary Institute to intensify Rotary education among the members of the clubs. In doing so we will have more committed Rotarians. Hopefully we will have more members who will stay longer with us and do greater service to the communities.
THE FUTURE OF ROTARY
I would like to invite you to journey with me so that this Rotary year can be a great year for us. Finally, let me end quoting from my president, Incoming Rotary International President John Kenney, when he talked to us on claiming the future of Rotary and I quote:
“Because the future of Rotary will not be shaped at the R.I Head Quarters in Evanston, it will be shaped in each and every club because it is for each of us, as Rotarians, to do what is necessary to keep Rotary strong – because it is in our daily actions and in our daily decisions that determine the course of Rotary for all of us.”
Truly, the future of Rotary is in our hands. Thank you.
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