Rotary Club International is more than a century old as a service club that prides in members imbibing the motto, “Service Above Self.”
In the Philippines, there are more than 800 clubs forming different districts among which is District 3790. In the district that covers the provinces from Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Pangasinan, Benguet, Tarlac, Zambales, andPampanga, the clubs of Baguio belong to Area 1 Cluster C comprised of RC Baguio, RC Baguio North, RC Baguio South, RC Metro Baguio, RC Downtown Session, RC Summer Capital, RC Baguio Sunrise, RC Baguio Highlands, and RC La Trinidad (Benguet).
The expanded community quarantine due to the Covid-19 pandemic was an opportunity to mobilize clubs to deliver service to the community in the best ways possible.
As an international organization of dues-paying members, the district received District Grant 2089351, a district response grant DR 105 and Rotarians’ contributions for Cluster 1C that benefitted the areas covered by member clubs.
On May 12, the representatives of the member clubs took the opportunity to gather and turned – over to Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center Director Ricardo Runez, Jr. around 54 boxes of surgical masks; 504 pieces of KN 95 masks; 20 N 95 masks; 180 isolation gowns with cap and bootie; and 80 isolation suits with cover masks.
Assistant Governor Karl Gabaen said the different clubs were to determine the beneficiaries of the personal protective equipment purchased by the district under the leadership of Fr. Andronico Pahed Jr. Included as beneficiaries are the Benguet General Hospital that received nine packs of surgical mask, 56 pieces of KN 95 masks, and 30 sets of isolation gowns with cap and bootie and Bontoc General Hospital that receivedsix packs of surgical masks, 56 pieces of KN 95 masks and 20 isolation gowns with cap and bootie.
The individual clubs and members also contributed to the community and the frontline workers in their own ways.
RCDowntown Session Projects under the leadership of President Mike Tank included relief goods donation to the city government of Baguio in partnership with SANT- NIRANKARI MISSION amounting to more than P180,000; relief goods donation to Quezon Hill barangay amounting to P15,000; feeding of frontliners in Laoag City care of past president Sonny Agcolicol and family amounting to P30,000; Mobile Kitchen for Baguio frontliners in partnership with Bayanihan Cordillera and Rainbow Wings amounting to more than P150,000; and PP Willy Occidental providing services to the city government as a health consultant and administrator of Sto. Nino Hospital for CoViD-19 patients.
RC Metro Baguio under the leadership of President Ofelia Villanueva delivered donation of relief goods to residents of Slaughterhouse Compound through PP Teops Malapit; distribution of assorted vitamins and groceries to stranded families from Pangasinan through president-elect Jerry Chan on April 9; donation of boxes of gloves and cash to frontline workers through PE Jerry Chan on March 28; and online anti- Covid-19 campaigns through social media.
RC Baguio Sunrise with President Geraldine Fajardo donated two tons of vegetables for relief to RC Villa de Bacolor care of District Governor-elect Jess Sama and donation of surgical face masks to the frontline police and military personnel manning the checkpoints.
RC Baguio Highlands under President Tom Panis on March 30 delivered face masks and face shields to BGHMC and also conducted five food deliveries to the frontline workers.
RC Baguio North through President Vic Agcaoili responded to the request of Saint Louis University Hospital of the Sacred Heart Director Dr. Paul Quitiquit on March 30 who requested food for the frontline medical workers of the hospital.
RCBN included all the medical workers of Baguio hospitals and checkpoints manned by police and military personnel by distributing snacks for more than 500 persons.
The club also donated the following: Washing machine for the BGHMC quarantined medical workers at Starwood Hotel through immediate PP Jonathan Vergara and PP Dr. Dan Torres and some PPE masks on April 3; donation of PPE masks for BGHMC on April 10 through Director Anton Mendoza; 10 PPE bunny suits for BeGH on April 13; and the donation of sanitizers and canned goods for BGHMC frontline workers through PP Dr. Dan Torres from PE Maylene Lopez.
