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Greetings!

Fellow Rotarians, time is running short for we have barely 8 months to put into concrete realities our plans for this Rotary year. Amidst the current U.S. financial crisis affecting the whole world, we gather with mixed feelings of uncertainty about the future of mankind in the years to come. World economy is at its lowest ebb particularly in the third world countries.

Let us consider seriously the implication of the current economic condition as they relate to our desire to serve and its effect in the financial capacity of our members. It has a direct bearing not only in their attendance, in their capacity to fully participate in all our club activities but more particularly in their degree of involvement in our projects, monetary or otherwise.

In this regard, I suggest that we keep Rotary simple bearing in mind always that we can also serve effectively with minimal cost through networking. We have to understand that the present state of our respective economy and peace and order situation do not warrant sophistication in our activities, but instead, we have to channel our resources to more substantive activities in the attainment of our club plans and objectives. Probably it is also about time for us to re-examine the cost of membership in our clubs. Let us make Rotary membership affordable to those who would like to continue their membership inspite of business reverses.

I have noticed lately, particularly in my own country, that club activities are becoming more and more expensive which account for more than half of the club’s budget, as a result of which the more important aspect of Rotary service has been neglected due to lack of funds.

Lavish ceremonies may be good for purpose of public relations. But in terms of social value to which all our actions will be judged by the public and by people in our community, extravagant display of affluence have negative effects and create no favorable impact in the eyes of those who look upon us as leaders in service. On the contrary, it may only amplify the existing animosity of the hungry against people who have never experienced the agony of starvation.

In fact, in many parts in my country, people do not even eat three square meals a day because of meager income. They subsists on US$ 2 or less. Scavengers pick left over foods from garbages and dumpsites. After which, they cooked them and served these to their families. Many people who are so poor that they could not afford the prohibitive cost of medicine. They just let their children die. I think this does not happen only in the Philippines. According to a recent global survey on hunger by the Gallup International – a Zurich based group, the top 5 hungry nations are Cameroon, Pakistan, Nigeria, Peru and the Philippines.

Philippines, according to the report, is no. 5 in the world when it comes to citizens who have had “little or no food at all” in the past year. Completing the top ten were Bolivia, Guatemala, Ghana, Mexico and Russia. Regionally, Africa remains the most affected by hunger, with almost half the population declaring that they did not have enough food to eat “often or sometimes” in the past year.

Finally, in the choice of service projects, please bear in mind that it is not enough that we provide solutions to a problem. It is far more important that we strive to develop the initiative by incorporating in our assistance the value and the dignity of work and self reliance. Anything less would be mere palliatives, cosmetic, debasing and an extravagant waste of vitally needed resources. Let us educate our people as we lend a helping hand in giving them opportunities to better lives and a chance to “make their dreams real.”