PAGKATAPOS ng lahat ng mga naganap na kalamidad sa ating bansa, isa sa mga pinakalumutang na non-government service organization na kagyat na tumulong sa mga nasalanta at apektadong komunidad ay ang mga Rotary Club mula sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng Filipinas. At hindi naman din bago sa akin ito, mula nang maging Rotarian ako at maging kabahagi ng Rotary Club of Muntinlupa Filinvest (the First Club Chartered in RI District 3830) 5 years ago, naging normal na sa akin ang makita ang mga Rotarian, na nagpapaabot o personal na lumulusong sa mga apektadong lugar upang maghatid ng tulong.
At sa gitna ng aking mga nakikita na ito, naitanong ko sa aking sarili, bakit nga ba ako Rotarian?
Honestly, hindi ko pinangarap na maging miyembro ng Rotary, hindi sa anupamang kadahilanan, talaga lang may sarili akong pagkaunawa na, una, akala ko, para lamang ito sa mayayaman, ‘yun bang sobra-sobra ang pera at wala nang mapaglagyan kaya namamahagi na lang. Pangalawa, iniisip ko, tumutulong na rin naman ako, bakit pa ako aanib sa kanila? At pangatlo, sa dami ng nakita kong activities nila, paano ako sasabay? Yaman ko ang aking panahon, kailangan ko itong magamit sa produktibong bagay na makapag-uuwi ng kita sa aking pamilya.
So, for years, honorary membership lamang ang aking tinanggap to at least, 3 Rotary Clubs in our City. Hanggang sa maging kliyente ko ang Charter President ng RCMF, naging kaibigan, at finally, naengganyo n’ya akong maging kabahagi ng kanyang club, half-heartedly napa-oo ako.
Pero sa RCMF, nabago ang aking pananaw sa Rotary, una, hindi naman pala totoo na kailangang mayaman na mayaman ka para mapabilang sa kanila, puwede pala ‘yung kahit sapat lang ang mayroon ka, pero mayroon ka kahit isa sa mga ito na puwedeng maiambag– Time, Talent and Treasure, puwede ka nang makiisa sa layunin nila.
Oo, limitado ang aking TIME dahil nagtatrabaho ako, at kinukulang pa ang panahon kahit sa negosyo. Oo, limitado ang aking TREASURE dahil may mga obligasyon at prayoridad ako na kailangang unahin, pero may TALENT ako, isa akong broadcastet, and now, a writer (thank you my PILIPINO Mirror fam) na may maiaambag upang isulong ang marangal na adbokasiya ng Rotary.
Pangalawa, oo nga at tumutulong naman ako, pero hindi ‘yun masyadong maramdaman, kasi nga, maliit lang naman, pero with Rotary, ang maliit na ‘yun, lumalaki at nagiging impactful, bakit? Kasi madami na kami na nagsasama- sama, kaya ‘yung ‘maliit’ na ‘yun na iniaambag ng bawat isa ay lumalaki. Mas may effect na ngayon ang aking tulong, mas marami na ang naaabot.
Pangatlo, I have concerns about my time, I wanted it used to something productive, something na magbibigay sa akin ng return of investment, but who would have thought, that the friends I gained from Rotary, will be some of my closest and now, business contacts? Truth be told, I really never thought of Rotary as a network wheel, nakatutok lamang ang aking isipan doon sa “ang mga taong ito umaapaw ang Time, Talent and Treasure kaya nag-Rotarian” mindset, hindi ko nakita, na this can also be my way to connect to other industries. So the time, that I was so concerned about investing, was never wasted after all.
And every year, ang aming Charter Anniversary, our “Happy Barangay Rotary Day”, is a celebration of our Vocations at work, ipinagdiriwang namin ito sa aming community, ang Southville 3 sa Muntinlupa City, eto ang mga pamilya na ni-relocate ng pamahalaan mula sa kahabaan ng riles ng tren, ilang taon na ang nakararaan, it’s a people of around 9,000 families, libo ang dumadalo mula sa komunidad, may pa-feeding kami, pa-games at story reading sa mga bata, pamamahagi ng vitamins, reading glasses sa mga matatanda, job fair, livelihood trainings, minsan, performances pa from all of us, it’s one hell of a big day, every year! And I cannot really imagine, how a club of around 30, with just the help of our RCC and IAC, and member of our families, always managed to end it with a bang and a heart so grateful, and full .
Ang dami ng Club projects that has blessed so many, mga proyekto na pinakinabangn ng marami. Mga proyekto na sa hinagap, ‘di ko kailanman magagawa, kung ako lang.
3 years in the making (the 2nd year was with me), sa tulong ng Rotary Foundation, Muntinlupa City Government, NanayCare Philippines at iba pa, now, our Club, RCMF, is the very first to have a Rotary Birthing Center sa bansa. With 281 births since it’s opening last April 2019, 16 average birth/month. A project that has become most relevant for all the mothers-to-be in the community, especially in this pandemic situation. At habang lahat tayo ay naka-lockdown sa ating mga tahanan, the Rotary Spirit freely lives on, 24/7 in this Birthing Center.
Ang Rotary International ay may tinatawag na District Awards, dito kinikilala ang mga accomplishments ng bawat Presidente ng bawat Distrito for that Rotary Year, during my Club presidency, I was awarded as a 5-Star President, inaasahan ko ba ‘yun? Nope. In fact, nagulat pa ako to achieve that high for an award (Thank you District 3830 especially to my District Governor Edwin Afzelius). Bakit? Because I was never after it, ang mahalaga lang sa akin, masaya ako sa pagtulong na ginagawa ng aking club, na maging instrumento ng Diyos to see the lives of people change because of the projects na ibinababa namin. The joy and fulfillment in that, was more than enough for me, at kung may award man na dumating, bonus na lang ‘yun, especially that I was never active with my District, kaya hindi ko rin masisi na during the awards night, isang Classmate President ang pabirong nagsabi sa akin “oh, so you are a Classmate? Where have you been?” Napangiti ako.
Nasaan nga ba ako? Well, I was in my Club, I was in the communities, trying to make a difference in the lives of the people God sent our way, responding to the very essence of being a Rotarian, service above self.
And that’s thanks to my CP Luz Pacifico and to the mentorship of Honorary Member Marge Lamberte, that I finally grasp what it meant to be in Rotary. It amplified my life’s purpose, and made me a better person, inside out. With my club, I only not gained friends, I gained family. And though I am just one, via RCMF, God has enlarged my territory, enabling me to do more with my fellow Rotarians.
Two years ago, I was one of the Great Presidents of District 3830, and I have seen how my Classmate Presidents, lived up to being great by making significant contributions in the lives of so many. And it blesses my heart to be among this people, who, despite their own limitations too, chose to make a difference.
That’s what makes me, a Rotarian. I hope you’d join us, and experience first hand, the joy that comes from knowing, that the joy of others, is because of you.
Si Glady Mabini ay isang Broadcast Journalist at Motivational Speaker na may iba’t ibang programa sa Radyo. Ang mga programang ito ay puwede rin ninyong masundan sa kanyang YouTube Channel na Glady Mabini. Para sa mga paksa na gusto ninyong kanyang matalakay sa kolum na ito, ipadala lamang sa kanyang official FB page: Glady Mabini.
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