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Monday, February 27, 2006
Japanese rotarians reach out to Baguio studes
AT LEAST 38 prominent and service-minded members of the different Rotary Clubs in Tokyo, Japan renewed their commitment to help the Baguio community and the rest of the Cordilleras through bilateral programs, starting with the donation of US$20,000 to an educational institution and two counterpart Rotary clubs here.
The program is part of the continuing friendship and closer understanding between the Philippine and Japanese governments.
Headed by Yoshiro Yano, chairman of the Baguio Foundation in Japan, the delegates met with their high school and college beneficiaries to help indigent students reach their dreams of finishing their education.
Yano said US$16,000 was given to the Filipino-Japanese Foundation (Abong) and US$2,000 each to the Rotary Club of Baguio Summer Capital (RCBSC) and Rotary of Baguio, respectively.
"It's been 27 years now that me and my colleagues have been repeatedly visiting Baguio supporting 2,700 scholarship grants through the generous support of Japanese rotarians," Yano said, during the RCBSC regular meeting held at the Baguio Country Club last Monday, which was also attended by Japanese Honorary Consul to the Philippines Carlos Teraoka.
Teraoka said pioneer Japanese rotarians headed by Shiro Saito met Sister Teresita Uno, Abong founder, which has been extending scholarship program and other service-oriented projects.
Four years ago, Japanese rotarian friends of Teraoka, Koushun Takamatsu and Minoru Sato who were then looking for a reliable, trustworthy and active club in Baguio, were also instrumental in the sisterhood ties between RCBSC, then headed by Dr. Rey Leung and Rotary Club of Tokyo Rinkai, through the suggestion of his son-in-law Rey Dacones.
Through the Baguio Foundation, RCBSC produced three magna cum laude, one cum laude where one of their scholars made it to the top 10 in the national category and another scholar ranked second in the regional level. The rest passed the board exams, said Charter president Virgilio Bautista.
"Through the help of our brother rotarians in Japan, Summer Capital produced eight college graduates and is presently helping at least five poor but deserving college students to continue their studies and eventually reach their dreams to finish their respective bachelorship in education," Bautista said.
Club president Ed Borromeo thanked the visiting dignitaries for extending international understanding of all rotarians in the world as evidenced by their years of continues support to their club and the Baguio community with their motto "Service Above Self".
Borromeo also thanked their sister club Tokyo Rinkai for funding the Lamtang, Trinidad water deep-well project worth P200,000.
Yano and Takamatsu vowed before incoming president Rafael Ding to continue supporting RCBSC because of the club's unblemished record. "For your honesty and trustworthiness, we are committing the Baguio Foundation to help your club in any big project because the assets of Baguio Fund exceeded US$2.12 million," they said.
(February 27, 2006 issue)
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