THERE goes the sun gleaming toward a seasoned media practitioner from Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, as she will be governing the Rotary International District 3850 come Rotary Year 2023-2024.
Maria Ester "Mate" Espina, who comes from a family of journalists and artists and currently serving as the district chair for public image and RI appointed Assistant Regional Public Image Coordinator for RY 2021-2022, was chosen as District Governor Nominee Designate (DGND) for 2023-2024 by the District Nominating Committee last February 6, 2021, Saturday, at the UCC Cafe in Lacson Street, Bacolod City.
This means that she will be serving as Rotary governor for District 3850 for RY 2023-2024.
Rotary International District 3850 District Nominating Committee chaired by Past District Governor (PDG) Jundad Legislador of Rotary Club of Kabankalan with members, namely, PDG Lindon See Diet, (RC Dipolog); Immediate PDG Raphy Tayco, (RC Kalibo); past president (PP) Tonton Ang, (RC Metro Iloilo); PP Jong Ureta, (RC Kalibo); PP Toks Lopez, (RC Bacolod Central); PP Renato Monfort, (RC Metro Bacolod); PP Zelgie Vidal, (RC Dapitan) and PP Fernando Yu (RC Zamboanga City West) chose Espina over the other candidates -- Assistant Governor Joel Jaranilla of the Rotary Club of Metro Bacolod and Rotary Club of Bacolod-East Treasurer and former District Secretary Jun Jun Arceo.
The three candidates underwent extensive deliberation, wherein they presented their knowledge and experience in Rotary service, their achievements in civic works and their professional lives.
Governor Louie Gonzaga said, "I want to thank our District Nominating Committee for their commendable efforts in undertaking a very critical choice to ensure our District's future leadership. I wish to congratulate our three candidates for offering themselves, their persons, their capabilities and experiences, to our District's leadership pool. They are, indeed, in the 'pipeline' for our District's robust and creative leaders."
DGND Espina will be serving as the third female governor in the district.
She will be joining the roster of lady governors PDG Nanette Garcia and PDG Emma Nava.
PDG Garcia represented RC Bacolod Central, which is the same Rotary Club DGND Espina currently represents.
As a recollection, PDG Garcia served as the first lady governor and then followed by PD Lady Governor Emma Nava of RC Central Iloilo City in their respective years of stint.
The future Rotary governor
Moreover, the future Rotary Governor Espina shared her worthwhile media career where she started her stint in media as a correspondent of The Manila Times for over a decade and also wrote for Associated Press, Manila Standard, and Newsbreak.
She also worked as managing editor of Bylines Magazine and XpressCom.
She was also a columnist for The Visayan Daily Star, had a short stint as a columnist of SunStar Bacolod, and currently writes for Panay News and Digicast Negros.