'Ang Mutya ng Pasig'

PHILIPPINE cultural history is replete with references to the Pasig River, our literature, arts and music. Rizal immortalized the legendary Pasig River in his Noli Me Tangere, when he wrote that Crisostomo Ibarra proposed to his lady love Maria Clara while they were seated on the balcony of Kapitan Tiago's house, overlooking the scenic Pasig River. Then Nicanor Abelardo further immortalized it with the song "Mutya ng Pasig." The music is a classic which inspired the municipality of Pasig to adopt the logo of a mermaid sitting on a shell. This has become the symbol of Pasig.

In 1998, our then Vice Mayor Lorna Angeles Bernardo started organizing our Rotary Club, of which I was one of the charter members. She believed and visualized to name our club as the Rotary Club of Mutya ng Pasig, which was finally chartered by Rotary International on April 25, 1999. After her term as charter president, I succeeded Bernardo as president, with the class known as Action President in RI 2000-2001. For several years, our club worked hard, internalized the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self" and put to heart the four-way test. Over the years, we won awards and gained respect and recognition in RI District 3800 and the community. Today, we are on our 23rd anniversary, stronger than ever. I am proud to assume the club presidency for the second time as Life Changing President after 20 years, under the able leadership of Life Changing District Governor Augusto C. Soliman.