Rotary Club of Manila wracked by power play

MANILA, Philippines — The Rotary Club of Manila (RCM), one of the country’s oldest clubs for prominent business and industry leaders, is wracked by a squabble among its leaders.

Two highly placed sources who requested anonymity told The STAR that a “power play” is “brewing” in the exclusive club due to issues surrounding the vetting of members ahead of the term of elected president Rafael Alunan III, who is to replace current RCM president Herminio Esguerra.

Alunan, whose vast credentials in government include serving as tourism secretary to the late president Corazon Aquino and as interior secretary to the late president Fidel Ramos, had complained about the rejection of members he wanted to get into the rotary. Alunan ran for the Senate in 2016 and 2019.

It was “foul” for Alunan to write that letter when he has not yet assumed his post as president set for July next year, the sources said, adding that there was “chatter” for him to resign already from the rotary.

In a “confidential” letter dated Oct. 27 but went the rounds to several members, Alunan wrote to RCM membership committee chairperson Fausto Preysler about “allegations” that have reached him that the membership committee vetting the application process has become a “kingdom unto itself,” because of its “exclusionary practice” and for its “disdaining guidance from the appointing authority” who is the club president.

“While we all agree that club unity, stability and harmony are paramount and essential, issues regarding the Membership Committee have arisen… Prospective members are treated like ‘job applicants’ in an unbecoming manner that impinges on a person’s dignity,” Alunan said in the letter.

“We want to prevent the emergence of a disabling environment that would adversely impact the club’s administration, operations and reputation for years to come,” he added.

In response to Alunan’s letter, Preysler, Costa Rica’s honorary consul in Manila and whose family runs Smith Bell & Co. Inc., said he was “downright shocked and totally appalled and disgusted at the lies being thrown around.”

In the letter dated Oct. 29, Preysler said the allegations that have reached Alunan were “obviously coming from a fellow member or members, whose candidate has been rejected.”

Preysler said he is resigning as membership committee chairperson as well as a member of RCM because of the allegations thrown against his committee.

Several other members also plan to resign due to the issue, a source said.

“As a committee, we take our responsibility very seriously and vet each and every candidate as carefully as possible. We are definitely not a ‘kingdom unto itself’!” Preysler said.

Preysler said applications are vetted carefully by meeting applicants via Zoom and requiring them to give a short background about themselves and why they wanted to join RCM. Membership at the rotary club is by invitation only.

“This is always done in a cordial and polite manner. NEVER has the committee treated any applicant rudely or in an unbecoming manner,” Preysler said in his letter.

“It is unfortunate that some applicants are rejected along the way, but we only reject with reason… The Membership Committee is committed to ensure that our membership roster is composed of ‘Gentlemen of Stature’ and nothing else,” he added.

A source said the new members who are unqualified to join society’s cream of the crop were brought in to increase the number of voters so that their recruiters could curry favor with them in the next elections.

“It is a power play because they want to bring in new members so that they hold the vote... By bringing in members, they increase the number of voters in their favor. Whoever brings in members is able to control the votes,” the source said, without naming the people behind it.

Another source said Alunan’s letter “sets a bad precedent for an incoming President” of the RCM, the mother Rotary Club in the country founded in 1919 when it became the first Rotary club in Asia.

“The issue here is that the group of Alunan is not happy with the membership committee headed by Fausto Preysler, because they were not accepted. They were Raffy Alunan’s candidates for membership. They fall below the membership criteria of RCM,” the source said.

“Alunan is new to the rotary. The Rotary club of Manila is 104 years old,” the source added.

The STAR has reached out to Alunan for his comment to the allegations – on Facebook and by text message both yesterday and on Wednesday – but he has yet to respond.

A source said he “regrets” writing the controversial letter to the membership committee.