Rotary Club of Manila presents tourism awards
The Rotary International prides itself on being the world’s first service club organization with 33,000 clubs worldwide. The club members volunteer to work locally, regionally, and internationally to promote peace, battle hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, and eradicate polio.
The Rotary Club of Manila, established in 1919, is the first Rotary Club in Asia and the biggest in the Philippines. Among its objectives are to encourage and foster the ideal of service of worthy enterprise, to recognize the worthiness of all useful occupation and apply the ideal of service by every Rotarian to his personal, business and community life and the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through fellowship.
During their weekly lunch meeting held at the prestigious Polo Club, once again Rotary Club of Manila presented its 9th Tourism Awards to 10 deserving individuals who promote and support the country as a tourist destination.
Spearheaded by president Roberto “Obet†Pagdanganan, Urbano “Banit†Caasi Jr., director-in-charge of vocational service and committee chairman, past director Robert Lim “Bobby†Joseph, this year’s awardees include Cebu’s very own Valeriano Avila, executive producer, MyTV Channel and columnist of the Philippine STAR, for print media; Werner Berger, of Werdenberg International Corp. for food and beverage; Johnny Chan, chairman of the Bellevue Hotels and Resorts for hotels; Edward Hagedorn, mayor of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, for local government; Ramon Jimenez Jr., Secretary of Department of Tourism, for tourism; Cristino Naguiat, chairman and CEO of PAGCOR for Govt.- GOCC; Henry Sy Jr., vice-chairman, and CEO of SM Development Corp. for tourism infrastructure; Lucio Tan, chairman of Lucio Tan Group of Companies Hall of Fame, also for tourism infrastructure; Ramon Ang, president, PAL Holdings, for airline; and Charo Santos-Cancio, president and COO. ABS-CBN Corp. for media broadcast.
Dedicated and hardworking Rotarian Bobby Joseph received the esteemed Paul Harris Pin award for the eighth time for his unwavering support and contribution to the annual program fund and for meeting the high professional and personal standards set forth by Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary International in 1905.
