Just as members of Rotary clubs all over the world meet once a year in a Rotary International Convention, members of rotary clubs in a district also meet annually in what is known as a District Conference (DISCON). The DISCON is held for two to three full days and is open to all members of Rotary Clubs in the district but most especially to new Rotarians, or first time attendees and club presidents.
On March 19 to 21, 2009, Rotary District (RD) 3780 with a territory covering the whole of Quezon City composed of 97 Rotary Clubs will hold its DISCON at the historic Manila Hotel. RD 3780 is the district under whose auspices the first Philippine Fleet of the IYFR subject of my article last Friday was established.
The purpose of the DISCON is to further promote the Object of Rotary through fellowship, inspirational addresses and the discussion of matters relating to the affairs of clubs in the district and the RI generally. Thus the entire activities of the conference is centered on how to encourage and foster the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; high ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; the enhancement by each Rotarian of his occupation as an opportunity to serve society; the application of the ideal of service to every Rotarians’ personal, business and community life; and the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through world fellowship of business and professional men united in the ideal of service.
These conference activities consist of plenary sessions and workshops where speakers give inspirational addresses and impart their ideas on various topics all designed to achieve the DISCON’s primary purpose. It is also during these sessions that special matters submitted by the Rotary International (RI) Board or matters originating from the district are taken up. Hence the RI President usually sends his representative who is the major speaker and the motivator with his remarks of appreciation at the conclusion of the conference. The conference may also propose and endorse legislation for the Council on Legislation and elect its representative to the said Council.
Apart from plenary sessions and workshops, the DISCON also showcases Rotary programs and successful district and club activities and encourages interaction and dialogue among clubs. For this purpose a “House of Friendship” is usually put up in the Conference site where members from different clubs mingle socially and exchange pleasantries under an atmosphere of fellowship and where the various successful district and club projects are inspirationally presented and exhibited with the end in view of sustaining and increasing the membership base within the district.
Most of the activities of the three day DISCON ’09 will be graced by the RI President’s Representative in the person of Past District Governor (PDG) Wei-Lin “Dens” Shao and spouse Mei-Jie “Becky” Shao from Taiwan and of course the RD 3780 big wigs headed by incumbent District Governor (DG) Alex Cureg, District Governor Elect (DGE) Dulce Coyukiat and District Governor Nominee (DGN) Ambo Gancayco, PDGs Mar Nery, Bimbo Salazar, Jr., Oca Innocentes, Hermie Jarin, Gil Divinagracia, Manoling Monroy, Bobby Viray, Danny Reyes, Danny Espinosa, Benjie Bacorro, and Danny Fausto who all have vital roles to play during the conference.
The first day on March 19, 2009 will be ushered in by treating orphans and indigent children at Trinoma Mall and the ceremonial ribbon cutting of the club exhibits as well as presentation of key to the city by Quezon City Mayor Sonny Belmonte and Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista. In the afternoon will be held the on site visits of Rotary community projects in Brookside and Lupang Pangako Q.C., and the Pre-Conference sports tournament.
The following day March 20, 2009 marks the official beginning of the conference. Prior to the Opening Ceremonies in the afternoon is the opening of the “House of Friendship” and the Recognition luncheon for all the major donors and supporters of the Rotary Foundation and the new Paul Harris Fellows. The entry of colors, the dignitaries, the doxology and the singing of the national anthems, will be followed by the State of the District address of DG Alex Cureg. The highlight of the afternoon session will be the speech of PDG “Dens” Shao who will talk about “The King Arthur’s Rotary” in consonance with this year’s Rotary theme, “Make Dreams Real”. There will also be a District Legislative Assembly where proposed legislation for the Council on Legislation are adopted and endorsed. Capping the activities will be the fellowship night of cultural presentation and dancing.
March 21, 2009 is the last and the busiest day of the DISCON. It starts with separate but simultaneous breakfast meetings of the incumbent club presidents in the district who call themselves “dream makers president”, the president elects and president nominees to be presided by DGE Dulce Coyukiat and DGN Ambo Gancayco and the credentials committee which will supervise the election of the District Nominating Committee at the start of the first plenary session.
The first plenary session will have as speaker the City Mayor of Davis City, California USA, the Honorable Ruth Uy Asmundson, PHD who will talk on “Rotary Service and Public Service Going Hand in Hand in Molding Filipinos to make Effective and Successful Leaders” Another speaker is the Chairman of the Phinma Group of Companies, Ramon del Rosario, Jr. who will talk on “Socially Responsible Individuals and Corporations Partnering Together with Rotary”. RI President’s Representative “Dens” Shao will also talk about the Top Rotary stories of 2008.
The afternoon session will be highlighted by the speech of the UNICEF representative, the Honorable Vanessa Tobin who will talk about “Reducing Child Mortality and Millenium Development Goals for Children”. Group workshops will likewise be held on Public Relations, Membership Development, Rotary Foundation, and service projects. The Conference will be capped by the Governor’s Ball in the evening, a fitting ending to a significant and fruitful conference.
This year’s DISCON indeed promises to be a huge success thanks to RC of North EDSA, the host club and its President Larry Lacsamana, Discon 09 Conference Chairman PP Edmund Chiu and the various other clubs, their presidents and members that hosted the different activities of the conference who could not be named individually for lack of space.
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