Noteworthy projects

Last week’s column, “Partners in Service” (Philippine STAR Aug. 6, 2010) regarding the non-government sector’s part in the task of nation building and the development of a just, peaceful and progressive society really needs further write-ups. For there are indeed many other Rotary districts and clubs as well as individual Rotarians who are engaged in various projects and activities significantly contributing to the peoples’ welfare and promoting the common good. They show their allegiance to the Rotary creed not only by words but by example.

While they prefer to remain anonymous, the beneficial and far reaching effects of their activities have already generated so much attention and goodwill as to be left un-noticed and un-acclaimed. Worth writing about are two of the most important ones undertaken by the organization itself and by an individual Rotarian.

The Rotary organization project is the existing working alliance between all Rotary clubs in the Philippines and the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the promotion of peace and order in the country. It is called “Rotary Watch” which is a national volunteer program by Philippine Rotarians who have more mobility and immediate access to communications facilities to assist our law enforcers in the identification and reporting of various offenses and infringements of the law. Thus Rotary Watch volunteers are tasked to identify and report to the PNP matters relating to reckless driving, smoke belching, traffic infringement, mulcting, drug abuse and other crimes as they occur. The beauty of this project is that it also aims to advocate and increase the level of citizens’ awareness that maintenance of peace and order is as much the community’s responsibility as that of the police. In addition it also aims to reduce the citizens’ level of tolerance towards those who break the law more specifically motoring and traffic violations, so that the community will be more conscious of the correctness of obeying the laws and the Filipinos as a whole will become part of solving our peace and order problems.

Last June 29, 2009, this working alliance with the PNP was formalized with the signing of the memorandum of agreement between PNP Chief Jesus Verzosa and the Rotary Watch Chairman and Chief Administrator, Albert MG Garcia, past president of the Rotary Club of Forbes Park, District 3830. With the signing of the MOA the 804 Rotary Clubs with 21,490 members nationwide will increase the capability of the police as the eyes and ears of the civil society. They will work closely with the Police Community Relations Group headed by Chief Nicanor Bartolome who also happens to be the president of the Rotary Club of Camp Crame. The 4,858 women Rotarians with specific female concerns can also help in solving certain women issues in matters of peace and order.

More importantly, Rotary Watch has identified the PNP family as a community beneficiary for the Rotary Club’s various humanitarian services such as the medical and dental missions, and community improvement programs. The free legal services by lawyer Rotarians as supplemental legal support to the PNP is also under study by the PNP Legal Office under Gen. Ubalde. This sub-project under Rotary Watch is called: “Alagaan and Alagad”.

Rotary Watch started about 10 years ago as a project of the Rotary Club of Forbes Park, implemented in alliance with the Makati City Police. It is now adopted as a national Rotary project of the 10 Rotary Districts in the Philippines given its significance as a community project. The project motto is “Obey the Law Rotary Watch”.

The other noteworthy work, this time by an individual Rotarian, is the publication of a book that is of great importance to our country and a big help to our present leaders especially in effecting the necessary reforms that promises to improve governance and minimize if not eradicate corruption. This is the book entitled “Constitutions of the Philippines and Basic Documents”, Revised Edition authored by Past District Governor (PDG) of District 3780, Constantino “Tinnex” G. Jaraula.

PDG Jaraula is not only a Rotarian but one of the better politicians who started as Councilor in Cagayan de Oro City (1988-98) and subsequently became a Congressman in the 11th, 12th and 13th Congresses from 1990 to 2007. During his tenure in Congress he really stood out as one of our more effective and productive legislators especially because of his expertise in Constitutional Law, Political Law and International Law. His last stint in public service was in 2007 to 2010 when he served as the City Mayor of Cagayan de Oro City. He also belongs to the academe having been a professor of Political and International Law in Xavier University and Liceo de Cagayan. His credentials really qualify him to write this important book with his own commentaries and annotations.

“Constitutions of the Philippines and Basic Documents” was originally launched in 1996 on the occasion of the centennial celebration of Rizal’s martyrdom. Atty. Jaraula thought of revising and re-launching it at this time because of the renewed clamor for changing our present Charter. The book is a compilation of the various charters or proposed charters and other basic documents that have played important roles in our country’s history and in the birth and growth of our nation starting with the Constitution of La Liga Filipina by Dr. Rizal.

These documents will really be a big help in amending and revising our Charter and coming up with a more basic and permanent one. Apparently the author is one of the staunch advocates of charter change because as he said, the other alternative of changing the people to run our government instead of changing the system has apparently failed. We did it in 1986 but there was hardly any improvement. We change them again in 2001, but it became worse because even “good people become bad under a defective system”.

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