Meeting with Asian Rotarians in Singapore

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, which ushers the beginning of the Holy Week, the one week in our lives that we ought to devote totally to the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ who came down to earth to suffer for our sins in order to save us from our wicked ways. As said in scripture in John 3:15, “For God so loved the world he sent his only begotten son into the world, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

 This special Holy Week presentation will give us a deeper understanding of what Holy Week should be for you and me. We have with us our dear friend, Fr. Justin Lee of the St. John’s Priory. I have the privilege to have known Fr. Justin when he was still a Brother in the community and my family attended the celebration of his priesthood. So please watch Fr. Justin give us his reflection on Holy Week on SkyCable’s channel 15 at 8:00pm.

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 We just had a wonderful weekend in Singapore with our friends from the Rotary Club of Cebu and our families to attend the 45th founding anniversary of our sister club, the Rotary Club of Singapore East, together her other sister clubs, the Rotary Club of Bangkok East, the Rotary Club of New Territories in Hong Kong, the Rotary Club of Tokyo Ikebukuro East, the Rotary Club of Osaka South West, the Rotary Club of Tawau, the Rotary Club of Kaohsiung East, the Rotary Club of Klan, Malaysia, the Rotary Club of Keelung South, Taiwan, the Rotary Club of Willeton Perth and the Rotary Club of Kumamoto East.

 Indeed, Rotary events or conventions are the best way to foster friendship and brotherhood amongst peoples and I saw this first hand in Singapore, especially when the Singapore East had an Eye Screening program to help the poor in Singapore. Hmmm, I thought “Poor in Singapore?” Yes, our Singaporean sister club told us the reality of Singapore, that what you see beyond the advertisements are the reality that there are Singaporeans who barely live with what they earn.

 We apparently learned that because of the huge financial success in Singapore, it has taken its toll among the low-income group as the cost of living soared to the sky. I got this information from taxi drivers who love to talk with their passengers. Of course, the poor in Singapore isn’t as dirt poor as our people living in the squatter areas. We were at the Bishan-Toa Payon Education Center for the Eye screening and that morning the Singapore Club serviced some 160 patients.

 It was indeed a big occasion helping the poor in Singapore, where even Mayor Zainudin Nordin of the Central District of Singapore graced the occasion. I learned that the City of Singapore has five Districts - the District of Northeast, of Southeast, Northwest and Southwest and the Central District. Each Mayor is also a Member of Parliament and is paid some S$30,000 a month. Because of their Parliamentary system, they end up with multi-tasking leaders without any pork barrels. Hence all monies earned in taxes and revenues are plowed back into infrastructure development.

 We first travelled to Singapore in the mid-80s with Cebu journalists, like our Publisher Juanito Jabat, Manny Rabacal and Godo Roperos. I’ve visited Singapore many times since and was fascinated by this Asian City that has truly become as Senior Minister Lee Kuna Yew said of his city, “A first world country in a sea of third world countries.” Perhaps what made me come to Singapore was that promised by then Mayor Tomas Osmeña “Cebu City Next to None!” and in talks with his friends, he always looked up to Singapore as our model to follow. Alas, that has not happened in his watch. But our situation isn’t hopeless yet; we just need a strong leader!

 I have not been back to Singapore (except for frequent stopovers in Changi International Airport) for more than 10 years now because I didn’t find a reason to come back. But it is quite unbelievable that from the last time I was in Singapore, they seem to have repackaged themselves. A case in point is when we landed at the Budget Terminal, which sounds like a retrogression if you compare it to the fabulous Changi International Airport. But then, Singapore had to accommodate those budget airlines that actually bring more tourists to this fine city at lesser cost.

 I’d like to believe that the Budget Terminal was so cheaply made, even their runway was very rough. Cebu Pacific Air landed in what sounded like a dirt road rather than a paved one. At least when we landed in Mactan, our runway is very much smoother than theirs. But MCIAA General Manager Paul Villarete must immediately put oil in the rollers of the baggage-handling machine as it shrieks in a very loud and audible tone! More on our Singapore trip tomorrow.

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