Worthwhile fellowship

Filipinos should be as concerned with cleaning our government as with cleaning our environment. The pollution in our country now does not cover only the political but also the natural environment. Indeed it can be said that one of the best indicators of a clean government is a clean environment. For, a country whose citizens are concerned about environmental pollution is a country whose citizens are also concerned about pollution in politics and governance.

But more importantly, a nation that takes care of nature and its surroundings is a nation that loves God who is the Author of nature and the Creator of the universe. In the beauty of nature and all creations can we feel the real presence of a Supreme Being who created them all. So the best way to appreciate these beautiful gifts and to show our love for Him who gave them to us, is to take good care of them. This is also one way of showing our love and concern for our country and people.

We may not really be fully aware of it yet, but in our country and in 100 other countries all over the world, there is already an activity every September of each year involving about more than half a million people that has something to do with protecting the environment and preserving and caring for nature and God’s other creations. Its impact on our lives and the lives of future generation may not be felt yet but it is definitely an effective step in the right direction towards environmental protection.

It quietly started some 20 years ago along the Texas coast in the USA when one person, appalled by all the plastic/grocery bags, wrappers, bottles, cigarette butts, straws and other rubbish that fall “not from the sky but from human hands”, organized a coastal clean-up drive. This small step created ripples that evolved into an “Ocean Conservancy” movement catching the attention of people all over the world including Filipinos especially after “global snap shots” show the tons of trash “sailing” through the waters of the world and the harmful inter-country exchange of garbage. The excessive deterioration of our oceans depicted in the snap shots thus spurred people to participate in this yearly “September Affair” implementing the world wide project known as “International Coastal Clean-Up”, considered as the most effective volunteer-based marine conservation project in the globe.

At present the project covers not only the beaches and the wide stretches of the oceans but also bays, lakes, rivers and water tributaries inland especially here in the Philippines where September of each year has also been set aside as the kick off month for project launching. The drive is re-launched every year in September to provide an impetus for its continuity because the environmental conservation is a continuing activity.

In fact last week, volunteers along the coastal towns in Parañaque, Las Piñas and Cavite have already started to clean up their shores. Then tomorrow, September 17, 2011 starting at 6:00 am, the Subic Bay Freeport Coastal Clean-Up Drive will start off at the Boardwalk of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce (SBFCC) which has been organizing the event aspires to surpass last year’s number of more than 4,000 volunteers. The event is a joint undertaking with the Ocean Conservancy International of Texas USA in collaboration with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Lighthouse Marina and Resort Hotel and the International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians (IYFR).

The IYFR is a fellowship of Rotarians with common likes and dislikes, common vision and passion for humanitarian and community services with emphasis on cleaning our waterways and greening our watersheds and their environs. While its name sounds so elite, it is not really an association of yacht owners but an association of Rotarians concerned with keeping our communities and its surroundings, specially the waterways, tributaries and the seas, clean and green. It got its name only because Rotarians were then holding their fellowship on board a yacht when they discovered how polluted our oceans were.

This fellowship of Rotarians is considered the oldest and largest fellowship with 100 “fleets” manned by 3,000 members in 21 countries. It was conceived in 1947 by Rotarian John Barrett of the Rotary Club of Brixton, London, England and introduced here by Rotarian Jun Avecilla, Past President of the Rotary Club of Cubao West last September 15, 2008 when the first Philippine “fleet” was born. It was formally chartered on March 18, 2009 with about 30 members most of whom are from RC Cubao West. In a span of two years, there are now five Philippine fleets: the Cubao West fleet, headed by Fleet Commodore (FC) Melandrew Velasco; Cebu fleet, FC Udo Pelowski, “Hands On” fleet, FC Butch Madarang; Rainbow Connection fleet, FC Oyie Valarao; and the Mabuhay fleet. Eventually the 6th and 7th fleet will be formed by Dads Calonge of the RC Cubao East and the Silver fleet of incumbent Rotary club presidents in D-3780 with the support of Dist Gov. Jess Cifra.

The phenomenal growth of IYFR in the country led to the conversion of the Philippines into an IYFR Region with Jun Avecilla being designated as Regional Commodore and Joe Ragos as Vice Commodore. In September 2010 Avecilla was elected International Rear Commodore who will eventually succeed as IYFR Commodore by 2015 thus earning the distinction of being the first Asian and Filipino to lead this International fellowship of Rotarians. 

Truly, the IYFR is a worthwhile fellowship of Rotarians that promotes camaraderie and strengthens ties as they do their share in saving the planet earth.

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To all alumni of the Ateneo Law School! Relive the Ateneo Law spirit. Come to the Ateneo Law Homecoming and 75th Anniversary Celebration at the Isla Ballroom of the Edsa Shangri-la Hotel Mandaluyong City on October 21, 2011 starting at 5 p.m/ with a Holy Mass at the Boracay room followed by a night of reminiscing, dining, dancing and merriment. Be there and be counted. For more information please call Danny, (63) 920-9519055 or Bani (02) 9646353; (63) 917-8301826.

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E-mail at: [email protected]