Proudly leading the way as the premier Rotaract Club of the Philippines—chartered on January 11, 2001, and powered by the Rotary Clubs of Manila and Manila Magic, Rotary International District 3810. A vision that the triumvirate of RAC-DLSU Past President Ruby Anne Dionisio, Immediate Past District Secretary Giselle R. Gonzales made into reality. This vision is now the ROTARACT CLUB OF MANILA (RAC-Manila). Organized on November 7, 2000, RAC-Manila originally consists of young professionals and students from De La Salle University-Manila, Central Colleges of the Philippines, and the Bureau of Fire Prevention. It was officially chartered on January 11, 2001, under the sponsorship and guidance of Asia’s First Rotary Club, the Rotary Club of Manila, under the Presidency of Sebastian “BUSTER” Arrastia. PP Abby was elected as Charter President, Giselle was Charter Vice President, Hazel Piadoche was Charter Secretary, and Anne Arias was Charter Treasurer. Also elected were four Charter Directors, Jonah Canuday (Club Service), Ernesto Domingo (Vocational Service), Oliver Alvarez (International Service), and Eva Alzona (Community Service). Some of the Charter Members includes Annie Rose Ambong, Angelito Rivera, Ryan Dioniso, Simmonnette Saguinsin, Ferlyn Tambanillo, Marvin Jun Tolosa, and Noel Gonzales. On its first few months of fellowship, Rotaract Club of Manila already made waves in Rotary International District 3810 by being awarded as the District’s ROOKIE CLUB OF THE YEAR 2000 during the Rotaract District 3810 Annual Awards. It continued to reap numerous awards starting RY 2001-2002 when the club was adjudged as the MOST OUTSTANDING ROTARACT CLUB OF THE YEAR which it also recieved in RYs 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2013-2014, and 2017-2018! It has also produced 10 MOST OUTSTANDING ROTARACT CLUB PRESIDENTS, PDRR Oliver Alvarez (R.Y. 2001-2002), PP Noel Gonzales (R.Y. 2002-2003), PDRR Charlie Chua (RY 2006-2007), PDRR Izel Marie Guatno (2007-2008), PP Goldilyn Uy Lui (2008-2009), PP Tiffany Go Conde (2009-2010), PP Dhelle Tomampoc (2010-2011) PP FM Quimzon (2011-2012), PDRR Cassandra Camille Martino (2013-2014) and PP Michael Edgar Recabar (2017-2018). The club is also an internationally recognized club. It received the prestigious Rotaract Outstanding Project Awards (ROPA) given by Rotary International thrice. First during RY 2007-2008 when it was adjudged as the Asia-Pacific Winner for the “Gift of Life Project.” Second, during RY 2009-2010 when it was adjudged as the Overall International Winner for the “Response and Relief Program” for the survivors of Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana), and Third, during RY 2018-2019, when it was adjudged as the Asia-Pacific Winner for the “HeARTfelt Project.” It was also a finalist for the Asia-Pacific Category for RY 2019-2020 for its project "Medical Mission and Legal Aid." The Rotaract Club of Manila also produced SEVEN (7) GROUP STUDY EXCHANGE TEAM MEMBERS, (PDRR Oliver Alvarez to Alberta, Canada, PD Caroline Lontoc and PDRR Izel Guatno to Hawaii, USA, PT Ritz Asirot to Lyon, France, PT Sol Racelis to Connecticut, USA, PD Neeko Molon to Pennsylvania, USA and PDRR Charlie Chua to North Carolina, USA. The Group Study Exchange (GSE) program of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young business and professional men and women between the ages of 25 and 40 in the initial years of their professional life. It has also produced its FOUR (4) DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES (DRR) (Rotaract’s very own Junior Governor), PDRR Oliver Alvarez (RY 2002-2003), PDRR Charlie Chua (RY 2008-2009), PDRR Izel Marie Guatno (RY 2009-2010) and PDRR Cassandra Camille Martino (RY2016-2017). It has also established an impressive network of sister clubs from all over the Philippines and abroad and has hosted numerous visiting Rotaractors and Rotarians from all over the world. The Rotaract Club of Manila's excellent leadership record was further reinforced when it hosted very successful District activities such as the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, District Assembly, and District Conference multiple times. In 2006, it was a moving force during the 3rd Asia-Pacific Regional Rotaract Conference (APRRC) in Tagaytay City as the club acted as the Overall Conference Program Committee headed by PDRR Oliver Alvarez. The club was also instrumental in the success of the inaugural Pilipinas Rotaract Convention (PROCON) in 2012 when it took charge again of the program with President Michael Edgar Recabar being the Inaugural PROCON Chairperson. Just recently, to celebrate the 50th Year of the Rotaract program, the club organized the first-ever Philippine Rotaract Roundtrip, a groundbreaking project that welcomed 5 foreign Rotaractors from Australia, India, Italy, and Germany, with 7 of the top Rotaract Clubs from RI Districts 3810 and 3820. The club is a great supporter of The Rotary Foundation and has a total of eight (8) Paul Harris Fellows, PP Kristine Karen Reyes (PHF+2), PP JM Cuales, PP Alain Wilbur Ganipan, and Past Directors (and former Member) Aaron Jeffrey Blanco, PD Ralph Chester Ocana, PP Bryan Hernandez, PP Karla Patricia Ravida and Secretary Arvin Reyes. It has also numerous Sustaining Paul Harris Fellows to date. On June 30, 2012, a group composed of the club’s Past Presidents and Alumni chartered the Rotary Club of Manila Magic, which is now the clubs’ co-sponsoring club with the Rotary Club of Manila. Truly, the idea that turned into a reality will surely inspire more people to enjoy “Fellowship Through Service.”
