Fort Bonifacio Toastmasters Club was raised by warmhearted mothers in its infancy, was forced to stand on its own feet, was rescued and fostered, and has stood strong carrying with it the legacy from every generation of leaders. This is the story of our olden days. Conception till birth
In 2006, a group of women sought an avenue for growth as they stood behind their beloved soldiers. Valor manife
sted in these women as they resolved to create a place where they could commune and practice and hone their communication and leadership skills. This led to that one fateful day on November 20, 2006 when Philippine Army Officers’ Ladies came together to form Fort Bonifacio Toastmasters Club. At the time, the club was based at Fort Bonifacio Philippine Army Headquarters. The club’s early years under the care of its motherly keepers had been fruitful, producing Competent Communicators and Advanced Communicators. In 2007, Lourdes “Doddie” Felix carried the name of the young Fort Bonifacio Toastmasters Club to the World Championship of Public Speaking in Phoenix, Arizona after she triumphed over contestants on the District level. Orphanhood
Many Army Officers’ Ladies delighted in the benefits of being a Toastmaster until each one had to move to different locations due to their husband’s reassignments. Eventually, the club lost its original mothers and was in dire straits. Fort Bonifacio Toastmasters Club, still in its toddlerhood, was in need of a new guardian who was willing to undertake the challenges. While the club membership had been opened to all, it was still a major challenge to get the commitment of the members. On top of that, the club was lacking funds and in need of a new venue. It was slowly dying out and longing for a family. To the club’s rescue
As Mikhail “Miks” Cabatic, ACG, ALB, recounts when he first found the club, “It was really in bad shape—really bad—not living but merely existing.” Miks was the 7th Club President and a major roleplayer in the revival of the club. The club is lucky to have found such an impassioned worker as Miks, who was eager to keep the club and continue its mission, from which he had also benefitted. As fate would have it, he also found another passionate individual who was then looking for a club that needed aid from a coach. Corazon “Tita Cora” Oliva, DTM readily accepted the challenge of being the new Club Coach of Fort Bonifacio Toastmasters Club. Miks and Tita Cora were the only ones who celebrated the club’s 5th Anniversary, but the occasion also marked the start of revitalization for the club. These two people harbored a spirit of burning passion and determination to keep the club alive. The revitalization program
With their knowledge and expertise, they carefully studied the situation of the club. First, they recognized that every club is unique and chose to preserve the identity of the club. Fort Bonifacio Toastmasters Club was the only Toastmasters club in Bonifacio Global City, one of the coolest places in Metro Manila. Then, they saw a kaleidoscope of young professionals and hang-out generation. Transferring to South of Market Residences, a venue closer to the heart of the city, they were able to establish a dynamic meeting environment where different kinds of people could converge without anyone feeling left out or intimidated; hence the title “friendliest Toastmasters Club.”
The strongest clubs are, for Miks, “self-reliant and self-sustaining,” and in order to sustain the club, our leaders treated it as a “customers game,” wherein the focus is on the members and not the membership. They focused on building and strengthening the capacity of the club by training its members into leaders. Members were highly prioritized for meeting roles, instead of taking guests from other clubs. This helped the members discover their hidden talents and develop their own unique style. The results of these efforts have become apparent in the long list of leaders, awards and contest champions that the club has produced. Miks himself became a Division K Evaluation Champion. Besides him, the club brought forth a District 75 Evaluation Champion, Vida Verzosa; a Division K Humorous Speech Champion, Jeff Quinto; and Division K Table Topics Champions, Merlon Ascabano and Mimi Arellano. Visions and legacy
From being an endangered club, Fort Bonifacio Toastmasters Club was rebuilt with a stronger foundation. The persistence of our past leaders gave us the momentum to aim for greater milestones. People have come and gone, but they all go as leaders. The visions of the past have turned into a legacy that we will uphold for all time.
