Maraming salamat President babes Reyes, our president in RCM. I am glad that you finally invited me to the rotary club of manila. You know about four months ago, about the time I was winding up my first 100 days, i saw one of these weekly bulletins of the RCM Balita of which the editor is Frank Ramos, Ramos pa naman. And the editorial was, what is wrong with the RCM, we have not been visited by the new president. Is it because we used the wrong deodorant? Paki-tignan lang iyan because that’s on the record. Nasaan ba si Frank? Makinig ka, makinig ka.

So I told Rod Reyes whose job it is to monitor things of this nature, editorial, etcetera. And I told him, “Rod, puwede ka bang pumunta doon sa RCM at tanungin mo, what bothers them. The reason I have not gone there is, I have not been invited. And they are claiming that deodorants are involved here. ”

So Rod, who is a member of our club, faithfully came here and checked, conducted this usual low key investigation which is usually effective and he came running to me and said with a big grin on his face, sabi niya, “sir, don’t worry. Don’t worry about the deodorant. Afterall, many of them do not wear it!”

Anyway, my dear friends, I am especially happy to be here. As you can see, i am here at home. And i am especially grateful for the special touches that you have sought to put up for this week’s meeting under the direction of babes, starting with the song “it’s a sin to tell a lie.” Somehow we got the impression that that is my favorite song. But I would like to inform babes and all of the males here, that is the favorite song of Mrs. Ramos. And she sings it to me every time I cannot account for certain items in my schedule.

I also appreciate the menu today. I thought all along that this was already the regular lunch of the Rotary Club of Manila. And if it were, I would be happy to come here every week. But since it is not — because I note the menu mentions certain units or certain events to which I have been associated or gave a great deal of importance to — then this indeed is a special menu. Dahil sa iyong “PHILCAG” was my unit in Vietnam. “PEFTOK” was my unit in Korea. “EDSA,” all of you know because you were all there. “Philippines 2000!!!,” you will hear about more. And “thumbs up, kaya natin ito.”

Maybe there is one more we should add here in view of this special event this afternoon which is “people empowerment.” in this case, “blind people empowerment.” okay ba iyan art?

I also would like to commend Santi Dumlao for his powers of persuasion over all of you. If our BIR could collect like him, he would not only be able to wipe out the budget deficit for 1993, he could eliminate the entire foreign debt.

But my dear friends, I would like to greet also Art Panganiban, the chairman of the RCM Eye Bank Foundation; Mayor Fred Lim, our hardworking city mayor of Manila whom I am supporting all the way; chairman Archit Bartolome who is supporting me all the way; our district governor Joey Benedicto; our special guests; fellow Rotarians; Rotary Anns; magandang hapon sa inyong lahat.

Last Friday during the district conference of rotary district 3810, the governors of the nine Philippine rotary districts conferred upon me the title of “Patron of Rotary in the Philippines.” it is a great honor that I will treasure and it is a mission that I will gladly accept.

But in a sense, I do not really need an invitation nor awards to be among you. For the Rotary Club of Manila has been my home in the rotary movement ever since I joined it nine years ago as plain old Eddie. Of course, a lot of things have happened since then. But I trust that I still am and will always be Eddie to all of you.

The Rotary indeed is the great equalizer. It breaks the barriers of race, creed, political persuasion and national boundaries.

Since pioneering the Rotary Movement in the Philippines, the Rotary Club of Manila has given birth or has been the attending midwife to more than 500 other rotary clubs in nine Philippine Rotary districts with a total membership of about 15,000 Rotarians. Likewise, many are not aware that the RCM has helped pioneer several other organizations in the Philippines in the civic and humanitarian sector, such as the Boy Scout Movement, the Community Chest Foundation, the Philippine Cancer Society, the Philippine Tourism Association and Welfareville, to mention but a few. And the RCM has itself not only multiplied in numbers but also in terms of its fruits and relevance as well.

Our club has pioneered in countless projects covering the various aspects of humanitarian service. As most of this have become autonomous, we turn and respond to other problems of society.

Today, I again call on all Rotarians to focus attention to the great challenge that we face as a people. Our country is now at the crossroads of the take-off point for sustained progress and the road block for continued stagnation.

This decade leading to the 21st century augurs well for our region, the Asia-Pacific region. As in the late 1960s and the late 1980s, we are again thrust into an era of great economic promise. We were left behind on those two previous trips. This third time may be our last chance. The reasons to me are simple enough. In the past, too much talk, not enough action. Too much oratory, not enough implementation. Too much debate, not enough consensus on common goals.

That is why we must now muster our best efforts to lay down the foundation for sustainable progress. And to create and maintain the momentum for steady advance.

Our competitiveness as a national society is now the name of the game. If we can devote our time, enthusiasm, energy and resources towards this single-minded purpose, we can attain the status of a newly industrializing country by the year 2000. That should now be in 1993, our battle cry — Philippines 2000!!! — with three exclamation marks.

In this competition, the odds are stacked against us. Our competitors have taken-off ahead of us and are enjoying great headway. We have to work doubly hard to catch up with the pack. But victory is attainable.

We enjoy the comparative advantage of an abundant supply of agriculture and marine resources. Our manpower is considered highly among the world’s employers. Workers that are largely dependable, computer-familiar, proficient in the English language which is today’s “lingua franca.”

Aside from that, the Philippines as you can see from the map, is in a central strategic position in all of Asia and the Pacific. But perhaps, the best thing going for us is the impatience of our people. We have long suffered as a poor nation. We have long stayed in the shadows of our neighbors. And Filipinos, I can feel, are raring to prove to one and all that we can do it.

But an obsession to prosper is not enough. We must unite. Move as one, be willing to work our hardest and sacrifice our pleasures and front-page position for the good of the greater number. As i have often said, no gain is achieved without pain.

Thus, I call upon all of you, my fellow Rotarians, to show the rest how Filipinos can give of themselves in building the nation.

During these last few days, a lot of public attention has been focused on the so-called calamity powers that I have requested congress to authorize the president so that we can cope effectively and firmly with the energy and the power crisis.

I would like to inform you my fellow Rotarians and all others, that as a result of continued dialogues with the leaders of Congress, the following features of the so-called calamity powers proposal first broached by the administration are now more or less agreed to by the national leadership.

First, the suspension for one year of certain laws such as those which pertain to public bidding, employment permits and local government unit clearances insofar as power projects are concerned. Natapos iyan kaninang umaga dito sa isang kuwarto rito sa Manila Hotel.

Next, to waive or exempt agencies, government-owned or controlled corporations and their subsidiaries engaged in power projects from the implementation of the so-called attrition law which means government cannot fill up positions created by those who retire or who are attrited in order to create savings.

Next to waive or exempt power projects from the usual procedures and for the president to prescribe the expeditious procedures for the issuances of clearances in regard to the environment.

Next, to waive or exempt power projects from the provisions of laws requiring approval of such projects by the National Economic and Development Authority and the regional development councils.

Then, to authorize the president to review and revise the return of rate base for power utilities including the National Power Corporation.

Then, to waive or exempt the foreign technicians working in power projects from the provisions of the labor code relative to the requirement for clearances and permits for employment of such foreigners.

Then, to impose a surcharge on power rates to discourage conspicuous consumption by household consumers provided that the surcharge shall apply only to consumption in excess of 500 kilowatt hours per month per household, and only for a period of not more than one year.

Next, authority to affect the reorganization of the national power corporation.

Then, authority to prescribe implementing rules and regulations for the administrative expropriation of real property which are to be used exclusively as sites and rights of way for power projects.

And then, the setting aside by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation or PAGCOR of 10 per cent of its aggregate gross earnings per year for the next 5 years as additional capital contribution of the national government to the national power corporation.

And lastly, but this is also very material to this whole thing, the powers granted to the president to be valid and effective for a period of one year from the effectivity of the act. This is the revised administration proposal refined after meetings with leaders of Congress, and I hope that the two chambers of Congress eventually will see their way through in a short a time as possible to enact this proposal so that we can move on. Hindi yata kayo payag doon, ano?

Now, going back to our special project in Rotary, as we work to resuscitate the economy, we must also maintain our focus on improving basic social services for our people.

Today, the RRCM takes the forefront once again in the launching of another worthy project which is the Rotary Club of Manila Eye Bank Foundation which will gather eye donations to increase the supply of vitally-needed cornea for eye surgery.

Today, I donate my eyes to the RCM Eye Bank Foundation. Sandali lang hindi pa ako tapos, ano. Today, i donate my eyes to the RCM Eye Foundation effective when the time comes.

And I challenge all members of RCM and all Rotary Clubs in the Philippines to do likewise also effective at the right time. Medyo mahina ang response, ano? Uulitin ko iyon. There are 15,000 members of Rotary, Philippine-wide. And according to the statistics provided by Art Panganiban, there are some 15,000 needy persons now awaiting such donation. Tamang tama, one on one. As already explained by art, eye diseases and blindness are one of the most serious threats to our people’s health and although the medical and technical means to help our needy countrymen have been available to us for decades, the most essential ingredient that comes from the human eye has been so scarce that only a fraction of these needy patients ever get their chance.

The registries of medical centers like the Philippine General Hospital show scores of people waiting in vain for their turn at surgery and their chances of seeing again do not depend so much on finances or medical skill as to the charity of others, literally the giving of a vital part of oneself.

And so by the simple act of pledging our eyes to be used as donor tissue in transplants at the time when we are called to a higher calling, we can, through this project, give others the opportunity to see, to earn a living, to participate in life. The only kind in the country, the RCM Eye Bank will provide a modern and centralized facility for transplants which will also receive, process and provide laboratory services for eye tissues given by donors. It will also function as a referral center for patients who may need eye treatment.

Finally, the RCM Eye Bank will promote the dissemination of information and education in eye health care.

I am pleased to add my own congratulations and the commendations of our people to the initiators of this project: Art Panganiban, Ed Caparas, Mat Caparas, and the members of the overseas Rotary Clubs who put up the counterpart US $25,000 as well as all those involved in raising US$25,000 more from local sources.

And I would like to thank our president, Babes Reyes, for giving me two more Paul Harries awards through his donation — I would like to assure you, he is not going to run for political office — in my behalf of US$2,000 as contribution to the local counterpart of this fund.

As we formally inaugurate this RCM Eye Bank Project, let us remember that this is only the beginning of a new opportunity for sacrificial service for our fellowmen. And that we need to do more, much more, if this project must continue to help our blind countrymen.

I, therefore, call on all Filipinos to fully support this project. I hereby approve the proposal of the RCM Eye Bank Foundation for a presidential proclamation authorizing the RCM Eye Bank Foundation Incorporated to conduct an education and fund campaign from April 1, 1993 to March 31, 1994 and every year, thereafter. And I hereby direct the executive secretary to prepare the necessary presidential order.

I am also signing in your presence the form donating the corneas of my eyes so that a less-privileged blind Filipino may see again, when I shall have passed away. That is, if you have any forms ready.

To the board of directors and officers of the rotary club of manila, the board of the RCM Eye Bank Foundation, the donors of funds, materials and transplants, the many leading ophthalmologists and optometrists who have freely given of their time and talents as well as all others. I would like to reiterate once more our people’s heartfelt appreciation and my own for your worthy endeavors. Let us never grow tired of reaching out to our less-privileged countrymen.

Mabuhay ang rotary! Mabuhay ang Philippines 2000!!! Mabuhay tayong lahat! Salamat po. Thank you very much.