Henry David Thoreau once said, "Dreams are the touchstones of our character." What we dream is what we are, what we want, and what we visualize the future should be. This is why every person must have a dream - a vision to cling on to and to build one's life around. It is this dream that keeps the spirit alive and hoping that tomorrow would be better than today.

As district governor for 2009-2010, I have a dream that gives me life and inspiration - a vision that I want to share with you so that together we can travel fruitfully and share not only the joys of helping others along the way but also the excitement of success that awaits us at journey's end.

VISION

A wonderful world of people united by friendship and cooperation,
A beautiful community inspired by Rotary's way of life,
A vibrant Rotary district made up of
Strong and effective Rotary clubs and
Ideal Rotarians unbendingly committed to building a better world.

A vision however is but a dream within a dream. It must be given wings to fly so that it can become reality. These wings make up the mission that will set us on our journey together, to build that beautiful world - beginning with our clubs and our district.

MISSION

To achieve this vision, the district leadership shall focus on six basic requirements for building a strong Rotary movement:

• Membership development, retention, and growth
• Knowledgeable and results-oriented district and club officers
• Strong and effective clubs
• Unconditional support for The Rotary Foundation
• Effective service projects
• Good public image

These are the six pillars of our Mission for 2009-2010. To animate this Mission and achieve our Vision, we have set the following district goals and thrusts:

DISTRICT GOALS & THRUSTS

Membership Development, Retention, and Growth

The keys to membership development, retention and growth are recruitment of new members and transformation of club members from ordinary individuals into true-blue Rotarians. Here are our goals and thrusts:

Goals:

• 20% district-wide net increase at the end of the year (approximately 400 new Rotarians)
• No clubs shall fall below charter strength (20 members)
• 20% net increase for clubs below 37 members
• 10% net increase for clubs above 37 members
• Club extension - 3 new clubs

Thrusts:

• All clubs shall conduct membership survey. Clubs to be furnished survey forms.
• Invite only qualified individuals into club membership
• Make an impact on new Rotarians at their induction ceremonies.
• Strictly implement new member orientation.
• Provide continuing Rotary education on both club and district levels.
• Adopt the mentoring program to augment retention efforts.
• Revive the position of club trainer to strengthen and make effective club orientation program for new members.
• Adopt the 3-year committee structure
• Encourage formation of a Family of Rotary committee in all clubs.
• Promote immersion of new members in club projects and other activities.
• Encourage at least 85% attendance in meetings to sustain membership interest and participation.
• Assist clubs in reporting new members and terminated members through RI member access. Training shall be provided at PETS and SETS.
• Set up a club task force to monitor development of new members.
• Ensure close coordination between the membership committee and other committees.
• Functional mergers of clubs that need special attention.

Knowledgeable and Results-Oriented District and Club Leaders

Most basic to the development of knowledgeable and results-oriented Rotary leaders is the implementation of the District Leadership Plan and the Club Leadership Plan.

District Leadership Team:

• To provide better and more responsive support to clubs, only the best qualified Rotarians shall be appointed as district officers to form the district leadership team. To ensure continuity and that only the best are chosen, selection of appointees shall be made in coordination with the immediate past district governor, the current governor, the governor-nominee, and past district governors.
• Equip the district leadership team with comprehensive training and proper tools as they take on their challenges in their assigned tasks.
• Hold appointees to the district leadership team accountable for their responsibilities to give a sense of ownership of their duties.
• Motivate the district leadership team to give of their best in reaching the district's goals.
• Inspire district leaders to work closely with club leaders in building strong and effective clubs.

Club Leadership:

• Equip club leaders with comprehensive training and proper tools.
• Encourage club leaders to
  • Develop a long range plan to build an effective club
  • Set annual goals using the Planning Guide for Effective Rotary Clubs.
  • Conduct assemblies that involve members in planning.
  • Ensure clear communication within the club leadership and membership and with the district governor, assistant governor, assistant governor's representative, and district committees.
  • Provide continuity in leadership, including planning for succession to ensure development of future leaders.
  • Amend the club's bylaws as may be necessary.
  • Promote fellowship among club members.
  • Ensure club participation among club members in club meetings, projects, and other functions.
  • Attend district training meetings as appropriate.
  • Provide adequate and continuing Rotary education for new members.
  • Provide educational opportunities for current members.
  • Ensure compliance of RI's minimum standards for Rotary clubs., such as payment of per capita dues to RI, holding of regular and interesting meetings, and subscription to either The Rotarian or the Philippine Rotary Magazine.

Strong and Effective Clubs

Goal:

Our goal is to make every club strong and effective in order to meet the challenge of the RI theme, "The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands."

Thrusts:

Strong and effective clubs are the foundations of Rotary International and the trustees of Rotary's future. The district leadership shall therefore work with the club members and the RI Board to ensure that all clubs in the district are effective and help those that are not. Based on the Four Elements of an Effective Rotary Club, the district leadership shall ensure that each club in the district is able to:

• Sustain or increase its membership base. This can be attained through focus on the basic steps of membership development, retention, and growth.
• Implement successful service projects in its community and communities in other countries. This can be attained when a club develops a strong and wide membership base and conducts a needs assessment for the community as well as an assessment of the club's resources.
• Support The Rotary Foundation, both financially and through program participation. Support for the Foundation further ensures the ability of clubs to carry out projects in Vocational, Community, and International Service.
• Develop leaders capable of serving Rotary beyond the club level. Leadership development is the key to ensuring the future of Rotary through effective leadership in the club, district and international levels.

Unconditional Support for The Rotary Foundation

For 104 years since its creation in 1917, The Rotary Foundation has been touching people's lives and making the difference in the promotion of lasting peace in the world. We must secure the future of the Foundation through our unconditional support. This can be demonstrated in three ways:

Goals:

1. Financial contributions to the Foundation's Annual Programs Fund and Permanent Fund. Our 2009-2010 goal is US$150,000 in contributions to the Annual Programs Fund
2. Increased participation in TRF programs.
3. Keep TRF operations in the district attuned to the Future Vision of The Rotary Foundation.

Thrusts:

To achieve these, we shall focus on the following thrusts:

• The district shall assist clubs in seeking foreign partners.
• Promote 100% per capita giving in each club through the "Every Rotarian, Every Year" initiative.
• District to accept contributions to TRF on a deferred payment scheme and on a case-to-case basis.
• Develop the skills of seeking pledges for TRF contributions.
• Identify prospective donors to the Permanent Fund.
• Identify prospective corporate donors.
• Continuing recognition of TRF donors, including banners and other awards.
• Establish District Paul Harris Society.
• Help raise the Foundation's profile as an advocate of peace and conflict resolution.
• Increase awareness on the various programs of TRF.
• Promote awareness among Rotarians on the Foundation's mission.
• Encourage clubs to plan ahead to help attain the Foundation's future vision.

Effective Service Projects

Effective service projects are those that do the most good for the most number of people in the community. In line with the RI Presidential Areas of Emphases, we shall give more focus on projects related to:

• Water
• Health and Hunger
• Literacy

In these regard, Rotary clubs shall be enjoined to implement service projects that satisfy the following hallmarks of an effective service project:

• Address the real need of the community through cooperative planning between the Rotary club and the people in the community it serves.
• Implemented with the participation of people in the community.
• Benefit the greater number of people in the community.
• Sustained benefits for its beneficiaries.
• Sustainability of the project after completion.
• Encourage self-reliance and self-sufficiency.

In addition, we shall give emphasis on the following thrusts:

• Focus on vocations as a resource for community service projects. This resource is free and responsive to economic crisis. In this regard, we shall revive vocational awards in October for outstanding Rotarians and for non-Rotarians in partnership with barangays and communities.
• Resource sharing, partnering and networking to broaden scope of projects and enhance public image as well as creation of a speaker's bureau composed of successful project managers.
• Documentation of projects in district Web site and sharing these information with club presidents.
• Make available directory of club and vocational service projects as well as continuous project listings by all clubs at the Rotary library and archives.

Good Public Image

Public image can make or break an organization. Nothing promotes or destroys most the growth and future of any organization than it own public image. It all begins with how the organization projects itself to the community through effective public relations.

Goal:

Enhance Rotary's public image to encourage others to join Rotary and obtain wider support for its programs and projects.

Thrusts:

• Formulate an integrated, comprehensive and unified public relations program for the district to which individual club PR plans can be aligned.
• Obtain a public relations grant from RI.
• Conduct a public relations campaign in the community, especially through the Hu8manity in Motion program.
• Encourage clubs to announce or publicize their projects in local media.
• Tap into local talents or connections to seek assistance in the formulation of district or club PR plans and obtain free placements for Rotary.
• Work with local media and provide them with pre-produced Rotary materials.

These are my vision and mission and the district goals and thrusts that will guide us in our efforts to build strong and effective clubs in order to secure the future of Rotary. The tasks ahead may seem difficult and to some extent overwhelming, but taken one step at a time, those tasks are but simple obstacles to the great reward that awaits us at the end of our journey. I ask you therefore to walk with me with courage and commitment as we pursue our dreams in 2009-2010. Let our theme "The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands" inspire us to become the foundations of strength on which future generations of Rotarians can build their own accomplishments to keep Rotary strong and relevant to people's lives.

As district governor, I shall be with you always to share my love, my strength, and my commitment to do everything possible to make our dreams come true. You and I are one team. You and I have been entrusted with the future of Rotary. Together, we shall prevail.