Message of DGN Pablo ¡§Ambo¡¨ Gancayco
during the RI Dist. 3780 PE/PN Breakfast last March 21,
2009,
7:30 A.M., at the Millennium Salon, Manila Hotel
Today, as I stand here, the ground has
shifted beneath us. Each of you is no longer the same person who joined
your Rotary Club a few years ago
to become an ordinary member. Your Rotary training did what it can to
prepare you for the position of President but it can only do so much.
The cores of our beings lie in our characters, and in our ingenuity and
openness to change. Your training is what will guide you to be a
knowledgeable Rotary president but it is who you are, your character,
that will drive you to be an excellent and compassionate President.
You will become a Rotary President and
I tell you, it will not be that easy. Being a Rotary President entails a
lot of sacrifices. Being a Rotary President will take a lot of your
time, effort, and energy. But, being a Rotary President is also ¡¨your
ticket to change the world.¡¨
As a Rotary Club President, you will
be holding greater responsibilities. Now
is your chance to give back to your community and to the world, to make
a difference, to turn your community and the world into a closer replica
of what you think it should be; to make your
community and the world a better place to live in. Each of you is very
powerful, and holds mysteries in yourself that even you still may not
grasp at this time. These are mysteries of potential, of possibilities,
of greatness.
Today we come together in the spirit of change, growth and opportunities, hopeful for the best. We are in careful observation of those who are and will be holding the highest positions in the District and the Rotary Clubs before our time comes. We work closely with the incumbent Club and District officers, cooperate with them and along the way, learn from them. AS FOR ME, AS YOUR FUTURE GOVERNOR, CONSIDER ME NOT ONLY AS A MENTOR BUT AS A FRIEND AND A BROTHER.
I know that among many of you, just
like me, there are also feelings of anxiety and fear, as is expected
when facing the unpredictable future. What is important in the journey
we are about to embark on is a generous amount of faith¡Xfaith in the
world, faith in the Lord, and faith in ourselves. Each one of us must
view all the days after this one as gifts of opportunity, seen through
the window of hope and optimism.
As Rotarians who can now truly
contribute much much more to the society, your lives are just about to
begin. I hope that each of you may develop into the best President that
you can be ready to take on the position and all the challenges it
presents.
This is truly a very exciting time, as
well as one filled with uncertainty and anxiety. But I tell you this¡X
fear not the unknown. Each of you must enjoy your great position for it
is a time of endless possibility. The only limits to your dreams as
Rotary President are those you inflict upon yourselves, so build not
walls around you, but believe in your capacities to go the distance.
Seek God¡¦s guidance, be the best Rotary President that you can be and
excel in whatever club project or endeavour you choose.
The District is your extended family
but your club is your home. May the friendships, relationships and
mentorships created here be life-long and unwavering. Remember that in
the face of trials and hardship, your District Officers will be here to
give you a helping hand. You entered Rotary a few years ago, raw and
ready to be molded, ready and waiting for your potential as a Rotary
leader to be fully realized. Your Club members have chosen you to be
their leader in the belief that each of you has the power to succeed,
and the character to thrive. Your District Officers have faith in you.
I, as your future Governor, trust in you.
We believe in you.
We will guide you. We will support you. But always remember that
we, your District officers also need your full cooperation, your full
support and your sincere guidance. In the same way that your success as
President depends so much on your club members, the success of our term
as District officers depends so much on all of you.
At times as trying as these in our
nation, we need a new breed of leaders, a revolution in character. Be
forever open to suggestions and changes, have plans but take each day as
it comes. We will only become the new breed of leaders that we so direly
need when we learn by heart the true ideals of the Rotary. Strive to
lead and live with the values of hard work, self-respect, honesty and
integrity. Remember that success as Rotary President will not come in
easy strides. In whatever circumstance you find yourself in, never ever
give up. Be patient. Persist. Pray and continue praying.
With the Lord at your side, training
in hand, and the powerful character within you, we see each one of you
off into the limitless horizon. May each one of you never forget the
sacrifices of your family. May each of you never forget all the things
you have learned and acquired, whether through your Rotary training or
through your experiences as active Rotary members. You begin another
chapter of your Rotary Life and your dreams for your Rotary Club and for
District 3780 have never been so close. Go out into the Rotary world and
set it ablaze with your fire!
Congratulations Incoming Presidents
and Presidents-Elect.