Monday, June 29, 2009

The intrigues about Awards….

Biased judgment? It is seldom that I hear an award’s night without intrigues. How come and the club don’t know the criteria are just some of the common raised points.

The truth of the matter is, no award ceremony is mandated in RI policies either for Rotary or Rotaract. There is also no required budget for the district awards. It’s usually the District Rotaract Representative’s own expense. This is because the event is a way of thanking key people who contributed to the success of the particular Rotary year; in a way, those who helped the DRR or District Governor do his job! Meaning, it’s really the District Rotaract Representative’s discretion to recognize and give awards to these people. However, to set “fairness” and boost the moral of the Rotaract clubs instead of chaos, the “awards” are based from certain criteria set ahead or during the early months of a Rotary year.

It is good to aim these awards both for the club and individual Rotaractors and include in the planning session. This is not for the award alone but as a subtle way of ensuring that the club will execute “quality” projects and activities. Usually, the award criteria is said to have a balance scoring system in all avenues of service; thus directing the “award criteria follower club” into an outstanding club.
For the award giving body – the District, it will be good that at the very start of the Rotary year, the criteria is announced and published already. This is to direct the focus of the clubs and align their plans with RI and district thrusts. The district may adopt its own Awards guidelines or borrow from the Rotary district’s system. Recently, the Multi-District Information Organization (MDIO) Pilipinas drafted a “standard” manual of procedures for the ten (10) Philippine Rotaract districts. The standard procedures for the awards are enclosed in a “Scoring System”. The scoring system has a detailed criteria, percentage and calculation. You may view the MDIO-Pilipinas’ award scoring system here . To balance the results, the DRR may invite and include panelists’ score during club presentation and deliberation against the raw scores from the submitted reports. This is because some of the criterion are subjective though guided with objective measures. The district and the DRR may also include special awards like Most Outstanding Rotarator of the Year, Most Promising Rotaractor of the Year, Most Outstanding President, etc. The district may also cite non-competitive awards like the Fashion Icon of the Year, the Congeniality and others to add individuals who marked the year in remarkable and fun way.

What I would like to emphasize here is, whatever system is selected, it is crucial and beneficial that the criteria is announced and published at the beginning of the Rotary year. This is for all concerned district, clubs and individuals be aware and guided with the guidelines at the very beginning of its operations.

My personal point of view about awards is that it boosts the moral of the Rotaract Clubs and Rotaractors. This is for the fact that we are all volunteers and expect no monetary compensation from our service. It is only through this recognition that the self worth of a club is given an emphasis. Really, it’s more than the award itself, its more than what we may simply display in our walls. Likewise, the awards definitely shape a deeper and greater accomplishment as club goals. The awards strongly guide the planning and execution of the said aims with high quality measures.

RI District 3800 MDIO Signing in Rotary Award's night pictures

RI District 3780 ROTARACT Award's Night pictures

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Create Irregular Rotaract Expenses Account

As I mentioned, I have been studying personal financial management. The Rotaract abruptly fits in the picture.

The book is SIMPLIFY And Live the Good Life by Bo Sanchez. As I quote, “There are expenses that don’t come each month. ….Washing machine repairs attack you in the dead of night”. The truth is, I really don’t “project” how much I should save for Rotaract each month. The logic is, I really don’t how much will I personally allot for Rotaract at regular interval. Its just like strike anytime strategy.

However, as Bo said, “Part of your budgeting is figuring out what these irregular expenses are in your life and knowing how much they cost in total each year. Divide this by twelve, and that’s what you should set aside in another account called ‘Irregular Expenses’. Note: this isn’t your savings account!”

The concept opened a good solution in balancing our personal obligations while fulfilling our Rotaract passion.

When I tried this out, I should allot at least P500.00 to P1, 958.00 per month for upcoming Rotary Year! This is aside from my other “saving envelopes”. Gosh! Still, this is a good realization and start than not recognizing and solving at all.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

5th PHILIPPINE DRRS’ TRAINING IN LA UNION, A RESOUNDING SUCCESS!

5th PHILIPPINE DRRS’ TRAINING IN LA UNION, A RESOUNDING SUCCESS!
by: PDRR Devie Ontolan, Founding Chair – MDIO Pilipinas (Rotaract Club of Cubao, D3780) for devie-on-rotaract.blogspot.com

This year’s 5th District Rotaract Representatives (DRRs) Training was held in La Union last May 30-31, 2009. The event is an annual exclusive gathering and training for Rotaract district leaders and organized by the Multi-District Information Organization (MDIO) – Pilipinas. The training is a major and official event of MDIO-Pilipinas representing Districts 3780, 3790, 3810, 3820, 3830. Districts 3800 and 3860 are now in line for MDIO inclusion and RI’s approval.

An outstanding 8 out of 10 Philippine districts participated this year. District Rotaract leaders came from south to north; from RI D3770 Rotaract Club of Tuguegarao down to RI D870 Rotaract Club of South Cagayan De Oro and Rotary Club of South.
Districts and clubs participated were: RI D3770 RAC Tuguegarao (DRRE Brylle Atienza),RI D 3780 RAC Balintawak and RC Timog (DRR Virgil Delos Santos and incoming DRC Roby Montellano), RI D3790 RAC La Trinidad (DRRE Mealey Ann Pinas), RI D3810 RAC Manila (DRRE Izel Guatno and DRR Charlie Chua), RI D3820 RAC Santa Rosa and RAC Lucena South (DRRE Arelene Bacalla and DRR Megs Abarca), RI D3860 RAC Cebu South (DRRE Rail Letogio) and RI D3870 RAC South Cagayan De Oro and RC South (DRRE Kim Libutaque and incoming DRC Nharz Tan).

Incumbent MDIO executive officers led the success of the event headed by Chair Melchor Encabo of RAC Manila (RI D3810) and Secretary Joannie Sitoy of RAC YMNP (RI D3830).

Pioneering MDIO officers present to assist and guide in different roles were founding Chair Devie Ontolan of RAC Cubao (RI D3780), founding Secretary and now Rotarian Mhon Brazas of RC San Pedro East (RI D3820) and founding Treasurer Rhosenie Villanueva of RAC Manila Metro (RI D3810).

No other than the RI D3790’s District Governor Elect Oyan Villanueva served as the key guest speaker. He emphasized the coming RI Thrust, “The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands”. He also inspired the young district leaders on “Effective Leadership through Organized District Committee”.

Other distinguished speakers were incoming RI D3790 District Secretary Linda Winter for “Protocol and District Programs”, RI D 3800 incoming Rotary Club President / PDRR Paolo Rivera on “DRRs’ Roles and Responsibilities”, and RI D 3820 incoming District Rotaract Chair / PDRR Mhon Brazas for “Enhancing Rotary-Rotaract Relationship”.

The training equipped incoming DRRs a broader perspective on their roles and responsibilities. The training also provided an avenue on how to handle challenges and issues they will face as RY 2009-10 DRRs. This included issue like enhancing Rotary and Rotaract relationship both at the district and club levels. The training also tackled how to act, speak and down to how to dress appropriately as part of DRRs’ “packaging”.

A unique addition to this year’s training was the District Rotaract Chair (DRC) or Rotarians group as participants. DRCs from RI D3780, 3820 and 3870 truly added a wider and deeper scope on “Rotarians’ Forum on Rotaract”. The DRCs’ group was facilitated by Rotaract veteran / Past President of Rotary Lucban from RI D3820.
Incoming District Rotaract Chair (DRC) Roby Montellano of Rotary Club of Timog represented RI D3780 in the Rotarians group. He shared that time is what he thinks lacking from Rotary side to assist ROTARACT to fully grow. This can be justified with Rotarians really can’t catch up the many energy demanding and over 10:00PM Rotaract activities, with numerous Rotary events on the side. In response, he devised a “team” strategy where he will not be alone as DRC but will be of four to five members under the “Rotarians Youth Team”. The great example was the MDIO DRRs’ Training coincided with RI D3780’s Rotary DISTAS. DRC / Dr. Roby participated in La Union training while the other “Rotarians Youth Team” members attended the DISTAS. It is like multiplying their presence so they can better represent, address and assist all possible Rotaract concerns and activities.

According to incoming DRC Nharz Tan of Rotary South (RI D3870), “The MDIO should be able to reach out to help increase Rotaract awareness of the 10 Philippine Rotary districts”. Tapping the council of Rotary Club Presidents and increasing their Rotaract knowledge were just some of his important points.
PDRR Devie served as Election Committee Chair. DRR Megs Abarca of RI D 3820 won as the RY 2009-10 MDIO Chair.

This 2009 DRRs’ Training was hosted by RI D3780 and chaired by its District Rotaract Representative Virgil Delos Santos. Teambuilding, swimming at the pool and beach, and hopping around the pottery shops in La Union were part of edutainment DRRs’ training.

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The opinions expressed on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent those of my employer, home Rotaract Club, sponsoring Rotary Club, Rotary District and MDIO.