I have written in the past about the Fourth of July and the Rotary Club of Makati. What is the relationship of the two, you might ask. Bear with me as the significance of both will come together later in this piece.
The current alphabet generations of Z and A would probably know of July 4 as the Independence Day of the United States of America, a federal holiday commemorating the Declaration of Independence from the monarchy of Britain on July 4, 1776.
Independence Day would also be the 1996 movie about an alien invasion or the 2016 sequel on the resurgence of the same.
The Philippines used to celebrate Independence Day on the 4th of July, not as an homage to American independence as a former colony, but because we did achieve independence on that date.
On July 4, 1946, the Philippines won its independence from the United States, not as a consequence of the just-concluded World War II but in compliance with the provisions of the Tydings-McDuffie Law or Philippine Independence Act enacted in 1934 that created the process by which the Philippines as an American colony will achieve independence after a 10-year period.
It was on July 4, 1946 that the Commonwealth of the Philippines became the Republic of the Philippines, when the United States of America formally recognized Philippine independence and withdrew sovereignty over the country.
For some time, Philippine Independence Day was celebrated every July 4 until 1962 when then-President Diosdado Macapagal issued Proclamation No. 28 moving the date to June 12, the date when independence from Spain was first declared in 1898.
July 4 during the time of President Macapagal became known as Republic Day, which later became Philippine-American Friendship Day during the time of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the father of our current President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.
US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson.
Through all this time, the close relations between the Philippines and the United States never waned nor faltered, regardless of who was the head of state on both ends. The broad spectrum of cooperation between the two countries on defense, trade and diplomacy continue to flourish.
The current US Ambassador to the Philippines is none other than Her Excellency MaryKay Loss Carlson, who was nominated to the post in February 2022, and confirmed by the US Senate in May of the same year.
In the three years that she has served her tour of duty in the country (so far), she has made quite an impact with her vibrant presence and charming personality. Any room easily lights up when Ambassador MaryKay enters, and she is living proof of the warm and close relations that both countries enjoy.
The US Ambassador was recently a guest of honor and speaker at the joint meeting of the Rotary Club of Makati, the Rotary Club of Manila, and the Rotary Club of Makati Premier District.
I have been a member of the Rotary Club of Makati (RCM) for some years now. I consider it both my pride and my honor to be a Rotarian.
The Rotary Club of Makati was chartered on March 12, 1966, with an original membership of 46, two of whom are still part of the current roster. It is the “mother club” of all the Rotary Clubs in Makati.
As of Jan. 23, 2024, the membership of RC Makati stood at 132 regular members and 10 honoraries, making it one of the largest clubs in District 3830.
(From left) CB Rivilla, David Ackerman, the author, Keith Harrison, Ambassador Carlson, Jujut Enriquez, Eric Quiason, and Chris Ferrareza.
RCM is the only Rotary Club I know of that has its own building. It is composed of businessmen, public servants, and professionals representing a wide range of fields. About half of the members of the club are CEOs, COOs or CFOs of the country’s largest corporations. One-fourth are heads or senior officers of financial institutions, while the rest are principal officers of multilateral institutions, seasoned businessmen and leading practitioners in the fields of law, medicine, banking, accountancy, engineering, architecture, consultancy and information technology, members of the diplomatic corps, among others.
So to be a part of the RCM is to be in distinguished company. RCM prides itself in the quality of its members.
I had the honor of introducing Ambassador MaryKay at our joint meeting, and it was really a remarkable meeting as we were all eager to learn more about Her Excellency’s diplomatic journey, the lessons learned along the way, and the dynamic and deep relations that both our countries currently enjoy, despite the changes in administration, and how this would continue to strengthen moving forward.
Friendships such as these are rather important during these turbulent times in the global scene. I cannot stress enough how much of a VUCA (for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) world we are experiencing now, and with geopolitical tensions rising in some parts of the world, ours included, it is comforting to note that we can count on certain friends who have lent a helping hand not just through the years but through centuries.
Such is the case, too, with the Rotary Clubs, not just all over Makati, but even across the country. We depend on each other for camaraderie and support, especially during those challenging times.
“Service Above Self” which is, truly, the Rotarian Way.
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And, speaking of service above self, my heartfelt congratulations to Metro Pacific Investments Foundation’s Shore It Up! Which has been recognized by the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) in the recent 2025 CSR Guild Awards.
MPIF received the Most Outstanding CSR Project for Environment for the program, Shoring Up Siargao and Mabini’s Coastal Communities by Expanding MPIC Guardians Program.
This recognition is a testament to our commitment to significantly contribute to national progress and improve the quality of life of Filipinos.
The LCF CSR Guild Awards recognizes foundations and corporations with the most outstanding CSR programs.
Kudos to MPIF president Melody Del Rosario and her team! *
