RCMO CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL LITERACY DAY Rotary Club of Makati Olympia promotes basic literacy as one its main thrusts. Jose Magsaysay Elementary School (JMES) in Makati is its partner. To celebrate International Literacy Day, it launched the project “Mga Kwento ni Kuya at Ate,” a monthly story-telling session for selected schoolchildren from Grades 2 and 3 at JMES. For the maiden session, there were 65 pupil-participants who listened to the story “Ang Langgam at Ang Tipaklong”. After the story telling, a game was played to test the comprehension skills of the pupils. Prizes were given the winners. Rotaractor Roxanne Tangcalagan regaled the pupils with songs. Rotaractor Joel Advincula and District Interact Representative Miguel Bermido were the story- tellers. Nine Rotarians headed by CP Rose Acoba, 7 Rotaractors and an Interactor and the School Administration headed by Principal Imelda Ferrer and Grades 2 and 3 teachers were present. On November 17, 1965, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) proclaimed September 8 as the International Literacy Day. The annual celebration aims to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies. It reminds the international communities of the status of literacy and adult learning globally. Literacy, according to UNESCO, is the "ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute and use printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society." Rotary International espouses this advocacy. It acknowledges that literacy is the key to its aspiration to do service to humanity for it believes the clear connection between illiteracy and poverty. Message Message Message Message of the of the of the of the RCMO RCMO RCMO RCMO President President President President This week, we have been in a frenzy in our activities Going on our second month, we are now full blast in our endeavors. I am happy that all of us are slowly feeling the magic of Rotary. Through our organizational stage, we have received the best orientation and formation any new club can get. We know that learning does not end there. Now that we have started doing our projects, we are beginning to understand why it was said in one of the Rotary Information sessions that the service activities are the very spirit of Rotary. Without them, what we have learned will be just the philosophical frameworks without action. All the activities that we have started are anchored on our learnings. We decided to do them after a thorough assessment of the needs of the communities that we will serve as far as our resources will allow. The real essence of these projects lies in our collective desire and belief in them. We are 54 charter members. To-date, there are several being proposed to be new members soon. Who says that we are wanting in resources? The recent visits to our local sister clubs are opening more doors for collaborative efforts. For instance, RC Los Banos donated Anti – Dengue Spray while we also gave them books for their adopted school. And how can we forget our youth and their respective matched clubs who have invigorated and added life to all our undertakings? Cont’d at page 2… The OLYMPIANS The Official Newsletter of the Rotary Club of Makati OLYMPIA VOL 01 NO 05 • SEPTEMBER 2010