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Rotary Club Honors Metro Manila Street Sweepers

The Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato, District 3780, in cooperation with the DILG and MMDA, awarded early this evening the Ten Outstanding Metro Manila Cleanliness Aides for the year 2004. This is the second year that the Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato has given honors and public recognition to the excellent performance of those engaged in what others perceive as the lowliest job in government service.

The street- sweepers are often- times left unnoticed by motorists and pedestrian passersby who rush to their schools, jobs, appointments and other maybe more lofty under- takings. But these "silent heroes of the streets" continue to persevere, mild rain or hot sunny weather,  as they perform their daily chores of keeping metropolitan streets clean. 

They patiently remove what others, in defiance or total disregard of the proper ways of taking care of our surroundings, throw in the streets and the canals. They do an invaluable service to the community and to society. Indeed, their perseverance and dedication to their humble tasks deserve to be recognized and emulated even by those who, while lacking in proper work ethics, may handle more high-sounding job descriptions than they do.

This year's ten awardees were chosen by the TOMMCA Awards Selection Committee after a thorough evaluation and validation, from among those nominated by the local government officials of the various towns and cities in Metro Manila. "We saw to it that the awardees also receive some material rewards and other benefits," said TOMMCA Awards committee chairman Jun Belgica (left photo).  "These includes cash incentives, appreciation plaques, insurance coverage policies and educational scholarship for the poor but deserving children of the awardees," Belgica added. 

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As was in last year, this year's affair was graced by the presence of  MMDA General Manager Robert Nacianceno (above) who congratulated and gave words of encouragement to the 2004 TOMMCA awardees. Nacianceno underscored the role of NGOs and civic organizations in taking care of the environment, and called for a broader united front to address the proper disposal and handling of Metro Manila's garbage. 

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Rotary International District 3780 Governor George L. Howard (above) in his closing remarks lauded the Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato for launching this signature project of giving public recognition to those who in their owns fields of endeavor, no matter what their stations in life, exemplify the Rotarian ideal of "Service Above Self" and his own favorite cliché: "Serving with Honor." (Excalibur News)

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Messages

Malacañan Palace

Manila

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Message

My warmest congratulations to the organizers, participants and awardees in the Ten Outstanding  Metro Manila Cleanliness Aides Awards 2004.

I laud the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Metropolitan Development Authority, and the Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato, District 3780 for your efforts to promote a clean and well-ordered Manila, and to recognize the labors and sacrifices of cleanliness aides.

You have significantly advanced our efforts to make our cities clean, livable and environmentally sound. Our clean streets and surroundings show a positive image of our strong Republic that harness the opportunities to promote tourism, investments and pride in all things Filipino.

I congratulate the ten awardees for your important work that merits you a special gratitude from our people. You have displayed the commitment and dedication to our duties, and I hope your efforts and achievements will continue to inspire our people to adhere to good citizenship and civic duty in our aim cleanliness in our streets and public places.

I urge you to persevere in your work which immensely benefits society.

Let us intensify our work towards a progressive society and a better quality of life for all Filipinos.

Congratulations and Mabuhay!

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GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

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City of Pasay

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Message

My warmest felicitations to the awardees and to the Rotary Club of-Biak-na-Bato, Quezon City, on the occasion of the presentation of the Ten Outstanding Metro Manila Cleanliness Aides Awards 2004 to be held on 16 December 2004 at the Manila Pavilion Hotel.

Cleanliness of the community is often forgotten in the face of our fiscal problem. But needless to say it is a pressing environmental issue that we must eventually tackle.

Of great import to this issue are the people who address this problem in their daily lives. They are our unsung heroes, our street sweepers. Most of the time we do not notice them as we pass by them on our roads.

This award is a fitting recognition of the people who risk their lives on the road in order for the rest6 of us to have a clean community to live and work in.

Congratulations to the awardees and to the men and women behind this event. May you continue pursuing noteworthy endeavors.

Mabuhay kayong lahat!

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FRANKLIN M. DRILON

President of the Senate

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ROTARY INTERNATIONAL

District 3780

Quezon City, Philippines

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Message

The performance of an official or public duty to promote and serve the best interest of the people does not need any award, recognition or compensation.

The best reward a public servant can get or receive is to discover the joy, appreciation and satisfaction from the public. However, public satisfaction can also be expressed and demonstrated thru a recognition by a non-government organization (NGO).

The Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato has seen it fit to give the TEN OUTSTANDING METRO MANILA CLEANLINESS AIDES AWARD to metro aides for their role in keeping and maintaining a clean environment in the community to promote the public welfare and health.

Let us "Celebrate Rotary" and "Server with Honor!"

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GEORGE L. HOWARD

District Governor

Rotary Year 2004-2005

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ROTARY CLUB OF BIAK-NA-BATO

Rotary International District 3780

Quezon City, Philippines

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Message

The ten Outstanding Metro Manila Cleanliness Aides Awards (TOMMCA Awards 2004) is truly unique and, perhaps unprecedented in its advocacy to institutionalize a collaborative partnership between the private sector and the government in strengthening meritocracy in public service and giving honor and due recognition to the lowliest government workers, namely: the street-sweepers in the country's leading metropolis.

The Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato takes great pleasure and pride in having launched successfully this laudable project two years ago in close coordination with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Department of Interior & Local Government (DILG) and the Local government Units (LGUs) located in the National Capital Region.

At its most ideal, this event is in perfect harmony with a wise saying in the Good Book that "he who humbles himself shall be exalted." Thus, in essence, will serve as a strong motivating factor for our "unsung heroes" engaged in the seemingly humdrum task of cleaning up our streets.

But, of course, the TOMMCA Awards committee chairman, Assistant Governor Jun Belgica, has seen to it that the awardees will receive not only public recognition and honor but, equally important, they will likewise be accorded material benefits such as cash incentives, appreciation plaques, insurance coverage policy and educational scholarship for the poor but deserving children of the awardees.

Viewed in this context, and given its enlightened vision to champion the cause of the "masa" but excellent workers in the government service, the TOMMCA Awards -- for all the inspiration, hope and pride that it brings to our street-sweepers -- should be steadfastly pursued as a lofty annual project.

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EFREN O. DOCENA 

Centennial President

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The Awardees

The Ten Outstanding Metro Manila Cleanliness Aides (TOMMCA) 2004 have been chosen by the Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato in close coordination with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Local Government Units (LGUs) comprising the National Capital Region.

Out of hundreds of nominees, the ten awardees underwent a careful selection process conducted by a panel of judges representing MMDA, DILG and the sponsoring Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato.

Given honor and recognition at the Manila Pavilion Hotel, the adjudged outstanding street-sweepers were given plaques of appreciation, P3,000 cash incentives, P100,000 accident insurance coverage, and P10,000 medical reimbursement.

The TOMMCA Awardees for 2004 were identified as Juanito Libres, Carmelita S. Beltran, Severino C. Costales, all from Quezon City; Angelita B. Dimanlig, Manila, Agustina L. Panganoran, Las Pinas,  Franklin R. Yecla, Caloocan City, Boyeto N. Peleno, Makati; Nelson L. Gabayne, San Juan; Roger M. Aguilar, Navotas; and Herminigildo N. Duma, Marikina.

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Brief History and Vision of TOMMCA Awards

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(Speech delivered by Centennial President Efren O. Docena, Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato, RI 3780 Quezon City,  during the TOMMCA Awards Night held at the Manila Pavilion Hotel.) 

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The giving of awards to Metro Manila street-sweepers -- widely regarded as the lowliest in thee hierarchy of government workers -- is an idea whose time has not only come. As we celebrate the conferment of TOMMCA Awards 2004 tonight, it is beyond doubt that indeed the very idea of recognizing excellence in public service as exemplified by the street-sweepers has truly come of age.

For two consecutive years now, the Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato has been at the forefront of carefully picking out from the metropolitan streets the Ten Outstanding Metro Manila Cleanliness Aides in close coordination with the Department of Interior & Local Government (DILG), the Metro Manila development Authority (MMDA) and the Local Government Units (LGUs) situated in the National Capital Region.

It all started almost two years ago like a seed of, again, an idea, under the watch of then club president Jun Belgica. Determined to pursue the challenge of blazing a new trail in giving honor and recognition to the so-called "unsung heroes" among the government workers, he forged a collaborative work with incumbent club executive secretary George Osit who at that time was not yet a Rotarian, and Edwin Pecaoco, a long-time supporter of our club -- and of course, the Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato served as the fertile ground upon which the whole idea took root and robustly grew to what it is now.

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Courtesy call with Sec. Reyes.  The Makati Business Forum host, who is also a member of RC Biak-na-Bato (left) together with Edwin Pecaoco (2nd fr left) and TOMMCA Award chairman Jun Belgica (3rd fr left) is shown discussing details of the award with DILG Sec. Angelo Reyes last September (File Photo).

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Significantly, what separates the TOMMCA Awards from other award-giving bodies is the nobility as well as the novelty of its vision. To my mind, the nobility of this undertaking is biblically inspired as shown by a scripture of the Good Book that says "who humbles themselves shall be exalted."

Undoubtedly, those who are about to receive due recognition tonight have long humbled themselves in a kind of work that fleshes out the spirit of "Cleanliness is next to Godliness." From our club perspective, the nobility here is not one of birth as in aristocracy, but nobility in spirit.

Its novelty, of course, lies in being one with the common tao, the masa, who constitute the great mass of street-sweepers ubiquitously seen in Metro Manila's thoroughfares. The dirty work of cleaning up our city streets, a job avoided like a plague by most urban dwellers, is done by them and not even a whimper of complaint is heard from these self-sacrificing workers.

For this alone, our lowly but high-performing street-sweepers deserve more than lip-service or a simple pat on the back. It is by any standard, only fair and just that they be accorded honor and recognition in the best possible way -- which is to give a human face to this category of often neglected workers in the most favorable light who, perhaps, without their knowing it, personify the Rotarian Ideal of "Service Above Self."

Thus, viewed in this context, the Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato has gallantly seized moral ascendancy in spearheading a unique concept of conferring awards for excellence in public service from the ground up or at grassroots level. This approach, aside from empowering the community we serve, also motivates and inspires other ordinary street-sweepers to aspire for excellence with anew sense of work ethic.

Finally, with this vision unerringly guiding us, we can look ahead to the future challenges with greater resolve, confidence and determination to make our TOMMCA Awards a highly successful yearly affair. 

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TOMMCA AWARDS 2004 COMMITTEES

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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

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AG PORFIRIO "Jun" B. BELGICA, Jr.

Chairman

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ES JORGE "Jorge" B. OSIT

Vice Chairman

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Pres. EFREN "Efren" O. DOCENA

Adviser

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PAG DANILO "Danny" G. ESPINOSA

AG DIEGO "Diegs" O. UNTALAN

PP VALENTIN "Jun" ASUNCION, Jr.

VP & SEC. ROLANDO "Roland" S. ANTONIO

Rtn. JESS "Jess" ESASE

Members

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SELECTION COMMITTEE ...

JOSEFINA DE VERA-SALIVA

Director, Metropolitan Social Service Office

Metropolitan Manila development Authority

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MARIANO A. GABITO

OIC & Assistant Director,

Bureau of Local Government Supervision

Department of the Interior and Local Government

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CP ALBERT C. LIM

Assistant Governor & Deputy district Secretary (RI D-3780)

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Pres. EFREN O. DOCENA

ES JORGE B. OSIT

PAG DANILO G. ESPINOSA

PP VALENTIN ASUNCION, Jr.

RC Biak-na-Bato

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History of the Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato

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In the beginning...

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With a name evocative of our nation's struggle against foreign domination, the Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato, Quezon City, District 3780, prides itself as well on a storied past, but its present stewardship is engaged in an altogether different struggle: community service, goodwill, global peace and understanding.

Early in 1982, an idea whose time has come was fished out and given deeper meaning by the prime movers of the Rotary Club of San Francisco del Monte (RCSFDM). It was the organization of an extension club called the Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato.

At that time, RCSFDM was headed by its president, Danny Reyes, who eventually became District Governor in Rotary Year 2001-2002. The whole idea got a boost when District Governor's Special Representative Tony Pascual met with the club officers, namely, PR Pros Cresini; Mart Pantaleon, past auditor; Ness Tecson, director; Rotarian Pete Morales and guest Ravenal Santos. They met precisely to pave the way leading to the formation of the rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato.

Consequently, on February 23, 1982, seventeen prospective charter members together with five RCSFDM steering officers held an organizational meeting at the La Hermosa Steak House along Quezon Avenue. Thereafter, regular weekly meetings for the preparation of the charter documents were held at the same venue every Tuesday evening with Mart Pantaleon at the helm who, ultimately and quite fittingly, rose as charter president of RCBNB. 

Then, ultimately, the Rotary International approved on November 25, 1982 the Charter of the Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato with 32 charter members. Since its inception, the RCBNB has dynamically evolved into  a service organization and every "Biakero" (a term of endearment as every member of RCBNB is fondly called) fortunate enough to ascend to the position of the presidency has invariably left a legacy of selfless service to fellowmen.

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... and its evolution

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The honor roll of club presidents includes Mart Pantaleon, Baby Santos, Ness Tecson, Manny Angeles, Freddie Ceballos, Boy Dizon, Jun Dumlao, Ces Marquez (+), Jun Asuncion, Carding Salomon (+), Ding Veloria, Tito Nabua, Ping Fernandez, Danny Espinosa, Fely Medina, Aspy Talapian, Rudy Barot, Steve Balcon, Diegs Untalan, Lito Mendoza, Jun Belgica and Dino Labro. 

The torchbearer of the current chapter of the continuing saga of the Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato is Efren O. Docena whose term as club president RY 2004-2005 accords him a special distinction and title as Centennial President.

As the club helmsman auspiciously coinciding with the first Century of Service of the Rotary organization, Centennial President Docena has laudably exemplified the principle of leadership by example in advancing the 
Rotary idea of "Service Above Self."

Today, in the realm of the RI District 3780 headed by District governor George L. Howard, the Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato is widely regarded as one of the strongest clubs as is laudably credited for having spearheaded -- on top of socially responsive and community-based projects -- signature projects such as the TOMMCA Awards.

Significantly, this award-giving undertaking enjoys the rare distinction of giving public honor and recognition to the lowliest yet high-performing government workers, namely, the street sweepers. moreover, aside from the material benefits and justifiable pride of the awardees and their loved ones, other government workers are inspired by the TOMMCA Awardees high work ethic to aspire likewise for excellence in their field of endeavor.

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Toward a shared vision...

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Like a good seed sown on a fertile ground, the rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato nurtured and strengthened through the years by  the guiding hands of its illustrious club presidents, has grown tall and is now in full fruition.

And like a tree growing towards the life-giving sun, the very same sun that exudes light and warmth to our common work, the Rotary Club of Biak-na-Bato will strive at all times to seek moral ascendancy in its various undertakings.

In advancing the frontiers of service to community and in forging greater peace, goodwill and understanding in the whole world, RCBNB's mission and vision will be guided by the beacon light of the Rotary International.