Why Apaw sa Davao? Well, because it’s “uma-Apaw sa Saya, Apaw sa Tulong, Apaw sa Pagkakaisa and Apaw sa Projects”  - Health & Hunger, Child Mortality Reduction, Environment Protection, Club Sisterhood, Community Service - all in one!

It all started when two of our new Paul Harris Fellow members, Linda Tabarno and Jing Reyes, invited us for a weekend get-away in Davao. Jing has a banana plantation in Tagum, while Linda has a beach house in Samal Island.  Jing mentioned that there are children in Sto. Tomas, Davao Del Norte who are in need of slippers for their daily long walks to school, but RCMF decided to, might as well, conduct medical, dental and feeding activities to make the trip more meaningful.

During the planning, the number of beneficiaries grew from 500 to 1,000. Since the project promises to be a big one, we thought it best to have a sister club in the place to work with us.  We were able to contact the Rotary Club of Tagum Golden L.A.C.E.S. (Ladies in Action Commited to Effective Service) or RCTGL, who willingly agreed to hold the joint project and sign a sisterhood agreement with RCMF.  RCTGL was chartered in 1992 with a current membership of 32, who are mostly Paul Harris Fellows and led by Pres. Mylene Baura.  What more could we ask for?  So, it's on to Davao!

We arrived at the Davao City airport at 10:00 AM of Nov. 14 and went straight to the Marco Polo Hotel.  There, we noticed that a meeting of the Rotary Club of West Davao (RCWD) is about to be held at noon time.  Because their weekly bulletin is called West Wind, we were blown in to attend.  RCWD is an all-men club and we had a nice time chatting with them.  It was chartered in 1972 with 2 past district governors, PDGs Tony Garcia and Bading Angala, in their roster of 26 members, also mostly PHFs, led by Pres. Bernie Benedicto.

We decided to have a beach clean-up the following day to answer our "environment concerns," since we will be spending the whole day at the Samal Island beach, anyway. Wow!  It was Saturday and while there’s a raging storm in Palawan, RCMF members were cleaning a beach in Mindanao! And, the plates and banana leaves, too, were wiped clean of what used to be sumptuous Davao specialties.  Because of too much food, some of us can barely move and have to stay in the hotel the whole evening. Others prepared for next day’s big event.  We learned that beneficiaries will be more than expected.

November 16 is D-day.  It took us 2 hours by road from the Davao City hotel to the project site in the town of Sto. Tomas, which is just at the periphery of Tagum City.  The trip was very tiring, but when we saw the crowd, it was all worth it.  Slippers were made into a big “Welcome” sign on the ground and it was an awesome sight!   There were lots of children, mothers, fathers and teachers.  It was one large crowd estimated to be at least 2,000!

We were welcomed with a dance number by the school children and by the warm hospitality of the members of our new sister club, RCTGL, headed by Pres.Mylene, who took charge of organizing the event at the Kimamon Elementary School in Barangay Kimamon, Sto. Tomas.  Aside from giving away thousands of slippers and feeding the children, we also conducted medical and dental services to adults, even pre-natal check-ups to pregnant mothers and distributed free medicines.  Most of the doctors were provided by our sister club.  The day's program was highlighted by the signing of our sisterhood agreement with RCTGL, an all-women club, whose members are just as beautiful as the RCMF ladies, inside and out :-).

Noticing the searing heat at the venue, RCMF members Avel Francisco and Weng Parungao donated P10,000 to buy several electric fans for the classrooms to, at least, make the children's studying a bit more comfortable.

What an experience.  The fun and excitement of Rotary service never cease!

Apaw sa Davao talaga!