Luis Ma. “Louie” Guerrero
1971-1972
This was a landmark year for the Club, a boundary in time that ushered a period of financial security that has stood to this day. This was brought about by the establishment of a foundation envisioned to be a generator of funds needed by the Club to enable it to engage in projects that offered the most good to the most number of people and would run from one year to the next without interruption.
The entity was the Makati Rotary Club Foundation Inc. (MRCFI), a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Although there were dissenters who viewed the idea as “an impossible dream,” its mastermind, Edgardo “Hadji” Kalaw, was able to convince them of the validity of the idea and in due time proved himself right.
To give muscle to the foundation and get it on its way to becoming the funds builder and treasury steward that it was conceived to be, the decision was made to build a commercial arcade in the heart of the Makati Commercial Center, on a piece of property now occupied by SM Makati.
But it was clear to all that the infant club did not have the means to carry out such an ambitious project. The officers quickly solved the problem by obtaining a syndicated bank loan of P660,000. The keep costs down and ensure that the borrowed capital would cover all material and manpower expenses, donations were made by a number of members, notably Paing Hechanova who donated his services as architect and Roberto “Bert” Montinola of Amon Trading who donated construction materials. Others chipped in with donations in cash and in kind, an early demonstration of the team spirit that would be the hallmark of club fellowship in years to come.
The Club capped the year by registering its very first contribution to The Rotary Foundation with the enlistment of IPP Ford Tussing as a Paul Harris Fellow in January 1972.
The year culminated with the Club hosting the 8th district conference of District 380 under District Governor Benjamin Campomanes.