This year marked the conception of an educational program with the objective of upgrading instructional methods and materials in the public schools, with the goal of narrowing the gnawing gap in the quality of education between private and public schools.

To Pres. Evergisto “Ever” Macatulad belongs the credit for this noble idea that took form in the Teacher Training Program. His term in effect served as the launch pad for the project, a period during which the idea jelled and was consolidated into a project brief that set objectives, targets, and budgets, named project partners and defined their roles, and drew program mechanics. The idea was to provide extensive training to public school teachers in the teaching of three core subjects —English, Mathematics and Science— in order to upgrade instruction in their schools. The Club allotted P1.2 million for the initial phase of project implementation that called for providing scholarships to 100 teachers for a one-year, a masteral-level certificate program at the Ateneo de Manila University.

With the families displaced by Mt. Pinatubo still living in evacuation sites four years after the volcanic outburst, the Club carried on with its assistance program, conducting timed visits to the CabCom area to distribute food, medicine, laundry and personal hygiene products and other basic need items. That year some 600 families received about P1.5 million worth of relief goods.

Wanting to take full advantage of the Mobile Eye Clinic launched the preceding year, Pres. Ever conducted missions in Cabanelas in Brgy. La Paz to test and screen residents for eye ailments that may be surgically corrected in the OR on wheels. Surgeries were performed on a number of cataract patients who were also fitted with intra-ocular lenses, all for free. Still in the health department, the Club donated to Ospital ng Makati’s neonatal care unit P300,000 worth of medical equipment critical to the care of newborn babies.

Under Vocational Service, 130 out-of-school youth successfully completed the computer literacy course and high-speed sewing classes at the Makati Rotary Training Center, and were sent on their way to finding a job. The Club also launched special tutorial classes for academically-challenged senior high school students at the Pamantasan ng Makati Technical High School.

In a tie-up arrangement with Chowking, Nestle and the Makati City Government, the Club printed 10,000 copies of “Lutong Pangkalusugan,” a cookbook of low-cost, easy-to-prepare and low cost recipes, and distributed them to mothers in the different barangays in Makati. The three sponsors also partnered for cooking demonstration in chosen barangays using the recipes in the cookbook.

The Club expanded its sister club roster by inking an agreement with RC Moscow and raised some P1.3 million from the Christmas Bazaar