“…Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight…” –Proverbs 3:5-6

Filipino members of Rotary International have proven, once again, that they have hearts gilled with desire to help their countrymen every way they can, particularly for the impoverished populations trying to free their children of polio. Under District 3810 Governor Liza Vicencio Elorde, Rotarians from Manila, Pasay City, Cavite, and Occidental Mindoro dispensed free oral polio vaccine last week to the children of families at the Baseco Compound in Manila’s Tondo neighborhood.
According to Elorde, Rotarians from District 3810, serving Rotary 2019-2020, decided to launch and implement their anti-polio campaign after the Department of Health (DOH) sounded the alarm last September announcing polio, an illness which was eradicated from the Philippines some 20 years ago, reared its ugly head once more, particularly in Mindanao and Manila.
According to data from DOH and Rotary International, the campaign to rid the Philippines of polio was crowned a success 20 (or so) years ago. During those days, polio was a much-feared disease because it could kill both young and old people alike, or maim them for the rest of their lives. Filipino Rotarians pooled their resources and started fighting the disease.
When the Rotary International officials in America saw the success of the Filipino campaign, they decided to make the campaign international by directing 30,000 (or so) Rotary Clubs around the world to imitate the Filipino anti-polio effort. This prompted many concerned and civic-spirited men and women, along with institutions around the world to join the fight. Among them include billionaire couple, Bill and Melissa Gates, and their Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation, which donates an annual contribution of at least $250 million to Rotary Club’s polio fund.
The international campaign against polio has proven to be highly successful for Rotary International with many countries managing to rid themselves of polio. This was the case in the Philippines up until last September.
However, prior to the news that polio reemerged, Elorde made it a priority to entice Rotarians to support the organization’s anti-polio campaign by offering more contributions to the “End Polio” campaign—I know this for a fact as I serve as her senior deputy governor for the Manila area.
Earlier this month, Elorde launched the district’s campaign as “End Polio Now and Forever” and explained the district would exert all effort to assure polio is completely eradicated—and will not return—to the Philippines.
This is not some kind of “impossible dream” or “mission impossible.” She is joined by DOH assistant secretary, Dr. Eric Tayag, who serves as one of District 3810’s assistant governors; along with District Executive Secretary Eric Candidato and the presidents of the 108 Clubs in the district.
Thank God in His Name of Jesus. Mabuhay!

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