[1] Address delivered by retired Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban as Guest of Honor during the meeting of the Rotary Club of Manila on November 16, 2023, at the Ballroom of the Manila Polo Club, Makati City, where he was recognized and awarded as “The Only Philippine Rotary President to Become Chief Justice of the Philippines.”
Friends, Rotarians, Countrymen. “Lend me your ears. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.” Of course, that famous metonymywas composed by William Shakespeare to catch attention to his immortal play, “Julius Caesar.” But after listening to the lavish introduction by Beda Fajardo, the three tributes so grandiosely orated by Rotarians Presby Velasco, Tony Lopez and Citos Manalastas, and the anecdotal bits and pieces of my humble life narrated by our Emcee PP Archit Bartolome, I now realize I have been subpoenaed to come to this Rotary meeting in the expectation that I would be buried. And, unlike Caesar, lavishly praised in addition, because you are all honorable men!
Indeed, these tributes are eulogies fit for my funeral. But you will be disappointed to know that they are too early because I will only be a healthy 87 on December 7, and I intend to live to one hundred and beyond. Yes, I intend to keep my title as the oldest teenager and youngest old timer among my friends. As they say, only the good die young.
And, ladies and gentlemen, when that fateful time comes, and you are still alive because you are not good, please be sure to recite these eulogies again during my wake. If you don’t, I will haunt you every night. That’s a promise as enduring as my Rotarian jokes.
In his formal letter inviting me to attend today’s proceedings, DGE Jackie Rodriguez asked me “to show our new members a wonderful glimpse of our glorious past.” And so, in total obedience to his decree, my humble address today will center on that beautiful song of yesterday, “The Way We Were” in RCM in 1983, some 40 years ago when many of you were not yet born. That year, I was inducted as a baby (or star) Rotarian. In the same batch of inductees was the then Chief of the Philippine Constabulary (now called the Philippine National Police), General Fidel V. Ramos, who became my frequent seatmate, chitchatting about the latest off-the-record events in our country, what the “Gen Zs” of today call “Marites.” That is the beauty of Rotary. Your seatmate may someday become the President of the Philippines and change forever the course of your life and career, like me when he named me, though unworthy, direct to the Supreme Court without passing through the judicial hierarchy simply because, among other reasons, I was a fellow Manila Rotarian. You don’t believe that? Let me explain very briefly.
On June 17, 1992, when his electoral victory was already assured but before taking his oath of office on June 30, 1992, then President-elect Ramos called me to a one-hour, one-on-one meeting at his private office in Rm. 202, 845 Pasay Road, Makati. After discussing many topics about our country, he offered me to join his Cabinet as Secretary of Justice. Surprised and taken aback, I replied that I was unworthy to join his Cabinet because I did not campaign for him during the preceding elections, adding that only those who supported him deserve to be in his Cabinet. He brushed that aside, saying, “I know you did not campaign for me. You did not even vote for me. You voted for your mentor Jovy Salonga. But that is okay because I want to be president of all our people, not just of those who voted for me. Besides, after observing how you succeeded in your RCM presidency, I know I can trust you to help me run the country.”
He gave me two weeks to think over his offer. Thereafter, I spoke with him again, saying “Sorry sir, but my dear wife Leni objects. She explained she did not have the gregarious talent expected from the wife of a political leader.” Then, the President bashed me, “Ah, under the saya ka pala. Dalawa na tayo.” But you must serve our country. Sa Supreme Court ka na lang.”
Fellow Rotarians, ladies and gentlemen, that in short, is how I got to the Supreme Court, as a generous offer from one Rotarian to another. The moral lesson: Come to our Rotary meetings regularly. Your seatmate may change your life forever and for the better.
To go back to my speech, DGE Jackie Rodriguez asked me to concentrate my talk on my presidency in 1990-1991. And so, I will obey him, as all Rotarians should obey their elders, especially their wives.
As we all know, RCM was organized on June 1, 1919, making it the first and oldest Rotary Club in Asia, and the premier civic club in our country. With its 455 members during my presidency, it was also the largest in the whole world, excluding the United States. It counted among its members several Cabinet secretaries, senators, congressmen, justices, 40 talented doctors, 50 brilliant lawyers, several bank presidents, ambassadors, consuls, and executives of the top 300 companies in the country. When the Presidents Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Cory Aquino, and Fidel V. Ramos had something important to say to our people, they would simply take the RCM rostrum during our weekly meetings and fire away, assured of full coverage by all radio-TV-print media. We held our regular meetings at the Manila Hotel, the most magnificent hotel at that time, as highly regarded as today’s Grand Hyatt and Shangri-la.
The presidency of RCM had, and still has, a long tradition of excellence. Among the RCM Presidents prior to my incumbency were a Senate President, a Supreme Court Justice, the only Filipino who became president of the United Nations General Assembly, and a respected banker who was later conscripted to the Cabinet, a gentleman bearing the honorable name of Archit Bartolome.
At that time, there was absolutely no politics or campaigning for election in Manila Rotary. In fact, no one really ran for RCM President. One was simply elected to it. This was because under RCM’s election procedure, which is unique in the world of Rotary, the Rotarian who garnered the highest number of votes in the open election for membership in the Board of Directors is automatically proclaimed President. Hence, anyone nominated for the position of director could be elected president.
When the possibility of being elected President was broached to me by some well-meaning Rotarians, my immediate reaction was one of refusal. I knew that the presidency demanded almost full-time work – as in fact, many former presidents had to take a leave of absence from their businesses or professions. I was deeply involved in business and in my practice of law, not to mention our Catholic charismatic community, the Bukas Loob sa Diyos or BLD. My wife and I were in-charge of the apostolate that supervised all its marriage encounter seminars and headed the BLD Foundation.
And as in all things and events that came my way then and now, I subjected this possibility to reflection and daily prayer so I may know what the Lord willed for me. Later, I requested members of BLD, especially fellow RCM members, to join me in the discernment process. After several reflections and discernment sessions, the group was unanimous that I must be open to an election and clear my schedule so I could serve properly. When elections came, the results were never in doubt, for I topped the voting with a record margin in RCM’s history. Fortunately, the elections were held in December 1989 and I took over the presidency only in July, 1990, thereby giving me seven months to reflect, pray about, and plan for my incumbency.
Even after the elections, our little discernment group continued meeting. Together with the group, I prayed and asked the Lord, “Now that You have gotten me elected President, what do you want me to do? What should be the theme and thrust of my incumbency?” It is my deep faith and belief that though written two thousand years ago, the Biblical words are still true today as they were yesterday and would be tomorrow. Thus, in our discernment process, we prayed and waited on the Lord. Eventually, we were “struck” by Isaiah 42, verses 1 to 8, which I quote in part as follows: “Here is my servant whom I uphold, My chosen one with whom I am pleased, Upon whom I have put my spirit… I, the Lord, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations. To open the eyes of the blind to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness…”
I can never forget the day when this discernment was made and confirmed. I had goose bumps all over me. I could not believe that I could be the “chosen one…. whom the Lord has called for the victory of justice…to be a light for the nations… to open the eyes of the blind… and to bring out prisoners from confinement.” How can I do evangelical work in a civic organization that had a long history of non-involvement in spiritual matters?
The days and nights that passed were reverberations of these words. And even if I covered my ears and buried my head under my pillow, the words of Isaiah still penetrated my senses.
And so, in obedience to His Divine Word, reluctantly in the beginning but enthusiastically later, I implemented His will through my human toil. First, I had to formulate a credo for my incumbency. Praying and asking the Lord on what the theme of my presidency should be, I was led to Mark 12:29-32. In these passages, Jesus Christ summarized the Ten Commandments into two, first, “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is: “love your neighbor as yourself.” Based on this, I eventually formulated the credo of my RCM presidency: LOVE GOD SERVE MAN.
When I initially floated this theme, my Rotarian-friends were aghast. “Why do you inject God in a civic club? This is unheard of. It is divisive! Remember, there are many non-Christians in the Club. You will be imposing on them!”
But the more I was opposed, the more I was convinced that that should be our theme. And if my members will vilify me for it…. So be it. I took comfort in our Lord’s promise in Matthew 5:11-12:
“Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of slander against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is great in heaven.”
To prepare for my presidency, I took an 18-month leave from my businesses, law office, and many activities to give full time to my incumbency. With the help of my leadership team, I expanded this credo into a full-blown printed 76-page Program of Action, describing in detail 178 projects and activities that RCM would undertake, complete with specific days and months during my one-year incumbency when these activities would be performed. The Program of Action, a “first” in RCM’s history, called for a budget of P90 million, an outlay that was not twice, not thrice, but 18 times more than the biggest budget of P5 million that RCM had in the past. That P90 million in 1990 would be roughly equivalent to P300 million now.
During my inaugural address on July 12, 1990, I outlined these 178 projects. The members were aghast at the huge budget and the ambitious Program of Action. They were even more stupefied by my 30-minute speech when I emphasized that our 178 projects and P90-million budget shall be devoted to the amelioration of “the least of our brothers” as required by our Lord in Matthew 25.
I said, “This is the base, the most important component, the driving force of my vision for Manila Rotary. As your President, I vow to channel our major treasures, time, and talent in helping our less fortunate brethren. To me, this is the raison d’etre, the reason for being of Manila Rotary – – to help those who cannot help themselves and to help those who cannot help us back in return.”
To justify the spiritual tone of both my Program of Action and my credo, I explained in my inaugural speech that Rotary’s traditional maxims had theological roots. I explained, ‘“Service above self. He profits most who serves best.’ In invoking these familiar Rotary maxims, Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary International, was mouthing not just a capitalist doctrine, but a spiritual truth. This is the reason why the incoming team has adopted LOVE GOD SERVE MAN as our credo. This is really a theological restatement of Paul Harris’ maxims. This credo summarizes our whole being and purpose on earth – to glorify God by serving our fellowmen.”
During my inaugural, I invited not only the 455 members of RCM, but also the presidents of the more than 166 satellite Rotary clubs in Metro Manila, as well as the diplomatic corps, and my friends in government, in business and in the professions. I wanted them all to hear my message and my vow. As I concluded my speech, I declared: “Upon this credo, LOVE GOD SERVE MAN, I shall be judged, not only in the Rotary Club of Manila but I dare say, in my whole unworthy life here on earth.”
The members of our Club had mixed reactions – – from the incredulously critical like, “Why is religion now a program of RCM?” to the euphoric like “Alleluia, what a spirit-filled speech!” But the true test of their response was dramatically displayed during our Club’s regular meeting just one week after my inaugural.
You see, on Monday, July 16, 1990, four days after my induction as president, Luzon was devastated by that killer of an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 on the Richter scale causing more than 2,000 deaths. During the RCM meeting three days later, on Thursday, July 19, I pleaded for assistance to the poor, afflicted and weak earthquake victims. The members thunderously responded with a massive P5.5 million in just 30 minutes of pledging and outpouring, followed by another P660,000 telephoned the following day.
In total, the contributions given or pledged by Manila Rotarians alone came up to nearly P7 million. When I asked for contributions, I would have been totally satisfied if my co-members pitched in P500,000. But the Lord was truly generous. He caused them to give and to give generously – 16 times more than my best expectations. And to think that these funds were not even included in the P90 million regular budget! Moreover, the members gave generously of themselves – doctors conducted medical missions; businessmen sent their products and manufactures, the Rotary Anns sent old clothes and groceries and our relief team and I set-up a “tent city” for 250 families in Burnham Park, Baguio. Even foreign Rotary Clubs responded magnificently. One club, the Rotary Club of Waikiki, air-freighted from Hawaii over 3,300 kilos of relief goods in one shipment.
I thanked the Lord for this massive response. I viewed this tremendous outpouring of support not merely as an answer to my call to LOVE GOD SERVE MAN but as a sign of His Providence when we discern and obey His will and step out in faith to proclaim it. Truly, it was His way of affirming those who live by His Word and His commandments.
A year after, on June 27, 1991, I delivered my Valedictory Address, which I hereby quote in part. “During our induction, I distributed to all of you a printed 72-page Program of Action which described in detail with specific timelines for their accomplishment…. Though we planned 178 projects, we implemented 185, and though we organized 67 committees at the start, we formed five more later for a total of 72… which all met regularly and worked feverishly during the preceding 12 months. Today, I will distribute our 94-page printed Final Report describing the RCM projects that have been implemented (constituting 95 percent of those planned) and those that need follow up (constituting the balance of five percent).”
Fellow Rotarians, ladies and gentlemen, I was a sinner, and I am still a sinner, who is thoroughly unworthy of God’s blessings. And as I contemplate my sinfulness in God’s mighty presence, I look up and see only the compassionate and merciful eyes of Jesus. In complete faith, I lift up and abandon everything I am, and I have, before Him, fully confident of His unfailing love for me which I know is my only source of salvation. In these moments of unworthiness before my King and Master, I always remember St. Paul’s First letter to Timothy – in which he humbled himself and declared:
“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He has made me His servant and judged me faithful. I was once a blasphemer, a persecutor, a man filled with arrogance; but because I did not know what I was doing in my unbelief, I have been treated mercifully, and the grace of our Lord has been granted me in overflowing measure, along with the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. You can depend on this as worthy of full acceptance: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these, I myself am the worst. But on that very account, I was dealt with mercifully, so that in me, as an extreme case, Jesus Christ might display all His patience, and that I might become an example to those who would later have faith in Him and gain everlasting life. To the King of ages, the immortal, the invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.”
Fellow Rotarians, ladies and gentlemen, let me close by thanking you again for the recognition you have generously bestowed on me as the only Philippine Rotary President to become Chief Justice of the Philippines, and most of all, for lending me your ears to reminisce with you, “the Way We Were” in Manila Rotary when I was President in 1990.
The Personal Website of Retired Chief Justice Panganiban 