The GSE Team from Rotary District 3860 to Rotary District 5100

20 days to go...

Whew! That's 20 days of waiting! The team members have mixed feelings for our GSE trip to District 5100 in Oregon and Washington, USA. We are having our dance practice almost every night--a Muslim-Manobo Dance. We're getting ready for all our costumes-- from formal wear, to casual, to wacky, to attires that depict Filipino culture.

We are also excited to meet Vicki Yates and her team from District 5100, and our foster families! We've heard that Americans are like Filipinos-- hospitable and very nice!

Team Leader

Name: Maria Richelle "Ichie" B. Vicente
Club: Rotary Club of Downtown Davao
Profession: Dentist

Ichie, the Team Leader, has been an active Rotarian for the past 14 years with the Rotary Club of Downtown Davao (RCDD), an all women club of District 3860. She served as the Club President in 2006-2007, became an Assistant Governor a year after, and now serves as Senior Assistant Governor for Operations.

During her term as Club President, she was able to find Rotarians from Japan for World Community Project to support the RCDD Day Care Center and a Health Care Center Building to serve indigenous people in a small community of Davao; her greatest legacy as a Rotarian. She has involved herself in various projects of the Rotary, not only to her club but also with the District projects.

She has hosted Group Study Exchange teams from different Rotary Districts of the United States, and this convinced her to apply for the Group Study Exchange Program.

She is also very active in her profession as a dentist. She has a private clinic in one of the best hospitals in Davao, practicing orthodontist and now taking further studies in Implant Dentistry. She is also serving as a school dentist in her grade school and high school alma mater, the Ateneo de Davao University, one of the top schools in the Philippines, and finds time to volunteer in communities during medical and dental free clinics.

Ichie also manages their family owned manpower agency, and handles the operations and marketing departments. She loves to travel and to go shopping whenever she gets the chance from her busy schedule. Oh! She is also a very good cook.

Tinago falls in Iligan City.....

Member

Name: Stephen Manangan
Club: Rotary Club of Tagum North
Profession: Media Practitioner

Stephen has been in the broadcast industry since 1995. He currently holds the position of News Desk for the Radio Operation of DXAB, under ABS-CBN Broadcasting Company, Philippines. Mostly because of his unflinching treatment of news and commentaries as he anchors both Radio and TV programs of the network, he became a household name in the community, preferring the language of the pedestrian and the working class for his broadcast medium.

He graduated Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education and earned a Master's Degree in Special Education. This paved the way for him to teach Children with Special Needs and has been working closely with the Department of Education and Non-Government Organization particularly in the program of promoting awareness of Children with Special Needs.

Stephen's effort for social development through his program has been recognized by the respected award giving bodies. One of them is the Catholic Mass Media Awards for his editorial on Family Life, Patriotism and Environment.

A supporter of an Indigenous People's Group, Stephen, 38 years olds, happily married with two children is an advocate of the right to ancestral domain claim for the Indigenous People (IP's) and has been conducting seminars for farmers about organic farming, being a farmer

Member

Name: Ma. Camilla Luz Ginete
Club: Rotary Club of North Davao
Profession: Senior Economic Development Specialist

Melot, as she is fondly called, works with the Mindanao Economic Development Council, an agency under the Office of the President of the Philippines tasked to promote and coordinate the socio-economic development of Mindanao, Philippines.

She graduated with a degree in Food Technology from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. She realized, after graduation, that her heart was in development work, so she joined several government and non government organizations that endeavor to uplift the lives of depresses communities. To reinforce her acquired skills, she is currently studying for a Masters degree in Development Administration.

Melot is a member of a family of nine, including both her parents, her four younger sisters a younger brother, and two mischievous mini pincher.

Her vocational interests include development planning, aid coordination, improving governance, and peace building.

Melot loves food, poetry, badminton, collecting waterfalls, and exploring the great outdoors. Her wish is to be able to climb a mountain someday, especially Mt. Apo, the highest peak in the Philippines.

Member

Name: Reynaldo C. Castro
Club : Rotary Club of Pag-Asa
Profession: University External
Relations, Professor




Rey has a bachelor's and master's degree in Economics and is pursuing a Ph.D in Development Studies. He has more than 13 years of teaching experience as External Relations Officer of the University of Mindanao (UM). Part of his job is to establish/initiate partnerships and collaborations with various sectors and organizations for the university. He went to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong for the university's various linkage programs.

Another main responsibility of Rey is to maintain an employment facilitation program that are geared to enhance personal, interpersonal and educational skills of UM graduates needed for them to enter and advance in their careers. He initiated in organizing career and employment fairs, pre-employment forum and training, and students' scholarship fund drive.

Rey received the Student Achiever's Award in college, Outstanding Faculty during his third year of teaching, Outstanding Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Manager in Davao Region and Best National PESO Award in 2007 by the Department of Labor and Employment.

He has been invited as speaker and trainer by different government, professional and private organizations. His field of interests are in economics, livelihood training, leadership, team building and quality assurance for academic institution. Further, he has special interest in astrology.