It’s been a long time since we had our last update.  As you may notice we now have a simple and slick layout.  The layout is pretty much an upgrade from our website layout during Past President Marc Phua’s term.  There are a lot of things that we opted-out from the previous design, it’s really a kick-ass design and a lot has envied it (just kidding!) but we have to make a decision that we will showcasing more of our content then secondary photos.

Right now we’re pretty into contents and we will be providing more content from our activities. And oh yes! You can share our articles on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and on Email!

And if you have something to share you can write Paul Villacorta [pwvillacorta@jcimandaue.org] which is JCI Mandaue’s Web Manager and VP for Business for this years term. JCI Mandaue is open for guest posting!

Hope you’ll like our new website! You might want to check the handsome merry gentlemen of JCI Mandaue.

Happy Surfing!

The Philippine Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (PAPRAS) is the only organization recognized by the Philippine College of Surgeons (PCS) to safely and competently practice such specialty.The Philippine Board of Plastic Surgery (PBPS) is the only organization that looks over fellowship and resident training and ultimately labels a graduate as a board certified plastic cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon after his completion of an oral and written examination given by the same board.

A Diplomate status is thus recognized all over the Philippines and in countries with reciprocity agreements.

We would like to congratulate JCI Sen. PP Dr. Alain Senerpida for recently passing his Diplomat Boards in Re constructive and Aesthetic Surgery!

Congrats Pres Alain:)
JCI Mandaue IPP Marc Pua

I grew up in a diverse community, all wanting the American dream… Well, I lived it for the past 30+ years. I studied Architecture in the States and started a business in Architectural Millwork Design and Computer Drafting.

After pursuing family and business, I found myself missing something in my life. I wanted my kids to know who they were, where they came from…

I learned that Cebu was no longer the 3rd world country we left when I was 2 years old, but a thriving community with the same big city problems facing all cities around the world. With my background and experience, I wanted to go back to my country, the country where I was born.

I heard of many hardships and many problems… and I was happy to face new challenges head-on. That’s the time when my life truly changed–not when I moved back to Cebu, but when I joined JCI Mandaue…

My cousin, Dr. Alain Senerpida, the 2007 JCI Mandaue President, now a JCI Senator, invited me and sponsored my JCI membership… And I truly found what was missing in my life… I found out I am a Jaycee, everything I believed in, all my principles in life coincide with the Jaycees … I was happy to join and help and here I am… the 2011 JCI Mandaue President…

You never know what GOD has planned for you. Never shy away, He has always the best intentions for you. Take care and Be Better! Godspeed!

That is because I AM JCI.

If I become the change I wish to see in this generation.
If am able to constantly challenge the boundaries of conventional notion,
If I inspire young people to be active citizens, leaders and creators of positive change,
If I am able to take, least of all myself, my work seriously,
If I live every day knowing that I am and always will be the master of my own destiny,
If I am now the personification of hard work, discipline and industry,

That is because I AM JCI.

If I am better today than I was yesterday,
And if I will be better tomorrow than I am today,
All that is because,
And just because,

I AM JCI.”

JCI MEM. MARC A. M. PHUA
2010 LOM President
JCI Philippines- Mandaue

JCI Mandaue Past Presidents with 2011 LOM Pres. Jon. Do the costumes make the men or do the men make the costumes?

Mabuhay!

Let the warmth of the Philippines welcome all of you as we host the JCI Asia-Pacific Conference in 2011. This will be the 8th time that the Asia-Pacific Conference will be held in our shores and we are extremely excited to put together all our previous experiences to bring you the most memorable one in your JCI careers.

Together with the Department of Tourism, our co-hosts JCI Iloilo, JCI Philippines and all our other JCIP Local Organizations, we look forward to showcasing the best of what the Philippines has to offer. Be treated to our renowned Filipino hospitality as we bring you a weeklong schedule of JCI trainings, seminars, networking, tours and fellowships.

A 7,107-island archipelago, the Philippines is rich in culture and tradition. A kaleidoscope of the modern and the old; of bustling chaotic urbanity and tranquil white sand beaches. An array of dining feasts that leaves nothing lacking for the palate (Make sur

e to try the “Balut” and other Filipino delicacies). With a multitude of eco-tourism travel packages, you will definitely want to extend your visit. Golf enthusiasts will marvel at the affordable rates and magnificent courses our cities have to offer.

Experience! Explore! Enjoy!

We look forward to seeing you all here in Manila for the 2011 JCI Asia-Pacific Conference.

JCI Sen. Pablo Francisco “Jing” Ortega Carlos III
Conference Director
2011 JCI Asia-Pacific Conference

After years of a prolonged but courageous battle, he finally succumbed at 67 to lung cancer, only hopefully to be reunited with our Lord.

He is honorably suceeded by his wife Vergilia Albrando, and his children Reynaldo, Michael, Nelson, and Gemma.

His wake lies in their residence at 712-C San Roque St. Mambaling Cebu City.

We’ve known lots of pleasure,
At times endured pain,
We’ve lived in the sunshine
And walked in the rain.

But now we’re separated
And for a time apart,
But I am not alone-
You’re forever in my heart.

Death always seems so sudden,
And it is always sure,
But what is oft’ forgotten-
It is not without a cure.

There may be times you miss me,
I sort of hope you do,
But smile when you think of me,
For I’ll be waiting for you.

Now there’s many things for you to do,
And lots of ways to grow,
So get busy, be happy,and live your life,
Miss me, but let me go.

Fare Thee Well Samson Gabate!

Dear Darla,

I write to thank you for so much for that which you have given;  too much perhaps for a handful of people, such as yourself, to give to please the many. Indeed, that was one Area Convention that will forever be etched in my mind not only because of the night parties, the music, thrills, the sun, sand and the azure panorama that saturated our senses, but by and large because of the people who brought it all together.

I knew somehow that Mother Nature was smiling on us when we crossed the very calm sea to score a touchdownon Tagbilaran. We felt like celebrities when you, Pres. Greggy Gatal of JCI Bohol Sandugo, Pres. Cez Atup of JCI Boholana Kisses, and your beautiful members of JCI Bohol Chocolate Hills met up with all the ceremonies and media coverage I would normally expect had I been Dr. Hayden Ko.  Past Pres. LJ Lumayag (now RVP!) even managed to be there. You’d be hard pressed to find the Area Convention Director himself gracing even the most trivial of schedules. But he was there alright, ever the responsible leader. Showing up and prioritizing JCI was the least you could expect of him. But postponing his own wedding to allow concentration on both events just takes the concept of JCI priority to an all new level.

Bohol does have lots of surprises. One big surprise came from the bus tourist guide/announcer herself, wait at minute… that was you! Do I need to reiterate that my impression of you previously working in the tourism industry was right on the money? I did know the facts behind that “liki” answer pertaining to your question on ube planting and naked women, because I found myself on a similar bus ride a month ago while touring our sister chapter JCI Sanchung in Bohol. Only, I thought the revelation of the answer to the rest of the gang was better left to your own devices since you were doing such a good job already.

I have never seen anyone so adept and so prompt at handling our booking problems. Please congratulate accommodations chair Mabel for me. You on an even better note seemed to be everywhere! Oblivious old me would never have made it to the plenary nor to that exotic lunch at Bee Farm on day 2 had I not hitched a ride to the venue with you. Again, I stand corrected, You found me, just as I was trying to escape to the beach to watch the mermaids.

I am getting ahead of myself. There was the very refreshing courtesy call with the Governor and the invigorating unveiling of the JCI Boholana Kisses’ maker, establishing traffic presence of JCI along the eco-tour routes of Panglao. I may have missed the opening plenary due to some concerns with accommodation, but you Darlene and Mabel fixed it in a flash.

“Congressman” Greggy and his Eco-extreme Bohol Sandugo boys do know how to set up a party! Add on the sugar-coat provided by your girls, and wow! Darla, I am inclined to say that nothing could have ever prepare mefor Havana night, not with that beach outfit you had strapped to your body, and not with the other Cholcolate Hills ladies emulating their leader’s sense of sexy. A chapter officer of mine couldn’t make it to the areacon…his loss. He would never have had known a pattern of breathing as irregular as that experienced by the us guys at the night party when you girls flaunted your stuff. And there was the nightcap/DJ-hosted house music and bikini-clad tequila-tending ladies sponsored by JCI Metro Cebu Uptown that just drove the boys’ senses to near-overload! I had the opportunity to ask Pres. Carlos why he wasn’t “gender-sensitive” that night, as many of the ladies were left wanting of a similar entertainment. He replied that he and his boisterous Uptown boys were working out this conundrum, but they just weren’t really prepared to take their shirts off that night.

I regretfully look back at all the exciting activities that were happening around Alona Kew: the water-sports, island-hopping, amazing race beach-style adventures, and all the trainings that were being held. I do envy my chapter director Kingsley Ko for winning that PLDT SME Printer. I envy him even more for being able to attend the activities together with incoming Womandaue Pres. Jennifer Tan and my wife Aya. It was off to the Bee Farm for the plenary for me. Good thing we were graced by the JCI biggies – NP Van, VP for Asia Pacific Batbayar Ulziidelger, JCI Malaysia NP Dennis Tan Cheuun Hooi, and all the other tisoys and tisays from the JCIP National Board. I initially dreaded the “organic meal” you psyched me up for. You never mentioned it would be one of the best meals I would enjoy in quite a while. Then had so much fun on the drive back, dropping by JCI Boholana Kisses’ Feeding and Tree Planting Program. Come to think of it, it didn’t feel so bad missing out on the beach activities.

Now the Awards Night and fellowship was something else. It was great seeing the LOMs being awarded for notable projects and the effects of hard work and all. Got some overflowing Johnny Black again courtesy of the Uptown party animals. An outpouring of drinks and party flavor this time from the generous duo of Past Pres. Tantin Yu and Pres. John Cabaral of JCI Cebu (who looked really Mafioso in their leather jackets) rocked the party. The thing about fellowships with bed-fellow interaction implications just had its toll on me, being the really good boy (and husband!) that I am. I did a French exit, too early for my clock, just as I did with Aya the night before, hence you don’t see many inebriated pictures of me during the night parties. Too bad my boy Kingsley andJennifer felt compelled to turn in early as well. I hope Pres. John succeeded with the collective plan to go onstage and cajole the Ilang-Ilang ladies to accept next year’s areacon hosting at Boracay. Whether he did it or not, the news down the grapevine is that JCI Ilo-Ilo Ilang-Ilang has assented to this. If its at Boracay, then sweet!

Darla, I recall how you sounded so stressed rushing from one job to another, from one venue to the next. I really marvel how well you handle yourself (because you didn’t really look like it), or your law-school requirements aside from other matters concerning JCI and the rest of your life. Under the same circumstances, I would have been terrified of the approaching midterms and the mountain of text to digest in law-school if at the same I had to lead a chapter who co-hosted the area convention. I’m glad I’m done with school, and I’m glad I didn’t have to suffer your circumstances. But wouldn’t necessarily be glad not being you, because I know that being a JCI member and especially being the person you are, you can do anything, even top the class if and when appropriately challenged, or “inspired” perhaps? If I were a gal, it would be hard not wanting to be you, what with the beauty, brains, the curves, and all the star-struck hordes of men fighting for your attention. I rest my case.

Bohol is simply “grandeur” by eco-tourism standards. One of predominantly short-term memory such as I need to be reminded why time and again, it is a frequent and favorite destination of JCI members, whether national and international.

Only a few cheerful items on Earth will ever describe my wistful departure from the beautiful Island of Panglao a few days ago. I could scarcely grasp how this weekend came to pass depriving of rest my anticipative vigor, but I will not forget the slew of activities that have given my organic soul a fresh new perspective.

Thank you, Darla, and thanks to all the other chapters who did us proud. I do hope you will pass on my gratitude to the rest of those who made the JCI Visayas Area Convention 2010 a success.

Pres. Marc Phua

JCI Mandaue in partnership with Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry kicked off Mandaue Business Movement today with Mandaue Run For Life.

The marathon run serves as a triple goal event for the JCI Mandaue and the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry. First, it promotes the beneficiaries of this marathon run, the Dasig Kabataan Foundation; which is a youth empowerment movement; and the upcoming 3rd leg of JCI Mandaue Med-Surg Mission this coming August 28, 2010. Second, is to gather running enthusiasts and allow them to exchange knowledge and expertise within each other at a route long considered “too difficult”. And finally, to officially recognize Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s partnership with the JCI Mandaue.

Congratulations to participating runners JCI Member Paul Villacorta, Ramil Montealto, Dip-dip Mendoza, Jenny Tan, Johnson Tan, Aya Phua and yours truly. Thanks to JCI Member Jon Castañares, ALora Maturan, Andy Arnado & Goody Acuña for the coverage, Edson Osmeña for the prof. security and Brian Yu for supervising as overall Mandaue Business Movement Chair. Congrats to Mandaue Run For Life Chair Paul for winning one of a kind Presidential Inaugural watch!

Mandaue Business Movement started with a BLAST!

Hope to see you on the One Cebu Business Summit at CICC.

Dr., Atty. Marc Phua
JCI Mandaue President

JCI Mandaue President Marc Phua with wife Aya

JCI Mandaue runners! (L-R) Jon Castañares, Alora Maturan, Edson Osmeña, Aya Phua, Marc Phua, Andy Arnado, Brian Yu, Goody Acuña and Ramil Montealto

JCI Mandaue Crew (L-R) Brian Yu, Edson Osmeña, Jon Castañares, Alora Maturan, Andy Arnado and Goody Acuña

(L-R) Alora Maturan, Edson Osmeña, Jos Castañares, Marc Phua, Aya Phua, Andy Armado, Goody Acuña and running Ramil Montealto

Alora, Andy & Jon

Kids Run - 300m

Dasig sa Kabataan the Beneficiary of the Event Run For Life

MCCI President Eric Mendoza awarding the Inaugural Watch to Paul Villacorta

]]> http://jcimandaue.org/messages/jci-mandaue-mbm-run-for-life-2010-blast/feed/ 2 http://jcimandaue.org/messages/disturbing-the-complacent/ http://jcimandaue.org/messages/disturbing-the-complacent/#comments Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:31:42 +0000 jcimandaue http://jcimandaue.org/?p=748 Speech Delivered by the President to the CMIC Graduating Class of 2010

My dear graduates of 2010. You have probably seen me year after year, on the podium, officiating over the ceremonies, but not really delivering any speech. If you see me now for the first time, it is not because we have run out of speakers, but because this year, I wanted to be the one to deliver this speech because there is a grim message I feel you need to hear before you leave the hallways of CMIC: a message that will prepare you for the road ahead.

Too many times we hear about great nations and organizations getting together to talk about the world’s problems to issue strategies that will help us arrive at solutions. Too often we hear about problems in warfare, human rights, and economic turmoil among many plagues we suffer from right now. We are no strangers to terminologies like “ecology”, “environment”, “global warming”, the “greenhouse effect”, and “climate change”. The suffering environment is often brought up, but curiously we often dismiss it as one among many problems, and surely as one which does not rank among our priorities. Call it an attitude of indifference, a state of ignorance, or a culture of “business as usual” as we ignore the obvious. I stand here not to sound preachy. I aim not to merely inspire you or educate you. My intention is to disturb you. I wish to disturb you because of an impending peril we can still avoid today.

All too often at beauty pageants we hear the common answer of “world peace” being the popular ideal for the future. It is a world peace where people stop fighting among themselves, or at least that is how most of us will define it. If you are updated to world events, you will notice how catastrophies brought about by natural calamities seem the order of the day. Our usual reaction is to question whatever the people of these calamity- stricken areas did that was so bad for them to deserve such punishment. But we fail to ask the more important questions like, “Are we next?” or “Are we still lucky enough we didn’t get hit?” We fail to make the more important observations such as how we in the face of calamity tend to wake up, forget our trivial problems, and unite with one another to ease the sufferings of our fellow human beings. We saw how many fellow Filipinos, even politicians, dropped everything just to help out. The human spirit when disturbed does realize what is really important. Its disappointing how world peace is achievable, even for a short while, as long as calamities keep coming our way!

In medical science, we know viruses to be organisms that infect the body by occupying human cells and using the resources of the cell to replicate and multiply. When the resources of the cell have been depleted, the virus hordes then destroy the cell and transfer to other cells to propagate themselves. Applying this analogy to the human capacity to exploit his environment is not new, but we still assert that we are better and more intelligent than viruses. We say are intelligent beings but we often fail to see the earth as a living sentient within our own definition of a what a living sentient being is. But have we ever stopped to think whether viruses had the intellect to recognize the human body other than a food source and a sojourn? Perhaps we must start applying this analogy because in the same manner as how the human body has mechanisms such as fever, immune cells and antibodies to combat the virus threat, the earth as being may have its own mechanisms to protect itself. Think: for what purpose other than for the destruction of man and his creations do calamities occur? Time and time again we have mistaken our limited comprehension for bold intelligence.

If the increasing number of calamities is not warning enough, try simplifying our understanding of the earth in human terms. What happens to a human being who has suffered from 3rd degree burns? Don’t the trees we continue to cut serve as the skin of the earth protecting against the burning sun? Marine fossils and coral formations have been discovered even in the highest of peaks and the driest of lands, which leads to the conclusion that the earth was covered by water millions of years ago. Imagine if the entire surface of the earth was covered with water for a million years, would there be any terrestrial remnant of any human civilization after that? What if the inundation and sinking of the islands, a logical consequence of the melting of polar ice due to global warming, was a mechanism by which the earth healed itself? We are not strangers to these probabilities today, and the signs of the times show the symptoms of an ailing earth.

Again there was that world peace I mentioned that could be brought about by our united efforts, and then there is also a world peace where no one is left to cause anymore destruction. Come to think of it, world peace will be inevitable, be it by our hand or after the earth decides to heal itself. Either way, it shows that while we are expendable, the earth is not. While we need the earth for our existence, the earth is not concerned about our personal struggles, nor does it recognize our self-proclaimed title as “stewards of the earth”, not only because we have proven ourselves unworthy of that title, but simply because the earth can exist without us.

It may sound unfashionable or politically incorrect to be advocating for environmental protection to the youth in this day and age of science and technology. Nothing would seem to faze us, not when it seems that everything seems to be going great for global connectivity and the unified interest of the global economy. But have you ever stopped to think where all these pleasures and the attendant problems would rank in a dying world?

We have a social and moral obligation toe to replenish, sustain, and live “green”; an obligation to diminish our carbon footprints and to make all efforts to diminish global warming, and to do all these though a massive, immediate, and concerted  action. In order to save ourselves in time, our adoption of environment-friendly measures must be not only be worldwide, it must be done together, and with utmost urgency. The environment is not only an incidental nor collateral issue; it must be number one among all priorities today!

From one of my CSR trainings in Junior Chamber International, I realized how frail we are against a world which chooses to ignore the changes around us, just so we can get on with our “business as usual”. If you plunge a frog into boiling water, unsurprisingly the frog will jump out due to the sudden change of temperature- an evasive maneuver to sudden change it detects from its environment. But if you place boil tap water slowly but gradually, Froggy will not detect the change, but perish instead by the time it becomes too late! We are human and frail like frogs because of our natural tendency to ignore the gradual changes around us, when in fact it is those gradual changes that will bring about the most damage.

I hope I have started to do my part in awakening not just you the graduating students, but also everyone present here today.

To the graduates this time, there are so many things that I must envy you for. I envy you because of this wonderful and eventful era that you are graduating into. Unlike the present, the technology for me back then consisted of green screened bulky computers, and dual-colored and boxy television sets, which were already a privilege to own back then. In this age you have your flat screened LCD’s and stylish Ipod’s. “Tubig-tubig”, “bato-lata”, and the friendly neighbourhood ice cream vendor provided the means for us kids to get by. Nowadays, online games and Facebook sap the energy not only from kids but from adults as well. In gardening school back then, I remember having to use a pick and a shovel to plant some trees. Now you can manage your own acres of Farmville property with a mouse or a finger pad. Let’s just say, the technology during my time did not convince me as it does now, that anything is truly possible.

There are two ideas of graduation. The first idea is that graduation that comes after passing a series of exams. If you make it, you pass. If you don’t, you simply have to try again until you conquer failure. After that graduation is another series of exams within a new series of grade levels that lead to another higher graduation. That is the graduation that school offers.

There is a second kind of graduation, one that ends all exams. It still consists of a series of trials and the perpetual pursuit of correcting errors, until there is no more opportunity to do so because we die. This is the graduation of life. In reality, based on the second idea, you have never really graduated.

My opinion is that the graduation that you know is a fiction made by the school system that may tend to blind you to the education of real life up until the moment it hits you – there is a real and bigger world out there: a world which will not wait for you if you are slow, not spoon-feed you when you don’t feel like it, and not conduct re-takes nor extend the deadlines of your requirements. It is a world that can be unforgiving to the weak, but very kind to the strong and courageous.

Many of you will make it. Maybe a few will not be as successful as he/she would have hoped. But when any of you will be up there, do not wallow too much in success, but remember the ideals inculcated in you by your alma mater, and forever treasure the bonds your have forged amongst yourselves. So that several years from now, when a friend calls up looking for a job or opportunity, always remember the Immaculatarian way: do not merely offer a reference or ask him/her to come and meet you. Be selfless enough to go out there and pick him up yourself!

Our Vision: “To be a well-spring of exceptional educational opportunities,” and our Mission: “To produce High-Calibre Graduates who will play the leading roles in their chosen careers,” are all centred on empowering our learners to, quoting in part my favourite zen guru Mr. Mahatma Ghandi, “be the change we want to see in this world”.

I hereby end this message with one of my favourite poems entitled “Anyway” by, with credits to a very selfless, hard working, and loving woman I will always admire, Mother Teresa, and with due thanks to JCI Philippines Past National President Fulbert C. Woo for the heads-up that such an inspiration exists:

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Fare thee well IMMACULATARIANS! BE THE CHANGE!