Rotarians, Philippines colleagues exchange cultrual and professional ideas

Five Filipino members of Rotary District 3790 group study exchange (GSE) touched down at Lambert International Airport on Sept. 17 to visit district 6060. Their visit began in Webster Groves and St. Louis, arriving in the Southeast Region Sept. 18.

The Rotary GSE program is a cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for business and professional people to experience the host country's institutions and ways of life, observe their own vocations practiced abroad, develop relationships and exchange ideas.

Team members included Jesus S. Nicdao, Ryan C. Ravanzo, Lorelie N. Baluyut, Ma. Christina A. Patawaran and Marites A. Gualberto. Their activities included seeing downtown Cape Girardeau, meeting the mayor, visiting the FISH food pantry and Cape Girardeau Conservation Campus Nature Center. Concluding the week, they made a presention at Cape Girardeau West Rotary Thursday.

Member Larry Jacksondonned in a barong tagalog, the national dress of the Philippines, to address the group.

The presentation explained the Southeast Asian nation's geography, its famous surfing and coral reefs, and the work Rotary has provided in relief efforts, medicine and nutrition. The Philippines, an archipelagic nation between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, is no stranger to calamities such as typhoons, earthquakes, floods, volcanoes and hurricanes.

Hosts from district 6060 included Bob and Ann Gifford, Sarah Holt, Brigitte Bollerslev and Lori Lynn. Bill Port provided transportation for the group.

Port said, "It was not on the agenda to visit FISH. My wife Barbara works as a volunteer there so it was easily arranged." Patawaran was particularly interested in the food pantry for future plans in the Philippines. As faculty-in-charge of the Culinary Education Foundation's mobile kitchen, this culinary program -- funded by the local government and participants -- aims to help participants get started in backyard businesses in the food industry.

"In the Philippines we have soup kitchens that operate mainly on holidays," said Patawaran. She feels the poor people in her country need help but concern for a system like this being abused might be an obstacle. Filipino diet consists mainly of carbohydrates to fill up on because it's cost-effective.

Bob and Ann Gifford of Cape Girardeau were the hosts for Marites A. Gualberto, chief instructor of the San Fernando La Union Center of Kumon. She is a member of the Rotary Club of San Fernando.

Bollerslev played host to Jesus Nicdao, a franchisee of Jollibee, the Philippine's biggest fast-food chain. Nicdao has been a member of the Rotary Club of Western Pampanga since 1986 and served as team leader of the group study.

Dr. Lorelie Nagrampa-Baluyut, practicing dermatologist, finished her bachelor of science in pharmacy (cum laude), doctor of medicine and dermatology residency and became chief resident at the University of Santo Tomas, the pontificial and Royal University of the Phillipines.

Sarah Holt of Cape Girardeau was host to Ryan Ravanza, a member of the Rotary Club of Dagupan who is a legislative officer determined to see the stalled construction of a drug rehabilitation facility in Northern Luzon completed. He has involved local governments, judiciary, law enforcement, prosecution, corrections and the community in the promotion of a campaign against drugs. He said, "Our country used to have a major problem with marijuana. Now it is methamphetamine."

Nicdao has established 20 outlets of Jollibee which has two divisions -- one like McDonalds, serving hamburgers and fries, the other, Chinese food. He translated the price of a basic McDonald-like meal to $1 in U.S. currency, but portions in the Philippines are smaller.

Bollerslev, who has been a Rotarian since 2001, is currently on the Rotary district 6060 board of directors for international exchange. She said Nicdao plans to visit again in a few months for ideas and information about planning, construction, USDA regulations and possible importation of pork.

Bollerslev believes that the exchange is advantageous in learning about culture and making new friends to combine new ideas to improve communities.

cpagano@semissourian.com

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