The Rotary Club of Metro East Taytay was organized in response to the membership growth goal set by Rotary International and R.I. District-3800 in Rotary’s Centennial Year 2004-2005, led by Centennial Governor Fabie Enriquez, who posted a challenge to all clubs in the District to retain current members, add new club and recruit new members who will become good Rotarians. It was then Centennial President of the Rotary Club of Taytay, PP Josie Retirado, who responded to the challenge. During the club’s assembly in May 2004, President Josie and the Board of Directors of RC Taytay, the mother club, agreed to the chartering of a new club.
The documentation of the new club was attended to by DGSR Rudy L. Retirado. With the collaborated efforts of President Josie P. Retirado, DGSR Rudy, Secretary Jimmy M. Rosillo, Rotarians Benjie Santiago Sr., Joseph P. Juanillo, Eric B. Santos and with the consistent follow-ups made by Centennial Governor Fabie J. Enriquez & DDG Rudy San Felipe; the first meeting for the targeted members of the new club was held on April 16, 2005 at Rotarian Benjie’s residence in Palmera II Subdivision, Taytay Rizal. The 2nd meeting of the club was held at East Garden Restaurant, Ortigas Ave. Ext., Taytay, Rizal. Succeeding meetings were held at the Sangguniang Bayan Session Hall, Taytay Municipality, wherein its membership rose to 23 members. During the election of its officers on June 7, 2005, Charter President Gene Resurreccion Jr. was the unanimous choice to lead the newly chartered club. Centennial President Josie P. Retirado signed the new club’s application form and submitted it to the Philippine Consulting Center on June 11, 2005.
The application was approved by the Rotary International on June 25, 2005 with Club ID Number 69974 through the untiring initiative of Centennial Governor Fabie J. Enriquez and Centennial President Josie P. Retirado. It is also important to note that then DDG Rudy San Felipe assisted the “supposed to be club” by giving the Rotary information, followed by Past President Arwin Serrano of RC Pasay West, Assistant Governor Bong Gutierrez and Charter President Manny Reyes.
The name of the club, Metro East Taytay, depicts the increasing progress of the town. Kalingap, which was derived from two words – “Kalikasan” and “Paglingap sa Kapwa” - was the well-chosen name for the club’s logo and its official weekly bulletin. The mountains in the club’s logo represent the two (2) important goals of the club: 1) To uplift the lives of our less fortunate brothers and sisters in Taytay, as well as in its neighbouring towns, and 2) to foster camaraderie, friendship and brotherhood among the members of the club; the lake and sunrise symbolize the location of the club, while the heart embodies our genuine concern for the community and our commitment to pursue our goals.
On its initial year of existence, the club was not spared with the usual birth pains and problems that beset new clubs. But, under the stewardship of CP Gene Resurreccion, Jr. and the support of its committed and dedicated members, the club has undertaken a number of noteworthy projects in the pursuit of providing “Service Above Self” in the community. His tenure was highlighted when the club was awarded the R.I. Presidential Citation for the RY2005-06. In RY 2006-07, with Leading Pres. Rudy Retirado (2007-2008 Four Avenues of Service Awardee) at the helm, the club had a remarkable year as it had numerous diversified projects in the field of Four Avenues of Service, which resulted to be chosen as one of the Outstanding Club Presidents and Outstanding Rotary Clubs of R.I. District 3800 for having garnered numerous awards and recognitions from District 3800 and Government Institutions. In RY2007-08, Sharing Pres. Benjie Santiago, Sr. has focused on the club’s vision and realization of helping the less fortunate in the community through various service projects. As a result, the club received numerous awards from District 3800. In RY2008-09, under the leadership of Heroic Pres. Hermie Cervantes, the club was recognized as the “Best NGO” by the University of Rizal System (URS)-Taytay.
In RY2009-10, with RI Theme “The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands,” Visionary Pres. Eric Santos (2010- 2011 Avenues of Service Awardee) steered the club to greater heights by embarking on various service projects; thus, earning for the club various accolades from District 3800. In RY2010-11, with the R.I. Theme: “Building Communities…Bridging Continents,” Global President Cliford Equila has made RCMET become bigger, better and bolder, whereby the club received the prestigious RI Presidential Citation with Distinction.
In RY2011-12, inspired by the RI Theme: “Reach Within to Embrace Humanity”, Majestic Pres. Jimmy Rosillo (2012-2013 Avenues of Service Awardee) had given emphasis to family, continuity and change in most of the club’s activities, continued its support to the Rotary Foundation by maintaining its EREY status, and stayed focused on service projects that uplifted the lives of the less fortunate in the community.
In RY2012-13, Peace Builder Pres. Bong Zapanta (2013-2014 Avenues of Service Awardee) truly promoted the RI Theme: “Peace Through Service” by conducting significant and sustainable Service Projects, thus earning the prestigious RIPC and the RI Recognition of smaller club membership growth and the District recognition as an “Outstanding Club with Distinction” and an “Outstanding President with Distinction.” In RY2013-14, First Class President Rod Carbonel has truly responded to the challenge to Engage Rotary, Change Lives by collaborating with TUP in implementing extension and community development projects in RCMET’s adopted school and community in Taytay, Rizal, which led to the club being awarded as “Outstanding Stakeholder” by DepEd-Rizal Division and earning the prestigious RIPC with Distinction and various accolades from District 3800.
