We went to Summit Point Golf and Country Club on April 13 to join Lions District 301-A2 Sportsfest, a special day to unwind and camaraderie, and attend the launching of upcoming officers. Lions Club International (LCI) district candidates FVG Wilfredo “Sol” Flores, 30 PMJF, 2VG Paul Cortez and 3VG Imelda “Mel” Pechera were introduced on stage before club officers and members.
I was tasked to play billiards, despite not playing the game for 35 or more years. The form is still there, I supposed, but the quality of striking the cue ball with the cue stick makes me look like an amateur. During my heydays, playing billiard comes naturally and balls easily roll to any corner where I want to place them, while the cue ball goes and stops at any area of the billiard table I commanded.
I lost to former undersecretary of DENR, Past District Governor Benjamin “Benny” Antiporda. He was such a sportsman and gentleman that he promised to give me one of his well-kept billiard cues by May since it is being fixed I am looking forward to having this gift from PDG Benny, not only because of its assumed value, which could be at tens of thousands of pesos, and it being his “anting-anting”, but also because PDG is one of the few leaders I admired at LCI. As a government official for quite sometime under PPRD, and as NIA Administrator for a short period during PBBM’s administration, the honest and courageous official fears no one when it comes to implementing positive changes. He stood as our club’s father since Cavite ASMEPPS 103-A2 was established during his term as district governor of LCI 301-A2. He was replaced by PDG Lion Thobie Antiporda, his lovely wife, who during her term, despite the pandemic, has grown the district membership to 140 plus clubs from less than a hundred. Sadly, this accomplishment went to the drain when she stepped down in 2022. Author John Maxwell wrote, “organizations rise and fall on leadership.”
Current district governor Lion Dante Bico is moving heaven and earth to bring back the club’s membership to its former glory, but this might be realized during Lion Sol Flores’ term as district governor in LY 2024-2025.
The young incoming governor has the full support of past governors and the Antiporda couple, including majority, if not all of incoming club presidents. He transferred to Pasay Host Lions Club from Angeles LC and was nominated and elected as 2nd vice governor two years ago in Iloilo. His candidacy did not went unchallenged, but he prevailed despite objections and character assassination that his opponents threw at him. FVG is an epitome of a new leader, one who neither pushes nor pull his fellow Lions. Everyone who listens to his rhetoric deeply embraced the ideals of Lionism, and is turned, in an instant, to being true servants willing to deliver beyond the eight global causes LCI offers the community.
FVG Sol represents the new breed of Lions, and everyone is hopeful of him becoming an international sensation not so soon. The challenge is high, but his service record in various positions as a Leo prior to becoming a Leo-Lion at age 30, suits him for the upcoming events. At his young age, he already has donated millions of pesos to LCI, as attested by his 30PMJF donations to LCIF in the past years.
A law graduate, he is capable and qualified to bring Lions International District 301-A2 to a higher level of committed servants of the cause of LCI. He understands every letter and every word in the Lions CBL (Constitution and By-laws). What may seem lacking, as others are clamoring, may well be overcome by this smart and hardworking leader. He was groomed and guided by no less than Past International Director Michael So, having been assigned to talk to Lions International leadership to grant the Philippines the opportunity to host the successful OSEAL convention last November. A man of few words, who works silently until the goal is accomplished, FVG Sol’s needs to fill the shoes of great leaders who walked before him. Everyone is excited to see him bring LIONS International District 301-A2 to another level of performance.
Come May 9, 2024, hundreds of delegates from his district will travel to Baguio to affirm his leadership through a majority vote and bring all clubs into another year of exemplary service. During this annual multi-district convention, Lions all over the Philippines, despite being made up of various clubs and districts, will celebrate brotherhood and will “roar” as loud as they can. They will show to the entire country their commitment to serve the community. ROAR. ||
