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Rotary’s goal is to grow membership to 1.25 million members by 2030. Why does that matter? BY TOM GUMP RI Director Thomas Anthony "Tom" Gump was 2025-26 chair of Rotary’s Membership Growth Committee. In October 2023, the Rotary International Board of Directors did something it had never done before. It set a numerical membership goal. It’s a bold vision: to grow Rotary to 1.25 million members by 1 July 2030, in celebration of the organization’s 125th anniversary. At first gl

Rotary parents put a tech expert on the path to leadership By Brad Webber As a child, Yassine Harzallah regularly accompanied his parents on service activities: His father was a two-time president of the Rotary Club of Monastir; his mother was a president of the associated Inner Wheel club. "I often say that I have been a Rotarian since the age of 1," he says. Harzallah, now 32, followed their example. He assembled 15 high school students to start an Interact club, served as

FIGHTING DISEASE: Rediscovering a weapon against the deadliest infectious disease, TB advocates look to better nutrition by Ruby Prosser Scully At a clinic in the city of Coimbatore in southern India on a recent afternoon, a 29-year-old man with tuberculosis comes in for his medication and receives something extra: a small white tub of powder. It’s a nutritional protein supplement, one that’s vitally important, as malnutrition is closely linked to the lung disease. The man i

As told to Jill Johnson My father is a comic book aficionado. He named me after his favorite character, Superman’s biological father. I was born and raised in the Philippines. When I was young, my father moved to the United States. The rest of the family joined him in Chicago when I was 17. I did not expect any language barriers at my new American high school because I spoke English well. But I quickly discovered that American English, with its slang, idioms, and p

By JENNIFER JONES Foundation trustee chair As I sat beside my father in the hospital, listening to the quiet rhythm of machines that now spoke more steadily than his own voice, life felt stripped down to its essentials. Serious illness has a way of doing that. It reveals what matters most, and it reminds us — sometimes gently, sometimes painfully — of what should matter to all of us. My father was facing advanced cancer. The path was uneven and often cruel, yet even in that

By SONNY COLOMA Editor-in-chief This August, as we mark Membership and New Club Development Month, we encourage and felicitate the vigorous efforts of our District Governors and Club Presidents in pushing forward the visionary objectives of RI President Olayinka Babalola. He has set lofty goals that could seem formidable. Yet, if we eyeball how these may be attained in Philippine Rotary, all that’s needed is for every Club to have a net gain of at least one member by June 20

By MARIA CONCEPCION BELTRAN Chair, PRMFI We often talk about flagship projects, high-impact projects, the visible work of Rotary. But our work does not end when we finish a project. It only truly matters when we share it. Behind every initiative, every united effort, lies something far simpler yet just as powerful: connection. For half a century, the Philippine Rotary Magazine is where that connection comes alive. It shares how a club in one city built a classroom; how anot

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE By YINKA, President, Rotary International Peace does not happen by accident. It must be pursued deliberately, built strategically, and woven intention-ally into everything we do. That is the challenge I am placing before the Rotary world this year. Rotary recognizes peacebuilding as one of our areas of focus. But I believe peace must be more than a category of work we set aside for certain projects. It must become a lens, one we choose to look through eve

Thank you to all our sponsors for your continued support in sharing our Rotary stories to the world! _____________ This feature appeared in the July 2026 Magazine Issue.

The Rotary International Convention is coming to Barcelona in June, and members who’ve visited the city along the sea or who live there can hardly contain their excitement. They want other Rotary members (yes, you!) to experience the energy, culture, and renowned landmarks of the city they love. Speaking of landmarks, the timing of the 26-30 June convention is perfect for visiting Barcelona’s signature attraction, the Sagrada Família basilica. Under construction for more t

In a powerful collaboration aimed at transforming rural education, local Rotary clubs recently met with the Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. (KCFI) to brainstorm on innovative strategies for making learning more engaging and accessible for underserved children. The strategic meeting was led by KCFI Vice President Edric Calma, alongside Liberty Reyes, of the KCFI resource mobilization team. Working with them are leaders of the Rotary Club of Metro Kalibo (District 3850), r

As part of the family of Rotary, members are invited to lend their professional expertise on committees that support Rotary and The Rotary Foundation. Each year, those committees focus on putting Rotary’s strategic priorities into action, challenging clubs to increase their impact, expand their reach, enhance participant engagement, and increase Rotary’s ability to adapt. Would you like to contribute to Rotary’s success? RI and the Foundation are searching for qualified Rot