Reluctant at First, a Leader in Time: My Rotary Story

It was in 2010 when Tita Mila Trinidad-Puyat, a dear family friend and then the spouse of PDG Tony Puyat of the Rotary Club of Mandaluyong, first reached out to me. RC Mandaluyong  is ,an all-male club, and she would jokingly say, “Since I can’t join them, I’ll charter my own club and call it ‘Rotary Club Greater than Mandaluyong!’” We laughed, but that was the seed — and soon enough, the Rotary Club of Greater Mandaluyong was born.

Despite Tita Mila’s persistent invitations, I wasn't immediately interested. Service had always been my calling — I was, after all, a social worker and already involved through our NGO. I kept suggesting partnerships instead of membership. Even when our common friend Minnie joined in the persuasion, I stayed firm.

But one day, PDG Tony called with an offer I couldn’t resist: a Sake meeting. He knew I enjoyed a good drink and great fellowship — and that night, over glasses of Sake in a Japanese restaurant in Shangri-La, I finally said yes. I became a charter member of RC Greater Mandaluyong.

What truly pulled me in was the fellowship and the spirit of service. I thought I would simply remain a regular member — until CP Mila shared her vision: She wanted her successor to be another daughter-in-law of a Senator, just like her. She, being married into the family of Sen. Gil Puyat, wanted me, as the daughter-in-law of Sen. Manuel P. Manahan, to succeed her.

I initially resisted. I explained that my service through the Sen. Manuel P. Manahan Foundation was already fulfilling, and I didn't need a title. But then came another Sake night — and well, the rest is history. I agreed to take on the presidency, barely six months after becoming a member.

Taking over from someone as accomplished and passionate as CP Mila was daunting. She left big shoes to fill, and I knew I had to give my all. But I stayed grounded in one principle: “I am here to serve, not to be served.” That became my compass.

During my term as President (2012–2013), we launched meaningful projects — from D.Yario Bag Innovations, which turned into fashionable pairings of bags, shawls, and suits, to medical missions with foreign doctors, deworming caravans, book and medicine donations, and more. Our efforts didn’t go unnoticed. The club received Outstanding Club with Distinction, and I was honored to be named Outstanding President with Distinction.

Then came 2013–2014, and with it, Typhoon Yolanda’s devastation in Tacloban, Cebu, Guiuan, and surrounding areas. I served as the District Chair for Calamity Response, and it was intense, heartbreaking, yet deeply rewarding. Several C-130 flights, boat deliveries, coordination with local and international partners — this was Rotary in action. We embodied the true essence of being Rotarians.

In the following years, I continued serving the District in various capacities. But then came the pandemic — and with it, the heartbreaking loss of two of my Rotary mentors, PDG Tony and CP Mila. Their deaths were a personal blow. And as if that wasn’t enough, 16 of our members suddenly resigned. I was stunned. I didn't see it coming.

But I had no choice — I had to keep the legacy alive, not just for those we lost, but for the service I love so deeply. We were down to just four members. Still, I held on. Because Rotary, at its core, is about service, not numbers.

Today, we are 23 members strong — mostly new Rotarians, still learning, still growing. Rebuilding hasn’t been easy. It’s like chartering a brand-new club. There are challenges in “Rotarizing” members and keeping the financials steady. But for me now, retention is the real goal. Awards? They’re just bonuses.

I’ve always believed that as a Rotarian, I must strive to live the values we stand for — not just during meetings, not just in projects, but in everyday life. I will continue to serve for as long as my body and spirit allow. Even long after I’m gone, I hope my Rotary life speaks for itself.

Because once a Rotarian, forever a servant-leader.

Written by: Muffet Manahan, Charter Member, Rotary Club of Greater Mandaluyong, RI District 3800