District History
The History of Rotary International District 3790
Rotary International District 3790 is composed of clubs covering 11 provinces in the Northwestern area of Luzon: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, Benguet,
Mountain Province,
Pangasinan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales and Bataan.
Our story began in 1905, when Paul Harris organized the first Rotary club in Chicago. True to his character, Paul Harris, the founder, became president of the club on its third year (1907), and he started to work on extending Rotary to San Francisco… Oakland… Seattle… Los Angeles… New York… Boston... Portland… and so on.
In 1910 – after only 5 years – the First National Congress, with 16 clubs (1800 members), was held in Chicago. There were 29 delegates. On November 3 that year, RC Winnipeg (Canada) became the first club outside the US - making Rotary an “International” organization… and it started to cross the oceans to spread in Europe and other countries.
1919 – Leo J. Lambert wrote John Poole (the president of the International Assn. of Rotary clubs) on the possibility of organizing a Rotary club in Manila. Roger D. Pinneo of RC Seattle was sent to Manila to help organize… and on June 1, 1919, the Rotary Club of Manila became the first club in Asia with 38 members – 2 Filipinos (Gabriel Lao and Gregorio Nieva, and Chinese (Alfonso Sycip) and 35 Americans.
Thirteen years later, in 1932, the Rotary Club of Cebu was chartered… followed by RC Iloilo as the third club in 1933. The three clubs, called Non-district Clubs, were directly supervised by the RI President and Board of Directors. Incidentally – the practice of districting under a governor started in 1915 by the 6th Convention in San Francisco.
In 1936 – District 81 was created for eleven clubs in China and Hongkong with the 3 clubs in the Philippines. The governor was Chengting T. Wong of Shanghai. The following year, the district was re-numbered 96, with Fong See of Shanghai as governor. RC Bacolod was chartered.
RI District 81 was re-created for the Philippines with George Malcolm as appointed governor. 3 new clubs (Baguio, Dagupan and Davao) were chartered making a total of 8 clubs. World War II broke out in 1940 and all clubs in the Philippines was disbanded due to the hostilities. Theodore L. Hall was governor.
The war ended in 1945 – and Dagupan was the first club re-admitted to RI… then came Manila, etc. District 81 was re-established with Theodore L. Hall as appointed governor. Gil C. Puyat was appointed First Filipino District Governor in 1946-47… RC Tarlac was admitted as the first new club after the war. RC Bacolod, Baguio, Cebu and Davao were re-admitted – making a total of 7 clubs with 186 Rotarians. The practice of electing district governors was institutionalized.
Marianito F. Lichuaco of Dagupan was the first elected governor for 1947-48. He was followed by Benjamin Gaston (Bacolod) and Emilio Javier (Manila). District 81 become District 48 in 1950-51 with Fernando Manalo of Baguio as governor – with 22 clubs with 834 Rotarians. Marianito Tinio of Cabanatuan was the last governor of District 48… this was re-numbered 385 under Governor Hermando Pineda of Cagayan de Oro, with 35 clubs, 1300 Rotarians.
In 1963-64, Alfonso Oboza of Davao was the last governor of the whole Philippines as one district… it was divided into District 380 (Luzon, Mindanao and Palawan) with Mat Caparas of Caloocan as first governor with 29 clubs, and District 385 (Visayas & Mindanao) with 33 clubs, and Leonardo Gallardo of Bacolod as governor.
In 1976-77 – District 380 had over 80 clubs (3,000 Rotarians) and Jun Tambunting was governor… and this was split into 380 and 382. RC Angeles and Central Tarlac were charted. Ernani V. Certeza was first governor of the new District 380 (North of the Pasig River) with 44 clubs and over 1500 Rotarians.
1982-83 – with 86 clubs and over 2,000 Rotarians – then Gov. Mar Un Ocampo started the groundwork for the split… made effective by Gov. Mike Ampil in 1983-84 – into 379 (Northwestern provinces from Pampanga to Ilocos Norte). Since then, the following seated as governor of 379 (later 3790):
1984-1985 – Carlos “Carling” G. Santiago, Jr.
RC
Baguio
1986-1986 – Ruben “Ben” G. Henson, Sr.
Angeles
1986-1987 – Ricardo “Ric” O. Hipolito
Tarlac
1987-1988 – Cesario “Ces” C. Mendoza
San Fernando (LU)
1988-1989 – Rodolfo “Rudy” N. San Juan
Urdaneta
1989-1990 – Adelino “Adel” T. Lugue
Apalit
1990-1991 – Renato “Ever” B. Lozada
Dagupan
1991-1992 – Carmelo “Melo” S. Narciso
1992-1993 – Jesus “Jess” T. Lindayag
Olongapo
1993-1994 – Roberto “Bobby” T. Legaspi
Baguio North
1994-1995 – Jesus “Jess” Cano Chua
Midtown Tarlac
1995-1996 – Nelson Y. Yuchongtian
Dagupan East
1996-1997 – Lutgardo “Lut” M. Lao
RC Baguio North
1997-1998 – Emiliano “Bong” D. Joven
Dolores
1998-1999 – Jose Antonio “Tony” Y. Angeles
Angeles Kuliat
1999-2000 – Albino “Alvin” V. Gonzales
Downtown Dagupan
2000-2001 – Benigno Julian “Benny” S. Uy
Metro Angeles
2001-2002 – Marquez “Mark” O. Go
2002-2003 – Edmyr “Macky” M. Macabulos
Pampanga Cosmopolitan
2003-2004 – Vitt O. Gutierrez
Metro Olongapo
2004-2005 – John Paul Jaypee Cadaing – RC Midtown Tarlac
2005-2006 – Gerpy Erquiza – RC Dagupan East
2006-2007 – Florentio "Bishop" Cinense – RC Tarlac
2007-2008 – Lorenzo "Owens" Torres – RC Central Pangasinan
2008-2009 – Jesus "Jess" Nicdao – RC Western Pampanga
2009-2010 – Rolando Villanueva – RC Baguio Summer Capital
2010-2011 – Manuel "Manny" Yu – RC Northern Tarlac
2011-2012 – Digna Ragasa – RC Vigan
2012-2013 – Antonio "Tony" Bautista – RC Metro Olongapo
2013-2014 – Linda Winter – RC Baguio
2014-2015 – Dennis Go – RC Tarlac Metro
2015-2016 – Ma Inez "Mai" Ocampo – RC Central Tarlac
2016-2017 – Raul Peralta – RC Freeport Zone (Subic Bay)
2017-2018 – Benigno "Boboy" Valles – RC Santa Cruz
2018-2019 – Pancracio "Panding" Nisce – RC San Fernando City North
2019-2020 – Andronico Sonny Pahed – RC Angeles Kuliat
2020-2021 – Jesus "Jess" Sama – RC Villa de Bacolor
2021-2022 – Willie Serafica – RC Downtown Dagupan
2022-2023 – Ana Maria "Ann" Lorenzana – RC Downtown Olongapo
2023-2024 – Francis Cornejo – RC Laoag Metro
2024-2025 – Ariel Jersey – RC Dau
2025-2026 – Danilo "Dan" Torres – RC Baguio North
2026-2027 – Ronald S. Dy – RC San Fernando, La Union Inc.
2027-2028
– Zeny Dela Cruz - RC Bolinao
Other Past District Governors who came from clubs in District 3790 (as now constituted) are: PDG Rodolfo Nisce of San Fernando LU (1966-67), PDG Ruben Roxas of Tarlac (1974-75), PDG Romeo Galang of San Fernando P. (1979-80), and PDG Jesus C. Tabora of San Fernando LU (1981-82).
Of the things we think, say or do
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?