SPOTLIGHT ON DRR KRYSTENE BELLO

ELEVATING ROTARACT

DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVE KRYSTENE RHOBE BALDOVIESO BELLO

by DRAR - Manila Zone 2 Aaron Blanco, Rotaract Club of Malate

Firstly, Rotaractors have already met and interacted with you through all these years prior to this Rotary Year. However, who is “Tene” beyond the world of Rotaract?

Outside Rotaract I live quite a simple life. I do a lot of freelance work as an event coordinator and as a makeup artist. I’m fond of sleeping and eating indoors since the pandemic began. As an extroverted person who enjoys learning, I also am a member of other organizations like JCI, and soon joining Green Convergence Philippines to learn more about the environment.

Going back to Rotaract, who introduced it to you and what got you into it?

My late adviser in Interact, Rtn. Leonora Aunario was my biggest inspiration joining Rotaract. She always said that although I/we as Interactors had doubt in our abilities and leadership skills, taking a step forward and trying new things anyway meant we were already leaders in our small ways trying to be better each day. When she died in 2016, right before my first term as club president, I knew I also wanted to be an encourager like her and empower people to believe in themselves. What she did for me have pushed me to heights I’ve never even thought of reaching.

In reaching those heights, you surely have experienced a lot of memorable moments. Would you mind sharing one of those moments?

One Rotaract moment I cannot forget was during the Great year year-end reporting. You see, my home club was not as “stable” as the other clubs back then. We were not really Rotarized, and since I came in late as president and as ambush president, I was not able to attend most of the trainings for Great Presidents. Since I was a student then, I found it very difficult to manage my time and do the reports while it was examination week. I didn’t want to report anymore, but my classmate from RAC Universidad de Manila-College of Engineering and Technology invited me to their home for an overnight stay a night before reporting to help me out with my reports until the morning of the reporting day. Take note, they’ve already finished theirs days ago. Here I realized that these people surrounding me were not mere strangers but friends who see our club’s potential and want to help us. Here I realized if my classmate believes in me and my club, maybe its about time that I take the leap and do the same. I was really inspired, seeing how hard they tried not to sleep on me just so I don’t feel anxious and alone trying to do something new to me. So to my classmate Ross, thank you for inspiring me to be great and for pushing me out of my comfort zone!

Now that journey outside your comfort zone has led to you being the DRR. And we all know how hectic the schedule of a DRR is, so what keeps you motivated as you balance your Rotaract, professional, and social life?

To be honest, it’s very difficult, but very fulfilling. I keep a calendar and try my best to weigh out matters and prioritize. Being a DRR will not excuse me from being a worker, a daughter, and other roles I have to fill on the daily, but I did choose to take this position and so for one whole year it is my utmost priority. This means taking leaves for work or requesting early flights back to Manila to attend Club events and projects, or perhaps this means sleeping a little bit less to talk to officers or presidents to ensure that they are fully supported with what they need. Yes, it’s a lot of work, but I know the seeds that we plant today will eventually grow and yield great results for our clubs and presidents.

But to tell you honestly, the magic behind all of this, the operations, the systems, and the good flow of communication, is all thanks to our whole Rotaract District Committee. I coordinate with our RDC everyday. We delegate tasks, we update our schedule each week and inform the whole team of necessary changes. I have chosen these brilliant leaders to lead our district and I fully trust them and their capabilities, which I think gives room for them to step out of their comfort zones and perform well. I’m also blessed to have a very amazing and supportive governor who embodies women empowerment and supports the youth. She is inclusive and gives us opportunities to learn in the Rotary community, and gives us platforms to share what Rotaractors do and are capable of in Rotary events and meetings. Her support has greatly impacted our performance as a team as well.

“We have different starting points when we began our journey as Rotaract leaders, so be self-aware and know where your starting point is, have a clear vision and set the direction for your term, plan well and involve your team in making decisions, and I assure you the rest will follow.”

Seeing my presidents and RDC members bloom one step or project at a time, or seeing clubs that have fallen asleep for years come to life, or talking to enthusiastic Rotarians and Rotaractors that want to empower the youth makes it all worth it. I keep in mind that I have one year to serve as DRR, then a lifetime to volunteer in Rotary.

On the rare occasions that you have a day or two for yourself, what would you usually do?

I honestly just rest and spend time with my family and friends. As LCP Charlene also advised, I’ve tried journaling. I now try my best to keep a journal and update it as best I can to keep track of my life. Somehow it works, it keeps me calm and grateful. I’d also cook and enjoy a good movie if given a day off, and just allow myself to breathe and appreciate where I am at in life.

This Rotary Year is the first year of the implementation of Elevate Rotaract and at the same time we are also gradually bringing back face-to-face events. What advise would you give our District’s Club Presidents and Rotaractors as they navigate this challenging term?

My greatest advise as my ates and kuyas have also taught me before is to work at your own pace. As they say our journey is “a marathon, not a sprint” We have different starting points when we began our journey as Rotaract leaders, so be self-aware and know where your starting point is, have a clear vision and set the direction for your term, plan well and involve your team in making decisions, and I assure you the rest will follow.

Help as many people as you can, if you can. We all have one goal each year which is to help and serve our communities and members. So always keep that in mind and take it at heart. You have a team with you, and you are not alone in this journey. If you don’t have one yet, you can start to build your team at your club’s own pace. More than the recognition at the end of the year, what you take home with you are the memories, experiences, and learnings you have acquired in your journey as a president.

Your “classmates” or co-presidents are your allies. Build

your network and work on your club’s partners. The world is a big place, and Rotaract is a huge organization, you have the whole duration of your term to meet new people, forge new partnerships, and learn from clubs in different places worldwide. Keep that in mind.

Keep your head high presidents, papunta palang tayo sa exciting part.

I think a lot of Presidents will be glad to read that. But speaking of exciting part, before I wrap up this interview I have a set of rapid-fire questions for our readers to know you more. First question:

coffee or tea? Coffee, Kailangan ko para makasurvive sa araw-araw

Early bird or Night Owl? Night Owl, Night owl, kasi pano magiging early bird kung di naman natutulog

Introvert or Extrovert? Extrovert, Hindi papasa as introvert, alam ko na kaagad

City or Province? Province, Closer to nature and away from the fast paced lifestyle, because ayoko na mastress charot What’s your dream vacation? In my hometown in Abra, with a lot of money so I can finally work on our farm. At this point naiintindihan ko na bakit ako tinatawag na workaholic. Pati vacation may ginagawa HAHAHAHA or baka 2 weeks in Canada so I can visit my family

What’s your go to cheat food? Soft boiled eggs on rice as a tamad ferson

What song are you listening to the most right now?

A glimpse of us kasi minsan trip ko lang talaga malungkot mag-isa ng walang dahilan

Favorite fellowship activity? Teambuildings

Finally, after the very successful RDLT and Haraya events, what can our Rotaractors look forward to

in the next 10 months of this Rotary Year? Expect more opportunities for learning and networking, updates and more information, more fellowship na din para di tayo mabaliw lahat!

Acquiring new members and improving the retention of club members remain challenging for many. Still, many more people want to use their careers to make a positive impact on the world and society and are turning to Rotaract to achieve that. With the proper recruitment planning and an awareness of the main challenges, your club can make changes, ensuring that you make the right and most effective acquisition decision every time!

I’ve gathered practical and proven tips from several past and current District officers to help your club steer away from practices that often lead to losing leads and members. If there are two things we hate most in Rotaract, it’s wasted effort and losing members.

How to get a lot of by District Publications Director Daniel Kitma, Rotaract Club of San Antonio de PaduaMembers

Past District Rotaract Representative Oliver Alvarez (RID3810):

Social Media is a proven avenue for recruiting qualified new members and retaining old ones. Have consistent branding on your social media accounts. Have a fun yet dignified showcase of photos with professional and grammatically correct captions. Celebrate the success of your individual members, (e.g. getting a promotion, winning a contest, or receiving a school award.) With this practice you are hitting two birds with one stone, you make your members feel that their success is your success and at the same time add credibility to your club which is good for attracting possible new recruits! Finally, don’t lose new members and opportunities by actively checking your inbox and give timely responses to membership inquiries!

District Rotaract Representative Shevee Resolado (RAC Cebu Fuente, RID3860):

Creating a social media account and page for the club, constant posting of activities on how the club keeps doing good, sending membership invites, word of mouth, partnership with Youth sectors and organizations in club projects.

District Rotaract Representative Joseph P. Ilagan (RAC Downtown Batangas City, RID3820):

Engage in a diverse membership experience seminar that will introduce the organization to the prospected members by highlighting the best practices of your club and redefining the image of the organization not only on social media posts but also on printed ads like billboards and merchandise.

District Rotaract Representative Krystene Rhobe Bello (RAC San Antonio de Padua):

Always remember that we are all volunteers and that each member of your club matters. Without our members, there wouldn’t be a club. Focus on strengthening your home club and the rest will follow. Before you make any moves or set directions for your club, before setting goals, always assess and gather data from previous terms. Set a benchmark and carefully check the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that your club is facing. This way you know where you are starting from and can have a clearer vision on where you want to be headed. We all have limited resources and manpower so being strategic about it will help. Train your team, because they are the pillars in building a successful Rotary Year. Lastly, enjoy the journey. You will not be a Rotaractor forever, but make sure that when the time comes and you look back at of this, you’ll be happy and proud of your learnings and experiences. Pay it forward and give your club members and officers an unforgettable and enjoyable Rotaract experience.

District Trainer Diane Casio (RAC Manila Metro):

In order to attract new members to your club, you should strengthen your club’s social media presence. In our club, we maximize the use of our facebook and instagram pages by posting our projects diligently. We also have a club brochure which contains our club history and past projects so that it’s easier for new members to have an idea on what it’s like to be a member of Manila Metro.

District Membership Development Director Gabriel Joaquin Natalicio (RAC STI College):

Find the interest of your current members and use that as your edge in marketing. An example, Most of your members loves mountain climbing then you can use that to attract other members in joining the club. Basically, pique the interest of your target market.

Flaunt your assets and achievements, people would see that your club is worth joining because you walk the talk.

Give them a quick trial on how your rotaract club conducts projects. Invite them as a volunteer in one of your community projects and set proper expectations on what they will do and just remember to make a good impression. Let them experience it first then if they want to continue then you can recruit them as a member.

District Professional Development Director Kyro Marco Angeles (RAC Adamson University):

I always tell my officers and members that Rotaract and Rotary is about service and putting themselves in the shoes of those we are offering our service to. I established the term along the principle of helping one student, one community member at a time. A club should establish a brand of leadership and of service that is unique and effective.

The Rotaract Club of Adamson University’s Life-Changing term, even though affected by the pandemic and the absence of students in the classrooms, made a difference in the lives of people in the communities of Looc, Mindoro and Manila and I believe that alone is a statement and an invitation for young leaders in the university to join our now 60-member club. These differences and impact we make in the community and the university is the best tool to attract Rotaractors.

District Public Image Director Kyle Cedric Hezeta (RAC Polytechnic University of the Philippines):

It is important that we start internally. For us to have credence in saying “Rotaract is fun” to nonmembers, we should first see to it that “Rotaract is fun” for our existing members. By ensuring that our existing members are having fun, and are involved in activities that we do, it will be easier for the Club as a whole to speak from experience when scouting for new club members.

District Fundraising Director Ramcy Paclibare (RAC Raha Sulayman Volunteers):

If you want to grow your club’s population, make the membership your priority. Talk about your Rotaract club wherever you go, word of mouth is the most powerful way to invite members and potential members must know about your club in order for them to join it. More importantly keep your current members engaged and always make them feel like they really belong. When your current members are fully engaged in the club, they’ll be more inclined to participate in your clubs’ membership efforts.

DRAR - Manila Zone 1 Jhon Roy Jakosalem Jr. (RAC Metro Dasmariñas):

The easiest way to grow your membership is by advertising. Make sure your club has something that will attract new members something that they will look forward to help develop their personal and professional interests.Promote your club and its activities through social media.

DRAR - Manila Zone 2 Aaron Blanco (RAC Malate):

As done in our club, Rotaract clubs may implement a volunteer program for all their prospects. The program, which could take up to one year, would allow potential members to participate in club activities and experience the Rotaract culture without the pressure of immediately joining and paying fees. This also encourages prospects to build relationships within the club and to find their fit in the club structure prior to their induction.