History Lessons

(Part 2 of 3)

Time has seen how Toastmasters International (TI) has flourished. Fourteen years after the founding of the first Toastmasters Club in Santa Ana, California, Toastmasters clubs grew in leaps and bounds. Smedley’s experiment’s benefits spread like wildfire in other communities and states, and in 1938, the 100th club was organized.

One would have thought Smedley and his team’s work was done in a posh building. No. The meetings were done in a series of rented office spaces in Southern California, which served as Toastmasters International’s home. It was called the World Headquarters.

In the same year, a visit to the TI World Headquarters inspired Dr. Mauro Baradi to establish a club in the Philippines. The very first club was appropriately named Philippine Toastmasters Club. When World War II broke out, however, the club inevitably suffered in the throes of war. Later in 1946, the club tried to resurface from the ashes, managed to rise, but only to be dissolved again. A persistent Teodoro Kalaw, Jr., a member of the Philippine Toastmasters Club, however, rallied on despite failed attempts at reorganizing. And, in December 6, 1952, the country saw not an elegant phoenix rising from the ashes, but a determined Tamaraw, sans muck and mire surfacing. Thus, the Tamaraw Toastmasters Club was born. It was granted Charter # 1164 by Toastmasters International.

With an average of one chartered club every sixteen months, the growth of Philippine Toastmasters moved at a lethargic pace. It took 15 long years to create and charter 11 new clubs. Luckily, some of those clubs formed in the 1960s continue to exist today. These are the Barangay Toastmasters Club of Bacolod City (September 1960), Capitol Toastmasters Club of Manila (February 1965) and Cebu Toastmasters Club of Cebu City (May 1966).

It was only in 1967 that the new but seemingly unassociated Toastmasters Clubs in the Philippines decided to stick together. The decision was to group these clubs into one cohesive whole to be called the National Committee of Philippine Toastmasters. NaComPhilTo for short, it was organized with a view to Districthood. At that time, only 35 clubs were required to form a Provisional District. Carlos “Charlie” M. Velayo of Capitol Toastmasters Club became the first NaComPhilTo Chairman and he served for two years. Nine other chairmen followed him. Districthood still eluded Philippines Toastmasters. Things seemed at its bleakest in this part of the history.

Things finally picked up in 1981, the year a Toastmasters Convention was held in Cebu City. Clubs numbering 37 were listed and represented during the meet. Believing that the requirements to become a Provisional District had been complied with, no time was wasted in reporting such compliance to the World Headquarters. In April 1982, Philippine Toastmasters was granted the authority by the Toastmasters International Board of Directors to operate as a District. The first District Governor of District Number 75P was Robert “Bob” Casals of Cebu Toastmasters Club. It was simply a milestone.

Since its recognition as District 75, more than 3,000 people across the country caught the Toastmasters bug. Achievements and accolades of D75 are not lacking. History tells us that District 75 has produced leaders who have been recognized in the hallowed halls of TI. History speaks of speakers who have made appearances in world championships of public speaking, of clubs which have reaped distinction as being the most successful clubs in the world, and of club and district bulletins which have been recognized best in TI.

It might have taken a long time for D75’s story to unfold, but its astounding contributions deserve to be cherished, and written in the annals of history never to be forgotten.

(My sincerest thanks go to Past International President PDG Johnny “Pawe” Uy, DTM and PDG Lita Dayco, DTM)