Navigating Crisis, Securing Futures: Rotary Club Forum Unpacks Middle East Flashpoints and Filipino Resilience

By RCMD Communications Team

On the evening of July 16, 2025, the Rotary Club of Makati Dasmariñas launched its inaugural RCMD New World Forum with a timely and powerful discussion entitled “Flashpoint Middle East: Global Trade, Oil Security, and the New World Order.” Held at the New World Hotel in Makati, the forum brought together diplomatic, economic, and human perspectives on the evolving crises in the Middle East—and their far-reaching impact on global stability and Filipino lives.

The event drew an engaged audience, including members and leaders from the Rotary Club of Makati Dasmariñas and Presidents from two other Rotary Clubs, reflecting Rotary’s commitment to informed dialogue and global understanding.

Aside from our RCMD members, the forum was graced by distinguished guests, including President Erica Singson of the Rotary Club of LEX et SALUS, President Tito Meneses of RC Makati North, Director Anton Mauricio of RC Manila, Ms. Michelle Manglapus, guest of PP Juor, Mrs. Orna Gero, wife of speaker Itamar Gero, and Atty. Gian Gaviola. Their presence contributed to the event’s atmosphere of thoughtful engagement and multi-sectoral exchange.

A Diplomatic Lens: Prioritizing the Filipino People

Undersecretary Eduardo José A. de Vega of the Department of Foreign Affairs opened the forum with a compelling address on the risks faced by Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)—particularly seafarers and caregivers—caught in the crossfire of regional conflict.

“Our fellow nationals face risk to life and limb as long as there is no lasting peace in the region,” he said, highlighting the tragic loss of Ms. Leah Mosquera, a Filipina caregiver who was fatally wounded during a missile attack in Israel. Her story brought into sharp focus the human cost of geopolitical unrest and the urgency of protecting Filipino workers abroad.

De Vega emphasized the government’s all-of-government response, through the One Country Team Approach, to ensure the welfare of the 12 million Filipinos overseas. He shared the long-term goal: that “working abroad becomes an option and no longer a need.”

A Personal Story: Peace Amid the Noise of War

Israeli entrepreneur and long-time Philippines resident Itamar Gero delivered a deeply moving and personal perspective. He recounted growing up with bombs exploding near his home, running to bomb shelters as a child, and accepting this as normal—a haunting reality for many children in the Middle East.

With raw honesty, Gero spoke not just of Israel’s remarkable resilience and tech-driven economic comeback, but of the deep emotional and spiritual longing of the Israeli people: “We yearn and pray for peace.”

Despite the conflict, he reminded the audience that Israel remains a democracy seeking dialogue and understanding. “When hands are offered in peace, we will take it. But when others aim to destroy us, we will not sit quietly,” he said, also calling out the dangers of social media sensationalism that distorts the truth for monetization.

Shared Hope for Peace

Both Undersecretary de Vega and Mr. Gero expressed a shared hope for peace in the Middle East. In their own ways—through diplomacy, policy, and personal advocacy—they underscored the importance of building bridges across cultures, of humanizing complex issues, and of ensuring that people—not politics—remain at the center of the global conversation.

Building a Platform for Global Understanding

The event marks the first in a series of RCMD New World Forums, envisioned as platforms for intelligent, compassionate, and meaningful dialogue. As Rotary Club of Makati Dasmariñas President Teresa “Tet” de Guzman shared in her welcome remarks, the series aims to offer “a space to understand, question, and engage the world’s biggest issues through the lens of service, truth, and action.”

With global conflicts increasingly affecting local lives, the forum was a stirring reminder that diplomacy and empathy must go hand in hand—and that peace, though elusive, remains a common dream worth pursuing.