MANILA, Philippines — Kiwanis International celebrates its Anniversary in the Philippines in the third week of January by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 124, issued on January 13, 1993, declaring the third week of January as “Philippine Kiwanis Week.”

The first Kiwanis Club was organized by a group of civic-spirited men in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States on January 31, 1915. It became one of the world’s biggest clubs – close to one million members in 9,000 clubs in 82 countries, including the Philippines. Members of the club, called “Kiwanians,” are involved in varied humanitarian endeavors that help improve communities and peoples’ quality of life, especially children and families. The motto of Kiwanis International, which is celebrating its 97th Founding Anniversary this year, is “Serving the Children of the World” and its theme, “One Can Make a Difference.”

In the Philippines, the Kiwanis Club was organized in Manila on July 4, 1964, by Kiwanis members from the Kiwanian Memory Caine of Kiwanis Club-Santa Barbara, California. A decade later, another club was organized in Iligan City, paving the way for the reorganization of the Philippine District into a Luzon and South District.

Over the years, Kiwanis Philippine Luzon District has expanded to over 151 chartered clubs with more than 4,000 members. The District sustains its pro-children projects by holding community-based endeavors. The enactment of Republic Act 8172 is one of the district’s main achievements. On October 1, 2011, it relaunched “The Eliminate Project,” in support of the United Nations Children’s Fund initiative, to save mother and child from maternal and neonatal tetanus.

We congratulate Kiwanis International-Philippine Luzon District, headed by its District Governor Florencio C. Lat, its Board of Trustees, Officers and Members, on the occasion of its 37th Founding Anniversary. We wish them all the best and success in all endeavors. MABUHAY!