ETCETERA; Thoughts between the lines

  Our monthly Barkada Food Adventure brought the four of us to Jang Geum Kitchen to celebrate Robert’s birthday. The restaurant features a classic, no-frills Korean BBQ. The service was courteous and excellently paced. Instead of everything arriving at once, the freshly prepared dishes were brought out progressively. This thoughtful timing allowed us to savor each dish without feeling rushed. The Banchan (Side Dishes): A great spread including kimchi, egg-coated luncheon meat, spicy fried tofu, adobo-style kangkong, and excellent bean sprouts (which were immediately refilled). The Main Feast: We loved the savory bulgogi, a perfectly spiced seafood-soft-tofu stew, tender grilled beef, and a crispy seafood pancake. Every dish was generous and delicious. True to our barkada tradition, the celebrant doesn't pay! The bill was split among the remaining three of us, making it the ultimate birthday perk for Robert—great food with absolutely no bill to settle. After two hours of nonstop...

  Ready to create a lasting impact: President Joey B. Lat. In the world of Rotary, July is always a momentous month. It marks the official changing of the guard and the dawn of the new 2026-27 Rotary year. Every year, the incoming international leadership introduces a theme to set the tone, and this year’s rallying cry is to "Create Lasting Impact." Naturally, incoming club presidents need to prep for such a heavy mandate. Before taking the reins, they gather for an intensive three-day presidential training seminar. But it wasn't all serious lectures and note-taking. During one of the fellowship nights, the incoming president of the Rotary Club of Intramuros, Joey Lat, wittily coined a new moniker for his batchmates: the "Impacto Presidents." The room instantly erupted in laughter. As Filipinos, we all know the word impacto carries a hilarious double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s a colorful, old-school reprimand— “Impacto ka, walanghiya ka!” —usually reserved ...