Rotary Club of New Manila East Wins Anvil Award as 40th Honor Under 40th President Karlo Benjamin Nisce

Quezon City, Philippines - The Rotary Club of New Manila East (RCNME) became the first Rotary club in Philippine history to win an Anvil Award for a coffee table book, claiming Silver honors at the 61st Anvil Awards Recognition Night at Solaire North Grand Ballroom last January 28, 2026.

The achievement marks the club's 40th award during its 40th Ruby anniversary year under President Karlo Benjamin Nisce, a milestone members describe as unprecedented in club history.

"These forty awards in our 40th year represent something far greater than achievement," said Nisce. "They reflect communities fortified, systemic challenges addressed, and lives transformed by a standard of service that transcends excellence in pursuit of meaningful, enduring change."

The award-winning publication, "40 Years: The Rotary Club of New Manila East 1984-2024," documents four decades of health initiatives, education programs, livelihood development, and environmental projects. The ISBN-registered book received Silver Anvil recognition in the Coffee Table Books and Print Publications category.

RCNME is only the second Rotary club in the Philippines to receive an Anvil Award since the program's establishment in 1965 by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines. The Anvil Awards evaluate entries on research depth, strategic precision, execution excellence, and measurable results.

A Year of Unprecedented Recognition

The Anvil Award caps an exceptional year for RCNME. During Nisce's presidency, the club implemented 80 projects and earned recognition across local, national, and international levels.

The previous 39 awards include 34 district honors from Rotary International District 3780, 2 awards from Rotary Philippines Zone 10A (competing against 900 clubs nationally), 2 Service Excellence Awards from government agencies (DepEd and Department of Health - QMMC), and an International Club Excellence Award from Rotary International.

"What distinguishes this year is scope," said Jullian Anisco, Ruby Year Public Image Chairman. "We earned recognition from district, zone, international, and government institutions, validation that our work resonates at every level."

The coffee table book began as an internal initiative to preserve institutional memory during the anniversary year. The publication evolved into a comprehensive record spanning health care access, educational support, livelihood programs, youth empowerment, environmental conservation, and peacebuilding initiatives.

"This wasn't created for awards consideration," Anisco said. "We wanted to preserve our legacy for future generations. The Anvil recognition reflects the rigor we applied to that documentation."

Building on Four Decades of Service

Founded in 1984, RCNME has produced five Past District Governors and established a track record of service excellence. The club serves communities across Rotary International District 3780 through comprehensive programs addressing critical community needs.

"When future Rotarians open this book, I want them to see what's possible when service becomes not just a commitment, but a standard of excellence," Nisce said. "That is the torch we pass forward, one that challenges each generation not to maintain the standard, but to raise it."

Pushing past possibilities: RNME members stand with their Anvil Award and the 40 Years coffee table book at the 61st Anvil Awards, the first Rotary club in the Philippines to win for a coffee table book. (L-R: Dir. Dave Buenviaje, PP lan Mondragon, Pres. Majumi Borlaza, IPP Karlo Benjamin Nisce, Sec. Jan Cabugawan, Dir. Jullian Anisco)