Not the destination, not the ride, but the Rider

President Daniel Sunga, in his valedictory last Friday, said it was not the destination, not the ride but the Rider that ultimately mattered. Daniel used this phrase to explain what makes the Davao Agila Riders special.

Yes, we enjoyed the places we went to and the rides going to these places, but what made these rides truly unforgettable and exceptionally fun were the Agilas (and their lovely wives) whom we rode with and who have become true friends in a relatively short span of time.

And the embodiment of this Rider who rode with us, but importantly, has been a true friend to all the Agilas the past two years, is Daniel himself.

Yes, it is true that with Dan at the helm of the club the past two years, the Davao Agila Riders have continued to “soar and glide, riding with pride”. He led the rides to the National Conventions (Tacloban and Cagayan de Oro), and throughout Mindanao. Not forgetting our obligations as citizens, Daniel initiated and organized the club’s outreach and civic activities.

Daniel also was instrumental in the fight to have ill-crafted LTO memorandum that adversely affected riders revoked. He sent materials to (and was quoted by) the local media explaining our side of the issue. He worked with other motorcycle clubs in the city who also followed his lead in organizing a motorcade / protest ride (in coordination with other riders in other place in the country) and in meeting with Mayor Duterte to explain why the LTO memorandum should be scrapped.

But more than all of that, that, President Daniel is a friend who made sure that the bonds between the Agilas grow even stronger. He was fair in dealing with all the members and listened to all who wanted to say something about our activities and things that affected the club. He was always fun to be with and saw to it that our rides and get-togethers were enjoyed by all.

For this, the Agilas are saying, “Congratulations and say thank you!” to Daniel.

P.S. I think we should also thank Ma’am Yvette for the full support she gave Daniel (and the club) the past years.