2018 mayoral awardees to be honored June 16

By Jason B. Neola NAGA CITY --- Universidad de Sta. Isabel, which in February this year celebrated its 150th foundation anniversary is this year’s recipient of the Juan Q. Miranda Mayoral Distinguished Award, the highest city award traditionally given as one of the highlight activities of the annual celebration of the city’s charter anniversary. This was announced last Monday by City Mayor John G. Bongat before the members of the local media with some of the members of the mayoral awards committee, chaired by Ateneo de Naga University Professor Tito G. Valiente, present. After more than a month of evaluation, deliberation and validation of the bid books of the nominees to the prestigious annual awards, the committee finally endorsed for the mayor’s confirmation and approval a total of 51 successful nominees to the mayoral awards in 6 different categories. These categories consisted of the Juan Q. Miranda Award, Leon SA Aureus Award, Jesse M. Robredo Award, Lt. Delfin Rosales Award, Mayoral Recognition, and the Special Community Award. Medallions and cash prizes will be given to the awardees during the conferment rites to be held in the afternoon of June 16 at the Avenue Convention Plaza, with former Senate President Koko Pimentel as guest of honor and speaker. The mayor said the mayoral awards is a tribute to ordinary citizens doing extraordinary things, which makes them extraordinary persons. The Juan Q. Miranda Award is named after the father of the City Charter of Naga, a former war hero who became a congressman after the war and authored the bill that made Naga one of the few chartered cities in the country and the first in Bicol at that time. The Leon SA. Aureus Award is named after Naga’s first mayor after it was declared a chartered city. The Jesse M. Robredo Award is named after the former multi-awarded city mayor and DILG secretary who died in a plane crash and left legacy of innovative leadership and good governance. The Lt. Delfin Rosales Award is named after a Nagueno soldier who during World War II faced the enemy’s bullet and gave his life to save a wounded comrade during the local guerillas’ heroic stand to liberate Naga from the invading Japanese imperial army. The 2018 Mayoral Awardees are: For the Juan Q. Miranda Award (only one awardee each year for this category)-- UNIVERSIDAD DE STA. ISABEL. For over a century and a half since it was founded as Escuela Colegio de Diocesano de Sta. Isabel on April 12, 1868 by Caceres Bishop Francisco Gainza and the Daughters of Charity from Spain. It evolved as Escuela Normal de Maestras, becoming the first teacher training institution for women in the Philippines and the Far East, and eventually hailed as the Heritage and Historical University of Bicol. As a center of quality education in the region, it continually produces men and women of strong faith and character helping and contributing to empower communities of persons into leaders and game-changers, compassionate healers, and advocates of persons in poverty situations and of God’s Creation. The colegio is part and parcel of Naga’s rich history. It was within its walls that the Spanish civil governor signed the terms of capitulation following the revolt of Bicolano guardias civiles that ended the Spanish rule in Bicol. Its contributions to regional growth and development have always been significant and immeasurable because of the gracious guidance of Saint Elizabeth and our beloved Ina, Our Lady of Penafrancia. For the Leon Sa. Aureus Award (5 awardees, in alphabetical order) -- CONSUELO ‘CHITO’ MADRIGAL FOUNDATION – BICOL. Established in 2004, this non-government institution with programs for poverty alleviation has been serving Bicolanos for 14 years and continues to do so as it promotes self-reliance among the marginalized members of the community by providing opportunities for skills training, education, capital and private ownership; its microfinance program with a multi-million peso loan portfolio serves 1,483 Nagueños who are micro-entrepreneurs, the biggest from among 25 municipalities and two cities it serves; its housing program has two low-cost subdivisions in Naga City occupying a total of 7 hectares of land; its integrated farming and training program also maintaining a 5-hectare demo farm in a nearby town. NAGA OPTICAL CLINIC. Founded in 1962 by matriarch Maxima Shea, this homegrown optical clinic is a pioneering industry player that continues to cater to the needs of Naga residents and the adjoining municipalities ensuring them with clearer sight and vision despite the entry of more aggressive and highly-capitalized Manila-based rivals that have located in the city; its professional staff of optometrists and an ophthalmologist efficiently maintains its two branches in Naga City, one in Pili, Camarines Sur, and another in Manila. Countless satisfied customers throughout its 56 years of existence now have been grateful for its excellent personalized service on quality eye and vision care at affordable prices. DR. NELBA OLAERA OLASO. Highly esteemed as the first Filipina to jump Fosbury style, she was a Gold medalist in high jump in the interscholastic meet in 1972 and became one of the members of the Philippines’ track and field team in 1979 that clinched 4th place in the Southeast Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. She chose not to rest on her laurels but instead went on to produce young successful athletes that competed both nationally and internationally. While serving as sports director of Naga College Foundation, she shares her talent as athletics coach for the City Government of Naga whose athletes she trained had reaped honors and medals for the city in various regional and national sports competitions, including the annual Palarong Bicol and Palarong Pambansa. She also steers the city’s programs, “Ginhawang Nagueño” and “One Student, One Sports: Play, Learn and be a Champion.” She moves on with her favorite line: “You’ll never know where your feet will bring you until you start to run.” RYAN P. RUBI. A graduate of BS Digital Illustration & Animation at the Ateneo de Naga University, this young man serves as Senior Technical Director at Sony Pictures Imageworks in Vancouver, Canada where he does simulations and rigging set ups for Hollywood Films. His works in Visual Effects and Animation for the past 10 years now were part of the blockbuster films produced by the most prestigious animation studios in the world, such as Lucasfilm Animation, Industrial Light & Magic in Singapore, Framestore in London and Montreal, and Method Studios in Vancouver. The films he was involved in include Spiderman: Homecoming, Beauty and the Beast, Transformers, Star Wars, and Jurassic World, to name a few. Despite the demanding nature of his work, he makes sure that he goes home to his beloved Naga City at least once a year to spend time with family, friends, and mentors at the Ateneo de Naga University. LAARNI VICTORIA VINAS. This talented young lady, born and bred in Naga City who became its Youth Vice Mayor in 2003, has placed the city of her birth in the global map of high-caliber overseas legal practitioners. She is a licensed lawyer both in the Philippines and New York, USA; Solicitor in the Senior Courts of England and Wales, and; currently works in one of the largest Intellectual Property (IP) law firms in Osaka, Japan. She has gone a long way since finishing her grade school at Naga Central School 1, secondary course at Camarines Sur National High School, and college through scholarship at the Ateneo de Manila University before completing her Juris Doctor at the University of the Philippines. Despite being based in Japan, she always keeps in touch with her roots in the Philippines. She raised funds for “Adopt a Small Island” and provided boats and counselling to victims of Typhoon Yolanda. Since 2013, she has been contributing to the financial needs of the Missionaries of the Poor in Naga City, the Catechetical Ministry of the Archdiocese of Caceres, and the Parish of Our Lady of Penafrancia. For Jesse M. Robredo Youth Award (2 awardees) -- CSNHS TEAM STARK. A team of students from Camarines Sur National High School composed of Joscel Kent Manzanero, Eugene Rivera, Keith Russel Cadores, Joriel Brinton Frias, and Gwynne Celeste Aguilar brought honor and pride not only to their school but also to their city and country by winning the Second Award in the Energy-Physical Science Category of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) held last May 13-19, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Their entry, known as Design and Development of Solar-Tracking Aduino-Rooted Kirigami (STARK) PV Panels that involves Robotics and Intelligent Machines, had earlier been awarded as one of the top winners in the National Science and Technology Fair held in Tagaytay City before their bigger triumph in the international S & T Fair. MARIA YZABELL ANGEL V. PALMA. A student-scholar at the Philippine Science High School – Bicol Region campus, this brilliant young girl continues to bring honor, pride and glory to the City of Naga and our country, as well, by winning awards in various international inventors’ contests and exhibitions held in South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Romania, and Canada for her creative and innovative efforts to come up with the Airdisc Air Conditioning Technology that has earned the respect and admiration of various scientists and fellow students from around the world. She was also recipient of Awards of Leadership from different countries, such as Leadership Innovator Award from Malaysia, International Leadership Award from Eurobusiness in Poland, and the international Leadership Award from China Association of Invention, among other awards and honors received so far in the past two years. For the Lt. Delfin Rosales Award (solo awardee) -- SALVADOR P. QUIBOT. A former professional secondary teacher who used to be assigned in remote barangays, he finally decided to become a tricycle driver in order to be close to his family and attend to their needs at any time of the day. While on his usual route, a riding passenger unmindfully left a bag of jewelries estimated to cost P100,000. Without much ado, he searched for the owner of the lost valuables which he said is natural for him being a former teacher who taught values and civic duty to students and his own children. His act of honesty deserves to be acknowledged so that good deeds may be emulated by others. For Mayoral Recognition (31 awardees) -- The following will receive the award for bringing singular honor, recognition and positive impact to the city by the award given them on the national and international level for their variant exemplary performances in sports, academic competitions, and placement in the Top Ten of national professional and academic examinations: SEAN ARMAN ENRIQUEZ ABERGOS. Gold and bronze medalist in Pan-Pacific and China Math Olympiad. ANTHONY P. ANIER. Silver and Bronze medalist (Arnis) in 2017 SCUAA National Games. JENELLE BERNICE RIVERO BARBOSA. Silver and bronze medalist in China Math Olympiad. CHESTER GARCIA BELUANG. 10th placer in the 2017 oard Examination for Certified Public Accountants. MARY LOVELY P. BENAVIDES. Bronze medalist (Swimming) in the 2018 Palarong Pambansa. NONIELO MEDRANO BRACINO. Bronze medalist (Arnis) 2017 and 2018 SCUAA National Games. ANNE MARGARETTE M. BRON. Gold medalist (Arnis) in the 2018 Palarong Pambansa CAMARINES SUR NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL Supreme Student Government – National winner 2017 Gawad Siklab: Search for Outstanding Supreme Student Government, Makabansa category. KATHERINE V. CHANCOCO. One of the Ten Outstanding Jose Rizal Model Students of the Philippines. GEORGE SAMARITA DE HITTA. Bronze medalist in 2017 China Primary Mathematical Olympiad. GIAN HECTOR TORAL DIAMANTE. Silvers medalist in the 2017 International Mathematics Olympiad for Young Achievers held in Singapore. ATIYA THERESE NACARIO DIMAIWAT. Silver and Bronze medalist (Gymnastics) in the 2017 and 2018 Palarong Pambansa. DINRY FERCH B. FULGENTES – Silver medalist (Swimming) in the 2018 Philippine National Games. SHARLEMAINE GAILE OLASO HARRIS. Gold and Bronze medalist (Athletics) in the 2018 National PRISAA Games. ROBYN THERESE V. JOCOM. Third Prize winner in the 67th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. RON ARBY N. LUCERO. Bronze medalist (Arnnis) in the 2017 and 2018 SCUAA National Games. ALEXANDRA SEVILLA MARONILLA-SEVA. Silver medalist (Swimming) in the 2018 Philippine National Games. ENRIQUE S. MARONILLA-SEVA. Bronze medalist (Swimming) in the 2018 Philippine National Games. NCF TIGERS BASKETBALL TEAM. For topping the Luzon leg and putting the team in the Elite 8 of the country’s best collegiate basketball teams which included champion teams from the National Capital Region, Visayas, and Mindanao that vied for the 2018 Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL). MARIA NOELIE D. PEREZ. Grand Winner in the 2018 National Poster Making Contest sponsored by the DILG- Bureau of Fire Protection. RUFUS BABASA PESIMO.10th placer in the 2017 Board Examination for Customs Brokers. RACHEL LOUISE OBREGON PETERS. 2017 Binibining Pilipinas and Top Ten Finalist in the 2017 Miss Universe Beauty Pageant held on November 26, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. JEARL REYLIE O. PINEDA. Bronze medalist (Rhythmic Gymnastics) in 2017and 2018 Palarong Pambansa. TINAGO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL Supreme Student Council --- 2017 Gawad Siklab awardee in the Search for Outstanding Supreme Student Government (Makatao awardee) ANGELO JOSE R. TONDO. Silver and Bronze medalist (Swimming) in the 2018 Palarong Pambansa. HANS MACKENZIE DY UY. Gold, Silver and Bronze medalist in the international Math competitions in Singapore, Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh, and Thailand (Baangkok). JILLIAN HANNAH DY UY. Silver medalist in the 13th International Mathematics Contest, Singapore. JULIUS GLEN P. VASQUEZ. Gold, Silver and Bronze medalist (Swimming) in 2018 Palarong Pambansa. CARMEL JOY F. VERGARA. Second Prize winner in the 67th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. DOMINIC OLIVAN VILLEGAS. Silver medalist in Math Olympiads in Singapore and China. WYSTAN SANCHEZ VILLAREAL. Bronze medalist in the 13th International Mathematics Contest, Singapore. Eleven nominees have been selected for the Special Community Award. This special award is conferred on groups or individuals who have made direct and actual contribution to projects, programs and activities of the city government. Their voluntary acts of charity, civic duty, community participation and involvement, strong support and cooperation have made an impact on the lives of the people and significantly contributed to the development thrusts of the Naga City Government. The following are this year’s Special Community Awardees (11 awardees): ADENU DUGONG ATENISTA. For responding to the medical needs not only of the university but also outside the campus. Recognized by the Bicol Medical Center as the most successful blood program with the most number of recruited blood donors in a single setting, this school-based volunteer group has collected blood donations sent to a ship hospital in Typhoon Yolanda-hit Tacloban City and recently those affected by Mt. Mayon’s eruptive behavior early this year. VICENTE S. AVILA. For dedicated and unselfish voluntary civic duty where he assists pro bono for more than two decades the city government as consultant in the annual Penafrancia regional military parade and other socio-civic events that require his expertise on protocol, honor guards, tactical formations, and other formal ceremonies. ANDRES S. COMPUESTO. His fearless journalistic pursuits are coupled with becoming an instrument to help other people seek aid and public assistance, solicit projects that will be beneficial to many, and assist persons and groups in bringing their cases to the authorities concerned, aside from painstakingly pursuing to resolve issues and concerns among aggrieved parties at just, fair and amicable manner. FLORA E. CUERDO. A widowed mother, she persevered to peddle various kinds of home-made foodstuff known as kakanin for 28 years now in order to raise her family and send her 9 children to school, with two of them still studying, while helping neighbors and even students on entrepreneurship on how to prepare what she sells as source of livelihood and live and raise their own families, though poor, on hard work and honest income. REGNER DUCOT JR. Known for is boundless energy and enthusiasm as volunteer community worker, he always involves his fellow community members in various programs, such as Ginhawang Nagueno and the Community Extension Services of the University of Nueva Caceres, and encourages other families in his village to be active partner-beneficiaries of these program to help improve their lot and learn to stand on their own. GUALANDI FORMATION CENTER. Having settled in Naga City for 17 years now, this mission serves with the same zeal for the Glory of God in molding the deaf to be good Christians and be part of the mainstream of our society by preparing them to be morally upright, become productive citizens, and nourish their spiritual lives despite their material and physical limitation. SALVADOR M. MISON. The first Bicolano to become a Vice Chief of Staff, this gentleman also served with distinction as Customs Commissioner and never forgets his city of origin where he helped raise funds for the construction of the pagoda in Ina that carries aboard her image during the annual fluvial procession and the erection of iconic Porta Mariae at main entrance of the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral. MISSIONARIES OF THE POOR. For their apostolate and unrewarded services to the homeless, abandoned, and neglected elderly, intellectually disabled and mentally-challenged children, men and women, as well as providing free pre-school and community-based programs, which include dispensation of medicines, as well as conducting dental mission, psycho-social intervention, and spiritual activities to children and indigent families in the upland barangays of the city that bring hope and inspiration to everyone, especially those with less in life. MORANO FAMILY. For serving as family role model whose father, a policeman, and mother, an employee at city hall, struggled by sheer hard work and honest income to raise three sons who eventually became top-rated lawyers and a certified public accountant proving to all and sundry that indeed education is the great equalizer even as it molds them – from parents to the children -- to become productive contributors to the enhancement of Naga City’s growth, honor, and glory.. NAGA VIEW ADVENTIST COLLEGE. Opened in 1965, this learning institution which is nestled on the foot of Mt. Isarog with its expansive campus and orchard and green farms, is the only Adventist College in the Bicol region; it is committed to provide Christian quality education and its programs are strongly anchored on the Adventist education standards that promote Bible-based holistic trainings to the students and equip them with skills that make them prepared for lifelong services to the family, the community, and the country. SALINGOY GROUP. For preserving and enriching Bicol history and cultural heritage through visual arts and other artistic forms, this group of talented men and women has paved the way for aspiring artists to hone their craft and be part of a group that lends it hands to those who aspire to spread the colors of hope, beauty and everything that illustrates the goodness of man and his universe where everyone of us belongs. Board of Judges The other members of the Board of Judges of this year’s Mayoral awards committee are: Historian Jose V. Barrameda, Dr. Elna Nidea-Chia, J. Antonio A. Amparado, City Youth Mayor Alyssa T. Borja, MNCCI President Ferdinand D. Sia, mediaman Roy B. San Ramon, Johann P. de la Rosa of the Naga City People’s Council, former DTI Provincial Manager Nicolas Beda Priela, MetroPeso Manager Reuel M. Oliver, Ceppio Department Head Allen L. Reondanga and his youth officer counterpart Ben Francis R. de Lima. The members of the search committee are: Sieg Borromeo Bulaong, Jobert Narvadez of Naga DepEd, and former City Youth Mayor Yssa Abanes. Jose B. Perez and the Ceppio staff headed by Zayda Rifareal serve as the committee’s secretariat.