Nograles lauded for winning award

CONGRATULATORY messages have continuously flowed in to the direction of Representative Karlo B. Nograles (1st district, Davao City) who has been chosen by a prestigious international branding and polling outfit as one of the Most Outstanding Congressmen of the Philippines.

Councilor Joanne Bonguyan and an organization of college scholars were among the well-wishers of Nograles who recently received the Superbrands’ Most Outstanding Congressman Award in just his first term at the House of Representatives. They said “Nograles made Davao City proud.”

"Davao City is indeed walking tall," Fe Orig Maloloy-on wrote on the Karlo Nograles Fan Page in the social networking site Facebook. "We are proud of you," she added.

"Well deserved, Karlo," Gailey Gonzales, for his part, said. "Thank you for being an example,” said Blue Avelino. “We need more like you."

Task Force Pagbabago was also among the hundreds who sent in congratulatory messages to Nograles while many leaders of District 1 called the congressman their "superhero."

"We have a superhero in District 1," said Bing Layno. "Congratulations to our superhero," said Bobby Palma Gil.

The Oplan Kaalam Scholars of University of the Southeaster Philippines Office of Student Service (Usep-OSS) said Nograles deserved the citation. The group said that the Nograles Scholarship Program has helped thousands of poor but deserving college students secure brighter future.

The award-giving body actually highlighted Nograles' education agenda as among top reasons for giving him the prestigious award.

"His program Oplan Kaalam currently supports full tuition and fees of 4,538 students enrolled at the state-owned University of Southeastern Philippines and 373 students of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao," Superbrand said in a tribute article for Nograles. "It also provides tuition fee assistance to 2,200 students enrolled in various private colleges and universities of Davao City."

Superbrands also mentioned that Nograles was elected in the 15th Congress as House assistant majority leader right on his first term. It likewise noted that the young Nograles authored several measures approved on Third Reading, such as HB 4512, creating 3 additional branches of the Regional Trial Court in Davao City; HB 5977, creating the Philippine Trade Representative Office; and HB 6052, strengthening the Juvenile Justice System in the Philippines. He is also one of the co-authors of RA 10168 or the Terrorism Financing and Suppression Act of 2012 and HB 4575, encouraging corporate social responsibility.