12 outstanding Ilonggos named Pinoy icons
TWELVE outstanding Ilonggos who have valuable contributions to their community were cited as Pinoy Icons in a fitting ceremony on Saturday.
The awarding rites were held at the SM City Iloilo in time for the country's 112th Independence Day celebration. It was spearheaded by Jaycees International, SM City Iloilo and ABS-CBN Broadcasting Network.
Here are the 12 awardees:
Teresa Magbanua award for women’s and children’s rights was given to Sonia F. Cadornigara, a slum upgrading and urban poor champion who fought for the right to a decent home for the poor and the homeless and supporting the rights of women and children. Through her efforts, land had been acquired and houses built for thousands of the urban poor in Iloilo City.
Francisco Baltazar award for literature went to Professor Alicia Tan-Gonzales of the University of the Philippines Visayas. She is a fictionist, poet and playwright in Hiligaynon, the Ilonggo dialect. She also won several Palanca Literary Awards for Hiligaynon short story.
General Martin Delgado award for military service was given to 1Lieutent Reylan P. Java of the Philippine Army who was responsible for the capture of an rebel camp and a landmine kitchen in Igbaras, Iloilo, as well as successive encounters that led to the reduction of rebel activities in their area of responsibility.
Juan Luna award for visual arts went to Timoteo J. Jumayao who was the founding member of the annual Carabao-Carroza Festival of Pavia, Iloilo. A fine Arts graduate of the University of Sto. Tomas, his most valuable contributions to the Ilonggo art and culture are the “Oton Saga” historical mural relief at the Oton Plaza and the Iloilo Heritage mural relief depicting various epochs in Iloilo’s cultural revolution at the old airport in Mandurriao district.
Melchora Aquino award for civic works award went to newly elected Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog who for years, sponsored monthly civic projects and programs, which enhance the educational, economic, health and professional lives of the people in Iloilo City. Selected as one of the 10 Outstanding Councilors of the Philippines in 2007, Mabilog continues to reap awards and recognition for his civic works and achievements as City Government official.
Emilio Aguinaldo award for government service went to Oton Vice Mayor Jose Neil P. Olivares who had led the Municipal Council of Oton, Iloilo in winning the National Local Legislative Award. He is not just a legislator but also a historian, cultural worker and arts enthusiast who transformed his own house into a museum of archives called “Balay Ogtong”.
Gomburza award for religious service went to Reverend Msgr. Meliton B. Oso who successfully initiated and facilitated the construction of housing projects for church workers and established several Botika sa Parokya, which extensively helped the needy. He also facilitated educational scholarship to children of poor families and conducted researches on technology of organic farming that benefited more than 3,000 farmers in Iloilo.
Julian Felipe award for music went to Virgilio “Pirot” G. Petcheller who has made a mar through his novelty songs and composition depicting Ilonggo daily life experiences with just a guitar as accompaniment. An enduring household name in Iloilo, Pirot has promoted appreciation of novelty music among the Ilonggos and written more than 100 songs to inspire the Ilonggos.
Jose Rizal award for medicine went to Dr. Manuel J. Posecion for giving medical consultations and free medicines to various communities in Iloilo. The first Filipino Fellow in Child Development at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas, USA. Posecion was also the Most Outstanding Physician of the Iloilo Medical society in 1997.
Panday Pira award for Science and Technology Award was given to Dr. Jurgene H. Primavera for her researches and extensive work on prawn culture techniques and mangrove conservation, which helped local communities improve their economy. Through the years, Primavera has planted mangroves for coastal rehabilitation and advocated sustainable aquaculture.
Graciano Lopez Jaena award for media went to lawyer Rex Salvilla, who was considered as the "darling of the press" for having won more than 90 cases of libel against journalists pro bono and has written more than 300 articles on history and culture published in newspapers since 1973. A media practitioner and lawyer, he co-authored Press Freedom and the Risk of Libel published by the Philippine Press Institute for the use of mediamen in the entire country.
Apolinario Mabini award for education went to Dr. Ma. Helena Desiree Matulac-Terre, for introducing countless innovations in the teaching paradigms as well as effective educational management in the Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus in Iloilo City. In 2004, she was a national awardee of Gintong Ilawan: The Teodora Alonso Educator’s Award and also, one of Women Icons 2005 published in Women’s Journal.