CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) president and chief executive officer Rey Aquino will be given a testimonial dinner at the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) at 6 p.m. on Friday.

The dinner will be tendered by UST's Father Rector, Fr. Rolando dela Rosa, O.P. at the Faculty of Civil Law lobby.

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"Upon learning of the appointment of Dr. Reynaldo Aquino as president and chief executive officer of Philhealth, the Father Rector expressed his intent for the University to tender a testimonial dinner for Dr. Aquino in recognition of his Thomasian roots and achievement," the program said.

Competence, compassion and commitment are the hallmarks that make the Thomasians stand out as they take the challenge to live up to the legacy bequeathed on them by the University of Sto. Tomas, it added.

Aquino was appointed to the Philhealth top post by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last August 13.

A former three-term mayor of the City of San Fernando and congressman of the third district of Pampanga, Aquino was a member of the UST medical class of 1979. He went into private practice for years before joining politics in the 90s. He was first elected as vice mayor of the then capital town in 1992.

During his term, Aquino was among the prominent leaders of a government-private sector collaboration to save the capital town from lahar devastation in 1995. He initiated the conversion of the town into a component city in 2000, paving the way for unprecedented business and economic expansion in the city.

San Fernando was also ushered in as an award-winning and competitive city under his watch, particularly in financial management and good governance, high-marked by receiving the 2000 Galing Pook Award.

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(November 28, 2008 issue)
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