DAGUPAN CITY -- A local university has conferred the degree of Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) to Ma. Georgina, better known as Manay Gina.

Wife of fourth district Representative Jose de Venecia Jr., Mrs. De Venecia said it is her fourth honorary degree.

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"It is the most special as it comes from you, a distinguished university in my home city of Dagupan," she told the University of Luzon (UL).

The honorary degree was conferred to De Venecia last Saturday during the 91st Commencement Exercises of the university.

This was awarded by UL President MacArthur Samson and Dr. Emmanuel Angeles of the Commission on Higher Education (Ched). The members of the university's Board of Regents joined them.

Mrs. De Venecia founded the Haven for Women (for abused women, it has 15 regional centers; and the Haven for Children, which has three regional centers.

One is located at Bonuan Binloc, this city. The other two are in Solano, Cagayan and in Tarlac City.

Her third project, the Haven for the Elderly (foster home for abandoned senior citizens) is being built in Tanay, Rizal, which can accommodate 600 clients at any given time.

After the tragic death of their daughter KC who died in a fire that gutted their home in Makati City several years ago, she founded the INA or Inang Naulila ng Anak Foundation.

The foundation helps mothers who lost their children, live through the pain and get on with their lives, while keeping the memory of their children close to their hearts.

"In my life I played many roles - I am a wife of a politician, daughter of a movie producer. I was a television host, a radio drama host, I even modeled for some brands of clothes," she said in her acceptance speech.

Mothers are natural caregivers, she stressed. Thus, in her five terms as president of the Congressional Spouses Foundation, Inc., she said she devoted her time to bring change in the lives of the most marginalized sectors of the society which include the abused women, the street children and the elderly.

"My personal life was not always easy - but I count my greatest blessings to be those times when fortune smiled at me, so much that I could do the most to improve the fate of others," she said. (LCMY/Sunnex)