Thursday, July 03, 2008 3 TOSP national finalists from Western Visayas
THREE students from among the 30 national finalists in the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) 2008 are from Western Visayas, said Bacolod Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, chair of the TOSP 2008 Region VI awards.
One of the three is from Bacolod City – Nea Cecille Quiachon – a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of St. La Salle (USLS), and two are from Iloilo: Jahleel-An Burao, a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and Janus Le-An Dellava, Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Communication, both from the University of the Philippines–Visayas.
The recognition of the 30 finalists and the announcement and awarding ceremonies for the 10 winners will be declared on July 17 in Malacañang with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as guest of honor.
“The TOSP regional executive committee is very proud of the achievement of the three, who stand to be the example of our Ilonggo youth, who are both equipped with the heart and the mind for public service and nation-building,” Sigue said.
The three are among the 10 awardees for Western Visayas chosen from 20 finalists during a formation activity in Bacolod last April provided by Gawad Kalinga and Teleperformance-Bacolod under Regional TOSP 2007 awardee Philip Wen Bombita as program standards compliance officer for the 2008 search.
The national finalists in the 2008 TOSP program are requested to join the seven-day program of activities, which begins on July 11 and culminates on July 18.
The activities will include a three-day TOSP formation program that will focus on the challenges of the nation-building with the goal of developing a TOSP community.
The TOSP is an annual awards program that recognizes outstanding students of the nation for academic excellence, exemplary leadership, community involvement and good moral values.
Founded in 1961 by Jose Concepcion Jr., the TOSP has made a significant contribution in enhancing the potentials of the youth as catalysts of change. With its noble objective, TOSP has become a laboratory of leaders producing outstanding contributors in the fields of governance, business, the academe, church and civil society.
In 1994, regional searches were initiated but it was only in 2005 that Region VI was integrated from a mere search activity into a youth program with a formation process formulated and conducted by the TOSP alumni community.
True to its mission, the TOSP Region VI has expanded its activities not only to recognize young leaders but also to start a one-week formation program as a seed for nation building.
