AFTER a four-year hiatus, the search for an outstanding alumnus of the University of the Philippines (UP) - Cebu Campus returns.

On its fifth installment, a new batch of “Tatak UP” awardees will be recognized this May 3, 2024. The award ceremony was supposed to be held in 2020 but was postponed due to the global health pandemic.

Jeruel Roa, president of the UP Alumni Association Cebu Chapter (UPACC), urged fellow UP alumni, students, faculties, administrations and even outsiders to nominate UP individuals with outstanding contribution to the community to be recognized.

The awarding will be held in line with the celebration of the 106th founding anniversary of UP Cebu. Roa said the nomination and acceptance for potential outstanding awardees was extended to March 15, 2024.

Instead of being limited to alumni of any UP system, Roa said the UPACC has expanded the scope of recognition to include anyone who has studied at least one semester in any UP degree-granting institution and is in good academic standing.

They must also not have received awards or recognition from other UP institutions or any award-giving bodies in UP.

He explained that this change is intended for individuals who have already outstanding recognition in the community but were not nominated or recognized by the UP institution.

Since its inception in 2011, “Tatak UP” has recognized 93 UP alumni, he added.

These awardees were selected due to their invaluable contribution to law, public service and governance; entrepreneurship, art design and culture, corporate social responsibility; culture and heritage preservation; science and technology, health and medicine, social change and advocacy, education media and communication, and environmental conservation.

Criteria and nomination

Qualified individuals may be nominated by any group, either a fellow “Iskolar ng Bayan” or an outsider including oneself.

The nomination form can be downloaded at the https://upaacc.wordpress.com/nomination-form/.

The form has to be submitted with supporting documents such as certificates, news articles, anecdotes, records, among others, to the head of the Search and Awards Committee email address tatakup.upcebu@up.edu.ph.

Criteria for selecting the awardees include the nominee’s work benefitting the Cebuano community for three consecutive years and must not be categorized as private practice or personal interest.

The nominee’s work or advocacies must have a significant impact on the community.

They must also showcase leadership skills and must have strong integrity.

On the other hand, UPACC vice president Dr. Bryan Albert Lim said in the presscon that they are mulling an online talk show program that will be an avenue for the awardees to share about their outstanding work and advocacy.

Meanwhile, UP Cebu chancellor Leo Malagar said they also plan to stage an annual UP Alumni Grand Homecoming starting this year.