FOR rendering outstanding community service in their own fields of expertise, nine Baguio citizens, including three in the military service will be honored 8 a.m. Sunday during the Baguio City's 104th charter day celebration at the Baguio Convention Center.
The awardees were announced by Mayor Mauricio Domogan Wednesday.
Oscar Cadelina, founding president of the Baguio-Benguet Public Information and Civic Action Group (BB-PICAG), Inc. which for 38 years has worked with and for residents of Baguio during times of calamities and accidents, will receive the award in Community Service. Cadelina has also served the community through other roles such as a forester, businessman, researcher, consultant, lecturer, professor, member and director of the Cordillera Executive Board (CEB), commissioner of the Northwestern Luzon Growth Quadrangle and other socio-civic memberships.
Pines City National High School principal Dr. Rachel Bugtong will also receive the outstanding citizen award for community service and education. Dr. Bugtong, as a dedicated teacher, makes sure her students and teachers both grow in education and profession and looks after their welfare within and outside of the four walls of the classroom.
She also made extra effort to make the physical surroundings comfortable for students in her school, oftentimes knocking on doors of benevolent individuals for this; and has linked with the community during times of need.
Henedino Luzano, better known as Jimmy Luzano, or Lolo Doro on the airwaves is one of the awardees; specifically for community service, in journalism. Working as a broadcaster, reporter, scriptwriter, announcer, commentator, program director and drama talent; he became the station manager of DzWX and later the area manager for Northern Luzon of Bombo Radyo Philippines. He has retired from the radio station, but has now partnered with Ecarta Media Productions and Promotions, and a columnist with a daily newspaper in the city.
In the 80s he served as negotiator for the release of military captives in Abra. Earlier, he is a recognized musician and bodybuilder; and now an active civic leader with community service through different organizations, including senior citizens’ groups.
Baguio Country Club general manager Anthony de Leon, is a tireless worker, a passionate endorser and uplifter of tourism for the city. An involved sportsman, he supports golf, tennis, bowling, boardgames and airsoft, a sport with a group in Baguio he himself founded.
De Leon is considered a bastion of the tourism industry as he has successfully hurdled numerous trainings and development programs for hotels, restaurants and tourism endeavors, here and overseas. He has also served the community in various endeavors; through the Philippine National Red Cross, BB-PICAG, Silahis ng Pasko, Outreach programs, Monday Afternoon Club, Barangay Council, the Baguio Flower Festival and the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB), the Baguio Tourism Council.
Eye doctor and awardee Marcelino Dizon, Jr. reaches out through mission work and vision programs; in schools, at the city jail and the community as a whole. He also does research on Amblyopia, Istrabimus, Dilopia, Low Vision and vision-related problems.
As the only sports vision specialist in Northern Luzon, Dr. Dizon, Jr. volunteered and is tasked to train and improve visual needs of national athletes.
Fred Fangonon who pioneered eco-composting and demonstrated this in Loakan Proper also receives an award in community service. Starting young, Fangonon planted trees in his place of birth and now produces organic fertilizers to grow fruits and luscious vegetables in his rooftop garden, and teaches others to follow suit.
Though a graduate of political science, a former Overseas Contract Worker and a businessman, Fangonon is passionate about being a farmer and environmentalist, which he shares to the community through lectures, demonstration and technical innovations of the Eco-Composting Receptacle (ECR). He presently maintains said ECRs in Loakan and other areas of the city.
The awardees were chosen by the Society of Outstanding Citizens of Baguio (Socob), and in consonance with this year’s theme, “Steadfast Service to the City.”
Three soldiers join the list of awardees; Colonel Romeo Brawner, Jr, Major Daneck Dang-awan, and Police Superintendent Edgar Alan Okubo.
Baguio-born Col. Brawner, Jr., is a 1989 graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, and has served the country for 24 years. He has seen combat in various parts of the country, and has been instrumental in the decrease of strength of the New People’s Army. He has also joined in disaster rescue and relief missions, and livelihood advocacy programs in areas where he was assigned. His tour of duty includes being involved in medical-dental outreach, blood-letting, anti-insurgency and anti-criminality, and anti-drug campaigns in far-flung areas; and infra-structure projects such as medical and birthing center, and a two-classroom building.
Major Daneck Dang-awan is also a Baguio-born soldier working in the chaplain service where he pioneered the prayer walk, vesper divine services through music and neighborhood host bible studies. Other programs include brotherhood projects with Muslims, Mindanao street children ministry, Support a child – Save A Future ministry, Feeding program, and partnering with the Serving Neighbors Network for Out-Of-School-Youth, and the distribution of relief goods during times of calamities. This is in addition to his functions as evangelical chaplain and spiritual adviser to soldiers and their family and the community at large.
A graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), P/Supt. Edgar Alan Okubo has served the government for 22 years. His experience includes the pursuit of dangerous lawless elements and eventual capture and prosecution.
Police Superintendent Okubo involves the community in crime-busting, as well as information and educational campaign through the calling-card project, the church and the faithful, and the Mag-aaral Kontra Krimen Project. Checkpoints against dissidents were also installed during his watch resulting to arrest of armed groups and confiscation of high-powered firearms; and the use of motorcycles for police officers riding-in-tandem projects, which resulted to easing of tension and peace of mind in the community.
The awardees shall be honored in the presence of Baguio boy Associate Justice Mario Victor Leonen who is this year’s charter day speaker. (Julie Fianza)