ONE of Baguio City's greatest son former Health Secretary and two term Senator Juan M. Flavier passed away recently at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City, succumbing to multiple organ failure brought about by pneumonia. He was 79.
Senate president pro-tempore Flavier traces his humble beginnings to the slums of Tondo and the mining communities of Cordillera. He was well-loved and respected, not only by the people of Baguio City and CAR, but by the country based on his placing in his first and second term as a legislator.
If the good senator from Baguio were still alive, I will probably be the first one to campaign for him in Cebuana Lhuillier's “Search for the Happiest Pinoy” due to his sense of humor and his exemplary service for the people of Baguio.
The good legislator poured majority of his Priority Development Assistance Fund for infrastructure and health projects in the country’s Summer Capital.
I recall the doctor emphasizing the need for better health care for the people of Baguio, Cordillera and the neighboring regions of the north, by establishing the best possible regional health center - the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.
This I can relate to as my mom, the late Dra. Adoration Trias-Llanes, worked with the good senator for the betterment of health care.
Much have been said and written about Baguio's pride and certainly, he deserves it. And all I can say is, Manong Johnny is still "DOHing it"!
Talking about the Happiest Pinoy, a P1-million cash prize, tax-free, awaits the Search for the Happiest Pinoy 2014 grand winner while nine runners-up will receive P50,000.
The country’s leading micro-financial company will also give special prizes to the Happiest Student and Happiest Overseas Filipino Worker recognizing outstanding Filipinos who rise above life’s challenges and positively impact the lives of other people with their positive outlook in life.
Filipinos, 18 years old and above, with good moral character can be nominated to the search. Nomination forms can be downloaded from www.happiest-pinoy.com available in any of Cebuana Lhuillier’s more than 1,700 branches nationwide,
Accomplished nomination forms can be mailed together with supporting documents to: SEARCH FOR THE HAPPIEST PINOY SECRETARIAT, PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies, Inc., 2/F Annex 2, PJL Corporate Centre, 1782 N. Garcia cor. Candelaria Sts., Makati City 1209. Scanned copies of the accomplished nomination forms and supporting documents can also be emailed to www.happiest-pinoy@pjlhuillier.com. Nominations can be submitted from October 24, 2014 until March 31, 2015.
Since its launch in 2009, the Search for the Happiest Pinoy has been awarded to two deserving individuals.
Maxino, a corporate executive who was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a degenerative and incurable bone disease, was declared the first Happiest Pinoy grand winner in 2010.
Arellano, a guidance counselor who was afflicted with polio at age 1, was declared Happiest Pinoy in 2012, besting more than 13,000 nominees nationwide.
This year, Cebuana Lhuillier is taking its Search for the Happiest Pinoy to different schools and offices nationwide to get even more nominations.
Once again, hats off to our Manong Johnny and good luck to this year’s search for Cebuana Lhuillier's Happiest Pinoy!