15 December 2009
Quezon City ’s Best for 2009
The Outstanding Citizens of Quezon City for 2009 were recognized in grand ceremonies last week.
They were the heroes at the Gawad Parangal, receiving the highest form of recognition extended by the QC government to honor “outstanding constituents who contribute to the realization of the city’s vision as a quality community as well as to the progress and betterment of the Filipino nation as a whole.”
Mayor Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte conferred the awards. He had launched it in 2002 to celebrate the city’s foundation day. This year’s honorees are 11 exceptional individuals “whose distinctive accomplishments have few parallels.”
Also given posthumous awards were five past mayors “who had contributed to the building blocks of the city’s ascent in history . . . each catalyzing important milestones in the city’s development, from 1939 to 1976.”
And six outstanding institutions were recognized, as each has been a key mover of the city, spreading good works to other cities as well.
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Topping the list of 11 was Jorge Araneta , a visionary businessman… who had “pioneered the transformation of a vast portion of Cubao into the center of commercial and residential development that it is today.”
Dr. George S. K. Ty founded Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank), at age 29. Metrobank is now one of the country’s largest banks. For several years now Mr. Ty has been named one of the Ten Richest Filipinos by Forbes Magazine.
Virgilio Almario, better known by his nom de plume Rio Alma, is an award-winning poet, essayist, critic, translator, publisher, editor and professor.
Dr. Florangel Rosario-Braid is a noted educator and author on communication and information technology. She was a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission.
The fourth honoree, Dr. Serafin Quiason Jr., is an avid promoter of Philippine history and culture, who has led various pioneering efforts in cultural preservation.
As founding executive director of the Gawad Kalinga, Antonio Meloto’s vision is to transform 7,000 communities of slums into middle class villages by 2020. Now there are more than 850 Gawad Kalinga villages all over the country and 100 more GK communities sponsored by major corporations.
Consuelo Sison is 89, but continues to serve others. She was a public school teacher, and president of the city’s and eventually NCR Public School Teachers Association.
Kuya Germs — or German Moreno — is a comedian, TV host, and mentor of countless young stars who made their way in the local and international entertainment scenes.
From the judiciary is honoree Vicente Mendoza, retired Supreme Court associate justice, a law professor and expert in constitutional and political law.
Dr. Carolina Hernandez is considered one of the Philippines’ finest scholars; she is a published author of various scholarly articles on politics and international relations, and taught as a professor in five universities in the US, Canada and Japan. She now heads the Institute for Strategic and Development studies.
One of my favorite women is agricultural scientist Dr. Nelia Gonzales, who capitalized and innovated in agribusiness, helping to shape two backbone industries of the country.
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The institutions recognized for their contribution to the social and economic development of the city are the Jesuit Volunteers of the Philippines, a social development organization; Philippine Science High School, a model secondary school attended by the country’s brightest high school students; the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, Inc. (MOWELFUND), a model film training institute; Jollibee Fast Food Chain, a pioneer dining establishment.
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The “Heritage” awardees were honored for their contribution to the development and progress of the city.
The first mayor was Tomas B. Morato (Oct. 12, 1939 to July 19, 1942) his appointment taking effect on the very day that the city was founded on Oct. 12, 1939.
He put in place a network of roads, contained criminality, maintained satisfactory health conditions and promoted the public welfare of the residents, promoted social justice programs through dialogues with community leaders, and improved social and economic conditions among the poor residents.
The second mayor, Ponciano A. Bernardo, served from Dec. 24, 1946 to April 28, 1949, was an engineer by training, and focused his attention on infrastructure improvements.
Nicanor A. Roxas, May 4, 1949 to April 30, 1950, pushed for the amelioration of impoverished constituents by pioneering in organizing the barangays. His strategy was to synchronize local activities of the city with national policies and programs.
When Ignacio Santos-Diaz, Jan. 4, 1950 to Dec. 30, 1953, was first congressman, he sponsored the house bill separating Quezon City from the city of Greater Manila, and pushed for the bill making the city the “capital of the country.” Under his term, 29 city public buildings were completely constructed.
Norberto S. Amoranto, Jan. 11, 1954 to March 30, 1976, is remembered for, among others, setting up a complaint committee that enabled the residents to bring them to the mayor’s attention, cases of inefficiency, incompetence and irregularity of city hall employees. He had more roads built, founded many schools, built the new Quezon City Hall, and established the Amoranto Sports Stadium and the Quezon City General Hospital.
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The 2009 Gawad Parangal marked the closing of Mayor Belmonte’s three terms as top city executive.
He is a well-loved executive. He served as congressman for the Fourth District during which time he was a House Speaker. He is now running for the Congress again in the 2010 election.
In the superbly-managed program, Vice-Mayor Herbert Bautista who is running for mayor in the May 2010 election, quietly stood beside him and the mayor’s daughter, Joy Belmonte Alimurung, a dynamic and competent young woman who is running for vice-mayor.
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It was a star-studded cultural night, with celebrities performing before a hall of accomplished men and women.
The performers: Pilita Corrales, Nonoy Zuniega, Lou Bonnevie, and Robert Sena. I must mention the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra of the city, and the UP Singing Ambassadors.
The success of the program is also attributed to Dr. Manuel Alba, who made sure the selection of the awardees in this year’s and past years’ Gawad Parangal, chose only the best and the brightest, and most dedicated of outstanding city residents.
The search and awards selection committee was chaired by last year’s awardee, former Supreme Court Justice Carolina Grino-Aquino; lawyer Victoria Loanzon, Justice Narciso Nario, QC Councilor Alberto Galarpe, and yours truly.
By Domini M. Torrevillas
The Philippine Star
December 15, 2009
