2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos

But it is not for the faint of heart: to achieve anything excellent for the nation requires a sustained commitment to serve beyond one’s self, and the grit to weather failure and setbacks along the way.

Excellence takes time. It is the outcome of years upon years of working without waning: because there is no effort achieved without error, as much as there are no lessons learnt without losses.

Excellence demands fullness of character. It requires the integrity of heart, the will of mind, and the skillfulness of hands to work in tandem in serving the nation. All three values must be exercised, synchronously, with no room for compromise or complacency.

Above all, excellence for the nation is a matter of collaboration. It is not the toil of one person, rather the responsibility of a collective: marching shoulder-to-shoulder in mutual aid and respect towards the common good.

The Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos have consistently raised the bar of excellence in their fields. Their unsung narratives of triumph and resilience are our nation’s hope and inspiration — reminding us that all our actions, whether great or small, will yield lasting transformation as long as it is done for the right reasons.

This is why we at the Metrobank Foundation continuously strive to amplify the reach of their vision.

We provide our Outstanding Filipinos with a platform for their voices to be heard across the nation and open avenues for cooperation between like-minded individuals. We trust that with each person they inspire to act, we press closer and closer towards the attainment of our common goals for the nation.

The FLAME represents our Outstanding Filipinos’ tireless zeal to serve without counting the cost. It is excellence refined through seasons and struggles, shining brightly to touch hearts and transform minds. The FLAME is an inspiration and a challenge to become beacons of light for a better nation.

The pursuit of service excellence is a path strewn with boundless opportunities to make a difference.

My warmest greetings to the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) as it honors the 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos

For decades, MBFI has made significant contributions to development programs in the country, with philanthropic activities that actively engage the participation of various communities and institutions. Its faithful adherence to the values of patriotism, integrity and social responsibility serve as a strong foundation for this awards program.

As you honor outstanding Filipino teachers, police officers and soldiers and confer on them the title, Metrobank Foundation Fellows in Public Service, I am confident that their example of dedication, excellence and heroism will inspire many of our citizens. Now, more than ever, we need individuals and institutions who will serve as beacons of hope and courage in these very challenging times.

Let us continue working together to achieve a stronger and brighter future for the nation.

Congratulations to all the awardees and I wish everyone more success.

MANILA

August 2019

THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA

Greetings of peace and solidarity to the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) as you recognize remarkable changemakers for the 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos.

This awarding ceremony provides inspiration to our teachers and uniformed personnel to work harder in their respective fields. It is a wonderful avenue to remind them that their efforts do not go unnoticed. Through their stories of struggle and success, and their hardwork and dedication, we are reminded that we all can make a difference in our respective communities in our own special way.

We are glad that MBFI decided to recognize the efforts of some of our frontliners. This is crucial in our shared goal of professionalizing our labor industry, as we work together towards sustainable progress. Thank you for being our dependable allies in nation-building, not only through this activity, but also through your generosity in giving assistance to our women weavers in Marawi and our farmers in Easter Samar. Truly, you are an inspiration to many, and the values that you espouse are values that we truly need in our world today.

Congratulations to our teachers, police officers, and soldiers for receiving the title of Metrobank Foundation Fellows in Public Service. Let this be a constant motivator to help more of our fellow Filipinos, most especially those in the margins.

Mabuhay kayong lahat.

LENI ROBREDO Vice President Republic of the Philippines

Iconvey my warmest greetings to the awardees of the 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos.

This is a celebration of victory for all teachers, soldiers, and police officers who embody exceptional performance in their respective professions.

As this year’s Chairman of the Board of Judges, it is my honor to have witnessed your inspiring stories and experiences in the line of duty. I had a closer look and a deeper understanding of your personal yet selfless aspirations that paved the way for innovation and beneficial change for the betterment of the lives of our countrymen and nation.

Your jobs are not easy, sometimes even requiring the ultimate sacrifice of giving your lives in service of the nation. On behalf of the Filipino people, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude for serving the country with integrity, patriotism, compassion, and resourcefulness.

I am confident that through this recognition, you will not just be compelled, but be all the more encouraged to become models for your colleagues and others. May you influence those around you to carry the same commitment as yours.

I must say, my overall experience in the search for the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos—as a public servant and Filipino — is very rewarding.

To the Metrobank Foundation, Inc., I commend you for setting the bar high for acknowledging deserving outstanding men and women of our country. Thank you for taking the initiative to constantly recognize these dedicated and faithful Filipino professionals.

I wish you more amazing stories to tell.

Congratulations to all of you! Mabuhay kayong lahat!

SHERWIN “WIN” T. GATCHALIAN Senator Republic of the Philippines Chairperson, Final Board of Judges 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos

My heartfelt congratulations to the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. for continuously sponsoring the Outstanding Filipino Award Its search for Filipino exemplars under the theme of “a HEART that perseveres in earnest ZEAL for the nation” or “Puso at Sigasig” has since 1985 been a continuous source of inspiration and drive to excel to our people.

I also extend the same heartfelt congratulations to the 10 awardees. Not only are all of you high-flying achievers, you are also stalwarts of our society, coming as you do from the ranks of our teachers, soldiers and police. In educating our youth — seen as our hope and future — teachers help shape the destiny of our nation. They teach our youth the positive values and civic virtues that will help them grow into upstanding citizens. Indeed our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, a teacher himself, has said that without education and liberty, “no reform is possible, no measure can give the desired result.” For their part, our soldiers and police provide us with the sense of security and law and order necessary for peace and development, as well as participate in disaster relief. By representing the best of their professions, our soldier and police awardees help dispel the negative impression some may have against their institutions.

On a personal note, please allow me to say that serving as Co-Chairperson of the Final Board of Judges of the 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Award has been an exhausting yet exhilarating and fulfilling experience as well. To choose the 10 awardees among the 18 finalists was no easy task because all of them have their outstanding and unique qualities and accomplishments. Nonetheless they possess one thing in common: a heart that serves, and I trust that as long as their hearts beat, they will continue serving.

Co-Chairperson, Final Board of Judges

2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos

ALEXANDER G. GESMUNDO Associate Justice Supreme Court of the Philippines

On behalf of the Metrobank Group, I extend my warmest congratulations to the 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos!

These 10 public servants epitomize excellence in the academic, peace and order, and security sectors. They have blazed a path that others may follow; they are paragons whose contributions to society are worthy of emulation by their contemporaries and every Filipino.

They embody the aspiration of the Metrobank Group of being an instrument for empowerment and positive change, fuelled by the drive to serve the people.

Their stories herald a message of hope in these challenging times: that the indomitable Filipino spirit of nobility always prevails, no matter the circumstance or the setting.

To our awardees, I am filled with gratitude and pride in learning of your feats. You remind us of the reality that people often overlook — that modern-day heroes are in our midst. They are in the classrooms shaping lifelong learners, in the frontlines defending our sovereignty, and in urban and rural areas safeguarding the welfare of citizens.

Indeed, you represent the best in our people whose actions shape the narrative of our nation.

I look forward to the undertakings that we can collaborate on moving forward. Welcome to the Metrobank Foundation family.

ARTHUR V. TY Chairman Metrobank and Metrobank Foundation, Inc.

Lt. Col. John Paul D. Baldomar PA

Ricardo T. Jose, Ph. D.

Maj. Romulo G. Dimayuga II PN (M)

P/Maj. Robert A. Reyes

Eva Maria C. Cutiongco-de la Paz, M. D.

P/CMSgt. Marsha T. Agustin, RSW

MSgt. Ramil A. Caporas PA

Cristina B. Cristobal, Ph. D.

Dorothy S. Tarol, Ph. D

P/Col. Edwin A. Quilates

DOROTHY S. TAROL, Ph. D.

Master Teacher II

SPED-Integrated School for Exceptional Children

Brgy. San Agustin, Iloilo City

Field of Specialization: Teaching Children with Hearing Impairment and Multiple Disabilities

Years in Service: 25

WESTERN VISAYAS’ PARAGON OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

“It is a privilege to be a teacher of diverse population and a mentor who shares research as synergistic activities to her colleagues; a researcher who contributes to the generation of new knowledge; and a public servant who uses reading as a weapon.”

Perhaps there is no greater quality strongly linked to the Filipino identity than resilience. It is no surprise then that this is the trait that best characterizes Dr. Dorothy S. Tarol’s story as a teacher and a mother. Having a “principle-based resilience,” says Dr. Tarol, kept her driven amidst personal ordeals. Most importantly, it pushed her to empower diverse, marginalized communities whose resilience, like hers, do not easily falter.

Dr. Tarol aspires for instruction without barriers. Her solid stance on inclusive education comes from a personal source. Progressively losing her hearing at 35, Dr. Tarol has shifted her teaching career to cater to students with disabilities at the Special EducationIntegrated School for Exceptional Children (SPED-ISEC) in Iloilo City.

Dr. Tarol has since devoted her life’s work onto shaping an environment conducive for learners of all kinds. She is best recognized for writing and implementing in 2011 an action research entitled “Buddy-Mediated Instruction (BMI): Pivotal Strategy for Spelling and Social Skills for Students with Hearing Impairment” which aims to develop a student’s basic literacy skills.

BMI addresses the top two learning gaps of persons with hearing impairment: spelling and social engagement. Since language skills are auditory-based or learned through constant hearing, those with any degree of hearing loss have difficulty in absorbing its dynamics.

In a nutshell, the program pairs two students — a quick learner and another who learns at a slower pace — who study together through peer counseling. Deviating from a

“tutor-tutee” relationship, the term “buddy” is used so as to not discriminate against their fast-slow difference. Buddies engage with each other through learner-initiated activities such as recreations, bonds and conversations supported by flip charts with illustrations and finger spellings or letters and numbers represented by hand signs.

Dr. Tarol, originally adapting a foreign strategy, also promotes mother tongue-based teaching in BMI.

BMI became the inspiration for the production of a workbook called “Pinanid nga Hilikuton sa mga Kasampaton sa Hiligaynon” (Workbook in Hiligaynon for Kindergarten), a mother tongue-based book which provides exercises in reading, writing, counting, and finger spelling to kindergarten students with hearing impairment. To date, the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Learning Resources Management and Development Portal, a digital library of downloadable teaching and learning materials, registered around 900 downloads of the workbook. BMI, as an instructional strategy, also became a benchmark model in the DepEd Divisions of Iloilo and Iloilo City and was already replicated by around 178 schools.

For Dr. Tarol, a teacher’s work does not stop when she steps out of the classroom. Beyond the school premises, she introduced her instructional approach to indigenous learners and Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) through an offshoot of BMI called “Ang Pagbasa ay may Pag-asa Program.”

This extension initiative ensures that Dr. Tarol’s contextualized and localized learning materials also benefit

multi-grade Ati Tribe Learners in Andres Drapiza Extension, Camangahan Elementary School, Guimbal, Iloilo and non-literate PDLs in the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Ungka Jaro, Iloilo CIty.

During weekends, Dr. Tarol, accompanied by her family, travel by at most two hours to reach the indigent schools. Apart from conducting lessons using her trademark materials, she also distributes food, hygiene kits and learning supplies to her students.

Dr. Tarol also advocates for equal career opportunities for persons with disabilities. In 2007, an organization registered as the Association of Latedeafened, Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, for Education, Advocacy, Research and Support (ALDHEARS) was co-founded by Dr. Tarol. ALDHEARS currently serves 40 active members and non-members aged 25 to 39, majority of which are also alumni of SPED-ISEC.

In the hopes of raising awareness on issues faced by people with disabilities in the workplace that include discrimination and prejudice, Dr. Tarol, through ALDHEARS, actively lobbied among employers equal opportunities for their members. To date, 36 have permanent jobs and are still monitored and counseled by her.

With all these advocacies in-action and for her exemplary service, Dr. Tarol received several recognitions throughout her profession including the “Pambansang Ulirang Guro” title in 2018, the Learners for Educators Excellence Award in 2017 and Harvest of Excellence Awards, also in 2017.

Dr. Tarol, 50, holds a Master Teacher II position at SPED-ISEC since 2015, and is a registered guidance counselor. She earned her Doctorate degree in Educational Management at the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City and two master’s degrees in Guidance Counseling and Special Education at the University of the Philippines Visayas and West Visayas State University, Iloilo City, respectively.

Dr. Tarol is married and is a mother of four.

CRISTINA

Special Science Teacher 5

B. CRISTOBAL, Ph. D.

Philippine Science High School Main Campus

Diliman, Quezon City

Field of Specialization: Social Studies

Years in Service: 41

QUEZON CITY’S VETERAN INNOVATOR IN HISTORY INSTRUCTION

“I would like to be remembered as the students’ Philippine history teacher who had opened their eyes about our country’s history; a teacher who made them love and enjoy history. History should not be seen as a collection of facts to memorize, but a subject that connects present issues with past events. My goal is for students to understand better our society, to make them more aware and involved with the pressing issues and problems of today — trademarks of good and participative citizenship.”

For Dr. Cristina B. Cristobal, history unfolds quite differently to those who only commit information to memory than those who learn it by heart. This belief served as her drive to inspire changes, at the very least, to Philippine Science High School (PSHS) students’ perspective towards learning history. And true enough, PSHS System’s Social Science curriculum saw a series of transformations leading to its present, progressive status.

Dr. Cristobal thus introduced a teaching strategy that requires Grade 7 learners to use primary sources in studying history. She believes that exposing students to primary sources provides an evidence-based approach to learning. This develops students’ skills in history and deepens their understanding of past events.

An offshoot from her Doctor of Philosophy dissertation which focuses on the historical thinking skills of high school students in select schools, the approach provides opportunities for students to analyze documents, review data and construct historical narratives firsthand — a deviation from the traditional learning through textbooks and memorization.

Students, therefore, engage in the construction of knowledge — making the learning of history more meaningful. The use of textbooks has become secondary, being supplemented by study of documents, records, pictures of artifacts and the like. In one student project for example, students chronicle family, institutional or local narratives juxtaposed with the country’s national or local history. Students must personally interview sources or look into personal journals, manuscripts and audio recordings for their requirements. Over time, stories of families whose ancestors experienced the war,

among others, were discovered, documented and archived. For Dr. Cristobal, this activity connects students with the past; hence history for them becomes alive and relevant.

Given the good reviews she has received from her students and colleagues, Dr. Cristobal proposed this pedagogical approach during PSHS System’s curriculum review in 2004 and 2011, resulting to its integration in all regional campuses’ curriculum guide in teaching Social Science I.

In more recent affairs, Dr. Cristobal has successfully pushed to retain teaching Philippine History to Grade 7 PSHS students—considering that this subject was dropped by the Department of Education in high school due to the K-12 program.

As a Social Science teacher for four decades now, sustaining the course in high school is important to reinforce and deepen students’ knowledge and understanding of Philippine History from what they have learned in elementary. It also resonates with the idea that the teaching and learning of Philippine History plays a very significant role in developing love for country and service to our people.

Accordingly, Dr. Cristobal also propounded the inclusion of teaching Philippine Government, Philippine Politics and the 1987 Constitution in the PSHS System’s Social Science curriculum for Grade 10 students.

Outside the classroom, Dr. Cristobal actively spearheads teacher-training courses that introduce best teaching practices of PSHS.

Dubbed as “Pisay Teach,” Dr. Cristobal’s first program is anchored on the belief that graduating education majors need to be inspired to really pursue teaching

as a career and vocation, and to present to them how quality education can be done. PSHS Main Campus’ (MC) seasoned teachers are pooled to conduct lectures on various teaching strategies, classroom management, trends in subject content, and micro-teaching.

Pisay Teach, which ran from 2010 to 2015, now takes a different form as a teacher-training program focusing on Islamic teachers across Mindanao called “Buklod Guro.” The program branched from Ateneo de Davao University and PSHS-MC’s “Madaris Volunteer Program” where volunteer teachers are sent to privately managed madaris or Islamic schools to provide training for teachers and administrators. Dr. Cristobal heads the organization of the trainings which consist of three parts: teaching strategies, mentoring, and demo teaching.

Since 2017, Buklod Guro succeeded in providing training programs to madrasa educators based in Davao, Cotabato, Maguindanao, Zamboanga del Sur, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Sulu.

Other than these activities, Dr. Cristobal, as a former adviser of the school’s Student Council, had engaged in outreach work — initiating assistance efforts to survivors of natural and man-made calamities in various provinces like typhoons Ondoy, Sendong, Yolanda, Bohol earthquake, and Zamboanga City siege.

Dr. Cristobals’ efforts yielded her recognitions from the institution where she has focused most of her life’s work. This includes the Natatanging Guro Award in 2010 and Dangal ng Bayan Award in the Main Campus resulting in her nomination to the Dangal ng Bayan National Award by the PSHS System in 2017.

Dr. Cristobal, 61, is currently a Special Science Teacher 5 at the country’s premier state science high school. She wore her Sablay thrice as a graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman where she earned her Ph.D., Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Social Science Education.

She is married to a social science teacher, a mother to four and a grandmother to two.

RICARDO T. JOSE, Ph. D.

Professor 12

College of Social Sciences and Philosophy

University of the Philippines Diliman

Diliman, Quezon City

Field of Specialization: History/Area Studies

Years in Service: 40

PHILIPPINES’ FOREMOST WORLD WAR II HISTORIAN

“I have learned that there is so much we can be proud of — but are either we are unaware or oblivious to. Awareness of this past would build a sense of pride and hopefully, unity.”

For acclaimed historian like Dr. Ricardo T. Jose, he remains to be a student on his own accord — a scholar whose passion for history has not waned, and who keeps on learning as there is much to discover, still.

Dr. Jose has spent 40 years filling the gaps in the country’s past, more profoundly on the subjects of Philippine diplomatic history, Philippine military history, the Philippines under United States of America’s (USA) colonial rule, and the tie between the Philippines and Japan. But his trademark expertise, to which he is most cited for, is on World War II.

Tagged as the country’s foremost scholar on World War II in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific, Dr. Jose has been involved in producing majority of materials on this topic, whether as a direct collaborator or as a key resource person. His vast expertise is undeniably a result of his tireless efforts to study in different libraries and sift through a number of archives across the Philippines, Japan, and the USA, as well as to personally interview war veterans of diverse nationalities.

As a result, Dr. Jose has produced a body of work that will serve as the foundational literature on the study of the Second World War in the years to come. Two of which he considers seminal works: “The Philippine Army” and “The Philippines Under Japan,” the first Japanese scholarly research on the Japanese occupation of the Philippines made available in book form. For the latter, Dr. Jose was the only Filipino in the team.

The breadth and depth of Dr. Jose’s works indeed serve not only as his legacies in his own institution but preserving the memory and shedding light on the country’s historical narrative.

Sharing to his students his extensive portfolio prove to be the most rewarding for him. Upon earning his bachelor’s degree in 1978, he was immediately invited to join the UP Diliman History Department under the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. Since then, Dr. Jose has seen himself as a “conduit” in making the past alive again in the present for his students and fellow scholars.

To many of Dr. Jose’s generations of students, he is often remembered as someone who would bring historical artifacts such as helmets, air raid sirens, and yellowing photographs during class discussions. These artifacts are part of his rich and distinct private collection, acquired throughout his years of research.

Yet unlike other collections, his do not stay inside glass boxes as a display, but are brought inside the class and shared with his students — bringing history in the palms of their hands. Beyond his exhibits, his mastery of the subject combined with the lighthearted delivery of lectures often leaves his class in awe.

Relative to this, Dr. Jose also channels his energies into strengthening the history courses offered in the university. He restructured several undergraduate and graduate courses in UP Diliman’s History Department which includes the “Japanese Occupation of the Philippines” (Kasaysayan 230), “History of the Commonwealth of the Philippines” (Kasaysayan 205), “Diplomatic History of the Philippines” (Kasaysayan 115) and “Special Topics on Philippine Military History” (Kasaysayan 128). Since 1996, he is the only faculty member who teaches these courses.

Further, his stature in the academe reinforced his reputation as a soughtafter resource person by historical

documentaries and television programs produced in the local and international scenes such as BBC, NHK, and the National Geographic.

He delivers lectures and conference papers in leading universities in the Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the USA. He also shares his expertise in military and diplomatic history to several government institutions such as the Foreign Service Institute, National Defense College of the Philippines and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

During his free time, he helps put up exhibits or vestiges of the war in far off localities. An example of which is his involvement as a historical consultant and speaker in the long-running multi-awarded travelling exhibition, called “War of our Fathers: A Tribute to the Filipino Freedom Fighters,” organized and funded by the Philippine Veterans Bank.

Recognitions for his dedication as a historian and scholar were not short in coming. In 1997, Dr. Jose was the first and one of the only two recipients of the Outstanding Young Scientist Award in the field of History from the National Academy of Science and Technology. He also scored a rare feat in winning the UP Diliman’s Gawad Tsanselor thrice and in different categories: in 1998 as an outstanding researcher and in 2011 and 2018 as an outstanding teacher.

But with all these, he said the “Natatanging Guro” award given by the UP Diliman College of Social Sciences and Philosophy Student Council twice, is his most prized. For him, the measure of a mentor rests in the high regard given by his students.

Dr. Jose, 61, currently a Professor 12, previously chaired the Department of History and the Third World Studies Center, also in UP Diliman. He majored in history both for his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in UP Diliman. In 1995, he became the first graduate of the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies’ Ph.D. program in history/ area studies.

EVA MARIA C. CUTIONGCO-DE LA PAZ, M. D.

Professor 10

College of Medicine

University of the Philippines Manila

Ermita, City of Manila

Field of Specialization: Genetics and Pediatrics

Years in Service: 22

PHILIPPINES’ PRIME MOVER OF GENOMIC MEDICINE AND EDUCATION

“Genetics is not a well-known subspecialty in medicine. A dire need for more geneticists in the country has to be addressed. I have chosen to embrace this challenge. Being in the teaching profession has given me an excellent opportunity to teach this new emerging subspecialty of clinical genetics and genomic medicine in the Philippines that seeks to answer the special needs of patients and families not met by any other existing specialties of medicine.”

Being outstanding seems to run in university professor and physician Dr. Eva Maria C. Cutiongco-de la Paz’ genes whose mother, Dr. Elena C. Cutiongco, was also conferred the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Teacher title back in 1985. Her mother specializes in English instruction while Dr. Cutiongco-de la Paz has dedicated her 22 years in the teaching profession to genomics, a branch of biology concerned with the study of genes.

For Dr. Cutiongco-de la Paz, teaching genomics has given her an opportunity to dig deeply into this emerging subspecialty of clinical genetics and genome medicine in the Philippines. It is the discipline that seeks to answer the needs of patients and families not met by any other existing specialties of medicine.

Recognizing the dire need for more geneticists in the country, she, along with her colleague Dr. Carmencita Padilla, established a Clinical Genetics Fellowship Program, the first and only one of its kind teaching and training program in the subspecialty of Genetics in the country. The program aims to teach and train young physicians in the evaluation, diagnosis, management, and counseling of patients with common genetic conditions, as well as the rare ones.

Dr. Cutiongco-de la Paz, as the first training officer, was able to lay the groundwork in equipping Filipino clinicians and researchers about the role of genetics in health and disease. Back in 1998, she was only one of two geneticists serving the needs of 75 million Filipinos. Today, the program has trained Clinical Geneticists who have stayed in the academe such as the University of the Philippines (UP) and

other universities, while others moved back to their home provinces to be instruments in improving the access of clinical genetic services throughout the country. There are now 16 geneticists serving 106 million Filipinos.

She has successfully led a special research project under the Commission on Higher Education - Philippine California Advanced Research Institutes (CHED-PCARI) that aims to enhance instruction, and teaching and training innovations in genomics research. The newly inaugurated CHED-PCARI Shared Genomics Core Laboratory at the Philippine Genome Center in UP Diliman, where she serves as Director for the Health Program, houses state-of-the-art genomic sequencing equipment that can significantly accelerate and expand discoveries run by Filipinos for their fellow Filipinos.

It is a valuable resource for higher educational institutions in their pursuit of higher learning and discovery, especially in the emerging fields of genomics to advance genomic medicine, to harness genomic information for food security and to better understand the genetic make-up of Filipinos. Having the laboratory provides a competitive advantage for the country to achieve a leading position in the Asia Pacific region for innovative genomic research.

As for Dr. Cutiongco-de la Paz’s extension work, she makes sure all her efforts in advancing genomic medicine and research in the country reach the underserved population. Apart from taking care of patients with birth defects and other genetic conditions, she is currently part of an international team of experts with an extraordinary mission to advance the understanding and ability to treat X-Linked Dystonia Parkinsonism or XDP.

XDP is a brain condition causing involuntary movements of the body (dystonia) combined with parkinsonism, primarily afflicting some Filipino males born to mothers who come from the Panay Group of Islands. Dr. Cutiongcode la Paz’s advocacy is to provide genetic education, testing, and counseling. She teaches patients and their family members about the genetic basis of XDP, counseling them on how it is being passed from one generation to another, and finding support mechanisms for them to cope up better. At present, genetic education and counseling have been integrated in the clinical care of patients and families with XDP.

Given Dr. Cutiongco-de la Paz’s extensive work as a professor, physician, researcher, and community educator and advocate, she has earned laureates throughout her entire career. The list for her professional recognitions given by UP, to name a few, includes the Gawad Sentenaryo Professional Chair Award for Teaching and Research in Pediatrics and Genetics (2011), Gawad Tsanselor-Outstanding Researcher Award (2011) and the UP Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award for Health Research in Genomics to Advocacy (2017). The civilian awards she received, on the other hand, include the Dangal ng Bayan, Outstanding Public Officials and Employees Award (2018), Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Award (2012), The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (2007) and The Outstanding Young Men for Genetic Medicine (2002).

Dr. Cutiongco-de la Paz, 56, a Professor 10 of the College of Medicine and Executive Director of the National Institutes of Health both in UP Manila, finished her BS Biology degree cum laude at UP Diliman, earned her medical degree at the UP College of Medicine and pursued residency training in Pediatrics at the Philippine General Hospital. She completed a fellowship in Molecular Genetics at the Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan and a fellowship in Clinical Genetics at The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Canada.

Dr. Cutiongco-de la Paz is married to an ophthalmologist and a mother of two.

MASTER SERGEANT RAMIL A. CAPORAS PA

Team Supervisor/EOD Technician

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion

Army Support Command, Philippine Army

Camp Servillano S. Aquino

Capas, Tarlac

Field of Specialization: Public Administration

Years in service: 21

MARAWI ’S LEAD EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL EXPERT

“I want to be an instrument of peace. I want to use my technical expertise to protect and save the lives of the innocent, and to give glory to my God, my family and my country…My source of fulfilment as a soldier is when I can render safe or defuse a bomb without any harm, accomplish my mission to serve the people and secure the land, and go home to my family safe and sound.”

When a person encounters a suspected explosive material, the instinctive response is fear and the standard protocol is to keep a distance; rarely is it to move towards potential danger. This is the risk that MSgt. Ramil A. Caporas PA is all too familiar with. A two-decade career in ordnance service means that his definition of all in a day’s work involves putting himself in perilous situations to protect his comrades and the nation.

He has made it his life’s work to safeguard communities from bomb threats, even if it means constantly facing the reality that his profession entails a slim margin of error.

His contributions to the country’s military forces reflect his character as a soldier and leader: bravado combined with ingenuity and faith. These are what he carries whenever he goes out on a mission. These were also what he carried when he was one of the first few assigned in Marawi during the siege.

MSgt. Caporas led a team of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) experts tasked to recover and dispose

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and Unexploded Ordnances (UXOs) during the five-month battle. Their expertise resulted in the recovery and proper disposal of over 1,000 IEDs, ensuring the safety of the troops inside the war zone.

MSgt. Caporas was deployed in Marawi for the whole duration of the combat. In one high-risk operation, he was able to use raw materials

available in the area to create an explosive, called “Bintana,” instrumental to the assaulting troops. This frame-like contraption was used to breach walls of buildings, which served as staging points of attack for government forces while under hostile enemy fire.

Carrying “Bintana” during operations added another layer of difficulty to maneuver but MSgt. Caporas pressed on resolutely, armed with the knowledge that it will help defend the lives of his men and the civilians. This pragmatic innovation for a complex situation played a significant role in weakening the opposing parties’ forces and the liberation of Marawi.

Further, MSgt. Caporas led a team that investigated a car bomb explosion in Lamitan City, Basilan, which was considered a new tactic in the Philippines’ IED landscape. The lecture he conducted to the troops in the area on counter IED promoted vigilance that prevented the rigged vehicle from proceeding to the target site—a school celebrating Nutrition Month. This incident was staged by a member of a terrorist group. MSgt. Caporas’ team’s intervention was key in thwarting what could have been a massive incident involving many casualties.

The subject of bombs may be considered taboo, MSgt. Caporas nonetheless believes that upholding safety and security across the lands cannot be done singlehandedly; it is a shared responsibility of the armed

forces and civilians, especially since the latter is the usual target. Thus, he aims to educate and equip citizens with the right knowledge to handle threats involving bombs and other explosive devices.

He conducted several IED Recognition and Safety Awareness trainings and Bomb Threat Management seminars to the general public in Cebu, Negros Island, Panay Group of Islands, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Basilan from 2012 to 2018. These seminars combine lecture to promote theoretical understanding as well as simulation of possible explosives threat to help paint a clearer picture among the participants.

Given the subject matter’s technical nature, MSgt. Caporas crafted a program of instruction tailor fit to laypersons. These seminars cater to a range of audiences, from government organization and private sectors to academe and religious sectors. He hopes that these efforts will reduce the risk of attacks in private and public spaces.

Moreover, he renders his services as a commentator of a Sunday radio program entitled “Ang Inyo Army sa Negros,” to propagate information and communicate the peace-building initiatives of the army in the hinterlands of Negros Island.

MSgt. Caporas, 41, earned his Master’s degree in Public Administration at Carlos Hilado Memorial State College in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. He is married, and is a father of four.

MAJOR ROMULO G. DIMAYUGA II PN (M)

Former Operations and Training Officer

Force Reconnaissance Group

Headquarters Philippine Marine Corps, Fort Bonifacio

Taguig City

Field of specialization: Special Operations / Marine Amphibious Warfare (Infantry) /

Intelligence / Education and Training

Years in service: 19

PHILIPPINE NAVY’S SPECIAL OPERATIONS WARFIGHTER

“My early years as a Force Recon Marine were marked with literal blood, sweat and tears. I have experienced being wounded, being outnumbered in a firefight, losing comrades, being away from my loved ones, among others. These seem to be enough reasons for a sane man to quit this perilous job and find a safer one, but not for me. I’ve always known that the moment I signed up for the Philippine Marine Corps, all those came inside my canteen cup for free and with unlimited refill.”

The life of a soldier is marked by the constant shadow of danger, and fuelled by the rallying cry of putting others’ welfare before one’s own—all in service of the people and the country. That in itself is a daunting prospect. This, however, did not deter Maj. Romulo G. Dimayuga II, who grew up harboring the dream of following in his father’s footsteps. He knew the risks of being on the frontlines yet he kept being driven onward.

Nineteen (19) years into the military service, Maj. Dimayuga has held a number of key positions as a Marine officer and has rendered game-changing contributions to the military.

In 2006, his leadership as a platoon commander of a Force Recon Platoon was key to crippling the forces of the most notorious terrorist group in the country by infiltrating their stronghold in Sulu. This led to the neutralization of its top leader who was tagged as one of the most wanted men in Southeast Asia and was listed as one of FBI’s most wanted terrorists. This news made headlines. Dimayuga and his platoon suffered losses and incurred injuries during this campaign, but they continue to remember this as a victory for the country against terrorism.

Further, Maj. Dimayuga’s stints as Intelligence Officer of Marine Battalion Landing Team-4 and Operations

Officer of Marine Battalion Landing Team-12 from 2013 to 2014 and 2017 to 2018, respectively, marked his crucial role in the successful countercommunist insurgency operations against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) in Northern Palawan.

The province has had a long history of being plagued by communist insurgency activities. This was the situation Maj. Dimayuga and his troops aimed to transform. For them, restoring peace not only meant defeating the enemies, but, primarily, creating an environment where communities can thrive.

To achieve this, Maj. Dimayuga’s unit used an innovative yet pragmatic approach rooted in promoting a productive and lasting relationship with the locals. They knocked on every resident’s door to learn about their needs and at the same time to send the message across that they can be their allies. These efforts have contributed to the declaration of Palawan province as a “Zone of Sustained Peace, Development, and Prosperity” in 2014.

Moreover, Maj. Dimayuga channelled his efforts into forging a partnership between his units and the locals of northern Palawan and Puerto Princesa City by underscoring their mutual aspiration: weakening the communist insurgents’ ranks and curbing the threat among Palaweños.

Maj. Dimayuga spearheaded this initiative by employing a different tactic. He knew that urging the insurgents to walk away from the armed struggle cannot be achieved solely by force and combat operations, but by offering them another chance to re-integrate to mainstream society and bring back normalcy in their lives. Further, his unit ensured that the residents, especially the youth, are properly informed so they will not be influenced.

Inside his institution, Maj. Dimayuga led the standardization of training programs that aims to improve the combat effectiveness of the Force Reconnaissance Group, Philippine Marine Corps’ elite unit, and the Marine Battalion Landing Team-12’s Scout Sniper Squad. As a veteran of combat, he identified the gaps and incorporated his own experiences in crafting training programs attuned to real-life situations.

Defending the country’s sovereignty is also a part of his duty. From 2017 to 2018, he was the Operations Officer of Marine Battalion Landing Team-12 in charge of conducting territorial defense in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), West Philippine Sea. His battalion provided round-the-clock security of seven out of nine islands— Lawak, Patag, Likas, Pag-asa, Panata, Parola, and Patag—of KIG and the whole northern Palawan.

Over the course of his storied career, Maj. Dimayuga’s inspiration is to make a difference wherever his mission takes him. His assignments might have entailed blood, sweat, and tears but Maj. Dimayuga pledges to always live by the Marine’s code of honor, duty, and valor to defend his country. Maj. Dimayuga, 37, is a graduate of Philippine Military Class of 2005 and is married. He has been part of the country’s forces for 19 years now.

At present, he is taking up Master of Science in Defense Analysis (Irregular Warfare) at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, USA.

LIEUTENANT COLONEL

JOHN PAUL D. BALDOMAR PA

Chief Current Operations Branch, Internal Security Operations Division (ISOD)

Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, J3, Armed Forces of the Philippines

Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo

Quezon City

Field of Specialization: Transformational Leadership

Years in service: 22

AFP’S COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION WARRIOR

“I believe this is my purpose: to serve others and fight for those who cannot defend themselves. Every time I go out to do my job, I always think that I am doing this so that my family and the Filipino people would peacefully sleep while I and the entire Armed Forces of the Philippines are standing on the line fighting for their safety. Moreover, I want to ensure that the generations to come, the children of my children, would enjoy the same freedom I have enjoyed. I always consider it as a sense of fulfilment seeing the Philippine Flag freely hoisted which signifies our independence and freedom.”

When one thinks of the country’s uniformed men and women, it is easy to picture them on the frontlines, gallantly orchestrating high-risk missions and advancing under enemy fire. Rarely is it considered that behind their hardened exterior lies the real drive of a soldier: a heart that puts the nation and its people first.

This is the sentiment that encapsulates Lt. Col. John Paul D. Baldomar’s 22 years of service in the Philippine Army. His heart for the people is best reflected in the initiative he spearheaded back in 2001 when he was assigned with Bravo Company, 37th Infantry Battalion, 6th Infantry Division, Philippine Army and subsequently became its Company Commander. In this capacity, he rallied his troop in responding to the plight of the 95 internally displaced Tiruray families at Sitio Kyamko (Hill 224), Barangay Maitumaig, Datu Unsay, Maguindanao.

The Tiruray community originally resided in Peris Hill, Maguindanao. The difficulty of thriving in a strife-torn environment due to armed lawless groups’ activities resulted in the community’s dispersal. Uprooted from their ancestral land, a majority of them took up residence in North and South Upi, Maguindanao, while a segment sought refuge in a patrol base of Bravo Company, 37IB located at Hill 224,

a military outpost over three kilometers away from the national highway that is only accessible by foot.

Years later, this is the scene that Lt. Col. Baldomar witnessed: a community living in temporary shelters, facing imminent threat and barely meeting their basic social needs. He was then moved to action, initiating projects that will support the Tiruray in establishing a new home and becoming a self-sufficient community.

His unit’s relationship with the community was founded on mutual trust. The former collaborated with the local government and non-government organizations to implement community-based programs, and support the development of infrastructures such as school buildings, farm-to-market roads, multipurpose hall, and a place of worship.

The Tiruray ’s story of recovery can be traced back to the compassionate efforts of Lt. Col. Baldomar and his troops who went beyond their mandate. The community grew from 95 displaced families in 2001 to more or less 300 empowered and self-sufficient families in 2019. With their growing number, the original Sitio Kyamko expanded to two other communities in Sitio Bagong and Sitio Peris.

Years later, translating this experience into his work served as his fuelto serve and be a part of the transformation journey of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Lt. Col. Baldomar

was designated as Chief of the Strategic Communications Branch under the AFP’s Office for Strategic Studies and Strategy Management in 2014. Together with the team, he steered the development and implementation of the AFP Transformation Roadmap strategic communication plan called “Horizon 1.”

Horizon 1 stresses the significance of constantly aligning the AFP’s actions to its vision — “A World-Class Armed Forces, Source of National Pride” — in instilling a culture of genuine transformation and good governance. Upon publication of the strategic communication plan, Lt. Col. Baldomar’s team developed the design, facilitated the promulgation, and spearheaded the execution of activities that aims to enhance AFP’s capacity building and professionalism of its ranks.

Lt. Col. Baldomar’s impact was also stamped when he heeded the call to help shape the next breed of leaders of the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) through the “Transforming Leaders Initiative.” He joined hands with volunteer military officers in carrying out seminars for Tactical officers, as well as training staff and cadets of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and the Philippine National Police Academy. What began as a series of three seminars has been recognized as a best practice and is rolled out in both academies. Further, it was adopted by the International Graduate School of Leadership to be incorporated as part of their leadership program.

Lt. Col. Baldomar, 41, is currently designated as the Chief, Current Operations Branch, Internal Security Operations Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, J3, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). He is a graduate of PMA Class of 2001. He earned his Master’s degree in Transformational Leadership at the International Graduate School of Leadership-Asia in 2014. He is married and has two kids.

POLICE CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT MARSHA T. AGUSTIN, RSW

Investigator/ Social Worker

Women and Children Protection Center

Philippine National Police Headquarters

Camp Brigadier General Rafael T. Crame

Quezon City

Field of specialization: Social Work

Years in service: 16

CAMP CRAME’S ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING CRUSADER

“Life may be difficult for many. I serve as a witness to different stories of struggle. But I am optimistic that there’s a rainbow in the aftermath of any storm. Crimes and violations are hard to end, but a united community as we are, we can ease sufferings. The battle is never-ending and the goal to provide a safer place for all is a continuous voyage.”

Alicensed social worker, joining the police force was perhaps not the foremost route P/CMSgt. Marsha T. Agustin had set her sights on, yet it proved to be a decision that solidified the clarity of her lifelong mission: take on a job that saves lives.

Earning a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work at Saint Paul University in Tuguegarao City, many expected that she would land a career in the Department of Social Welfare and Development. But her fate has presented her quite a different ride, as she chose to realize her goals by working for the Philippine National Police (PNP).

In retrospect, the union of these two disciplines forms part of her legacy in PNP, particularly at the Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) of Camp Crame. Her maiden institution empowers her to advocate for the use of social work principles in handling human trafficking cases and defending the vulnerable — children, women, and the disenfranchised.

During the early stages of WCPC, police investigators found it difficult to interview victims due to their resistance and refusal to share their experiences, and understandably so — cases involving women and children entail a different tack. The victims need a specialized age and gender-sensitive approach especially during interviews due to the trauma incurred.

With P/CMSgt. Agustin’s lead, WCPC has adopted an interviewing technique, dubbed as the “Social

Worker-Police Investigative Technique in Handling Cases Involving Women and Children Victims,” combining social work and police investigation designed for victims involved in these sensitive cases.

This method is rooted in the belief that investigative work requires a heart; it is more than acquiring information but working with a person who has his or her own story and whose voice needs to be heard. Case after case, P/CMSgt. Agustin reinforces the perspective that the police forces’ duty is the protection of the victim as much as the conviction of perpetrators.

In her 16 years of service in the PNP, P/CMSgt. Agustin, 39, has mustered the principle of making the welfare of the victims a paramount consideration. As a mother of two, she treats her clients as her family, thereby giving them their needs as much as she can.

P/CMSgt. Agustin’s expertise extends beyond the premises of WCPC. She co-authored the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Manual being widely used by the PNP when handling Trafficking in Persons (TIP) cases. This aligns with the new provisions of the Republic Act No. 10364 known as the “Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.” P/CMSgt. Agustin is the resource person responsible for cascading the contents of the manual among her peers, particularly on the section on management of trafficked persons.

She is also not one to refuse her neighbors’ call for help. P/CMSgt. Agustin was one of the first police responders in

Tacloban City during the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda as part of the PNP Disaster Management, Preparedness, and Response Task Group. She took charge of ensuring the welfare of vulnerable women and children in typhoonafflicted communities through the social worker-police investigative technique. She was lauded as one of the Exemplary Government Accredited Social Workers in 2015 for the said efforts.

Further, P/CMSgt. Agustin believes that assistance to those who come to WCPC for aid does not stop at taking their statements and listening to their stories. Since 2005, she actively provides support by referring them to public hospitals where they can avail of discounted rates on medical services, and by preparing a case study report that conveys the individuals’ current situation and financial handicap. She accompanies them to medical institutions and helps process the necessary documents. This initiative is being replicated by police officers in the PNP Health Service.

Advocating for the holistic delivery of services, P/CMSgt. Agustin’s proposal to dedicate a room exclusively for clients has led to the ongoing construction of a Temporary Processing Area in the WCPC building. She pushed for the establishment of the said facility to provide an environment conducive for the recovery of victims of gender-based violence. This would also improve the current setup of the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Division in holding psychosocial interventions and other aftercare services.

As a witness to the victims’ struggles, P/CMSgt. Agustin knows that asking them to recall and share their story is hard thus, she ensures that they see a confidant and ally in her. For every case that she takes on, she carries with her the hope of bringing justice to every victim, helping restore normalcy in their lives, and providing a safer environment for them.

POLICE MAJOR ROBERT A. REYES

Technical Support Officer

Counter Intelligence Task Force

Philippine National Police Headquarters

Camp Brigadier General Rafael T. Crame

Quezon City

Field of Specialization: Criminology & Computer Science

Years in service: 19

PNP’S PREMIER CYBER COP

“The dedication to my job became a passion the time I got assigned in cybercrime investigation, where many victims do not know who their assailants are. Doing cybercrime investigation has allowed me to better discover how important police work is and I am more determined to stay and continue to serve and protect our people. I want to be remembered as a mentor, a builder of better police officers, and a friend whom one can call anytime for assistance. I hope that the knowledge I’ve shared to my students and colleagues will be shared to others.”

When one thinks of crime, the default scenarios that often crop up on the minds of many are those that happen on the streets or during dark period, as commonly reported by the media. One kind that is inadvertently left at the periphery is the crime done behind a veil of anonymity, using readily available tools such as a computer and internet access: cybercrime.

This is the area that P/Maj. Robert A. Reyes intends to bring to fore. With illegal activities pervading the cyber space and new forms of offenses emerging, safeguarding online users from threats and capturing assailants have become one of the police’s paramount concerns.

P/Maj. Reyes’ career accomplishments can be traced back to his being a pioneer of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group in 2013, born out of the Republic Act 10175 “Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.” In this capacity, he helped develop the unit’s operational and administrative manual outlining the guidelines or protocols for cybercrime investigation which is now being used in the training and learning sessions of PNP. P/Maj. Reyes has also led over 20 police operations as well as investigated more than 100 cybercrime cases.

Prior to the group’s formation, his expertise was key to the arrest of a notorious outlaw considered the No. 1 hacker in Korea by the Korean

National Police Agency in 2011 and was included in Interpol’s Wanted List. The immediate identity and apprehension of the suspect during that period was urgent due to the bulk of information and customer database he has stolen from a prominent financial service company.

P/Maj. Reyes collaborated with private internet service providers to identify the hacker. The successful operations prevented further reputational damage to the company and loss due to possible extortion in exchange for the selling of the database to syndicates.

With these accomplishments, one would be surprised to know that P/Maj. Reyes almost did not become a cop. His parents knew the risks and dangers of the profession and advised against pursuing the same path his brother took. Fate, however, somehow worked to bring him back to his first dream of joining the Philippine National Police (PNP). His degree in Computer Science serves him well in the exercise of his duty.

Years later, he has brought his expertise to his incumbent unit, the PNP Counter Intelligence Task Force. Reyes was among the pioneer members of this unit that aims to regain the public trust and confidence in PNP by strengthening integrity among the forces. He actively campaigns for this initiative by crafting information, education, and communication (IEC) materials for dissemination. The poster developed by his team is prominently displayed in police stations nationwide.

P/Maj. Reyes has also made it his advocacy to raise awareness among his peers on the proliferation of cybercrimes and the role of the local force to combat this so-called crime without borders where danger is one click away. He believes that targeting felons whose new modus operandi use the internet and technology means that the police forces should also have the technical expertise to locate and catch them.

As one of the most sought-after lecturers of PNP when it comes to cybercrime investigation, he has also delivered various lectures on trafficking in person intelligence and investigation. He hopes that he can help develop more talents in this field. From merely having a handful of police officers equipped to handle cyber-related offenses, an increased number is now qualified as cybercrime investigators.

When he is not solving crimes assigned to his unit or delivering lectures, Reyes is helping various members of society who are victims of illicit online activities. His strong partnership with contacts representing social media accounts such as Facebook and Instagram has helped in the deactivation of fake profiles and pages, as well as restoration of hacked accounts and giving the control back to legitimate owners. Since 2012, close to 270 fraudulent accounts were deleted upon P/Maj. Reyes’ intervention.

P/Maj. Reyes, 44, has served in the force for 19 years now. He is married, and is a father of three.

POLICE COLONEL EDWIN A. QUILATES

Provincial Director

Batangas Police Provincial Office, Camp Miguel C. Malvar

Batangas City

Field of Specialization: Business Administration, Laws, Political Science/ Public Safety

Years in service: 25

BATANGAS’ VANGUARD OF PUBLIC SAFETY

“I want to be remembered as a police officer with the motto ‘Para sa bayan.’ I always bear in mind that public office is a public trust. Serving and protecting lives and properties have been my very source of fulfilment as bread and butter is to my life. Being able to afford peace and safety for my loved ones and the community is more than enough for me as a police officer. I always try to become a catalyst of change, making ripples to inspire others.”

Being a law enforcer should not be divorced from exercising the duties of a public servant. This is the ethos that permeates P/Col. Edwin A. Quilates’ work as a cop who has served the country for 25 years. As the incumbent Provincial Director of the Batangas Police Provincial Office, he believes that his badge stands for his oath to channel all his energies into combating crime in all its forms.

P/Col. Quilates’ mission to make the province crime-free paved the way for the launch of Oplan Iron Curtain, colloquially known as ‘lockdown,’ in 2018. The initiative aims to strictly mobilize police forces in and around Batangas through dragnet operations during investigation and manhunt. This leads to the swift apprehension of criminals involved in shooting and/ or robbery incidents.

Oplan Iron Curtain, premised on unified command and coordination, is hailed as best practice and as key to the successful arrests of notorious criminals, resulting to lower crime rate in the province and in the entire CALABARZON region.

P/Col. Quilates is also a lawyer which, perhaps, bespeaks his strong sense of justice. Wearing his hats as both officer and legal practitioner, he is quick to respond to his constituents’ call for help. He initiated the Agapay Kabayan campaign that aims to aid select underprivileged communities in Batangas while building trust among locals. The beneficiaries are

the over 7,000 residents of Barangay Wawa in Batangas City and other indigent barangays. The former is an informal settlers’ area where a segment of the population belongs to an indigenous group.

Agapay Kabayan involves community extension programs that aim to provide the residents’ basic needs as well as make legal assistance available to the public, among others.

For P/Col. Quilates, preserving peace and order in his jurisdiction requires a proactive stance to rein in all crimes on all fronts, and dismantle the systems that enable criminality to exist. This perspective has given rise to a number of programs rallying the police forces to counter prevalent issues in Batangas such as use of illegal firearms, war on drugs, shooting and robbery incidents, and organized crime.

With his leadership, his office initiated Oplan Balik Armas which campaigns for the responsible use of firearms among Batangueños by temporarily safekeeping their guns pending license renewal, or mandating them to surrender their guns in case they will not renew its license. This strategy has been adopted by Region 4-A CALABARZON due to its effective prevention of illegal firearms use.

P/Col. Quilates also led the Simula ng Pag-asa (SIPAG) Program to complement the government’s war on drugs and to respond to the number of individuals who surrendered. As the name implies, SIPAG Program is grounded on the

idea that rehabilitation is central to the transformation of the surrenders and re-integrating them to society as responsible citizens with renewed hope and purpose.

Prior to taking the helm of the Batangas Police Provincial Station, P/Col. Quilates’ previous stints have also helped seal his contribution to the force. He was the chief of police of Marilao, Plaridel and San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan where he displayed acumen that garnered him the Best Chief of Police distinction for three consecutive years.

He has been assigned in high risk areas as Chief of Intelligence and Operation of the Sulu Anti-Kidnapping Task Force, Deputy Regional Chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 9, and as the ARMM CIDG Regional Chief in Cotabato City from 2014 to 2015. His roles were instrumental to the arrest of most wanted outlaws and notorious members of communist insurgency groups.

P/Col. Quilates, 49, is now on his 25th year of police service, and he is keen on keeping the province safe under his watch and ensuring Batangueños that he is at their service, as a cop and community leader. He is a graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy as a member of the Patnubay Class of 1995. He earned his degree in Law at Manuel L. Quezon University and his Master’s degree in Business Administration at the Adventist University of the Philippines. He is married and has two kids.

FINAL BOARD OF JUDGES

As Chairman of the Senate Committees on Energy, and Economic Affairs, respectively, his approach to running both committees has been united by a common theme— empowering consumers. The good senator has steered both committees in a proconsumer direction, focusing on measures which will foster greater competition within critical industries, boost efficiency of services, and lower the costs shouldered by the general public.

To bring this legislative agenda to life, he has authored or sponsored several key measures, including the Recoverable System Loss Act, the Energy Virtual One Stop Shop (EVOSS) Act, the Philippine Innovation Act, and the Benham Rise Development Authority Act.

Senator Win Gatchalian is no neophyte to public service with his 15 years of experience marked by integrity and a relentless drive to serve his countrymen.

A former award-winning mayor and congressman of Valenzuela City, he made the move from the local political arena to the national stage after winning a seat in the Senate during the May 2016 elections.

And then, of course, there’s education, the platform that propelled his rise in the polls during the 2016 election campaign. As Representative of the 1st District of Valenzuela City, he filed in 2015 the original version of the bill that would radically expand access to college education for millions of Filipinos—the House Bill Number 5905, more commonly known as the Free Higher Education Act. The measure eventually became known as Republic Act

Number 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act when it was signed into law by President Duterte in August 2017, and set the stage for millions of young Filipinos to attain a free college education in state and local universities and colleges nationwide.

Sen. Gatchalian earned a number of recognitions, such as the “Silver Humanitarian Service Cross Award” in 2014 by the Philippine Red Cross, the “Manila 40 Under 40 International Development Leaders” in 2013 by the Development Executive Group, and the “The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM)” in 2011 by the Junior Chamber International-Philippines.

Now in the 18th Congress, as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, he intends to continue to fight for a better and more equitable, Philippine education system. He believes, and rightly so, that with accessible and quality education, everybody wins.

Sen. Gatchalian holds a Bachelor of Science Major in Finance and Operations Management from Boston University, USA.

He entered government service in August 1985 as Trial Attorney in the Office of the Solicitor General. He was awarded Most Outstanding Solicitor in 1998. In August 2002, he was promoted to Assistant Solicitor General. He was on Seconded Appointment as Commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Good Government from July 17, 1998 to February 15, 2001.

Justice Gesmundo was a member of the Corps of Professors and a Professorial Lecturer of the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA), particularly in remedial law. He has taught various remedial law subjects at the Ateneo de Manila University, the Lyceum of the Philippines University, and the University of Perpetual Help, Las Piñas City.

Justice Alexander Gesmundo was appointed to the Supreme Court as Associate Justice on August 14, 2017. Previously, he was Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan, appointed on October 15, 2005, where he served as Chairperson of its 7 th Division and as co-Chairperson of the Sandiganbayan Committee on Rules.

At the Supreme Court, Justice Gesmundo is Chair of the Technical Working Group for the Revision of the Law Student Practice Rule, and the Organizing Committee for the 2019 Legal Education Summit. He is Vice Chairperson of the Special Committee for the Rules of Procedure for Admiralty Cases, Special Committee for the Rules on Inspection (under the Philippine Competition Act), the Sub-Committee for the Revision of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure, the Special Committee on the Rules of Procedure in Election Contests before the First Level Courts.

He is also a Member of the Supreme Court Committees on Computerization and Library, on the Revision of the Rules of Court and the Special Committee on Speedy Trial.

Prior to joining the government, Justice Gesmundo worked as Research Analyst from 1977 to 1979, with Business Day Corporation, publisher of the business newspaper Business Day and Top 1000 Corporations of the Philippines wherein a few of his articles were published. In 1979 to 1980, he worked as Market Research Officer at the Office of the Australian Trade Commissioner, Australian Embassy, Manila, and continued as its Marketing Officer in 1980 to 1985.

Justice Gesmundo obtained his law degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1984 and passed the Bar in April 1985.

Chairperson

SENATOR SHERWIN “WIN” T. GATCHALIAN Republic of the Philippines

Co-Chairperson

ASSOCIATE JUSTICE ALEXANDER G. GESMUNDO Supreme Court of the Philippines

Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario is the appointed chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council or HUDCC (now Department of Human Settlements & Urban Development) serving as chairman of the Boards of National Housing Authority, Social Housing Finance Corporation, Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, Home Development Mutual Fund, National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation, as well as vice chairman of Home Guaranty Corporation. Concurrently, Sec. Del Rosario heads the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Recovery, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Marawi City.

Prior to his chairmanship at HUDCC, he was undersecretary for Civil, Veterans and Retiree Affairs of the Department of National Defense. He was also the

Dr. Winston Padojinog was appointed fourth president of the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) in June 2015, becoming the first alumnus to lead the university. He has served UA&P since 1989 as a graduate staff member when the university was still known as the Center for Research and Communication.

Besides leading the university, Dr. Padojinog also serves as lecturer for senior executive and graduate programs of UA&P on topics related to industry dynamics, strategic management, corporate finance, leadership and strategy execution.

Prior to his post as president, Dr. Padojinog held several key positions in UA&P—as dean of School of Management and as vice dean of Faculty of Sciences and Technology and the School of Economics.

Dr. Padojinog holds concurrent positions as board member for different nongovernment organizations that promote

Most Rev. Oscar Jaime Florencio D.D. started as the appointed apostolic administrator of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines in July 2017 until his appointment as bishop in March 2019 by Pope Francis.

He was ordained priest on April 3, 1990. Later, he served as parish priest of St. Francis of Assisi Church (2004-2006) and Sacred Heart Parish (2006-2009) in Palo, Leyte and until his appointment as vice chancellor of the Archdiocese of Palo (2009-2013). He also served as rector and

administrator of the Office of Civil Defense from 2013 to 2014.

A retired Major General of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) having served the military for almost 37 years, he received numerous Combat and Administrative Awards, including the “Bakas Parangal ng Kabayanihan” for accomplishing the search and retrieval operations for the remains of the late DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo from a plane wreckage in Masbate in 2012. After graduating from the Philippine Military Academy in February 1980, Secretary del Rosario served in both field and staff duties and had undertaken professional and specialization courses in Scout Ranger Operations, Airborne, Field Artillery, Counter Terrorism, and Command and General Staff Courses held locally and abroad. He likewise holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the Philippine Christian University.

good governance and education for the less privileged—Center of Excellence in Governance, Institute of Solidarity in Asia, Institute of Corporate Director, and CSR Philippines, Inc., among others. He is also an industrial economist, consultant, and speaker for competitive strategy, sustainability, and industrial policy.

In 1989, he obtained his Bachelors of Arts degree double majors in Economics and Management from the University of the Philippines Visayas and earned his Master’s degree in Industrial Economics in the Center for Research and Communication as a scholar of the Hanns Siedel Stiftung Foundation of Germany. He obtained his Doctor of Business Administration degree at the De La Salle University’s Graduate School of Business and accomplished the International Faculty Program of the IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain in the same year.

theology professor of St. John the Evangelist School of Theology (SJEST) in 2013. In July 2015, he was appointed as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Cebu and in September 2015 he was ordained as bishop.

Bishop Florencio finished his Bachelor’s degree major in Philosophy at Sacred Heart Seminary in Palo, Leyte and his Bachelor’s degree major in Sacred Theology at the University of Santo Tomas. He obtained Licentiate and Doctorate in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, Italy.

Member

SECRETARY EDUARDO D. DEL ROSARIO Department of Human Settlements & Urban Development Chairman, Task Force Bangon Marawi

Member

DR. WINSTON CONRAD B. PADOJINOG President, University of Asia and the Pacific

Member

MOST REVEREND OSCAR JAMIE L. FLORENCIO, D.D.

Bishop, Military Ordinariate of the Philippines

FINAL BOARD OF JUDGES

Mr. Ramon del Rosario is the president and chief executive officer of Philippine Investment Management (PHINMA), Inc. and of PHINMA Corporation—two affiliated companies with investments in education, housing, hotels, cement and steel roofing. He is also chairman of the educational institutions under the PHINMA Education Network: Araullo University, Cagayan de Oro College, University of Iloilo, University of Pangasinan, Southwestern University, and St. Jude College, and a number of other PHINMA companies. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Ayala Corporation; chairman of Philippine Business for Education (PBEd); vice chairman of Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), Caritas Manila, PHINMA Foundation; and member of the World Bank-Civil Service Organizations (CSO) Advisory Group.

From 1992 to 1993, Mr. Del Rosario served as secretary of the Department of Finance. He also led the Makati Business Club and the National Museum of the Philippines as chairman.

He is a recipient of notable awards:

“The Outstanding Young Men” in the field of investment banking and finance in 1978; “Distinguished La Sallian” in 2005; “Management Man of the Year” from the Management Association of the Philippines in 2010; “Business as a Noble Vocation Award” by the International Christian Union of Business Executives during the XXVI World Congress in 2018.

Mr. del Rosario holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Harvard Business School and was conferred the degree of Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, by the University of St. La Salle in 2007 and degree of Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa, by the Ateneo de Zamboanga University in 2012.

Mr. Jaime Bautista is the treasurer of Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc. — the corporate social responsibility arm of the Lucio Tan Group of Companies.

Mr. Bautista has recently retired as president of the Philippine Airlines, Inc. (PAL), a position he assumed for 26 years. He is presently holding various key positions under the different subsidiaries of the Lucio Tan Group of Companies — vice chairman of the board of trustees of University of the East; trustee of UERM Memorial Medical Center; treasurer and director Macroasia Corporation; chairman and director of Macroasia Airport Services Corporation; chairman and director Macroasia Catering Services Corporation; and director of Macroasia Properties Development Corp. He also served as director of ETON Properties Philippines, Inc.; president of

PNB Forex, Inc.; president and CEO of Air Philippines; and vice president and general manager of Asian Alcohol Corporation. Prior to his stint with the conglomerate, Mr. Bautista started as an auditor of SyCip, Gorres, Velayo & Co. after passing the board exam in 1979.

Mr. Bautista is a recipient of various awards which among include: “Outstanding Alumnus” from Colegio de San Juan de Letran in 2004; “Tourism Personality of the Year” by the Rotary Club of Manila in 2006; “People of the Year” by People Asia Magazine in 2010; and “Bulong Pulungan sa Sofitel Exemplar Award” in 2017.

Mr. Bautista holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy from Colegio de San Juan de Letran and was conferred the Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa by the Central Luzon State University.

Member JAIME J. BAUTISTA Treasurer, Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc.

Member RAMON R. DEL ROSARIO, JR. President and Vice Chairman, PHINMA Corporation Chairman, Philippine Business for Education

Mr. Horacio “Howie” Severino has been a journalist for the past 31 years, and is considered a pillar of GMA Network. He has worked in print, television, and online media, and is one of the Philippines’ most awarded journalists.

For the last 17 years, he has co-presented and written prize-winning documentaries for GMA Network’s pioneering documentary program I-Witness, one of the Philippines’ longest running TV shows. His documentaries on Jose Rizal and other history subjects are in school libraries

Ms. Rizalina Mantaring is the president of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP). Concurrently, she is an independent director of Ayala Land, First Philippine Holdings Corporation, PHINMA Corporation, East Asia Computer Center Inc., Roosevelt College, FEU Alabang and MicroVentures Foundation; and director of Sun Life Grepa Philippines, Inc. She also serves as trustee and treasurer of Makati Business Club as well as a trustee of the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd).

Prior to her post as president of MAP, Ms. Mantaring served as chief executive officer of Sun Life Financial Philippines from August 2009 to June 2018, and as chairman of Sun Life Foundation. During her term, the company implemented numerous industry firsts and innovations. Under her leadership, Sun Life also received numerous awards, including the “Life Insurance Company of the Year” at the 19th Asia Insurance Industry Awards and “2015 Employer of the Year” bestowed by the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP).

Her own accomplishments have likewise been recognized by prestigious awardgiving bodies, among which were the “Asia Talent Management” award at CNBC’s 2017 Asia Business Leader Awards and the “CEO Excel Award” from the International Association of Business CommunicatorsPhilippines. In 2010, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the UP College of Engineering, she was named one of the college’s “100 Most Outstanding Alumni of the Past Century.” She was also recently named the PAX Awardee for 2019, the highest award conferred by St. Scholastica’s College on an outstanding alumna. During her spare time, she runs, and is one of only a handful of Filipino Six Stars — runners who have completed all six of the World Marathon Majors (Boston, New York, Chicago, London, Berlin and Tokyo).

Ms. Mantaring earned a distinction for finishing her Master’s degree in Computer Science from The State University of New York at Albany and is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute (with distinction). She holds a Bachelor’s degree major in Electrical Engineering, cum laude, from the University of the Philippines Diliman.

around the country, and are screened as part of the teaching of history. Howie has also been known for his media work on environmental issues. He is a leading advocate of Baybayin, the Filipino ancient script.

Since 2009, Howie has been a vice president of GMA Network, currently responsible for journalism training and career development at GMA Network. He is also chairman of the Board of Editors of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), of which he is also a co-founder.

He was Editor-in-Chief of GMA News Online, from 2009 to 2014, and anchored the morning news for eight years on GMA News TV. He has led GMA Network’s Think Before You Click campaign, an advocacy for the responsible use of social media, the first such national campaign in the Philippines. More recently, he has been a leader in speaking out on the dangers of disinformation, or fake news.

He was named the Philippines’ “Journalist of the Year” for 2015 by the Metrobank Foundation, which gave the recognition only once every two years for a journalist’s lifetime achievements in the field. Among other awards, he had previously received the Neil Davis Memorial Award as

outstanding young Asia-Pacific journalist in 1991, and the Ninoy Aquino Journalism Fellowship, an annual award given by the US Embassy.

In a survey by Reader’s Digest in 2009, Mr. Severino was named the 6th most trusted Filipino.

He graduated from the Ateneo de Manila High School, Tufts University in 1983 (magna cum laude in History), and Sussex University in the UK ((1993) where he received a Master’s degree in Environment, Development and Policy. While in college in the Boston area, Mr. Severino became friends with Ninoy Aquino, then in exile in the same area. After graduating, he returned to the Philippines and became a pro-democracy activist. He was arrested while taking photographs of a violently dispersed rally in 1985, and spent eight days in political detention, including five days in solitary confinement.

Mr. Severino was named after the Jesuit historian Father Horacio de la Costa, SJ, a favorite teacher at the Ateneo of his father, the late Rodolfo Severino, Jr., a former ambassador and Secretary General of ASEAN from 1998-2002.

Member

RIZALINA G. MANTARING President, Management Association of the Philippines

Member HORACIO “HOWIE” G. SEVERINO Vice President for Professional Development GMA Network, Inc. Anchor, GMA News and Public Affairs

BOARD OF ASSESSORS

AWARD FOR TEACHERS

ELEMENTARY

Chairperson

MARILETTE R. ALMAYDA, Ph. D.

Director III

Bureau of Learning Delivery

Department of Education

SECONDARY

Member

SOLEDAD MINA-ROGUEL, Ph. D.

Dean

Teacher Education & Vice President for Academic Affairs

Manuel V. Gallego Foundation Colleges, Inc.

Member

GINA O. GONONG, Ph. D. Director and Project Leader Research Center for Teacher Quality Philippine Normal University

Chairperson

ALLAN B. DE GUZMAN, Ph. D. Professor

College of Education

University of Santo Tomas

HIGHER EDUCATION

Member

ALMA RUBY S. TORIO

Assistant Secretary & Officer-in-Charge Curriculum and Instruction

Department of Education

Member

LOVELAINE B. BASILLOTE

Executive Director Philippine Business for Education

Chairperson

DINA JOANA O. CRISTOBAL, Ph. D. Professor

College of Education

University of the Philippines

Member

NELSON G. CAINGHOG

Director IV

Office of Planning, Research, and Knowledge Management Commission on Higher Education

Member

MARJORIE EVASCO-PERNIA, Ph. D.

Professor Emeritus & University Fellow

De La Salle University

AWARD FOR SOLDIERS

AWARD FOR POLICE OFFICERS

ATTY. MARIA ANTHONETTE C. VELASCO-ALLONES, CESO I Executive Director Career Executive Service Board

NESTOR F. QUINSAY, Jr. Undersecretary for Peace and Order Department of the Interior and Local Government

LANI T. PALMONES, Ph.D. Dean College of Criminal Justice Arellano University Main Campus

RADM. AURELIO A. RABUSA, Jr. (RET) MNSA, CESE Assistant Vice President & Department Head Security and Asset Management San Miguel Corporation

JENNIFER S. ORETA, Ph. D. Assistant Professor & Director Department of Political Science & Ateneo Initiative for South East Asian Studies Ateneo de Manila University

VERONICA T. GABALDON Executive Director Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation

ALUMNI ORGANIZATIONS

NOTED

Founded on October 26, 1997, the Metrobank Foundation Network of Outstanding Teachers and Educators (MBFI-NOTED), Inc. is an honor society composed of all the winners of the Metrobank Foundation’s Search for Outstanding Teachers (SOT) since 1985 and the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos Award for Teachers since 2017. With its philosophy, “Outstanding Teachers: Us for Others in the Service of the Nation,” NOTED aims to serve as a conduit of Filipino teacher excellence, engagement, and empowerment by providing responsive and functional excellence-driven programs and projects to teachers and educators across levels of education.

TOPSOLDIERS

The Organization of Philippine Soldiers with Outstanding Leadership, Dedication, Integrity, Excellence, and Responsibility to Society (TOPSOLDIERS) is an association of all members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines who have been recognized under the Metrobank Foundation-Rotary Club of Makati Metro Search for The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers (TOPS) and the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos Award for Soldiers since 2017.

The TOPSOLDIERS envisions its members to grow as disciplined, focused and committed individuals responsive to the needs of the nation and concern for the consequences of its actions. TOPSOLDIERS seek to excel by constantly seeking self improvement and professional advancement among its members, committed to live morally upright lives and genuinely serve the Filipino people, to promote a culture of excellence and transformation among ourselves and within their institution, to promote organizational and management excellence in the communities where they serve, and to undertake meaningful social, economic, and civic projects.

PROTECT

Police Officers Responsible for Organizing, Transforming, and Empowering Communities (PROTECT) is an alumni organization of awardees previously recognized by the Metrobank Foundation-Rotary Club of the New Manila East Search for the Country’s Outstanding Police Officers in Service (COPS) and the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos Award for Police Officers since 2017. PROTECT aims to promote a culture of excellence in the police force by conducting programs that advocate responsible citizenship, not only in the Philippine National Police but more importantly, in their respective communities as well.

PROTECT also has internal programs that benefit its members. These projects include Theory of Change: Genuine Transformation in the PNP and Community Mobilization. The programs ensure personal and professional development of all the members of PROTECT.

G URO, P ULIS, AT S UNDALO NA MAY G ALING P USO AT S IGASIG (GPS 2 )

In time for this year’s celebration of Metrobank Foundation’s 40th anniversary, its roster of Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos, through their respective alumni organizations–NOTED, TOPSOLDIERS, and PROTECT launched a pay-it-forward project called Guro, Pulis at Sundalo na may Galing, Puso, at Sigasig (GPS²). As the first ever collaborative project of these three sectors, GPS² aims to extend assistance to the City of Marawi in the process of rehabilitation.

VISION

To be the country’s premier corporate philanthropic foundation contributing a significant impact on social development.

MISSION

As the heart of the Metrobank Group, we live up to our “Excel. Engage. Empower.” roadmap that embodies who we are and what we do.

The Foundation shall endeavor to be the country’s premier corporate philanthropic foundation contributing a significant impact on social development. As a development organization, we aim to uplift individuals and strategically link with their institutions for a shared-purpose. By creating and propagating a culture of excellence and providing solutions to stakeholder’s needs, we continuously expand our scope of reach and be at the forefront in serving communities. “Excel. Engage. Empower.” or the 3Es shall remain our roadmap.

The Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) was established on January 8, 1979 by Dr. George S. K. Ty, sixteen (16) years after he founded the Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company (Metrobank). As the corporate social responsibility arm of the Metrobank Group, the Foundation implements programs that recognize excellence in education, military, and police service and the arts. It also maintains a dynamic partnership with other organizations that provides services for the underprivileged and marginalized sectors of society and remains responsive to aid survivors of natural calamities in the Philippines and in Asia through relief and rehabilitation efforts.

I. RECOGNITION PROGRAMS

Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos recognizes exemplary teachers, soldiers, and police officers for rendering service above and beyond their call of duties, guided by the theme “Beyond Excellence”. An Outstanding Filipino is recognized for his/her exemplary qualities that have inspired and influenced their peers in their respective professions. Their works have lasting positive impact on people and to the country.

Professorial Chair Lectures, in partnership with government and academic institutions aim to strengthen key professions in the areas of law, health, public service and governance.

· Metrobank Foundation Fellowship in Public Service highlights achievements of Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos that have resulted to positive change and innovations that addressed major societal concerns through lectures and forums.

II. ARTS & CULTURE

· Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) hails Filipino artistry and creativity through the annual competitions in painting and sculpture.

Culture & Heritage Education Program (CHEP) aims to educate the public and create awareness of culture and heritage through exhibitions, lectures, and workshops.

III. EDUCATION

Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge (MMC) raises the mathematical competitiveness of elementary and high school students nationwide through the annual mathematics competition in partnership with the Mathematics Teachers Association of the Philippines (MTAP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).

Metrobank Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to underprivileged but academically-deserving students, while instilling among scholars the value of ‘paying-it-forward’ the gift of education they have received.

· National Teachers’ Month encourages the different sectors of the society to pay tribute to the teaching profession in line with Presidential Proclamation No. 242 declaring September 5 to October 5 as National Teachers’ Month.

IV. HEALTH Manila Doctors Hospital (MDH) serves as the healthcare arm of the Foundation, offering a wide array of social services such as subsidies for in-house patients, outreach programs, medical missions, and other health-related interventions in adopted communities.

V. GRANTS

Financial and In-kind Grant Assistance is extended to socio-civic and non-government organizations, as well as, local and national government agencies whose projects/programs are aligned with the thrusts of the Foundation in health, education, arts, and livelihood, including the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

VI. DISASTER RESPONSE

The Foundation remains responsive to aid survivors of natural calamities in the Philippines and in Asia through relief and rehabilitation efforts

Board of Trustees

Arthur V. Ty

Mary V. Ty

Alfred V. Ty

Fabian S. Dee

Marixi R. Prieto

Milagros G. Drilon

Dr. Sergio S. Cao

Aniceto M. Sobrepeña

Anjanette T. Dy Buncio

Board of Advisers

Hon. Artemio V. Panganiban Chairman

Hon. Albert F. Del Rosario Senior Adviser

James Go Adviser

Alfonso A. Uy Adviser

Elvira Ong Chan Adviser

Officers:

Arthur V. Ty Chairman

Alfred V. Ty Vice Chairman

Aniceto M. Sobrepeña President

Anjanette T. Dy Buncio Senior Vice President

Alesandra T. Ty Corporate Secretary

Zandra M. Ty Vice President

Antonietta O. Chua Treasurer

Atty. Melissa K. Gabor Assistant Corporate Secretary

Pamela N. Gardaya Assistant Treasurer

Nicanor L. Torres, Jr. E xecutive Director

Irene D. Labitad Assistant Executive Director

Marilou C. Bartolome Controller

Photography: Luisito “Chito” G. Cleofas

@MetrobankFound