2022 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos

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

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.

The 2022 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos exemplify the true meaning of “Beyond Excellence” for rendering service above and beyond their call of duty as educators, peacekeepers, and defenders.

Their contributions in service and community involvements are geared towards making a difference in sectors where they serve and the country at large. Their contributions speak of not only caliber, but also of heart and community presence.

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 they are done for the right reasons.

Their examples, therefore, are a stark contrast to the dark days we have experienced in the past couple of years, because they are bringing the much-needed light through their selfless work as purveyors of hope.

This is why we at the Metrobank Foundation continuously strive to amplify the reach of their vision. 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 without counting the cost. It is excellence refined through seasons and struggles, shining brightly to touch hearts and transforms minds.

The Flame is an inspiration and a challenge to become beacons of light for a better nation.

Thank you Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez; Metrobank and Metrobank Foundation Chairman Arthur Ty; Metrobank Foundation Vice Chairman Alfred Ty; Metrobank Foundation President Aniceto Sobrepeña and other officials of the foundation; of course our Metrobank Foundation awardees; other distinguished guests here with us this afternoon; ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.

Time and again, our personal and shared experiences teach us that even the grandest vision can become reality. But only when and if we put our effort together to make our dreams come true. Proof of this are the accomplished lives of these outstanding Filipinos who are our awardees today.

I am thus deeply honored as always have been to join the Metrobank Foundation in giving due recognition to the noteworthy contributions to the awardees that they have made to our society.

On behalf of a proud nation, I congratulate and thank all of you for your outstanding service to the country. Congratulations are not sufficient, but a note of gratitude for the service that you put in.

It is arguable to say that the way of life of a soldier, a policeman, and a teacher could be described as one of the most difficult and often thankless jobs that we ask our citizens to do.

And yet, you did it and you did it well. And you look into the face of the challenges that were before you and you did not allow that to stop you because clearly you have a commitment to the service that you have taken an oath to continue and to serve.

Your constant resolve to fulfill and transcend your duties to the best of your ability will exemplify what it means to be true public servants. You are the living embodiment of the phrase “beyond excellence.”

I know as you know that you need no award for the things you do and it is not the reason why you do that. Not for thanks, not for praise, not for honors. You do what you do because you feel the need to continue with your service and you find fulfillment in that.

Nonetheless, the Metrobank Foundation, just as the people whose lives you have touched and enriched, must express their gratefulness, but not only the Metrobank Foundation, but your communities, your families, and your country. For you are the beacons of inspiration for our people and our nation.

Let me also thank Metrobank Foundation and its partners for spearheading initiatives such as this. This is a program that has been going on for 30 years.

And again, it is a clear – it demonstrates a clear understanding of what we are looking for in terms of public servants from our local communities, from the police, from our soldiers, and our teachers.

This is corporate social responsibility at its best. If this day tells us anything, it is that each and every single one of us, in our own way plays a crucial role in nation-building.

You do not need superpowers or you do not need to have the decorations to show that you are a hero. What you have done is the little things that you do every single day and have done and continue to do and intend to do for the rest of your lives make you heroes, not only in your own minds, but in all of your community, and all of your countrymen.

Just do what you believe to be right and do it with all your heart. This is what you have done. This is what you have kept to, the idea that no matter what challenges are put before you, you will continue to serve.

Again, my congratulations and our thanks to the awardees and for the Metrobank Foundation, mabuhay kayo, mabuhay ang Pilipino. Magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat. ***

Full transcript of the speech delivered by His Excellency, President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr. during the awarding ceremony of the 2022 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos at the President’s Hall, Malacañang Palace last September 9, 2022.  The full transcript is archived in the official website of the Office of the Press Secretary.

Watch the Conferment Ceremony of the 2022 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos.

Assalamualaikum. Magandang araw sa lahat.

The Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos Award has shown an excellent job in finding Filipinos who have made tremendous changes in the lives of their fellow Filipinos, their communities, and the nation.

The Office of the Vice President joins you in honoring the men and women from the education and peace and security sectors whose works created a meaningful impact on our society.

The awardees’ sacrifices, dedication, and hard work represent our values as a nation. They are a new generation of modern-day Filipino heroes whose lives would inspire other Filipinos, especially the young ones, to carve a future that is aligned with our collective aspirations to build a strong nation alongside the Filipino people.

May Metrobank Foundation continue this invaluable advocacy that brings light to what and how it is to be a Filipino who loves God, country, and fellow Filipinos.

Patuloy nating mahalin ang Pilipinas.

Shukran. Maraming salamat.

Republic of the Philippines

What makes the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos for 2022 special? This batch of awardees did not only exhibit competence, live an exemplary life of public service, demonstrate nationalism, and breathe integrity; they did so amidst the challenges of a debilitating pandemic that has wreaked havoc across the globe.

Thus, their achievements are doubly inspiring and their leadership cannot be described as anything less than heroic. It was my honour to meet these 12 men and women up close as I had the privilege of serving as Chair of the Board of Judges for this year. Consequently, I filed Senate Resolution 106 which commends these Outstanding Filipinos for their loyalty and dedication to the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, for their faithful performance of their sworn duties and responsibilities beyond reproach, and for being model citizens in their respective communities.

The Metrobank Foundation must also be praised for their dedication, effort, and zeal in conducting this annual search across the entire country. No other organization has provided the venue that has discovered, acknowledged, and given ample appreciation for such high calibre public servants. Ako po ay nagagalak dahil ako ay naging kabahagi ng proseso na ito.

Congratulations to all the awardees and finalists! Maraming salamat sa mga sakripisyo ninyo para sa bayan Mabuhay kayo!

GRACE POE-LLAMANZARES

Senator

Republic of the Philippines

Chairperson, Final Board of Judges

2022 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos

We have seen awards for “Song of the Year,” “Employee of the Month,” “Best Actor,” “Most Valuable Player,” and the like. Their recipients deserve the golden laurels: they labored for it, and their individual feats leave no question as to the merits of their entitlement.

But what sets the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos Award apart from most prestigious recognitions in existence is that Metrobank Foundation gratuitously applauds excellence and human altruism.

With life becoming harder by the year in this dog-eat-dog world, we tend to focus too much on ourselves. This is not to shine a bad light on the usual pursuit for self-improvement, but all of us can always choose to do more, not just for ourselves, but for other people. The chosen Metrobank Foundation Awardees are prime examples of this. Their mastery in their respective occupations is already commendable by themselves, but they did not stop there. They sallied forth bearing their expertise as arms to champion for and uplift the communities that they belong to. It seems that they breathe the motto, “no one shall be left behind.” And leave behind other people, they did not. To this day they are still sallying forth for the cause of other people.

Excellence is not anymore the standard - the bar has been re-set at beyond excellence. Anybody can scale the wall; break a record, or better their best. An act, however, is deemed beyond excellent when it is done in full consideration of another person’s welfare. To perform over and above our stated duty, with philanthropic selflessness at the same time and at all times, is beyond excellence. This year’s Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Awardees have already sparked the flame. We are to keep it burning. We can even become beacons of exceptional compassion ourselves.

I extend my warmest congratulations to the 2022 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos!

The 10 awardees personify altruism and excellence in the academic, peace and order, and security sectors. The teachers’ diligence and breakthrough achievements inspire learners nationwide to be future leaders and innovators despite challenges in the education sector. The soldiers are always ready to heed the call to guard our national sovereignty and lend a hand during crises. The commendable works of police officers shape the best practices in crime prevention and solution.

As Metrobank celebrates its 60th anniversary, I am pleased to learn the awardees’ stories and accomplishments which align with our aspiration to bring positive impact for social good. The outcomes of their pursuits represent the transformation that we can achieve through individual and collective efforts.

I express my gratitude for the continued support of our institutional partners. Thank you as well to the Board of Assessors and Final Board of Judges for their time and diligence in selecting this year’s Outstanding Filipinos.

To our awardees, your victory offers us optimism for the future. May you sustain your advocacies and continue to set an example for your peers to emulate. In receiving this award, may your spheres of influence broaden so that more Filipinos can reap the benefits of your programs and be driven to follow in your footsteps, especially as our nation strives to bounce back from the pandemic.

I look forward to the meaningful undertakings that we will collaborate on. Welcome to the Metrobank Foundation family.

RAMON PAUL L. HERNANDO Associate Justice Supreme Court of the Philippines Co-Chairperson, Final Board of Judges

Metrobank Group and Metrobank Foundation, Inc.

Junmerth C. Jorta

Christine Joy Dr. Aguila, Ph.D.

Colonel Maria Victoria P. Juan NC (GSC)

Mark Nolan P. Confesor, Ph.D.

Police Captain Rosalino E. Panlaqui

Police Executive Master Sergeant Rogelio A. Rodriguez, Jr.

Leonila F. Dans, M.D., M.Sc.

Police Colonel Lambert A. Suerte

Colonel Stephen L. Cabanlet PN (M)

Technical Sergeant Joel L. Tuganan (INF) PA

Bukidnon’s Ingenious Educator for the Indigenous Peoples

JUNMERTH C. JORTA

Teacher 1, Officer-in-Charge

Keupiyanan Te Balugo (Last Mile School)

San Fernando, Bukidnon

Field of Specialization: General Education

12 Years in Service

Like many of the country’s indigenous people (IP) students, the Matigsalug of Sitio Balugo in San Fernando, Bukidnon experience challenges in accessing quality education. At least, until teacher Junmerth C. Jorta braved trails to spearhead programs to combat illiteracy and hunger.

Before him, very few teachers dared trek the road to Sitio Balugo, which was reachable only by walking through muddy roads and crossing 17 rivers. Then in 2016, Mr. Jorta became the first full-time teacher assigned by the Department of Education (DepEd) to supervise the newly established Keupiyanan Te Balugo, a last mile school for indigenous children. Last mile schools are usually makeshift, are located more than an hour away from the town center, and have multi-grade classes.

Mr. Jorta saw the assignment as a God-given mission to help transform the lives of the indigenous folk. Seven (7) years later, his educational work and community programs helped drastically reduce absenteeism and dropouts among IP children, paving their way to a brighter future. Where before the Balugo students were often held back from being promoted due to a lack of accredited teachers, students now formally advance grades under his instruction.

I teach children to dream big. I want to be known as a teacher-missionary who nourishes their minds, bodies, and hearts. I believe that with a strong foundation, their future is filled with possibilities.

Watch the awardee’s inspiring story of commitment and service to the communities

When he first arrived at the sitio, Mr. Jorta saw how students often dropped out of school because they barely have nutritional meals on the table. So, he launched the “Balugo Pagkaon Sakto” program, which provides the children free lunch every day with the help of Agnar Jacobsen’s family, non-government organization Hapagasa the Mayor’s Office, and the Department of Agriculture.

Now with a richer, more regular diet, students are more eager to attend and participate in classes. In fact, even the children’s siblings and parents often receive food as well.

Mr. Jorta knew solving hunger alone couldn’t keep the Matigsalug children in school. Many girls, for example, would get married at an early age. As such, he thought of opening special classes for this particular group of students to allow them to continue their studies. Since launching the program six (6) years ago, six (6) indigenous learners were able to finish elementary. Four (4) of them were able to continue to secondary education, while five (5) will be taking the placement examination.

Mr. Jorta also launched a special reading program for students who needed remedial learning. Called “Basa Balugo,” effective reading strategies are being taught through localized and indigenized reading materials that they can bring home.

He conducts regular house visits to students who are having a difficult time and even asks their older siblings or parents to also follow the reading assignments. The program became more relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic when students had to study independently through self-learning modules.

Adding to this, Mr. Jorta also set up a radio-based instruction module with the help of 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Teacher Lou Sabrina S. Ongkiko.

Since becoming the first full-time teacher assigned to the sitio-school, Mr. Jorta has implemented several programs that made an impact not just on the students but the Matigsalug community as a whole.

Crossing rivers and climbing mountains, teaching the indigenous children songs and sharing Bible stories, evangelizing [grew] my love for teaching. With that experience, I understood how difficult it is to become one.

In the beginning, he was tasked with just managing and assisting the volunteer teachers every Thursday. But after seeing the unique challenges faced by the indigenous learners, Mr. Jorta chose to go above and beyond the call of duty to make a difference for the community.

He also initiated the “OK sa Balugo” program, enabling the school to get resources for a new building and a new stage, chairs, and even toilets. He tapped several partners to provide the kids with slippers, school bags, books, notebooks, and crayons to encourage them to study.

Mr. Jorta’s extraordinary passion, resourcefulness, and commitment to teaching have been recognized by both government and private institutions. Among others, he was awarded the Most Outstanding IP (2017) and Multigrade (2018) Teacher in the Division level and Outstanding IP (2018) and Multigrade (2019) Teacher in the Regional level by DepEdBukidnon. He was also recognized as one of the Many Faces of the Teacher by Diwa Learning System, Inc. and the Bato Balani Foundation in 2018.

His programs were also emulated by other last-mile schools like Panayaban Te Simsimen, Last Mile School; Cabuling Elementary School; and Kalagangan Central School. As in Keupiyanan, these schools also struggled with absenteeism and dropouts because of hunger.

Now 34, friends and colleagues would call Mr. Jorta a “visionary” and a “man with purpose”—someone who saw teaching not only as a vocation but as a divine mission. It is why he took up general education from Bukidnon State University, and later obtained his master’s degree in teaching from Valencia Colleges, Inc. in 2017. He is currently finishing his Ph.D. in educational administration at Central Mindanao University.

A Seventh Day Adventist, Mr. Jorta said he was inspired by the missionaries who traveled to far-flung communities to teach the marginalized and impoverished.

“Crossing rivers and climbing mountains, teaching the indigenous children songs and sharing Bible stories, evangelizing [grew] my love for teaching,” he said. “With that experience, I understood how difficult it is to become one.”

Hindi kailanman mapapalitan ang gampanin at halaga nating mga guro. Nananatili ang ‘calling’ na ito sa puso ng mga guro ng bayan. Kami ay kinatawan lamang ng milyonmilyong guro sa bansa na patuloy na gumagawa hindi lamang sa ngalan ng tungkulin bagkus ay sa ngalan ng pagmamahal sa bawat buhay na aming hawak sa aming mga silid, sa bawat komunidad na aming pinaglilingkuran.

Quezon City’s Champion Educator of Filipino Language Instruction

CHRISTINE JOY DR. AGUILA, Ph.D.

Special Science Teacher 5

Philippine Science High School-Main Campus

Quezon City

Field of Specialization: Filipino 14 Years in Service

Coming from a lineage of educators, Dr. Christine Joy DR. Aguila holds a deeprooted zeal for the teaching profession. Her grandparents, parents, and even her siblings were all teachers. It is perhaps no surprise that her inner compass guided her to take the same path.

Already a Ph.D. holder at the age of 33, Dr. Aguila has dedicated nearly half her life to championing the Filipino language and culture in education. Over the years, she has helped innovate the way Filipino is taught to students by integrating technology, music, and the sciences into the subject, and helped train fellow teachers in using the language as a medium of instruction more effectively.

But beyond her achievements, Dr. Aguila is best known among her peers and students as a warmhearted but resolute young lady. She believes that she “can never grow old in teaching…(as) this is the only profession in which I find my true worth, joy, and fulfillment.”

While she has taught before at the School of St. La Salle of Quezon City as well as Manila Central University (MCU), it was at Philippine Science High School (PSHS) that her career hit its stride. Within six years, in 2019, she rose from Special Science Teacher (SST) II to SST V–the highest rank in the PSHS System, a feat only a few teachers can accomplish in such a short time.

A year later, Dr. Aguila managed to get her doctorate in Filipino. For her dissertation, she developed a model to evaluate teachers’ competence in the Filipino language. Under this, the communicative language skills of humanities teachers are assessed by identifying their communication language skills. This is later used to plan an extensive training program that seeks to equip teachers with the necessary language skills to improve their teaching competence. Her model was later used by other humanities teachers on other PSHS campuses to develop future training programs.

The young teacher has also shown great leadership and service in PSHS, having served on various committees on campus. Among others, she was the organizer and member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Cyberkids Camp, a joint initiative between PSHS, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, and the ASEAN. She also served as internal and lead auditor for the school’s yearly ISO certification and as Head of the Information Security and Management Team.

Outside of campus, Dr. Aguila also serves in three (3) organizations that champion the Filipino language: as the Quezon City representative in Banwifil (Bigkis at Alyansa ng mga Nagtataguyod ng Wikang Filipino) and member of PATAS (Pambansang Asosasyon ng mga Tagapagtaguyod ng Salin) and PSLLF Ink. (Pambansang Samahan sa Linggwistika at Literaturang Filipino).

Ever dedicated to the lifelong improvement of her craft, Dr. Aguila has also helped organize and host teacher-training projects that seek to mentor and share best practices with fellow teachers.

She was an active member of “Pisay Teach,” a program for graduating education students that ran from 2010–2015. Today, alongside 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Teacher Dr. Cristina B. Cristobal, Dr. Aguila is involved in running “Buklod Guro,” which provides training programs to madrasa educators in Mindanao.

Moreover, she renders her service and expertise to LAYOG Outreach, a virtual Professional Development Program for Special Education Teachers of Camarines Sur, and other international and local workshops for public school teachers.

Even at 33, Dr. Aguila has already received numerous awards and accolades for her consistent and excellent teaching. She was named Ulirang Guro and a national awardee by the Komisyon sa

Wikang Filipino in 2018 for helping promote and develop the use of the Filipino language in instruction and research, as well as the Sinagtala Teaching Awardee by the Department of Science and Technology in 2020.

Meanwhile, the PSHS also awarded her for her stellar performance and leadership on campus. Among others, she was recognized as the Cleofe M. Bacungan and PSHS Foundation’s Natatanging Guro Awardee in 2021. She was also named the Consistent Outstanding Teaching Performance Awardee and Consistent Perfect Attendance Awardee.

Even so, Dr. Aguila treasures the most unexpected awards the most. She recalled how, when she was still with the MCU, she had received the “Catch the Faculty Doing Good” Award during a program for teachers. Surprised that the university even noticed her carrying out her duties, Dr. Aguila remembered crying on stage while her students cheered her on: “This is our momma!”

While she is still single, Dr. Aguila said she has never felt lonely thanks to her kids–”not by birth but by heart.” But as her students become more and more vulnerable to disinformation, she feels the need to work double time and inculcate in them the value of critical thinking and regard for the untarnished truth.

“I want that whenever they hear Binibining Aguila,’ they will recall not just the Filipino subject content, concepts, and all the other academic enrichments that have shared with them,” she said. “Instead, they will reminisce their journey with me and the experiences that nurture their passion, problem-solving abilities, moral principles, higher level thinking skills, critical thinking, creativity, and love for the country.”

Dr. Aguila obtained her doctorate in Filipino, Master of Art in Teaching Filipino, and bachelor’s degree in secondary education at PNU.

I want that whenever they hear ‘Binibining Aguila,’ they will recall not just the Filipino subject content, concepts, and all the other academic enrichments that I have shared with them. “Instead, they will reminisce their journey with me and the experiences that nurture their passion, problem-solving abilities, moral principles, higher level thinking skills, critical thinking, creativity, and love for the country.

There are very few Filipino scientists currently in the country and even fewer Filipino physicists. Champions and leaders are necessary for nation-building but much more is required in the concerted effort of raising generations of Filipino scientists.

Mindanao’s Physicist-Educator Extraordinaire

MARK

P. CONFESOR, Ph.D.

Even as a child, Dr. Mark Nolan P. Confesor already knew to reach for the stars. He dreamt of being an astronaut, or a priest, or a fighter pilot–jobs that would have taken him to the heavens.

As fate would have it, he was not able to join the seminary and was not able to enlist in the military. So instead, Dr. Confesor entered Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) to become a physicist.

Since then, he’s had a long, storied career in the sciences. As a teacher, he became a mentor to many of the country’s future physicists; as a researcher, he helped craft cuttingedge, national Research and Development (R&D) to strengthen our science culture. As a Mindanaoan, he helped students from minorities and war-torn areas continue their studies through scholarship opportunities.

For Dr. Confesor, now 38, the sciences are not just theoretical work, but the foundation of society itself. That’s why he chose to stay here despite better opportunities abroad.

After graduating magna cum laude from MSU-IIT, he went on to pursue his doctorate in physics at the National Central University (NCU) in Taiwan. There, Dr. Confesor began to understand some of the longstanding issues hounding the local scientific community here. Among others, people outside Metro Manila do not have the same opportunities to study advanced physics and research.

So when he was invited to build a laboratory system for microbubbles research at a prestigious national research center in Taiwan, Dr. Confesor declined the offer to rejoin the MSU-IIT Department of Physics in 2013.

He made swift work of his time in the university: immediately he proposed to overhaul the graduate programs to become more researchoriented, and to build a laboratory and other infrastructure to support R&D.

Spurred by the belief that soft matter and biological physics can affect development in medicine, manufacturing, and defense, Dr. Confesor initiated and designed the Soft Matter and Biological Physics track of MSU-IIT’s BS Physics program, the first of its kind in the country. Moreover, he also worked for the approval of a dual degree program in MS Biological Physics with the NCU. Since then, he has successfully mentored scores of undergraduate and graduate students who have since produced high-impact research for the country.

To complement the program, Dr. Confesor also initiated the construction of a Soft Matter and Biological Physics Laboratory to focus on active matter and nonequilibrium physics research. In the past nine (9) years, the laboratory has been the cradle of dozens of research by both graduate and undergraduate students, as well as collaborations between top universities in Australia, Japan, and India.

It is also in this laboratory that he was able to conduct research for new technologies for lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices and single-drug delivery systems. Simply put, LOC devices are designed to integrate several laboratory functions into a single chip thereby making them more portable. Meanwhile, singledrug delivery systems are utilized to administer drugs to targeted areas of the body and can be beneficial for cancer treatment.

Their work has since led to a novel technology that can power actuator devices for LOCs. The laboratory was also the first to have a paper published in the Physical Review Journal–considered the top journal in the field–for work completely done in the MSU-IIT.

But perhaps Dr. Confesor’s greatest contribution to Philippine science is bringing his expertise to the peripheries, where many students and even teachers lack opportunities to study physics.

Over the years, he has helped organized many scientific meetings, workshops, and trainings in physics education and research for professors, teachers, and students from Tuguegarao to Zamboanga. He’s also advised the government and written modules for the general physics component of the K-12 education program.

As part of the Department of Science and TechnologyScience Education Institute, Dr. Confesor also helped provide scholarships for students in minority groups and conflict-ridden areas. Called the “Bangon Marawi” program, the support allowed

several Maranao students and teachers to get their lives back on track from the devastation of the Marawi siege by giving them scholarships and other aid. As of writing, at least 310 undergraduates and 49 graduate students benefitted from the program.

For his work in the field, Dr. Confesor was awarded Outstanding MSU-IIT Alumni Award in the Field of Science and Nanotechnology in 2013 by the Association of IIT Alumni Foundation Inc. He was also recognized by his alma mater several times over the past years for his exemplary teaching and invaluable contribution to the university. These include the Gawad Tsanselor-Natatanging Guro ng Pamantasan Gawad Dekano-Natatanging Guro ng Taon, and Gawad DekanoNatatanging Guro sa Larangan ng Pananaliksik

Dr. Confesor laments that while there are several talented students in the sciences and math across the country, students in Mindanao enjoy far fewer opportunities compared to those from urban areas. As such, he strongly believes in finding ways to support these scholars and improve the number of researchers in the country.

“All of these give fulfillment and encouragement to do more. Though much is still needed to be done, am assured that if we work together, the country’s future is bright.”

Dr. Confesor is married to an education professor and researcher, also from MSU-IIT.

All of these give fulfillment and encouragement to do more. Though much is still needed to be done, I am assured that if we work together, the country’s future is bright.

Manila’s Pioneering Educator on Pediatric Rheumatology

LEONILA F. DANS, M.D., M.Sc.

Professor 12

University of the Philippines Manila

City of Manila

Fields of Specialization: Pediatric Rheumatology, Clinical Epidemiology, and Evidence-Based Medicine

39 Years in Service

One of my favorite quotes is ‘Teach and you touch the future.’ What could be more exciting and fulfilling than that? When I see my students succeed and excel in their careers, I feel as if they were my achievements as well. I plan to continue doing this as long as I am able. Watch

When Dr. Leonila F. Dans decided to become a doctor 40 years ago, she had no great career ambition apart from a humble desire to serve others.

But this simple desire “gave rise to countless opportunities” for the highly decorated physician, academic, and scholar. Since then, Dr. Dans has spearheaded the country’s first post-graduate program in clinical epidemiology; established standards for clinical practice guideline development under the Department of Health; and became one of the first Asians to specialize in the little-known field of pediatric rheumatology.

Many Filipinos might also recognize her from television, patiently correcting false information and conspiracies about COVID-19. Over the past two years, she’s been the sage voice of the Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against COVID-19, a group of healthcare workers whose statements help shape a national response to the pandemic.

Even so, Dr. Dans, 63, does not see these major achievements as merely her own. “I believe that the country has given me much,” she said. “Just being given the privilege to have an impact on the lives of my students is enough fulfillment for me.”

Born and raised in Bataan province, Dr. Dans became the first doctor in the country to specialize in pediatric rheumatology.

While she was doing her residency training in 1985, Dr. Dans discovered that internists, not pediatricians, were seeing children with rheumatologic disorders. At that time, most people believed that rheumatic diseases only affected the elderly–when in fact they can affect children too, with even more devastating, long-lasting effects.

She decided to spend a year in Canada and train. However, it was such a novel practice then that there were only 100 specialists across the world when she first started in the field in 1988, and none in the Philippines or Southeast Asia.

In 2004, Dr. Dans designed her pediatric rheumatology fellowship training program: a two-year fellowship training offered by the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Medicine. She later became the very first chief of the Pediatric Rheumatology section under the Department of Pediatrics.

Thanks to the program, at least 18 practicing pediatric rheumatologists have followed her path. At the Philippine General Hospital alone, they serve an average of 600 children a year, suffering from arthritis in childhood.

A consummate scholar and researcher, Dr. Dans also helped developed the very first Master of Science (MSc) in Clinical Epidemiology postgraduate program in Southeast Asia. The program seeks to delineate public health from clinical epidemiology which attends to care for individual patients, such as deciding what tests to do and treatments to administer.

Since its establishment in UP Manila in 1992, the MSc program (initially funded by the Rockefeller Foundation) has seen 286 fellows and 30 fellows in the diploma degree. Research productivity in the UP College of Medicine also grew exponentially, from less than 10 in 1992 to nearly 300 a year as of 2021.

Then, as clinical epidemiology boosted research, Dr. Dans began to teach students and researchers on Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (SRMA) methodology. At the time, this was hardly ever done in low- and middle-income countries, which mostly lifted from Western research. This meant there was a dearth of SRMAs on Global South illnesses like malaria, acute diarrhea, and tuberculosis.

As she gained mastery of the methodology, Dr. Dans was invited to give lectures and workshops, and to craft guidelines both here and abroad. She has since published at least six (6) reviews in the prestigious Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the largest and most credible compilation of SRMAs on clinical topics.

Her work on SRMAs also gained national importance during the pandemic, when she supervised more than 90 researchers doing rapid reviews on the diagnosis and management of COVID-19. These were later extensively used and referred to by healthcare workers and policymakers.

Driven by a desire to serve rural and far-flung communities, Dr. Dans adopted the municipality of Samal in Bataan to study and identify possible solutions to the issues plaguing their healthcare system. Through what is now known as the “Philippine Primary Care Studies,” Dr. Dans studied how to strengthen their primary care and also advised the local government on strategies to educate people about the importance of primary care providers.

Dr. Dans’ lifelong career earned her several accolades and recognition both here and abroad. Among others, she was awarded the Outstanding Medical Teacher in the Clinical Sciences by the UP College of Medicine in 2003 for her pioneering work in clinical epidemiology.

She was also named Most Outstanding Basic Science Teacher in 2002 because of her work in the MSc Clinical Epidemiology Program, as well as Outstanding Researcher by the UP Medical Alumni Society in 2011. More recently in 2021, she received the Outstanding Pediatrician in Research Award from the Philippine Pediatric Society.

Dr. Dans earned her degrees in Doctor of Medicine in pediatrics at UP Manila; Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology at McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada; and Bachelor of Science in Zoology at UP Diliman, magna cum laude.

Her professional success, it seems, seeps into her personal life as well. Dr. Dans and her husband, Dr. Antonio Miguel L. Dans, are the second married couple to be named Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos. Dr. Antonio Dans got the award in 2004 for his work as a clinical epidemiologist. They have three (3) loving children.

But despite all these laurels, Dr. Dans would rather be remembered for her students’ achievements. For her, the true measure of success is when her students outdo her: those who become better under her wing.

I believe that the country has given me much. Just being given the privilege to have an impact on the lives of my students is enough fulfillment for me.

As a soldier who has been serving the country for several years now, I have witnessed and encountered all kinds of battle. Out of these encounters, I believe that nobody wins. Why? Because we are all Filipinos, one blood - one nation. We’re not bound to fight against one another. Thus, I make an effort to promote peace.

Central Mindanao’s Combat Ace and Marksman

TECHNICAL SERGEANT

JOEL

L. TUGANAN (INF) PA

First Sergeant Delta Company, 33rd Infantry Battalion, 6th Infantry Division, Philippine Army Radjah Buayan, Maguindanao Fields of Specialization: Scout Ranger and Military Combat Diver

18 Years in Service

Soldiers are known for many things: their courage in combat, patriotism, love for the country, and resilience through grave danger and the worst of circumstances. But those are, in fact, givens. Only a few soldiers could have as much commitment to brotherhood as Technical Sergeant Joel L. Tuganan, who is known by many of his colleagues as a friendly mentor and a peace-loving brother-in-arms.

TSg Tuganan’s storied career is premised on his deep sense of brotherhood with his fellow soldiers, something that was instilled in him from the beginning of his military service. The Armed Forces of the Philippines, after all, is essentially one team bonded by a collective duty to defend the nation.

“Since I was young, I really wanted to be a soldier, like to watch them line up, march and move in unison wearing their uniform. I admired them a lot when I saw them help those in need. told myself that someday I will become one of them,” recalls TSg Tuganan.

Living out this memory, TSg Tuganan has constantly proven that he is dedicated to his fellow soldiers—committed to the point of risking his life for them. In fact, TSg Tuganan did just that when a teammate was grievously wounded in a firefight with a group of insurgents in 2017. He was the designated platoon sergeant or team leader when the combat operation was executed. Amidst a close-range and heavy onslaught of fire, TSg Tuganan bravely rushed towards his teammate’s position and carried him on his back until he reached a safer area where medics were waiting.

He knew he was subjecting himself to danger as an easy-to-spot target for the insurgent snipers. Despite this, his focus was on his injured comrade and because of his brave act, his comrade was saved. TSg Tuganan’s action is a lesson in courage: that a person is at their best when they care about others.

“As a soldier who has seen countless bodies lie in a pool of blood, whether it was a comrade or a foe, my heart aches for them because know their families are waiting for them to come home. Every life is important and shouldn’t be wasted for the sake of war. It is most satisfying and worth risking your life to save someone,” said TSg Tuganan.

In multiple capacities throughout his 18 years of service, TSg Tuganan has exemplified this sense of care and brotherhood by initiating various training programs from 2015 to date. With his vast experience in combat and non-combat missions, TSg Tuganan was able to share his knowledge with other soldiers. The combat skills training he facilitated covered crucial topics such as community support, human rights, rule of law, marksmanship, squad sustainment, and tactical combat casualty care, among others.

TSg Tuganan personally conducted every training program. He made sure to monitor the performance of every person in the training and find creative ways to coach striving soldiers, especially recruits. He trained an average of 400 personnel every year.

Complementing the combat skills training program is the combat rifle marksmanship training focused on developing his peers’ marksmanship skills. To better capture the realities on the ground, TSg Tuganan introduced his innovation to use native materials for this training, such as bamboo poles and nylon ropes.

Further, TSg Tuganan understands that building resilient communities is as important as defeating enemies of the state. In 2014, he assisted in numerous humanitarian assistance missions to aid the victims of super typhoon Yolanda in Leyte province. He also joined the conduct of nine (9) medical missions and a series of force protection operations for both local and multinational civilian and military volunteers conducting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. TSg Tuganan was awarded the Gawad sa Kaunlaran Medal for his contributions in the said efforts.

TSg Tuganan also conducted livelihood trainings for the Civilian Armed Force Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary (CAA). The CAA serves as force multipliers of regular army units and acts as a government presence in remote areas. TSg Tuganan knew that the majority of the CAA personnel only rely on allowances from the government to feed their families. He thus initiated trainings on hollow block making among personnel to empower them to pursue an alternative means of income.

TSg Tuganan participated in numerous combat operations against terrorist groups in Sulu, Lanao Del Sur, Maguindanao, and Sultan Kudarat. His exploits in combat operations earned him eight (8) military medals (with bronze spearhead device), and one (1) military merit medal (with anahaw leaf) for the neutralization of more than 100 enemies and the recovery of more than 20 assorted war materials. In 2017, he was recognized as the “Best Enlisted Personnel” of the 6th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, and in 2018, he was also named the “Philippine Army Enlisted Personnel of the Year” as a platoon sergeant.

TSg Tuganan earned his bachelor’s degree in Management at the CAP College Foundation Inc. in Makati City. He is married and blessed with three (3) children.

As a soldier who has seen countless bodies lie in a pool of blood, whether it was a comrade or a foe, my heart aches for them because I know their families are waiting for them to come home. Every life is important and shouldn’t be wasted for the sake of war. It is most satisfying and worth risking your life to save someone.

This recognition is a great testament to the silent heroes (health support personnel) who are serving our brave heroes (soldiers), that their sacrifices and dedication also count. That we, nurses, doctors, dentists, and other health care professionals in the military service are an essential part of the Team Army/AFP — that just like our brave brothers-in-arms (warfighters), we are willing to put our own lives on the line for our countrymen. We do so not by neutralizing our enemies but in making sure our military personnel as well as civilian populace can get home alive to their families in times of conflict and disaster.

Philippine Army’s Health Service Innovator

COLONEL

MARIA VICTORIA P. JUAN NC (GSC)

Army Chief Nurse Office of the Army Chief Nurse Headquarters Philippine Army

Taguig City

Field of Specialization: Military Nursing 31 Years in Service

As army troops fought to stave off a group of communist rebels in the war-torn hinterlands of Jolo and Basilan in Mindanao, Colonel Maria Victoria P. Juan worked non-stop amidst the doom and devastation, tending to critically wounded and distressed soldiers sprawled on the pavement of Southcom Hospital in Zamboanga City. For Col. Juan, this was it: the moment that defined her career as an army nurse.

“I had a long, arduous journey of finding my true purpose in life and finding out whether military nursing life is truly my calling. But I had my ‘aha’ moment 11 years into being a nurse when I was assigned at Southcom Hospital and exposed to a regular influx of battle casualties almost every week,” Col. Juan said.

She was inspired by the persistence of the soldiers she treated— dirty, hungry, exhausted men inflicted with physical and psychological injuries but still willing to go back to the battle zone to defend the country and innocent civilians from the enemies.

“It is because of these brave, noble men that I found the purpose and the conviction to stay in the service as an army nurse,” she said.

While it took her some time to embrace military nursing as her calling, she made sure to excel at it. And for 31 years, both on and off the combat field, her contributions to the military health service have been nothing short of outstanding. As a public health servant, she advocates for the welfare of her patients and clientele. Her goal is not to help them simply survive, but to thrive.

Among Col. Juan’s legacy contributions to the service is the creation of the Health Service Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in 2017. Her success in unifying the administration and operations of all health services through the Armed Forces of the Philippines Health Service Command (AFPHSC) was a visionary feat that broke obstinate barriers in such a highly complex organization as the military.

As the main writer and planner of this innovation, she competently led the technical working group in formulating the structure and operational policies of the new unit, working tirelessly to ensure its seamless implementation. The AFPHSC now serves as the umbrella unit of all medical, dental, and veterinary treatment facilities located across the country. To date, AFPHSC has provided quality health care to over 650,000 eligible beneficiaries including active AFP military personnel and their family members.

Over the span of her work, Col. Juan has built an innovationfocused nursing career. She applies this same principle in capacity-building and people-centered development. She has initiated training programs to elevate standards and bridge capability gaps among military personnel.

Her most innovative training program to date is the pioneering air evacuation and critical care training program for non-Philippine Air Force medical personnel which became a historic practice that has been replicated across different units of the AFP. Enhancing the aeromedical evacuation capability has significantly improved the chances of survival of injured soldiers and civilians.

Another training program implemented under her leadership is the Tactical Combat Casualty Care Training Program for all Soldiers and Combat Lifesavers. This program has standardized the lifesaving skills of all army soldiers—equipping them with the necessary tools and skillsets in prehospital care.

Meanwhile, to enhance the capacity of her fellow healthcare professionals, she enhanced the Basic Operating Room (OR) Nurse Training Program for army nurses. This came about when Col. Juan saw a scarcity of OR-trained nurses in the AFP. She initiated the conduct of a three-month-long program and was able to train a good number of nurses that can be deployed to the areas where surgical interventions are required.

Driven by her principle that a soldier cannot perform well in duty without proper physical and psychological health, Col. Juan initiated programs on combat health readiness, lifestyle modification, combat casualty care, and psychosocial awareness for army soldiers. The trainings were helpful in not only developing the care management skills of soldiers but also empowering each one to lead better lifestyles and develop healthy coping mechanisms in the face of trauma.

Amidst the rise of COVID-19 cases, Col. Juan utilized her experience in national emergencies and disaster response to develop programs that curb the spread of the pandemic.

She was instrumental in the establishment of the Enderun Mega Swabbing Center, the wellness center of the Philippine Army, and the manning of various isolation facilities.

An advocate of play, Col. Juan initiated a medical and psychological health support program for internally displaced children who went through the traumas of the infamous Zamboanga City crisis in 2013. She led a nursing team and collaborated with dozens of organizational partners to put up a creative array of free, hands-on play and art activities for more than a hundred youth in distress.

Col. Juan, 53, is currently the Chief Nurse of the Philippine Army. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from St. Paul College. She also earned her Master of Arts in Nursing from St. Paul University as well as Master of Arts in Management, major in Hospital Administration, from the Philippine Christian University.

Competently juggling multiple aspects of care and staying on top of it all, Col. Juan is a mother of two (2) and a wife to a retired lieutenant commander.

It is because of these brave, noble men that I found the purpose and the conviction to stay in the service as an army nurse.

My ultimate quest for peace for our country is a by-product of the thunderous season of my life. That seemingly hopeless season showed me that service resides in everyone’s heart. As a result, an unexplainable fire within me awakens, empowering me to give back that kindness and pay it forward. Thus, Football for Peace Movement was born. I want to be recalled as somebody who used goals in place of guns and balls instead of bullets, winning peace instead of winning wars, and converting terrorism to tourism.

Philippine Marine Corps’ Visionary Warrior for Peace

COLONEL STEPHEN L. CABANLET PN (M)

Assistant Chief Unified Command Staff for Operations, U3 Western Command, Camp Gen. Artemio Ricarte

Puerto Princesa, Palawan Field of Specialization: Marine Infantry 29 Years in Service

From the moment he was born, Colonel Stephen L. Cabanlet already had big shoes to fill. He was, after all, the legacy of his military father: raised in a military home, and honed to be a man of unerring competence and character.

Twenty-nine (29) years into the military service, Col. Cabanlet has blazed trails and created an identity for himself as a proactive Marine Corps game-changer, courageously dismantling age-old systems while establishing new programs that promote peace and prosperity in war-stricken Sulu Island and neighboring towns.

“The changes currently going on in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are a thing to look forward to. To be part of this phase of the history of AFP is the best fulfillment I will ever experience while in the service and perhaps beyond, as this means I am part of the creation of a stronger military,” said Col. Cabanlet.

Col. Cabanlet’s experience as a young lieutenant stationed in the island provinces of Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Zamboanga in the 2000s allowed him to witness first-hand the systemic issues that deter the goal of achieving peace and development in these areas. His observations have solidified his belief that there will be no peace without development, in as much as there will be no development without peace and utter respect for human rights. This belief ultimately formed the foundation of the many innovative programs he has conceptualized over the years, indelibly forging community ties across cultures, religions, and alliances.

The Football for Peace, which he started in Luuk, Sulu in October 2011, is an example of such a program. The idea behind this is straightforward: it makes use of football to engender a change of attitude among the young and influence them to see the government as allies in their pursuit of liberty and happiness. Due to the program’s effectiveness, other units of the AFP quickly followed suit, adopting the Football for Peace to build community camaraderie and confidence in the military. Further, it was internationally recognized in the Asian Regional Forum on Violent Extremism in 2017, when the European Union itself acknowledged that Col. Cabanlet’s sports is an extremely useful instrument for both the prevention of and the countering of violent extremism, particularly in volatile areas.

In 2017, his leadership as the battalion commander of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-1 in Sulu was instrumental to the voluntary surrender of some members of the notorious Abu Sayyaf Group that had its stronghold in the province for decades. Col. Cabanlet knew that convincing the insurgents to leave the armed struggle cannot be achieved through brute force and full-on combat, but by empowering them with another chance to transform their lives and reintegrate back into society. His focus on non-aggressive peace-building has left a strong positive impression on community members and helped create relationships that cut across the lines of conflict.

Another conflict plaguing Sulu was the age-old clan war or “rido” between the people of Pata Harap and Pata Likud that impeded the island’s progress. The rido started in 1969 and has since caused deaths on both sides of the clan, including innocent civilians. Before Col. Cabanlet’s leadership, many battalion commanders assigned to the area attempted to achieve a truce between the clans, yet peace was still elusive. In 2018, through the surrender of a clan member who provided crucial intelligence information, Col. Cabanlet successfully carried out the recovery of all weapons of the warring families. This caused the cessation of the rido and eventually started the long overdue peace agreement between the clans.

Another game-changing accomplishment of Col. Cabanlet is the rehabilitation of the Pata Island in Sulu, where the infamous Pata Massacre occurred in 1981, in which 118 army soldiers and an estimated 3,000 civilians were killed. To this day, the massacre holds the record for having the highest number of AFP casualties in a day, as well as the highest number of civilian deaths and the worst destruction of property in the succeeding days of the conflict.

After 36 years, Col. Cabanlet was able to make the reconstruction of the Pata town finally happen by coordinating with the local government and different national agencies. Because of his persistence, the development of infrastructure in the town flourished, including the community mosque, health center, daycare centers, and educational facilities. He also brought essential government services to the island, which had been lacking for decades.

At 48, Col. Cabanlet has already achieved much victory and progress in curbing the threat of war in Sulu, a region that has been plagued by insurgency and lawlessness for decades.

Col. Cabanlet is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1996. He has a Master of Arts in Education major in Physical Education from the University of the Cordilleras. In 2021, he also earned a Master’s in International Relations from Deakin University in Australia.

Despite his accomplishments, Col. Cabanlet remains humble, steadfast, and fueled by his life-long mission to glorify God through his service. He is married to a fighter of a woman and the couple has three (3) children.

The changes currently going on in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are a thing to look forward to.

To be part of this phase of the history of AFP is the best fulfillment I will ever experience while in the service and perhaps beyond, as this means I am part of the creation of a stronger military.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group’s Crime-Busting Intelligence Operative

POLICE EXECUTIVE MASTER SERGEANT ROGELIO A. RODRIGUEZ, JR.

Investigator

Anti-Fraud and Commercial Crimes Unit, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group

Camp BGen Rafael T. Crame, Quezon City Fields of Specialization: Investigation & Intelligence

23 Years in Service

I knew from a very young age that police work would be the career that I wanted to pursue. It is meant for those who are truly passionate to help others. I grew up in Tondo, Manila, and growing up, I saw many injustices and understood the emotional distress that vulnerable and defenseless people experience. Since then, I’ve always wanted to become a police officer and help others in dangerous situations. It is a great honor to be a police officer not for personal or financial gain or recognition but for the feeling of fulfillment. Watch

Ask the colleagues of Police Executive Master Sergeant Rogelio A. Rodriguez, Jr. to describe him in one word, and they would immediately tell you he is “malupit” (stern). In a lot of ways, he is indeed stern, especially when it comes to espousing the rule of law. He put convicted criminals behind bars notwithstanding the circumstances they are in. PEMS Rodriguez grants no favor or pardon to no one: proof of his unquestionable integrity and no-nonsense approach to law enforcement.

Growing up in Tondo, Manila, PEMS Rodriguez knew from a young age that he wanted it to be his life’s mission to safeguard communities from criminal threats. Twenty-three (23) years after, he has not only fulfilled his childhood dream but has contributed significant innovations in the line of duty. PEMS Rodriguez’s portfolio of accomplishments speaks of the daring of police operations and the thoughtful craft of intelligence work.

His humble beginnings can be traced back to his designation as a rookie member of the Regional Intelligence Special Operations Office of the National Capital Region Police Office in 1998. There, he learned crucial investigation skills that eventually helped him achieve some of his best works as a police intelligence expert.

PEMS Rodriguez’s break happened in 2001 when he and his team successfully conducted a high-stakes, clandestine operation that led to the arrest of an international terrorist planning to stage a bomb attack on the Vietnamese embassy in Manila. The terrorist was wanted in Thailand for a failed bombing of the Vietnamese embassy in Bangkok in 2001, as well as for his involvement in the 2000 arson attack on the Vietnamese embassy in London.

As a case investigator and intelligence operative, PEMS Rodriguez collected and analyzed key information that was crucial in locating the terrorist’s hideout before the planned attack,

resulting in the arrest of the terrorist and seizure of dangerous bomb materials.

PEMS Rodriguez’s expertise in intelligence work also proved valuable as an anti-illegal drugs tactic. In 2003, he was assigned to work for the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force. In this assignment, he generated a databank of records of anti-drug arrests and raids across all police stations and law enforcement agencies. He studied the chemicals and equipment needed by drug syndicates in maintaining clandestine laboratories and then identified the local suppliers of their raw materials.

Through intelligence gathering, PEMS Rodriguez was able to connect the dots and identify the locations of the drug laboratories, leading to the dismantling of said illegal facilities and the arrest of drug lords. The accomplishments had netted the biggest combined seizure of dangerous drugs and

paraphernalia worth PhP 12.7 billion in the entire history of the government’s fight against illegal drugs. To share this best practice with others, PEMS Rodriguez wrote a series of articles regarding the ways of drug syndicates and how to counteract them. His articles were published in a book authored by a retired police officer, titled “Black Lies Matter: Progressive Evolution of Clandestine Shabu Laboratory in the Philippines,” which was disseminated to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the PNP Drug Enforcement Group, and various international organizations.

In 2006, a surge of consecutive carnapping incidents happened in Quezon City. PEMS Rodriguez facilitated a number of seminars in different private establishments in the city to empower the public to be more vigilant and educate them on the modus operandi of property criminals. With a heightened awareness and public vigilance, carnapping incidents have significantly decreased to 28 percent in just a year.

In 2014, as part of the PNP’s Oplan Lambat-Sibat program launched to reduce crimes in NCR, PEMS Rodriguez applied the same results-oriented ethos in the intelligence operation that resulted in the arrest of numerous most wanted criminals of the region. He received two (2) medals—Medalya ng Kagalingan and Medalya ng Paglilingkod Laban sa Kriminalidad—for these arrests.

In 2021, PEMS Rodriguez was detailed with the Economic Intelligence Sub-Task Group on Food Security of the InterAgency Task Force. As an intelligence operative, his role was to gather information to assess the conditions of necessities and prime commodities and other essential goods—all to address challenges to food security during the pandemic. It was during this stint that he learned and raised the issue of smuggling, particularly of agricultural products. PEMS Rodriguez then formulated a method that helped the Sub-Task Group to seize smuggled products outside the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Customs. He also shared this method during conferences comprised of audiences from the Food Safety Regulatory Agencies of the Department of Agriculture.

“My great fulfillment is the belief that whenever arrest a murderer or other law violator and put them behind bars, I also remove them from the streets and save their-would-be victims. The belief that my accomplishments can save many lives gives me the feeling of fulfillment,” said PEMS Rodriguez.

PEMS Rodriguez is a BS Criminology graduate of the Philippine College of Criminology in Quiapo, Manila. His valuable expertise in intelligence operations is the fruit of years of hard work and dedication to the craft. At 52, he already holds a legacy worth emulating—one faithfully supported by his wife and two (2) children.

My great fulfillment is the belief that whenever I arrest a murderer or other law violator and put them behind bars, I also remove them from the streets and save their-would-be victims. The belief that my accomplishments can save many lives gives me the feeling of fulfillment.

Being a police officer was not in my plans growing up. But God has his way of making things happen. As God redirected my life at each step, he also changed my heart. My love for public service is anchored in my poem entitled “Sinumpaang Tungkulin” (Sworn Duty): to serve the Lord by serving and protecting the people. I know that in my own little way, I can help people rebuild their trust and respect for the men in uniform and change their wrong perception about us.

Jalajala, Rizal’s Chief Protector and Community Relations Advocate

POLICE CAPTAIN

ROSALINO E. PANLAQUI

Chief of Police

Jalajala Municipal Police Station

Jalajala, Rizal

Field of Specialization: Community Relations

16 Years in Service

Police Captain Rosalino E. Panlaqui has spent 16 years in the police force, rising through the ranks to work on some of the best-known policing innovations in the humble towns of Noveleta in Cavite and Jalajala in Rizal province. For PCPT Panlaqui, being in the service still feels surreal: he never dreamed of becoming a cop. As a child, he recalls drawing back in fear whenever he saw men in uniform patrolling the streets, driven largely by what he saw daily in the news. Today, PCPT Panlaqui harnesses the memory of his younger self to turn things around and polish the force’s public image.

Aspiring to be the “people’s cop,” PCPT Panlaqui knows that gaining the trust of the people in the police force is best achieved through holistic engagements. Hence, with his leadership, the Noveleta and Jalajala police stations have institutionalized programs that seek to empower citizens to lead better lives and work hand-in-hand with the police to achieve the collective goal of maintaining peace and order in the area.

“I stayed in the PNP despite all the criticisms being thrown at us because this is where my heart says I belong. keep on reminding myself the reason why chose to don the uniform. I am inspired to be a police officer who embodies a kind of policing that is felt by the people,” said PCPT Panlaqui.

Back when he was the Chief of Police of Noveleta in Cavite, PCPT Panlaqui introduced the “Mata sa Bangketa” program. As the name suggests, it encourages residents to be the “eye” (mata) “on the sidelines” (sa bangketa)—eyes that could provide crucial, real-time information on what is happening, especially on suspicious activities, amid the bustle of notorious city streets where crimes abound.

The program intends to put the most wanted criminals behind bars and address street crimes that persist in Noveleta by engaging vendors, barkers, and other persons that typically work in these areas. Having established rapport with these citizens, PCPT Panlaqui knows that they have the same aspiration as the police: to continue working at their noble jobs day and night, without fearing for the safety of their families at home.

Through the police’s constant communication with the street “eyes,” PCPT Panlaqui and his team were able to arrest the most wanted criminals in the municipality of Noveleta. Offended parties were hence given justice, while residents felt more at peace living in the town.

At the height of the pandemic in 2020, PCPT Panlaqui—after having been installed as the new Chief of Police of Jalajala— immediately initiated his station’s COVID-19 Response Patrol to enforce strict health protocols. They did so through an intensive 24/7 information drive that resulted in the strengthened compliance of residents. This is evidenced by the fact that the Municipality of Jalajala has recorded the least number of COVID-19 infections in the entire Province of Rizal.

To protect his personnel from contracting the virus, PCPT Panlaqui introduced the utilization of portable barriers and enforced strict protocols at police checkpoints, ensuring additional safety measures while officers are on duty. None of his personnel got infected during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, PCPT Panlaqui was able to form a closer relationship between the police and the community and set a better public image. He introduced the “Pandesal at Kape Handog ni Hepe” program (Bread and Coffee Offered by the Chief of Police), which enables the delivery and serving of bread and coffee to those who go to work early in the morning such as farmers, fisherfolks, street vendors, security guards, tricycle and jeepney drivers, and construction workers, among others. This allowed residents to have personal encounters and light conversations with the officers, thus humanizing the police force.

Taking to heart the saying, which goes “it takes a village to raise a child,” PCPT Panlaqui initiated the Foster a Child: Jalajala MPS Scholarship Program. This is a collaboration among his fellow police officers, LGU, and various stakeholders to assist four (4) underprivileged children, thereby helping them take steps towards a brighter future.

PCPT Panlaqui also introduced a livelihood training and skills development program for Persons Under Police Custody (PUPC) in their station. The program, called “Marangal na Hanap-Buhay Tungo sa Pagbabagong Buhay” (Noble Livelihoods towards Better Lives) was made possible through the station’s partnership with the local government unit and leaders of private establishments. This empowered the PUPCs to improve their skills and earn a living for their families while detained.

Recognized for his innovations and proactive policing, PCPT Panlaqui was recently named the Pulis Magiting and Outstanding Junior Officer for 2022 in the field of Community Relations, Regional Level.

PCPT Panlaqui is a graduate of Masters in Public Administration from Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology. He holds a BS Business Management degree from Cavite State University alongside his Criminology degree from De La Salle University Dasmariñas. He is a loving husband and a supportive father to his three (3) children.

I stayed in the PNP despite all the criticisms being thrown at us because this is where my heart says I belong. I keep on reminding myself the reason why I chose to don the uniform. I am inspired to be a police officer who embodies a kind of policing that is felt by the people.

I realized that the battle to achieve peace doesn’t always have to be in flesh and blood. From a tactical operator mindset, I shifted to focus on services that cultivate a relationship with the community. Together with my comrades, we have chosen to sustain initiatives to fight for the dreams of out-of-school youth, help improve the lives of people with disabilities and their families, and offer hope to the communities, because the PNP is convinced that the chief end of genuine police service is peace. Through this, I hope to humbly embody “Beyond Excellence.”

PNP Special Action Force’s Stalwart of Law and Public Safety

POLICE COLONEL

LAMBERT A. SUERTE

Battalion Commander

Regional Mobile Force Battalion

National Capital Region Police Office

Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City

Field of Specialization: Operations

26 Years in Service

The work of a police officer is fundamentally about keeping people and communities safe. To achieve this, what is required is neither solely law enforcement nor community engagement. Rather, policing strategies must involve a kind of compassion that puts others’ needs above one’s own. This is the mission that permeates Police Colonel Lambert A. Suerte’s service as a police officer. Every day, he dons his badge and uniform with the same energy as he first put them on 27 years ago—spurred by the same ethos, professionalism, and discipline to enforce the law, and leave a greater community impact than ever before.

Throughout his career, PCOL Suerte has led various combat and intelligence-based operations that curbed the threat of communist insurgents and other rebellious groups in multiple areas across the Philippines. Among these is the successful encounter with a notorious terrorist group in Laguna province in 2020, leading to the surrender of the group’s leaders.

Another accomplishment under PCOL Suerte’s belt is his skillful negotiation meetings with communist personalities in CALABARZON and NCR in 2020. This series of negotiation meetings enabled more than a hundred rebels to lay their weapons down and go back to the government fold.

“Staying in this profession has always been my choice despite some adversities that I went through. I must admit that there came a point in my career when I almost gave up, but I am glad was able to navigate through that career crisis with fervent prayers. As my years in the service ascend, I realize that those adversities have defined me to become a better person and as a public servant,” said PCOL Suerte.

Prior to taking the helm of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), PCOL Suerte’s previous stint as a battle-tested hero has also stamped his legacy within the service.

In 2017, PCOL Suerte served at the frontlines of the Marawi siege as the commanding officer of the Rapid Deployment Battalion under Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF). PCOL Suerte led his 108 men and made difficult decisions to hold the fort and win the fight while ensuring no one gets

left behind. Because of his leadership, all 108 personnel returned home alive after the war. PCOL Suerte was honored by thenpresident Rodrigo Roa Duterte for his bravery in leading the SAF and protecting the citizens of Marawi during what is considered the longest urban battle in the country’s modern history.

A proud native of Bokod, Benguet, PCOL Suerte harnesses a grassroots approach to initiating programs that serve the marginalized. His Ibaloi roots have allowed him to take off the badge in a sense: going door to door, person to person, to truly humanize the police force.

One of his legacy programs befitting his citizen-centered approach to policing is the Gulong ng Suerte project which seeks to provide mobility devices for persons with disabilities (PWD). Launched initially in Laguna in 2019, the project has now grown nationwide with over 180 brand new wheelchairs given to PWDs from the poorest sectors of such regions as the Cordillera Administrative Region, CALABARZON, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and CARAGA.

Meanwhile, in 2020, PCOL Suerte launched Project D.A.N.A.O— which stands for Damhin at Namnamin ang Oportunidad which provides free education to out-of-school youths who are

vulnerable to insurgent recruitment in select areas of Rizal, Laguna, and Quezon Province. The project currently supports the education, including allowances, of 12 first-generation students coming from indigent families.

As the incumbent battalion commander of the NCRPO’s RMFB, PCOL Suerte introduced the Adopt-a-Community program, which seeks to improve the living conditions of the people in Sitio Bakal in Quezon City and Sitio Sidling in Rizal. Through livelihood skills training and the delivery of basic services, community residents have since been empowered to improve their lives and have restored their confidence in the police.

PCOL Suerte was recognized at regional and national levels for his dedication to the service. In 2014, he was awarded by former President Benigno Aquino III for his outstanding individual achievement in the field of police operations.

PCOL Suerte was also recognized by the Police Regional Office-Cordillera for his outstanding performance of duty in police operations in 2013. He was further given the Leadership Award, which is the highest award the province of Benguet confers to its outstanding sons and daughters.

Staying in this profession has always been my choice despite some adversities that I went through. I must admit that there came a point in my career when I almost gave up, but I am glad I was able to navigate through that career crisis with fervent prayers. As my years in the service ascend, I realize that those adversities have defined me to become a better person and as a public servant.

PCOL Suerte earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminology at the University of Baguio. He is also a graduate of the PNP Academy Class of 1998. In 2007, he earned his Master’s in Public Administration from the National College of Business and Arts in Quezon City.

A husband and father to four (4) children, PCOL Suerte is inspired by the life of his late grandfather, who was a World War II veteran. Witnessing how his grandfather tried to be the best father to his children and a husband to his grandmother, he, too, strives hard to juggle the call of police service with his responsibilities as a family man.

Final Board of Judges

Chairperson Sen. Grace Poe-Llamanzares Senate of the Philippines

Member Frederick D. Go President & CEO, Robinsons Land Corp.

Member Benjamin V. Ramos President, Nine Media Corp/CNN Philippines

Member Ma. Cecilia L. Alcantara President, Coca-cola Foundation Philippines

Member Agapito “Joe” R. Zaldarriaga Chairman, International Association of Business Communicators Philippines

Co-chairperson Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando Supreme Court of the Philippines

Board of Assessors

AWARD FOR TEACHERS

ELEMENTARY

AWARD FOR SOLDIERS

Chairperson John Arnold S. Siena Director IV, National Educators’ Academy of the Philippines Department of Education

SECONDARY

Member Winona Y. Diola Education Technology Coordinator De La Salle Santiago Zobel School

Member Rejie F. Palmos, Ph.D., RGC, LPT Coordinator, Center for Peace Education West Visayas State University

Chairperson Ador R. Torneo, Ph.D. Full Professor, Department of Political Science; Director, Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance, De La Salle University Manila

Member Rommel V. Fuerte National Director World Vision Development Foundation, Inc.

AWARD FOR POLICE OFFICERS

Member Joanna Ongpin-Duarte Senior Director, Social Development Ayala Foundation, Inc.

POLICE NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS & FIELD-GRADE POLICE COMMISSIONED OFFICERS

Chairperson Diosdado M. San Antonio, Ph.D., CESO III

Undersecretary, Curriculum and Instruction

Department of Education

HIGHER EDUCATION

Chairperson Aldrin A. Darilag, Ph.D., RMT, RN Commissioner Commission on Higher Education

Member Josette T. Biyo, Ph.D. Director, Science Education Institute

Department of Science and Technology

Member Mark Anthony J. Torres, Ph.D. Chairperson, Committee on Linkages and Extension, Mindanao Center for Resiliency Mindanao State UniversityIligan Institute of Technology

Chairperson Undersecretary Gilberto D.C. Cruz Permanent Member Dangerous Drugs Board

Member Reginald M. Andal Executive Director Manila Water Foundation, Inc.

SENIOR POLICE COMMISSIONED OFFICERS

Member Dr. Maria Fe Villamejor-Mendoza Professor and Former Dean UP National College of Public Adminstration and Governance

Member Esperanza C. Cabrera, Ph.D. Professor 10 and University Fellow De La Salle University Manila

Member Rhodora V. Azanza, Ph.D. President National Academy of Science and Technology

Member Hilda C. Montano, Ed.D. Professor 3 College of Education West Visayas State University

Chairperson Odilon L. Pasaraba, CESO III Assistant Secretary for Special ConcernsLocal Government Sector Department of the Interior and Local Government

Member PMGEN Cedrick G. Train (Ret.) Chief National Commissioner Boy Scouts of the Philippines

Member Romeo S. Magsalos, Ph.D. Vice President for Academics, Philippine Public Safety College Dean, National Police College

Search Highlights

Officers & Staff

Aniceto M. Sobrepeña, President

Philip Francisco U. Dy, Executive Vice President

Nicanor L. Torres, Jr., Executive Director

Joyce Dyan A. Tee, Assistant Executive Director

Excellence Awards Unit

Kenny Ralph S. Fernando

Kristal T. Batino

Reginald H. Baticulon

Corporate Communications Unit

Christopher L. Bugaoan

Almira Joyce V. Valencia

Laarnie T. Luna

Paul John V. Domalaon

Warlou Joyce S. Antonio

Special thanks to the following:

Photographer and Videographer:

Luisito “Chito” Cleofas (facebook.com/ChitoCleofasPhotography)

Team MMPI (facebook.com/team.mmpi)

Events: Aika Events and Productions (facebook.com/aikaeventsph)

Souvenir Program Designer: OP Communications, Inc.

Writers: Maria Nicole Q. Cortez and Krixia Zhienelle Amoranto Subingsubing

The Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) was established on January 8, 1979 by Dr. George S.K. Ty, 16 years after he founded the Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company (Metrobank). As the corporate social responsibility arm of the Metrobank Group, MBFI implements programs that recognize excellence in education, military, 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 through relief and rehabilitation efforts.

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.