The city council on Monday commended through a resolution the five awardees of this year’s search for Outstanding Citizens of Baguio City.
Institutionalized since 1998 under Ordinance 040 as a continuing city program, the search recognizes and honors individuals and groups who excelled in different fields of endeavor or exhibited exceptional qualities of a citizen which brought prestige to the city and inspiration for others to pursue excellence. It is the highest award being given by the city to its constituents.
This year’s outstanding citizens are from the fields of community service, business, culture and the arts, and professional service. They are Maria Victoria Abubo Bugasto and Dr. Alberto Pengdaden Atiwag Jr. for community service; Atty. Dexter Duclan Diwas and Dr. Elizabeth Javarata Batino for professional service; and Fernando So Tiong for business.
The resolution salutes them for their excellence and unwavering voluntary works and unselfish service in their respective fields that impacted better changes and have been benefiting the people and the city.
The selection was made through efforts of the search committee chaired by Mayor Benjamin Magalong and members of screening committee from the Socob currently chaired by Dr. Elma Donaal.
One of the highlights in the program for the 112thCharter Day celebration on Sept.1, the awarding to be held at the Baguio Convention Center will be witnessed by the pubic virtually due to the pandemic.
Commended in separate resolutions are individuals whose excellence and exceptional achievements, skills, and talents have contributed and keep the city’s honor and prestige as among the best cities locally and internationally to visit, study, work, for training and recreation, and most especially to live in.
Among these phenomenal epitomes of discipline, success, and inspiration are Robert Nelson “Toby” Leung of the Philippine Science High School-Cordillera for bagging the gold medal as overall best speaker in the World Schools Debating Championship 2021.He also graduated from Senior High School with the highest general weighted average of 1.03 in the entire Philippine Science High school system for school year 2020-2021.
Also recognized are Jennel Raven Verzosa Dytuco of the Saint Louis University for ranking seventh out of 274 examiness in the August 2021 Mining Engineer Licensure Examination with average rating of 87.15 percent;
Zyrhll Ann Perez, Aneeza Leann Gapuz, and Shanna Mae Baltazar of the Baguio City National School who won in respective categories in the National Campus Press Olympiad 2021. Perez won first place in feature writing, Gapuz got the third place in kartong editorial, and Baltazar as eighth placer under pag-uulo at pagwawasto ng balita category;
Vernone Bustarde from the Pines City National High School who was awarded sixth place in the NCPO 2021 under the sports writing category – high school to first year college bracket; and
The Baguio City Jail-Male Dormitory of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, for its award as the Best City Jail Unit of the Year and Jail Supt. Mary Ann Ollaging-Tresmanio for being the Best City Jail Warden during the 30th Regional Anniversary of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Cordillera.
Other awardees are Lt/ Col. Jonathan Pablito and PAF Technical Sergeant Jake Belino of Baguio City for being among the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos. They will receive from the foundation P1 million each, a golden medallion and “The Flame” trophy in a conferment ceremony on Sept, 2 during Metrobank’s 59th anniversary celebration;
John Patrick P. Trinidad, who represented the Philippines in the final round of the Asian Marching Band Virtual Championship held last Dec. 29, 2020. He also won second place in the Bakood Festival 2020: Musico Competition 2020 under the individual woodwinds-saxophone-scholastic class held at Bacoor City; and
Baguio student-athletes Nesthy Alcayde Petecio and Carlo Cano Paalam for winning medals during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Petecio, silver medalist in the women’s 54-57 kg. featherweight division was a graduate of Associate of Arts in Hotel and Restaurant Management in 2020 at the University of Baguio-School of International Hospitality and Tourism Management, while Paalam who is also a silver medalist in the men’s 48-52kg. division, also studied at UB from 2017 to 2018 until he went on official leave for his training.
Happy Baguio Day to all!
April 25, 2024
