Her Excellency Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo graced as Guest of Honor during the awarding of JCI Philippines The Outstanding Young Men Award of 2009 in Malacanang Palace .
The TOYM award is widely recognized as the country’s most prestigious recognition for young men & women whose selfless dedication to their field resulted to significant contributions to the country and our countrymen.
This year, six distinguished young Filipinos made it to the final cut of this year’s JCI search. As announced by former Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban, Chairman of the 2009 TOYM Board of Judges with JCI Philippines National President Fulbert C. Woo and 2009 TOYM Search Chair Glenn B. Santos, the formal Awards Ceremony was held at the Rizal Hall, Malacanang Palace last December 8, 2009 with no less than Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was the Guest of Honor.
The 2009 members of the Board of Judges are Philhealth President Dr. Reynaldo Aquino, Ayala Foundation President Victoria Garchitorena, Development Academy of the Philippines Chairman Antonio Kalaw, De La Salle University President and Chancellor Bro. Armin Luistro, Philippine Daily Inquirer Editor in Chief Leticia Jimenez-Magsanoc, Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo and the Chairman, Former Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban.
This year’s honorees has joined the elite circle of 418 awardees since its inception in 1959, are Mary Joy Canon-Abaquin for Education; Jose Roberto Alday Alampay for Democracy and Human Rights Advocacy; Ma. Anthonette Velasco-Allones for Career Executive Service; Raymund Joseph Teves Laurel for Arts/Fashion Design; Eliseo Lucero Prisno for Maritime Health; and Maria Victoria Morales-Reyno for Broadcast Journalism.
This year’s nominees were screened by a panel of former TOYM Awardees headed by Atty. Theodore Te (TOYM 2002 – Law) with members: Dr. Rafael Consunji (TOYM 2006 -Medicine/Community Service), Dr. Eva Cutiongco-Dela Paz (TOYM 2002 – Medical Genetics), Dr. Luis Gatmaitan (TOYM 2003 - Literature), Bernido Liu (TOYM 2001 – Business and Entrepreneurship), Atty. Ma. Paz Luna (TOYM 2004 – Environmental Law) and Mayor Tobias Reynald Tiangco (TOYM 2007 – Community Service).
The TOYM is an annual project of the Junior Chamber International Philippines (Philippine Jaycees). This year’s search is made possible by the TOYM Foundation, Gerry Roxas Foundation, Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), Infinite Community Integrated Development Support (ICIDS), Manila Bulletin, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC).
The TOYM 2009 Search Working Committee is chaired by JCI Sen. Glenn B. Santos, JCI Mem. Josel N. Gaston, JCI Sen. Olivialynn U. Dizon, JCI Sen. Rosalind T. Ngo, JCI Sen. Jeannette M. De Vera, JCI Mem. Amabella Nabablit, JCI Sen. Barbara P. Cabo, JCI Mem. Leonardo Mabaquio, JCI Mem. Beata Frances Jarantilla. Adviser JCI Sen. Larry Cruz and JCI Sen. Reginald Yu.
THE OUTSTANDING YOUNG MEN OF 2009
Mary Joy Canon-Abaquin for Education. For the past 18 years, Mary Joy Canon-Abaquin has dedicated her life to the education of the Filipino Youth. An alarmed that education in the country has sunk to its lowest level and should be a primary concern. One of the systematic problems is outdated teaching strategies. Most of Philippine schools are rooted in a traditional system of teacher-centered education where knowledge is reduced to memorizing from a textbook. If our youth are to be the hope of the nation, Joy Abaquin believed pioneering revolutionary ideas in education area necessary to help the Filipino child better prepared for the demands of the 21st century and global citizenship, thus, she brought into the Philippines the educational framework of Multiple Intelligence. Joy Abaquin advocates for changes in several ways. First, she pioneered the first Multiple Intelligance Educational Institution, serving preschool to high school students that has a specific thrust forleadership and entrepreneurship. Second, she has tried to raise awareness among teachers, parents, government and the business community through conventions and awards. Third, she has helped in capacity building and training of Filipino educators serving in the public school. Ms. Abaquin has embraced the battle cry that we should “Use our Intelligence to Make a Difference.” She has led children through the Kids Can! Movement initiatives for the environment, the handicapped, the impoverished, to show that the Filipino child can make a difference for others, and thus be the true hope pf the nation.
Jose Roberto Alday Alampay for Democracy and Human Rights Advocacy. Few things are as powerful as eloquence matched with purpose. Roby Alampay’s gift for words has clearly been sharpened by a matching passion for social justice, human freedom, and his love for the Philippines. His emergence in the field of democracy and human rights advocacy, specifically for free expression and press freedom in Southeast Asia, the Asia Society in 2006 recognized him as one of Asia’s “Young Leaders.” His work also entails bridging needs and capacities among the region’s media groups, putting investigative journalism trainings for Burmese, teaching Vietnamese citizens journalists and bloggers about internet security and safety, building up legal defense systems and funds to backstop media men harassed in court, sounding the alarm on dangerous pieces of legislations around the region, and organizing regional campaigns to the Philippines to address the problem of impunity and mounting death toll among Filipino journalist. Roby Alampay has quietly amassed a body of work -written, organized, implemented- that has gotten recognition and noted regionally as well as internationally. More important, he has not wavered in using his freedom to speak out for those deprived of their liberty.
Ma. Anthonette Velasco-Allones for Human Resources Development. Tonette Velasco-Allones has spent 22 years of exceptional service in the public sector, starting as a working Student Assistant in 1987 and rising up the ranks to become the youngest Assistant Secretary of National Defense at the age of 30 in 2000, and subsequently served the Department of labor and employment as Assistant Secretary until 2006. Currently, she is the Executive Director of the Career Executive Service Board. A lawyer by profession, Atty. Allones is the epitome of the hardworking, trustworthy and innovative government official whose accomplishmentsare exemp[lary, and beneficial to the country. Her extraordinary accomplishments include her bold pursuit of policy and administrative reforms aimed at promoting the welfare of the disadvantaged groups such as the low-ranking soldiers, ordinary employees and demoralized career executive officers. She is highly commendable for her innovations and pioneering efforts supporting continuing service improvement that seeks to make service delivery to the citizenry more client-friendly, efficient, transparent and speedy. Atty. Allones is a rare paragon of integrity in the government service that is riled by allegations of corruption. Her unblemished career, along with her known probity, integrity and transparency earned her the distinction to be deputized as DOLE’s Resident Ombudman. She investigated, prosecuted and caused dismissal of a number of corrupt DOLE officials, including high-ranking Regional Directors and labor inspectors who were extorting money from medium-sized enterprises in exchange for an unremarkable labor inspection visit.
Raymund Joseph Teves Laurel for Arts/Fashion Design. RAJO’s love affair with fashion began at the early age of 11. It led him to study the art at the famed Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and later undergo further studies at the prestigious Central St. Martin’s in London. As a young designer in 1993, Rajo Laurel started to receive recognitions from different local and international award-giving bodies. In 2008, Rajo Laurel had the chance to expand his design expertise into a variety of other products and disciplines. He created a line of designer bed-sheets, designer mattresses, designer cakes, a ready to wear line, bags, a social business enterprise which helps women from impoverished communities. The most in-demand fashion designer in the country, Rajo counts among his clientele the top personalities, celebrities and politicians of the Philippines. His creations frequently grace TV screens, concert stages and the covers and pages of magazines. And to further expand his reach, he formed Laurel et Ross and built the House of Laurel. Laurel et Ross is a garment company that specializes in creating corporate uniforms designed by Rajo while House of Laurel is a boutique that carries Rajo’s line of ready-to-wear clothes for men, women, expecting mothers and children as well as accessories like bags, jewelry and shoes.
Eliseo Lucero Prisno for Maritime Health. Eliseo Lucero Prisno III is commendable for his work in the fields of maritime health, global health, science promotion and his work with the organization, Building Alliances and Leaders for Understanding and Development—BALUD. His work in these areas made significant impact on his country. Don Prisno is known in the global maritime industry as the voice of the Filipino seafarers. He fights for the rights, better health and welfare of the global seafarers and their families. His advocacy based on evidence and research contributed to a more humane maritime industry. His work has made significant impact on the 1.5 million seafarers of the world through various policy changes. He has advanced the understanding of the working lives of seafarers through his extensive research work. In the field of global health, Don Eliseo’s research has provided a better understanding of a number of issues that affect vulnerable populations such as HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, gender, poverty and globalization. He has carved out a name in the global health circle and has met many global health players. Through BALUD, Don has been in the forefront in achieving the UN MDGs and breaking the cycle of poverty among its beneficiaries in Leyte and Samar. BALUD has contributed to a number of development areas such as childhood and youth education, youth leadership, entrepreneurship, community development, giftedness program, science education and infrastructure development. BALUD also developed the concept of Centre of Excellence in Rural Elementary Education proving the point that scaling up investment in rural schools would result into quality education and community development.
Maria Victoria Morales-Reyno for Broadcast Journalism. Vicky Morales’ 19 years in television broadcasting, she has won for her work more than 40 local and international awards from revered institutions. Vicky has come along way since early days as co-anchor of veteran broadcasters Cheche Lazaro, Tina Monzon-Palma, Dong Puno and the late Jose Mari Valdez. Today, Vicky is the youngest member of what GMA News refers as its Five Pillars. Her untainted record, solid work ethic, sincerity and integrity are unquestionable and have made her role model among today’s youth. But it was the late Jaime Cardinal Sin who gave Vicky the most inspiring words she has ever received in her broadcasting career. In a personal letter, he commended Vicky as “the best example of responsible journalism”. And this is the brand of journalism that Vicky would like to be remembered by.
