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PGMA HONORS OUTSTANDING SOLDIERS
TOPS Awardees Announcement
“More than just individual awards, the honor that we bestow on exemplary men and women of the AFP is in fact a tribute to the entire institution. This award – especially coming from the private sector – is not just a pat in the back for our soldiers, but an expression of gratitude for a job well done,” stated President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in her message to the awardees of the 2009 Search for The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers (TOPS), who were presented to her in ceremonies held at Malacañan Palace on March 26.
 The awardees consisted of commissioned officers and enlisted personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Judge Advocate General Service (JAGS) of the Technical Services. The outstanding soldiers from the Philippine Army were Lieutenant Colonel Lope C. Dagoy, Staff Sergeant Fidel C. Delara, and Master Sergeant Romeo H. Jandugan; while those from the Philippine Navy were Colonel Romeo T. Tanalgo, Data Processor 2nd Class (Staff Sergeant) Reynor S. Calzado and Technical Sergeant Ramon B. Cabeguin. The winners from the Philippine Air Force were Colonel Restituto F. Padilla, Jr., Staff Sergeant Blas C. Austria and Technical Sergeant Salvador S. Buenaobra, Jr.; while Colonel Pedro G. Herrera-Davila of the JAGS was the awardee for the Technical Services category.
On behalf of the awardees, Colonel Restituto F. Padilla, Jr. thanked the Metrobank Foundation and the Rotary Club of Makati Metro for recognizing the efforts of the members of the Armed Forces. “We find deeper meaning in this recognition from where it comes from, the civic and business leaders who have manifested their appreciation for the tasks and daily sacrifice of the Filipino Soldier,” he said. “We are ordinary mortals, public servants working for a just cause we believe in, following a vocation we have been called upon to fulfill, and continuing to serve because it is a calling we all find meaning in.”
Accompanied by proud and honored family members, each of the awardees received a plaque and cash prize worth P250, 000 courtesy of the Metrobank Foundation.
Among those who graced the event were Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, AFP Chief of Staff General Alexander B. Yano, and members of the 2009 Final Board of Judges, which included National Security Adviser Norberto B. Gonzales, Rep. Maria Zenaida B. Angping of the 3rd District of Manila, Associate Justice Portia A. Hormachuelos of the Court of Appeals, Ambassador Donald Dee of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Philippine Star President and CEO Miguel G. Belmonte. Also part of the Final Board of Judges were 2008 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Public Service Dr. Jaime Aristotle B. Alip and San Beda College Rector-President Rev. Fr. Mateo de Jesus, OSB.
Since 1999, the Metrobank Foundation, Inc., in partnership with the Rotary Club of Makati Metro, has been honoring outstanding members of the Armed Forces who have displayed gallantry in and dedication to their jobs. TOPS, an annual competition which recognizes a soldier’s overall contribution during his/her years of service in the AFP, aims to honor excellence among the men and women in the military as an expression of the civilian sector’s appreciation and gratitude for the soldiers’ selfless acts of gallantry in preserving the nation’s sovereignty.
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The Metrobank Foundation is the corporate social responsibly arm of the Metrobank Group of Companies. Over the last 28 years, it has promoted a culture of excellence among Filipinos through its various programs notably the Search for Outstanding Teachers, the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence, The Outstanding Philippine Soldier, Country's Outstanding Policemen in Service, the Metrobank Math Challenge, and College Scholarship Program. The Foundation also has a grants program that assists NGOs and government in the fields of education, healthcare, and the arts. Metrobank Foundation celebrates Filipino excellence and presents wellsprings of hope in the future of our nation. |
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