As one of the highlights of Metrobank’s 59th-anniversary celebration, a special virtual conferment ceremony of the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos was held on September 2, 2021. The 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos composed of four (4) teachers, three (3) soldiers, and three (3) police officers each received one million pesos cash prize, a gold medallion, and ‘The Flame’ trophy .

Metrobank chairman Arthur Ty and Metrobank Foundation, Inc. president Aniceto Sobrepeña led the virtual awarding ceremonies. Distinguished officials from the government, business, civil society, academe, and diplomatic community attended the event.

“Metrobank celebrates its 59th founding anniversary this week—a fitting occasion to host the conferment ceremonies to honor 10 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos who breathe life to the values that the Metrobank Group stands for. They keep people in good hands by embodying malasakit, performing their duty with integrity, and displaying heart for community,” said Metrobank chairman Arthur Ty. “We continue to pay tribute to public servants whose grit and resilience affirm that excellence can manifest in a variety of ways. We may be saturated by terrible news and worrying forecasts, yet we can still glimpse pockets of hope in the actions of our fellowmen,” he added.

A Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino is steered by the value of “Beyond Excellence”, raising the bar of excellence in their respective fields. Their contributions speak of service beyond one’s selfbut to their sectors and in the larger community, inspiring their peers. Their service and community involvements have helped shape better communities and created a lasting positive impact upon the people.

Recipients of the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Award for Teachers are: (1) Lou Sabrina S. Ongkiko, Master Teacher I, Culiat Elementary School (Quezon City); (2) Jason B. Albaro, Teacher III, Muntinlupa National High School Main (Muntinlupa City); (3) Maria Minerva P. Calimag, M.D., M.Sc., Ph. D., Professor 5, College of Medicine, University of Santo Tomas (City of Manila); and (4) Iris Thiele Isip-Tan, M.D., M.Sc., Professor 10, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila (City of Manila).

Recipients of the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Award for Soldiers are: (5) Technical Sergeant Jake P. Belino PAF, Non Commissioned Officer in Charge, Civil Military Operations Tactical Operations Group 1, Tactical Operations Wing Northern Luzon, (Baguio City); (6) Lieutenant Colonel Elmer M. Boongaling PA, Executive Officer, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans, G5, Philippine Army, Fort Bonifacio (Taguig City); and (7) Colonel Augusto N. Padua PAF, Executive Officer, Office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff for Operations, A-3, Philippine Air Force, Villamor Airbase (Pasay City).

Recipients of the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Police Officers are: (8) Police Senior Master Sergeant Mary Joy B. Ylanan, Police Community Relations PNCO, Bogo City Police Station (Bogo City, Cebu); (9) Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace J. Pelare, Chief of Police, Talisay City Poice Station (Talisay City, Cebu); and (10) Police Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan P. Pablito, Assistant Chief, Regional Police Strategy Management Unit, Police Regional Office 6 Camp General Martin Delgado, Fort San Pedro, (Iloilo City).

Delivering a response on behalf of the teachers, Lou Sabrina Ongkiko said, “We thank the people who taught us to be brave enough to stand up for bigger things; whose love is the reason why we remain standing – our families and loved ones, our friends and mentors. We know how to love because they loved us first. We know how to believe in our students because they first believed in us. Most especially, we thank our students for being our reason, our “why.” They are the beginning, middle, and end of everything we do as teachers.”

In 2020, Ongkiko spearheaded the planning and implementation of a learning continuity program for Culiat Elementary School. She helped pilot the first Facebook messenger classes, wrote lesson scripts, and strengthened learner mapping and community support to ensure program sustainability. Some of these processes became a blueprint not only for other schools but also for the Department of Education Central Office.

“This award reaffirms my resolve to carry on with my advocacy. My fellow awardees in the AFP, Lt.Col. Boongaling and TSgt. Belino, your accomplishments bespeak of our clamor for peace. This is our moment. But I’m sure Mr. George Ty never meant for us to sit on our laurels but to carry on with our jobs, beyond excellence,” said Col. Augusto Padua in his acceptance speech on behalf of the soldiers.

Col. Augusto Padua rallies his troops to embrace an unconventional approach to counterinsurgency: dropping leaflets, not explosives. Since he took command of the Philippine Air Force Tactical Operations Group 2 in 2019, his unit has performed strategic aerial leaflets dropping operations and persuasion flights in the Region II’s hinterlands, aimed to dismantle guerilla fronts. To date, 103 individuals were persuaded to abandon the armed rebellion and re-integrate into mainstream society.

Meanwhile, PLt.Col. Jonathan Pablito said in his acceptance speech on behalf of the police officers, “Your three police awardees have strived to be transformational leaders in the organization and community. I embraced the words of my mentor General Cesar Binag that to be an agent of transformation, one must develop the ability to identify dysfunctions and critical issues in the community, the humility to accept responsibility for these dysfunctions, and courage to rise and lead people to journey with him in genuine transformation.”

P/Lt. Col. Jonathan Pablito’s expertise in institutional reforms and strategic communication served as critical foundations when he took on the massive responsibility of ensuring institutional buy-in and ownership on the PNP’s Integrated Transformation Program, dubbed as P.A.T.R.O.L. Plan 2030 or “Peace and Order Agenda for Transformation and the upholding of the Rule of Law.” As Chief of Strategic Communication, he took the lead in developing, implementing, and monitoring the program’s communication plan, thereby promoting understanding as well as inspiring support among PNP personnel and community stakeholders.

The awardees underwent a rigorous selection process and were chosen from hundreds of nominations. A Board of Assessors, composed of members from the government, academe, military, and NGO sectors, identified the semi-finalists through a review of documents submitted and conduct of online interviews, including virtual teaching demonstrations for teacher semi-finalists.

The 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos with the Board of Assessors, Final Board of Judges and officers of Metrobank and Metrobank Foundation.

The awardees were chosen and interviewed by a multi-sectoral Final Board of Judges chaired by Senator Nancy Binay-Angeles and co-chaired by Supreme Court of the Philippines associate justice Rosmari Carandang. The other members were: 1st District of Quirino representative Junie E. Cua; Civil Service Commission chairperson Alicia Dela Rosa-Bala; City of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso; Alliance Global, Inc. chief executive officer Kevin Andrew Tan; and United Print Media Group president Barbie Atienza.

Since 1985, the Metrobank Foundation has honored a total of 685 Outstanding Filipinos. The program is held in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), PSBank, Rotary Club of Makati Metro (RCMM), and the Rotary Club of New Manila East (RCNME).

Tags: 2021 News