The Senate of the Philippines commended this year’s Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos—comprised of four (4) teachers, three (soldiers), and three (3) police officers—in a plenary session held last September 9, 2019.

The 18th Congress passed adopted Senate Resolution Number 11 authored by Senator Sherwin “Win” T. Gatchalian, chairperson of the Final Board of Judges, Senator Joel Villanueva, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, and Senator Panfilo Lacson. This resolution honors this year’s awardees for their contributions to society. Senator Gatchalian led the ceremonies. The Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos is a career-service award for Filipino exemplars in the academe, military, and police sectors.

A Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino is steered by the value of going “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 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Award for Teachers are: (1) Dorothy S. Tarol, Ph.D., Master Teacher II, Special Education-Integrated School for Exceptional Children (SPED-ISEC) (Iloilo City); (2) Cristina B. Cristobal, Ph.D., Special Science Teacher 5, Philippine Science High School Main Campus (Quezon City); (3) Ricardo T. Jose, Ph.D. Professor 12, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of the Philippines (Quezon City); (4) Eva Maria C. Cutiongco-de la Paz, M.D., Professor 10, National Institutes of Health and College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila (City of Manila).

Recipients of the 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Award for Soldiers are: (5) Master Sergeant Ramil A. Caporas PA, Team Supervisor/ EOD Technician, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion, Army Support Command, Philippine Army, Camp Servillano Aquino (Tarlac City); (6) Major Romulo G. Dimayuga II PN (M), Former Operations and Training Officer, Force Reconnaissance Group, Headquarters Philippine Marine Corps, Fort Bonifacio (Taguig City); (7) Lieutenant Colonel John Paul D. Baldomar PA, Chief, Current Operations Branch, Internal Security Operations Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Camp Aguinaldo (Quezon City).

Recipients of the 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Award for Police Officers are: (8) Police Chief Master Sergeant Marsha T. Agustin, RSW, Investigator/ Social Worker, Women and Children Protection Center, Philippine National Police Headquarters, Camp Crame (Quezon City); (9) Police Major Robert A. Reyes, Technical Support Officer, Counter Intelligence Task Force, Philippine National Police Headquarters, Camp Crame, Quezon City; (10) Police Colonel Edwin A. Quilates, Provincial Director, Batangas Police Provincial Office, Camp Miguel C. Malvar (Batangas City).

Delivering a message on behalf of the awardees, Dr. Cutiongco-de la Paz expressed, “One of life’s greatest privileges is to be able to serve using our God-given talents, not for personal gain but for public good. Each and every awardee of the Metrobank Foundation outstanding teachers, outstanding police officers and outstanding military men knew his purpose in life, gave his utmost best and started something that will impact the future generations.”

Dr. Cutiongco-de la Paz, Philippines’ Prime Mover of Genomic Medicine and Education, has dedicated her 22 years in the teaching profession to genomics, a branch of biology concerned with the study of genes. She, along with her colleague Dr. Carmencita Padilla, established a Clinical Genetics Fellowship Program, the first and only one of its kind teaching and training program in the subspecialty of Genetics in the country. She is also currently part of an international team of experts with an extraordinary mission to advance the understanding and ability to treat X-Linked Dystonia Parkinsonism or XDP.

Dubbed as Marawi’s Lead Explosive Ordnance Disposal Expert, MSgt. Caporas has safeguarded communities from bomb threats throughout his two-decade career in ordnance service. He was deployed in Marawi for the whole duration of the siege. He led a team of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) experts tasked to recover and dispose Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and Unexploded Ordnances (UXOs) during the five-month battle. In one high-risk operation, he was able to use raw materials available in the area to create an explosive, called “Bintana”, instrumental to the assaulting troops.

P/CMSgt. Agustin, Camp Crame’s Anti-Human Trafficking Crusader, is a licensed social worker who found her calling in the police force, particularly at the Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) of Camp Crame. With her lead, WCPC has adopted an interviewing technique, dubbed as the “Social Worker-Police Investigative Technique in Handling Cases Involving Women and Children Victims.” She also co-authored the Standard Operating Procedures Manual being widely used by the PNP when handling Trafficking in Persons (TIP) cases. This aligns with the new provisions of the Republic Act No. 10364 known as the “Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.”

The awardees were selected by the esteemed members of the Final Board of Judges chaired by Senator Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian and co-chaired by Supreme Court of the Philippines associate justice Alexander Gesmundo. The members include: Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development secretary and Task Force Bangon Marawi chairman Eduardo Del Rosario; University of Asia & the Pacific president Dr. Winston Conrad Padojinog; Military Ordinariate of the Philippines bishop Most Reverend Oscar Jaime Florencio, D.D; PHINMA Corporation president and chief executive officer and Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) chairman Ramon Del Rosario, Jr.; Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc. treasurer Jaime Bautista; Management Association of the Philippines president and Sun Life Financial Philippine Holding Company chairman Rizalina Mantaring; and GMA Network, Inc. vice president for professional development and broadcast journalist Horacio “Howie” Severino.

Each awardee received a cash prize of PhP 1 million each (net of tax), a golden medallion, and “The Flame” trophy during the formal conferment ceremonies held on September 4 at the Metrobank Plaza in Makati City as part of Metrobank’s 57th anniversary celebration.

Tags: 2019 Press Releases