Outstanding professionals, legislators, governors feted
SUPERBRANDS Marketing International Inc. (SMI)-Philippines on Tuesday honored 35 professionals and public officials in its Outstanding Awards 2017 at the City Club at Alphaland Makati Place in Makati City.
“This is a recognition [of your work], and a lot of those who came are very humble. The people of their district have voted for them, so if they voted for you, [that means] you’re outstanding. If they vote you in, [that means] they like you, or you have done something that will be remembered. That’s the only pre-requisite we have,” SMI-Philippines Chairman Karl Stuart McLean said. “We try to be very careful in awarding.
We look at the projects in their cities. We write to them, we tell them why they have been selected because there are prerequisites, and then we checked whether these were achieved,” he added.
This year’s 10 Outstanding Professional awardees are Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron N. Aquino; Engr. Emmanuel Tanedo Balicanta, president of Balincata Surveying and Engineering; Karina R. Bautista, Ph.D., senior education program specialist city officer-in-charge and education program supervisor of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) School Governance and Operations Division; Supt. Heryl Liwanag Bruno, chief of police of the City of Malolos, Bulacan province; Dr. David Rawland Domingo, chief of hospital at the Rogaciano M. Mercado Memorial Hospital in Sta. Maria district, Bulacan; Kalipi-Women’s Federation Inc. President Rizza Pusung Tesalona-Guiang; Supt. Stephen Requina, provincial fire marshal of Bulacan; Ever Bilena Cosmetics Inc. CEO and Corporate Secretary Siliman Sy; GFOXX International Inc. President and CEO David Tan; and Toledo Med Skin and Body Center Founder and President Dr. Librado Toledo Jr.
“I am very happy to receive this award,” Aquino said.
The 15 lawmakers honored as Outstanding Congressmen are Jose Antonio Alvarado of the First District of Bulacan; Salvador Belaro Jr. of 1-Ang Edukasyon Party-list; Gwendolyn Firl Garcia of the Third District of Cebu province; Celso Lobregat and Ann Hofer of the First and Second Districts of Zamboanga City, respectively; Scott Davies Lanete of the Third District of Masbate; John Nieto and Edward Maceda of the Third and Fourth Districts of Manila, respectively; and Jericho Nograles of Puwersa ng Bayanihang Atleta Partylist; Henry Oaminal of the Second District of Misamis Occidental province; Florida Robes of San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan; Imelda Rubiano of Pasay City, Josephine Sato of Occidental Mindoro, Angelina Tan of the Fourth District of Quezon City; and Luis Villafuerte Jr. of the Second District of Camarines Sur province.
In the Outstanding Governors category, the awardees are Wilhelmino Alvarado of Bulacan; Faustino Dy 3rd of Isabela province, Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM); Ma. Imelda “Imee” Marcos of Ilocos Norte province; Emmylou Mendoza of Cotabato province; Robert Rodrigueza of Sorsogon province; Sharee Tan of Samar province; Czarina Umali of Camarines Sur; and Susan Yap of Tarlac province.
Now on its eighth year, the SMI Outstanding Awards recognizes politicans, companies and executives who have made significantly contributions to society.
“Why are we doing the awards business? Simply because we have taken on the demand that already exists. In every government, there are awards being given,” SMI President Harry Tambuatco said.
“We are a private firm that does not stand on political issues or positions. We are strictly straight on the nominations of specific people who we believe should be awarded and given importance,” he added.
Superbrands is the world’s largest independent arbiter of branding. It pays tribute to the strongest and most valuable brands in the world through its publications and national marketing programs.
Superbrands is a global organization that promotes the discipline of branding and has launched programs in more than 90 countries, including all key global markets.
ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES