City, foundation honor top grad

Judiel Manza Pareja, who graduated magna cum laude from the University of Cebu-banilad, is this year’s Justice Sotero Cabahug Medal for Excellence awardee

THE Mandaue City Government will give the Justice Sotero Cabahug Medal for Excellence to the city’s outstanding graduates on Monday.

The awarding is the highlight of the Justice Sotero Cabahug Day, which commemorates the 121st birth anniversary of the “greatest Mandauehanon.”

This year’s awardee is Judiel Manza Pareja, who graduated magna cum laude from the University of Cebu-banilad. He graduated with a degree in law.

Dr. Susana Cabahug, overall chairperson of the event, said the City has been giving the award since 1923, though there were years when the award was not given.

The City is organizing the event in partnership with the Mandaue Chest Foundation.

Cabahug said there were already 68 individuals who received the award, and some of them are already working abroad.

Qualified for the award are high school and college students who graduated valedictorian, salutatorian, summa cum laude and magna cum laude from any school.

For a graduate to receive the award, he or she should be “topmost among honor students in Mandaue,” said Cabahug.

A summa cum laude graduate automatically receives the award, she said.

The graduate should also be a native of Mandaue, or have lived in the city in the last five years.

Major Jonas Cortes and Vice Mayor Glen Bercede will also give medals to the outstanding graduates.

The awarding ceremony will be held at the Mandaue City Sports Complex at 7 p.m. on Monday.