2022 APPCU Awardees

MANILA, Philippines — Former president Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada, former Philippine ambassador to Beijing Francisco Benedicto, PhilSTAR columnist and Anvil Business Club honorary chairman Wilson Lee Flores are among the 10 Laureates of the 2022 Awards for Promoting Philippines China Understanding (APPCU), which will be conferred at a formal ceremony on June 10.

After the successful launch of the APPCU last year, the Association for Philippines-China Understanding (APCU) and the Embassy of China in the Philippines announced the 10 Laureates of APPCU this year. APCU is led by chairman emeritus, former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, chairman Raul Lambino and president Jeffrey Ng.

APPCU pays special tribute to Filipinos who have made efforts through time to strengthen friendly ties and promote mutual understanding between the Philippines and China using their respective advocacies and expertise in the various fields and disciplines.

This year, the APPCU organizing committee will extend a special award, the Gawad Sultan Paduka Pahala, to honor the late Philippine ambassador to China Jose Santiago “Chito” Sta. Romana.

The 2022 APPCU awardees are: APPCU Hall of Fame awardees: former Philippine president Joseph Ejercito Estrada, and former Philippine ambassador to China and Cebu philanthropist Francisco Benedicto.

The awardees for the APPCU Outstanding Contributions are: Wilson Lee Flores, Philippine STAR columnist, former Pilipino STAR Ngayon columnist, 15-time Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) and three-time Palanca award-winning writer, Anvil Business club honorary chairman, FFCCCII board member and chairman, and moderator of Pandesal Forum, Rodrigo “Rod” Kapunan – Manila Standard columnist, contributor to China Daily; Mauro Gia Samonte, Manila Times columnist, book author, analyst, film director and award-winning screenwriter; Princess Jacel Kiram of the Sultanate of Sulu, president of Philsilat Sports Association, and the co-founder and president of the International Center for Peace, Reconciliation and Development (ICPRD).

The awardees for the Major Contributions category are Paul Gutierrez, former president and now secretary of the National Press Club (NPC), columnist/reporter for ‘People’s Journal’ and the owner and publisher of Pinoy Exposé, Professor Cavin Franco Pamintuan, Philippine director of Confucius Institute at Angeles University Foundation, Professor Celso Cainglet, senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines Visayas, April Marie Dayap, former city councilor and is now the chief of the Davao City Investment and Promotion Center (DCIPC).