Cebu City nurses recognized in first-ever awarding ceremony

CEBU, Philippines — In order to recognize the efforts of nurses in Cebu City an  awarding ceremony organized by the College of Nursing Education and Training Australia (NETA) took place at Mandarin Hotel a week ago.

The City Health Department’s Dahlia Ouano Montebon won the premiere Exceptional Registered Nurse of the Year award in the first-ever Gala Awards Night for Nurses-Cebu City edition.

Other finalists for the award were Jan Louie Mendoza of the Cebu City Medical Center and Lirah Sotelo of St.Vincent General Hospital.

Another CHD staff, Rolyn Ressureccion Camino, emerged as the Exceptional Nursing Aide of the Year. Other finalists were Emelyn Tan of St. Anthony Mother and Child and Jennifer Leonor of St.Vincent Hospital.

The two other major awards went to Chrisandro Apilat of St.Vincent General Medical Center as the Exceptional Nurse Educator of the Year and Dr.Jonah Lydia Langga of

St.Anthony Mother and Child as the Exceptional Nurse Leader of the Year.

Langga was also handed the Cebu City Vice Mayor’s award by Vice Mayor Alvin Garcia himself.

Further, the Rookie Nurse of the Year Award went to Ellane Jane Delicano of St.Vincent General Hospital. Other nominees for the award were Lady Maureen Lee of CCMC and Jenelyn Parehas of ACE Medical.

The other minor category winners include CHD’s May Liza Gillamac for the Excellent Patient Service; Joel Angelo Villarino of Visayas Med for Excellence in Professional relationship; Jezyl Cempron Cutamora of Cebu Normal University for Innovation and Health Research; and Rosita Sion of Cebu Velez General Hospital for Long Service Award.

CCMC’s Reco Goc-ong Gabato got the College of NETA Choice Award handed by the CEO and founder, Karissa Quindao-Subedi.

St.Vincent General Hospital’s Jacob Erm Jericho Dolino completes the list of awardees after winning the Adecco Healthcare’s Choice Award given by officials of Adecco, a Swiss–French company and is one of the world's largest Human Resources provider and temporary staffing firm.

The long-overdue awards for nurses and nursing aids finally became a reality through the College of NETA’s Quindao-Subedi, a nurse by profession who trained in Cebu but has already moved to Australia.

Quindao-Subedi said she wanted to give back to Cebu City for molding her to who she is today. Before moving to Australia, Quindao-Subedi worked with CCMC.

Quindao-Subedi also thanked Vice Mayor Garcia for the full support for the staging of the event along with Adecco Australia’s CEO Nicholas Lee and Head of Business Transformation Kristina Kim.

The event, which had The Freeman as one of its media partners, also worked with the Department of Health-7 through its assistant Regional Director Dr. Sophia Mancao and her team; the Philippine Nurses Association through its governor-7, Dr. Joseph Stephen Descallar and PNA Cebu Chapter president Ginal Fontanos; and member of the Board of Nursing, Marilou Ong; along with City Councilors Joy Pesquerra, Francis Esparis, and Joel Garganera.

The organizers has also extended their gratitude to participating hospitals, including Cebu City Medical Center and its College of Nursing, Cebu Normal University, St Vincent Hospital,Visayas Med Cebu, ACE Medical Center, Cebu Maternity Hospital, Velez General Hospital and the Cebu City Health Department.

“During the darkest days of the pandemic, when fear ran rampant and uncertainty cloaked the entire world, it was you, our nurses who stood on the frontline, shielded us against the storm,” said Vice mayor Garcia.

On the other hand, Garcia said nurses are sadly undervalued and with the staging of the Gala Night for them, it is expected that more attention and support will be given to them. — (FREEMAN)