STAR founder, editor receive Rizal awards

Betty Go-Belmonte, the late founding chairman of the Philippine STAR, and Starweek Magazine editor Doreen Yu, were conferred the other night the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Awards for Excellence, along with over 10 other outstanding individuals of Filipino-Chinese descent, also called "Tsinoys."

The awards were handed out by President Arroyo as a highlight of the observance of the national hero’s 141st birth anniversary in ceremonies held at the Le Pavilion on Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City.

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. received the award on behalf of his wife.

Go-Belmonte shared honors with three other deceased Filipino-Chinese leaders — Benjamin Chua, president of the Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Lawrence Ong of "Great Volunteer" fame; and business tycoon Tan Yu.

Doreen Yu also shared the Tsinoys-Rizal Award for excellence in journalism with fellow journalist Jullie Yap-Daza, editor-in-chief of the Manila Standard.

Other Tsinoy awardees in various fields of endeavor were Ricardo Lee for art and culture, John Lu Kua for business and entrepreneurship, Jose Dy Tan for community service, Queena Lee-Chua for education, Josiah Go for management and finance, Dy Bun Yok for medicine, Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo for public service, and Perry S. Ong for science and technology.

Seven Filipino-Chinese taipans were also given the "Tsinoy Lifetime Achievement" awards. They were industrialist John Gokongwei of the JG Summit Holdings Inc, Henry Sy of the ShoeMart chain of shopping malls, Lucio Tan of the Philippine Airlines and Fortune Tobacco Corp., banker George Ty of Metrobank, permanent ambassador to the United Nations Alfonso Yuchengco, educator Pao Shih Tien and businessman-philanthropist Angelo King.

A special award for outstanding achievement in science and technology was conferred to Lorenzo Chan as "Tsinoy scientist" in the field of Physics.

The awards were a brainchild of presidential publicist Dante Ang. – Marichu Villanueva