Kudos to Rafi on its 5th Triennial awards

Due to lack of space, I had to defer putting this equally great event that happened in Cebu last Thursday, Mar. 22, because it just won’t fit my column last Saturday. This great event is the formal awarding of the 5th Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) Triennial Awards for Exemplary Individual and Outstanding Institutions in the Visayas and Mindanao. This is the most prestigious award given in the Visayas and Mindanao as it only comes once every three years and no other awards come close to what RAFI gives once every three years.

The five finalists for the Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary Individual went to Fr. Angelo R. Buenavides, a priest who is a radio broadcaster in General Santos City. Prof. Estrella A. Cantallopez, a teacher in Cotabato City and wife of a soldier who took upon herself to do her own peace talks with the Muslims in her locality.

Apolinario “Pol” Leyson was a street kid who grew up in Carbon Market and became a scout leader with the sons of rich families taking up scouting under his leadership and transforming them to be good citizens of our country. Fr. Dennis Tamayo, a Claretian priest who took care of the Badjaos in Basilan and even built a wooden bridge to connect their village to the main island. Then there is Rene “Tatay Ete” Vendiola, a former slash and burn farmer who turned forest guardian and save our forest, long before those self-proclaimed environmentalists were born.

For the Ramon Aboitiz Outstanding Institution Awards, we had the Agri-Aqua Development Coalition Mindanao, the Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. (AIDFI) which gives water through a sump pump in the poor areas where there is no potable water; the Negros Women’s For Tomorrow Foundation, Inc., the Great Physician Rehabilitation Foundation, Inc. which helps the physically challenged children in Negros Oriental.

The SOS Children’s Villages, Philippines, which gives hope to orphaned children who otherwise would be doomed to a life of poverty. SOS Children’s Village duplicates a family atmosphere and with a “Nanay” or surrogate mother are given education in the best schools in their localities, thus giving children a second chance in life.

These ten finalists were chosen from a hundred nominees, hence they are considered the “best amongst the best.” However among the five individuals one had to be chosen and the Exemplary Individual Award goes to Rene “Tatay Ete” Vendoila whom we would never have met as he lives in the forest conserving trees and our environment. For the Outstanding Institution Award, the best of the five was bestowed upon the Negros women for Tomorrow Foundation, Inc. represented by Manuel Margate, who empowers the women folk who are in the poverty level to be entrepreneurs and thus contribute to the family’s meager funds.

These awardees would never get a front-page news in our local and national newspapers, but these are people or NGOs who have a story to tell that despite all the problems surrounding our nation, thanks to too much politics, there will always be people who are out working silently to help the least of our brethren. So our deep thanks and appreciation to the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc (RAFI) on its 5th Triennial Awards. Three years from now, we shall be reporting the next batch of great Filipinos who are silent workers in this depraved nation of ours.

*      *      *

I was in Bohol last weekend for a well-deserved rest following a very hectic schedule last week because of the numerous happenings in Cebu. So we went to Ubay for some off-roading and then to the Segura Farms (my mother’s family) in Catigbian some 14 kilometers from the town of Tubigon where we took the Roro vessel to and from Cebu City.

I was in the farms some months back where the road has already been all but fully cemented except for a kilometer and a half. I was taken surprised that around a half a kilometer of that cemented road had collapsed due to the incessant rains that have been happening in Bohol, which caused a huge landslide. But since this stretch is not highly-populated no one knew about the landslide.

But in fairness to my good friend Gov. Edgar Chatto, there were people fixing the damage road even on a Sunday. Kudos to the Province of Bohol for addressing the needs of its constituents. Meanwhile as I was waiting for the RoRo vessel, I chanced upon a debate on the Tubigon plaza between Catholics and other Christian sects. I would have wanted to participate, but then, I salute the Catholic defenders for holding their ground on their scriptures from the Bible. How I wish other Catholics knew how to defend their church.

*      *      *

For email responses to this article, write to [email protected]or [email protected]. His columns can be accessed through http://www.philstar.com.