Seeing greatness

We heap praise on the feet of achievers and we bow our heads further in admiration if they made their mark without the tools "normal" people take for granted.

A 36-year-old blind teacher from Bacolod City will receive the top award in this year’s Apolinario Mabini Awards at Malacañang on July 23, with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as guest of honor.

The other honorees include an architect, a fast-food chain and a five-star hotel, according to Gina de Venecia, chairperson of the 2002 Mabini Awards.

Despite his blindness, Melchor Tumbos graduated with a degree in Psychology, cum laude. Tumbos lost his sight at a young age due to illness, but he persisted. He now teaches visually-impaired students of the Bacolod City National High School, confident that most of them will lead exemplary – not just normal – lives. Still single, his enthusiasm to help the disabled has also inspired other civic groups, particularly the local Rotary Club, to organize a Rotaract Club that sets up livelihood projects for the blind.

Also receiving a special citation is Vicenta Fernandez of Camarines Sur. Born without arms and legs, Vicenta, however, however, strove to lead a normal life. She got married and bore children. Her husband is sickly, so she tries to augment the family’s income by working in a local carnival.

A special posthumous award will begiven the STAR columnist Art Borjal. Borjal was stricken with polio at age three, but he led a life full of achievements. His will and indomitable spirit made him overcome many obstacles, and he grew up to be a person of many achievements. He breezed through school with top academic honors, and eventually finished Law at the Ateneo de Manila University. He became a congressman and authored the Magna Carta for the Disabled. He constantly wrote about the plight of the disabled in his column in The Philippine STAR, and regularly held fund-raising projects for disabled children.

The Mabini Presidential Award is given to a blind architect, Jaime Silva of the Inter-Agency Committee on Accessibility, an NGO that monitors the implementation of the Accessibility Law, which checks whether the facilities and buildings in the country are disabled-friendly.

The other awardees are: Father Rafael Desmedt Cooperative (Disabled Group of the Year); Jollibee Corp. (Employer of the Year); EDSA Shangri-La Hotel (Most Disabled Friendly Establishment); and the Christian Organization for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled Foundation (Rehabilitation Volunteer of the Year).

Five local governments will be named as Local Government Unit of the Year, namely: Dagupan City; Taguig City; Peñablanca, Cagayan; and the provincial governments of Isabela and Occidental Mindoro.

The Asian Hospital in Alabang will also receive a special citation as a disabled-friendly establishment.

The Apolinario Mabini Awards is a yearly undertaking of the Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled (PFRD) headed by Manuel Agcaoili.

This is the second time that Mrs. De Venecia, as president of Congressional Spouses Foundation, Inc. (CSFI), sits as chairperson of the prestigious awards body.

The members of the Final Screening Committee are: Nancy Almario, Shirley Plaza, Ruth Padilla, Kathy Santiago, Chit Baculio, Maridee Chanyungco, Sandra Estrella, Louie Locsin, Becky Domogan, Tessie Villarama, Chit Monfort, Baby Chatto, Chit Nachura, Jingle Badelles, Bibia Macarambon, Apple Manarang, Girlie Villarosa, Zeny Tañada and Manny Agcaoili.

Rikki’s Thai bash

Last month, Rikki Jimenez treated his friends to a sumptous Thai dinner to celebrate his birthdayat at the Dusit Hotel Nikko’s Benjarong Royal Thai Restaurant.

Belco Marketing, Inc. chairwoman Belen Lovina Ticzon-Martel had the honor of starting dinner which featured Thai favorites including curry and spicy dishes to warm the night.

Among the guests were Mely Concepion Hechanova; philanthropists Andy and Tereret Liboro; Nene Leonor; May Neri; Louie and Mellie Ablaza; Norma Virtucio; Fe Rodriguez; editor Cornelio de Guzman and his wife Lydia; Letty Syquia; Pitang Lopez Tiongson; Mabel Abaño; Alice Briones; fashion designers Pitoy Moreno, Ben Farrales, Tony Cajucom and Oskar Peralta; directors Mel Chionglo, Joel Lamangan and Gil Portes; Belco Marketing executives Benny Clemente, Ophie Clemente, Juliet Ticzon, Portia Santos and Ina Ticzon; antiques retailer Marilou Reyes; Togo honorary consul Evie Costa; Fortune Ledesma; Pacita and Tito de Guzman; Roi Phillips; Alex and Sol Yu of Lucena City; MOD’s Chay Santiago and her husband, photographer Ed Santiago; Philippine STAR’s Joseph Cortes; Millet Santos-Mortiz; and ABS-CBN executve Charo Santos-Concio.

Giving thanks for all the blessings he has received, Rikki announced he would build two public clinics in the public schools of Brgys. Barra and Ranzohan in Lucena, Quezon and also provide their clinics with medical supplies.

All in all it was a happy and meaningful birthday for Rikki Jimenez.