Outstanding Negrenses, centenarians honored

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – The Negros Occidental provincial government conferred honors to seven Outstanding Negrenses and 75 centenarians during the 117th Cinco de Noviembre anniversary celebration at the Capitol, this city, Thursday.

This year’s recipients of the Pasidungog Award were couple Reynaldo and Ma. Lomer Villan for entrepreneurship, Edith Villanueva (public service and health promotion), brothers Ricardo Yanson Jr. and Leo Rey Yanson (youth and sports development), Elsie Coscolluela (education), and Modesto Sa-onoy (journalism).

Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr said, “every society needs a hero and that every society has them but we don’t bother to look for it. There are two kinds of heroes: Rhose who shine in great adversities and those who make a difference in the lives of others.”

Marañon congratulated the awardees, and told them: “There’s no doubt, you deserve to be recognized. You are not only a pride of your family and loved ones but the province, as well. May you continue to be source of inspiration.”

In response, Villanueva, a former third district representative and Provincial Board member, thanked the provincial government for the prestigious award. “It’s a humbling opportunity for us to do more,” she said.

The provincial government also honored 75 centenarians, or those aged 100 years old and above, each of whom received P100,000 in cash incentive.

Of the 75 centenarians, nine of them came from the first district, three from the second district, 18 from the third district, 15 from the fourth district, 13 from the fifth district, and 17 from the sixth district.

Records of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office showed that the oldest centenarian in the province is 118-year-old Francisca Susano of Barangay Oringao, Kabankalan City.

Susano was born on September 11, 1897. She got married by the age of 14 and has 14 children. Her eldest child is 99 years old and is still alive. She has 70 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

She said she never had a chance to go to school, but she and her husband worked as farm laborers and were able to sustain the needs of the family. She also said her secret to longer life is by “eating vegetables. I also eat meat when there’s meat.”

Meanwhile, the Capitol also distributed P1 million worth of crop insurance to farmers under the Negros First Crop Insurance Program; P2 million to the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., and P5,000 financial assistance to each of the 20 victims of recent typhoons. (FREEMAN)