AWARDEES. Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. (center) with the other city officials and the recipients of Cadizeños Awards 2024 in a ceremony at Cadiz Arena Thursday night (July 4, 2024). The recognition of outstanding citizens is part of the northern Negros city’s 57th Charter Day celebration. (PNA Bacolod photo)
BACOLOD CITY – Chef and restaurateur Antonio “Tony Boy” Escalante of the famed Antonio’s, violin virtuoso Gil Lopez Kabayao, and international best-selling author Thea Guanzon were among the recipients of Cadizeños Awards 2024 of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental Thursday night.
“We take so much pride in this year’s awardees. Their accomplishments show how Cadiz City molds its constituents to become outstanding citizens not just in our community but also globally,” Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. said in celebration of the city’s 57th Charter Day.
In a statement on Friday, he said through the prestigious recognition, the city applauds the hard work, dedication, and excellence displayed by the awardees in their respective fields of endeavor and the positive impact they made on the community.
The celebrated chef, the mayor’s first cousin, was given the Culture Award for his expertise in producing high-quality and savory food menu, being the founder of one of the country’s well-known food chains, the Antonio’s Group of Restaurants.
“I’m so elated and privileged to be awarded this Cadizeño Award because I grew up here in Cadiz. Cadiz is a part of my life, from buriring (puffer fish) to global cuisine. That’s the part of me of growing up here in Cadiz,” Escalante said in his acceptance speech during the awards ceremony at the Cadiz Arena.
In 2014, Escalante was named Restaurateur of the Year in the World Gourmet Summit, and in 2015, Antonio’s was included in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list of San Pellegrino Asia’s Best Restaurants.
Now in his 90s, Lopez Kabayao, the awardee for Performing Arts, born and grew up in Cadiz City, went on to become a world-renowned violinist.
The first Filipino to play at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York, he received a Presidential Award of Merit in 1969 and a President Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1972.
“The purpose of creating an audience for culture and the arts that would support the future Filipino artists has gained momentum. With this, I deeply appreciate this once-in-a-lifetime award. My heart is forever grateful and will forever sing melodies for this felicitation,” Lopez Kabayao said in his message read by a family representative.
Guanzon, who received the Literary Achievement Award, is a New York Times, USA Today, Indie, and international best-selling author of “The Hurricane Wars” and its sequel “A Monsoon Rising.”
“Cadiz has a special place in my heart. It is where I developed my love for reading and writing stories… I hope that my story can inspire other artistic Cadiznons to follow their dreams, as well as motivate our local government to provide more infrastructure and support for the arts,” she said in her acceptance speech.
Other awardees included businessman Ian Manuel Lo for Corporate Excellence; Architect Rolem Basiya, Academic Excellence; lawyer Virma Gay Symons, Public Service; Girl Scouts of the Philippines-Cadiz City for Social and Community Service Award; Zarex Onatin, Visual Arts; Dex Ian Chavez, Sports; and Mary Jean Tanaya, Environmental Achievement. (PNA)
