The 2024 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos (Photo grabbed from Metrobank Foundation Facebook page)
MANILA – Ten unsung heroes who have demonstrated excellence and dedication in their public service have been recognized by the Metrobank Foundation as outstanding Filipinos this year.
The Metrobank Foundation honored four teachers, three police officers and three soldiers who have helped instill the values of patriotism, integrity, courage, and social responsibility in the minds of every Filipino.
Teachers as pillars of hope
The teacher awardees include Ma. Ella Fabella, a Master Teacher II from Zamboanga City, who stands as a beacon of hope for the Sama-Bajau children, as she teaches them to become better persons with dignity and pride and who will stand up for their tribe.
Meanwhile, Franco Rino Apoyon, the “Greenducator” from Zamboanga Sibugay, has dedicated 11 years to nurturing young minds about the importance of caring for the environment and advocating the promotion of sustainable practices among last-mile villages.
Metrobank also honored Maria Regina Hechanova-Alampay of Quezon City, a mental health champion, for developing her Katatagan framework, a community intervention program that helped people recover from disaster.
University of the Philippines- Los Baños Professor Decibel Faustino-Eslava was also honored for providing her students guidance on holistic environmental management.
Police officers as champions of safety
Cagayan de Oro Police Staff Sergeant Llena Sol-Josefa Jovita is a community-care advocate, who was cited for her “Gatas Mo Kinabuhi Ko" program that supports mothers who are unable to breastfeed obtain milk from healthy, lactating women. She also developed a swimming program for at-risk children and helped in educating the youth against drug abuse and bullying.
Police Major Mark Ronan Balmaceda, Deputy Force Commander of the Regional Mobile Force Batallion in Taguig City, meanwhile, played a crucial role in the liberation of Marawi City, leading strategic military operations, hostage rescue, and the recovery of enemy weapons. He also drafted “Oplan: Pagsungko” to ensure a fair and corrupt-free PNP recruitment,
Lastly, Police Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Bernardino, Chief of Police of Tacurong City Police Station in Sultan Kudarat serves as a bridge builder for peace in the province through community engagement, educational programs, and counter-radicalization efforts, fostering a climate of understanding and cooperation, and setting the foundation for lasting peace.
Soldiers as guardians of peace and progress
From San Vicente town, Palawan province, Staff Sergeant Michael Rayanon of the Philippine Navy Marine Battalion was recognized for championing the welfare of indigenous peoples by engaging in the upliftment of local communities through humanitarian efforts and progressive development projects.
The foundation also recognized Major Ron Villarosa Jr., Chief of the Civil Affairs Division, Civil-Military Operations Regiment of the Philippine Army in Taguig City, for seeking unconventional approaches to provide solutions to the root causes of armed conflict in his areas of operation, particularly by transforming barren communities into farmlands for rebel returnees in Bangsamoro region.
Meanwhile, Captain Salvador Sambalilo of the Philippine Navy was recognized for leading his team into a new digital era prioritizing the advancement of modernization in cyber warfare, reshaping the Navy’s technology landscape, and creating a safer maritime environment.
Now in its 39th year, the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos program has extolled 715 Outstanding Filipinos, consisting of 384 teachers, 172 soldiers, and 159 police officers, for their unwavering commitment and service to the public.
The Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos program is implemented through a partnership with the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, PS Bank, Rotary Club of Makati Metro, and Rotary Club of New Manila East. (PNA)
