Outstanding Filipinos: Metrobank lauds 4 teachers, 3 soldiers, 3 cops

SERVING THE COMMUNITY: From top left: Lou Sabrina Ongkiko, Maria Minerva Calimag, Iris Thiele Isip-Tan, Jason Albaro, Technical Sgt. Jake Belino, Col. Augusto Padua, Lt. Col. Elmer Boongaling, Police Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, Police Lt. Col. Jonathan Pablito and Police Senior Master Sgt. Mary Joy Ylanan.

MANILA, Philippines — As the schools gear up for the opening of classes in less than two weeks, four teachers received the Metrobank Foundation Most Outstanding Filipinos award for their remarkable efforts in serving and helping their students and communities.

The program feting the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos is one of the highlights of the organization’s 59th anniversary celebration.

“We continue to pay tribute to public servants whose grit and resilience affirm that excellence can manifest in a variety of ways. We may be saturated by terrible news and worrying forecasts, yet we can still glimpse pockets of hope in the actions of our fellowmen,” said Metrobank chair Arthur Ty.

“No matter how hard, we teach anyway, because it is important that we stand by our students at this time,” said grade school teacher Sabrina Lou Ongkiko as she received the award on behalf of the teacher awardees during the virtual conferment ceremony on Thursday.

Metrobank recognized Ongkiko for leading and implementing a learning continuity program and other teaching strategies for her school that served as a blueprint for the Department of Education.

In her speech, Ongkiko, a master teacher in English and science at Culiat Elementary School in Quezon City, reminded fellow teachers of the challenge given to them as educators.

Sacred task

“As teachers, we are given the sacred task of recognizing, protecting, developing and bringing out the outstanding person in every Filipino. And that moment when learners feel like winners, that is our true winning moment,” she said.

The other teacher awardees are Jason Albaro, who teaches science, technology and math at Muntinlupa National High School; Maria Minerva Calimag, a medical doctor and professor at the University of Santo Tomas College of Medicine; and Iris Thiele Isip-Tan, also a doctor and professor at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine.

Albaro’s initiative in acquiring patents for his and his students’ inventions won various accolades for his school, including the Global High School Award.

Metrobank recognized Calimag for conceptualizing and codeveloping a cloud-based program that helped the professional development of health experts while Tan was cited for her advocacy in advancing health literacy through social media.

Three soldiers and three police officers are among this year’s 10 Most Outstanding Filipino award from the Metrobank Foundation.

They are Technical Sgt. Jake Belino from the Civil Military Operations Tactical Operations Group in Northern Luzon, Lt. Col. Elmer Boongaling of the Philippine Army and Col. Augusto Padua of the Philippine Air Force.

Tactical innovations

Belino was cited for tactical innovations that included developing the country’s pioneer training package for the management of dead and missing persons, which had been distributed to various regions. The training includes the search and recovery, identification and eventual transfer of the dead and missing during disasters and emergencies.

Boongaling was recognized for his contribution to the “peaceful and orderly” May 2019 elections in the 11 municipalities at Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao while Padua was commended for his “unconventional approach” to counterinsurgency by dropping leaflets instead of bombs.

“We and the enemy have the same aspiration: a sustainably prosperous nation. One, however, is through democracy and the other through communism. To prove that they are wrong is not to eliminate them but to show that democracy works by good governance,” Padua said in his acceptance message.

The foundation’s outstanding police officer awardees are Police Senior Master Sgt. Mary Joy Ylanan of the Bogo City Police Station in Cebu, Police Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare of the Talisay City Police Station and Police Lt. Col. Jonathan Pablito from the Police Regional Office 6 in Iloilo City.

Aiding victims of abuse

Ylanan helped victims of sexual abuse and human rights violations pursue justice, leading to the arrest of felons guilty of rape and trafficking while Pelayo was recognized for his “Oplan Limpyo,” which is a community-based campaign against illegal drugs in Central Visayas.

Metrobank awarded Pablito for his contribution in ensuring the development and implementation of the Integrated Transformation Program of the Philippine National Police called P.A.T.R.O.L. Plan 2030, or “Peace and Order Agenda for Transformation and the Upholding of the Rule of Law.”

Each of the awardees received a P1-million cash prize, a gold medallion and “The Flame” trophy.

President Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo congratulated the awardees during the online ceremony.

The foundation has honored a total of 685 Outstanding Filipinos since 1985. The 10 awardees for this year went through a rigorous selection process under a board of judges led by Sen. Nancy Binay and Associate Justice Rosmari Carandang.