Sen. Joel Villanueva receives the People of the Year 2022 award in a ceremony in a Pasay City hotel on Monday, April 4, 2022. (courtesy of Villanueva’s office)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Joel “Tesdaman” Villanueva has been recognized as among 2022’s People of the Year by Stargate PeopleAsia Magazine.
Villanueva, who received the award in a ceremony in Pasay City on Monday, April 4, is being cited for his contributions to job creation for Filipinos and his campaign for skills training to generate world-class workers in the country.
In his acceptance speech, the senator recalled how the passing of his mother, Adoracion “Sister Dory” Villanueva, and sister, former Bocaue, Bulacan mayor Joni Villanueva-Tugna in 2020 led him to push for the legislation of Republic Act No. 11509, also known as the Doktor para sa Bayan Act.
“As I was moving from pain to purpose, I found out that there are only three doctors attending to every 10,000 Filipinos–a far cry from WHO’s recommendations which is 10 doctors for every 10,000. Besides my sister’s wake, I defended the Doktor Para sa Bayan Act, which became a law six months after her interment,” Villanueva said.
“I am still a work in progress, yet I see that our God is indeed a God of restoration, a God of new beginnings. Clarity of vision gives us confidence in fulfilling our purpose in life, especially in making a difference and being a channel of God’s blessing to others,” he added.
The Doktor para sa Bayan Act aims to increase the number of physicians produced in the country by providing free tuition, books, living expenses, and other benefits to qualified candidates. For each year of scholarship granted, the scholar must serve in public health facilities for at least one year. – Jericho Zafra, trainee
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