3 more Cebuana trailblazers
I actually volunteered to be part of the team to complete the set of Sugbuanang Tag-una (women trailblazers), because I believe in raising role models for our girl children. It was exhilarating work preparing the cards for Dr. Araceli Gonzales-Almase, Sinulog Foundation director Dolores Morales-Suzara, and Dr. Madrileña L. de la Cerna. But I had to limit the presentation to a set number of words for each card so I’m glad I have this space to include other points I actually wanted to appear.
At UP Cebu High School and in the UP Alumni Association, I found working with Dr. Almase a very educational experience. She was a dedicated, updated educator. (I liked her Christmas gift of a scientific monograph.) She was the first person to mention “learning style” long before this phrase became popular. In the alumni association, she was systematic and innovative in her procedures.
Science seems to be male-dominated. I would like young Sugbuanas to know that there are women who take science seriously. Dr. Araceli Almase led the National Science and Technology Authority Region 7. When this became the Department of Science and Technology, she served as its regional director for seven years.
The Philippines Foundation Inc. honored Dr. Araceli Gonzales-Almase with the Perlas Award as a Valuable Filipino in the field of science education for her extensive work in the in-service training of science teachers in Region 7. The Confederation of Scientific and Professional Organizations recognized her with a Leadership Award for pioneering in the organization of scientific and professional organizations in Region 7. This served as the model for other regions of the country. The College of Pharmacy of the University of San Carlos during its Golden Jubilee celebration awarded her a Certificate of Recognition for Exemplary Achievement in the field of Science and Technology.
For her master of science in botany degree, her research on phytoplankton distribution and taxonomy was published in the Philippine Journal of Science and in the Philippine Science Encyclopedia. Her research in her Master of Education degree focused on the science curriculum and was published by the UP Science Education Center.
When I worked with director Dolores Morales-Suzara, I had a problem. She immediately had a solution. Perhaps, that’s the advantage of being a Sto. Niño devotee.
At the Sinulog Foundation office where I went looking for a writeup about Ma’am Dolly, executive director Ricky Ballesteros gave me a copy of the 2010 Sinulog Magazine with Jason Baguia’s article on “The Mother of the Sinulog Festival.”
As president of the Association of P.E. Teachers, Ma’m Dolly led a group of eight P.E. teachers from Cebu City Schools in the creation of the street dancing festival. They began by “studying closely the movements of the candle vendors” in the Sto. Niño Basilica. Later Dolly served as judge in the competition that became part of the festival. When the competition heightened, she invited out-of-town judges since she had many contacts as a member of the Executive Council of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Now, she is the project director of the Sinulog Foundation Inc. Baguia quotes her as describing her festival role as a “spiritual involvement”.
In March 2000, the Philippines Foundation Inc. honored Dolly with a Perlas Award as Valuable Filipino Model Teacher. The Philippine Folk Dance Society awarded her with Sayaw Bulawan: Leadership Award for the Promotion of Folk Dances.
When St. Theresa’s College celebrated its diamond jubilee, Dr. Madrileña de laCerna was awarded for her work in the preservation of Cebu’s cultural heritage. She had started the yearly Daygon Competition by providing different municipalities with an orientation on the traditional daygon; this would qualify them for the competition.
As early as 1991, Madz with her senior high school students produced Cebu Cultural Week, wherein leading Cebuanos were awarded for their contributions to Cebu’s cultural heritage. Together with her college students in Science, Technology, and Society Dr. de la Cerna educated her students as well as the communities in the province on the process of cultural mapping.
Recently, she has been cluster editor in the Town History Project of the Cebu provincial government. UP Cebu is fortunate, for Dr. De la Cerna had written its history. The work was useful in having the administration building on Gorordo Avenue declared a historical site.
Dr. de la Cerna made very significant contributions to Philippine History.
Her work “Towards Developing Philippine Feminist Leadership: Articulations and Experiences of Selected Women Leaders” was awarded by the UP Women Studies Center as the best dissertation.
