CREAM OF THE CROP:
(left to right, from top) Jingco, Conde, Tangan, Luna, and Ambat
(left to right, from top) Franco, Luces, De Guzman, Añar and Aguilar
EIGHT public elementary and high school teachers, as well as two professors from the University of the Philippines-Manila and the University of Santo Tomas, are the winners in the 2011 Metrobank Foundation Search for Outstanding Teachers.
Winners in the elementary category are Marcela E. Jingco, Angeles Elementary School, Angeles City; Lora E. Añar, Bukidnon State University, Malaybalay City; Dr. Teodora D. Conde, Andres Bonifacio Elementary School, Sta. Cruz, Manila, and Djhoane C. Aguilar, Panabo Central Elementary School, Panabo City.
In the secondary category, winners are Dr. Chelo C. Tangan, Cagayan National High School, Tuguegarao City; Buenaventura D. Luces, Lusacan National High School, Tiaong, Quezon; Vilma C. Ambat, Baguio City National High School, Baguio City, and Maricel S. Franco, Nueva Vizcaya General Comprehensive High School, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.
Dr. Jericho Thaddeus P. Luna, UPM, and Dr. Allan B. de Guzman, UST, are the awardees in the higher education category.
President Aquino will confer gold medallions and plaques on the outstanding teachers, as well as the winners in the Search for the Country’s Outstanding Policemen in Service (COPS) and the Search for The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers (TOPS).
Winners in all three searches will also be presented on Sept. 5 when Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. celebrates its anniversary.
They will receive plaques and cash prizes totaling almost P10 million.
The winners in the Search for Outstanding Teachers were selected from 20 national finalists chosen from among 40 regional finalists. A total of 175 nominations from public and private educational institutions in the Philippines were submitted.
The board of judges for the finals were co-chaired by Supreme Court Associate Justice Martin S. Villarama Jr. and Sen. Loren B. Legarda. Other judges were Rep. Lorenzo R. Tañada III (4th district, Quezon Province), Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho L. Petilla, Singapore‘s Ambassador to the Philippines A. Selverajah, Far Eastern University president Dr. Lydia B. Echauz, and PTV broadcast journalist Veronica Baluyut-Jimenez.
This year’s winners will join 296 former outstanding teachers and will automatically become members of the Network of Outstanding Teachers and Educators (Noted), an honor society of outstanding teachers.