Belmonte, Panadero to lead Gerry Roxas leaders’ forum

MANILA, Philippines—Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte and Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Austere A. Panadero will be this year’s guests of honor and speakers in the annual Leaders’ Forum of the Gerry Roxas Leadership Awardees Inc. to be held on Saturday at the Balay Expo Centro Araneta Center in Quezon City.

With the theme, “Leadership and Nation Building,” the annual forum is organized by the Gerry Roxas Leadership Awardees Inc. (GRLAI), supported by the Gerry Roxas Foundation (GRF) and its chair, Mrs. Judy A. Roxas.

Awardees from 1968 to the present are invited to attend.

GRLAI is a nonprofit group of recipients of the most prestigious merit-based awards given to deserving high school students from over 1,000 schools nationwide. For over four decades now, the GRF has partnered with secondary schools in recognizing exemplary graduating students.

Lawyer Nic Conti, GRLAI president, said the group has an active network of about 52,000 leaders all over the Philippines, working together in establishing a community of leaders “who are passionate and capable in contributing to the development of the country.”

Belmonte was an awardee from Poveda Learning Center while Panadero’s was conferred by Faraon Institute in Negros Occidental.

All Leaders’ Forum guests were awardees to inspire the young. They include Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Commission on Elections Commissioner Grace Padaca, SMART Communications public affairs head Ramon Isberto, and Health Undersecretary Anthony Leachon.

Other prominent awardees were: ABS-CBN president and CEO Charo Santos-Concio, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, Gawad Kalinga’s Tony Meloto, motivational speaker Antonio Pangilinan, and renowned scientist Josette Biyo.

For concerns, contact Mr. Cholo Kawada, GRLA secretary: 09178824656.