Former President Ramos heads awardees in Pangasinan's first foundation day after 430 years
April 7, 2010 2:26 am
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, April 6 –Former President Fidel V. Ramos headed the honorees during the first-ever foundation Day of Pangasinan after 430 years of its existence on April 5 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center.
As the only true-blooded Pangasinense who became the President of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998, Mr. Ramos was a recipient of the 2010 Balitoc Award, the highest honor bestowed on a son of the province who inspired and made his provincemates truly proud.
Ramos, who was born in Lingayen and who was credited for making the Philippines a tiger economy during his six-year term, shared the limelight with another equally great Pangasinense, Francisco Sionil Jose of Rosales, who is one of the Philippine National Artists in Literature.
Nine other Pangasinenses were recipients of the first-ever ASNA awards in faithful recognition of their outstanding achievements in different fields of endeavor.
Atty. Gonzalo Duque, who chaired the research group that determined the exact founding day of Pangasinan, and head of the committee tasked to oversee the Agew na Pangasinan celebration, said the ASNA awards paid tribute to Pangasinenses whose selfless dedication to their profession or vocation has resulted in outstanding contributions to the welfare of the people of Pangasinan.
The ASNA awardees were former Health Secretary and now Chairman of the Civil Service Commission Francisco Duque III, a native of Aguilar and Lingayen towns, for government service and public health; Former Commission on Audit Chairman Reynaldo Villar of Sto. Tomas, government service/ accounting and auditing; Senior Supt. Eric Noble of Sta. Barbara, for community service;
Santiago Villafania, for arts and culture; Westly Rosario of Dagupan City, for Aquaculture; Menardo Jimenez of Dasol, for Business and Entrepreneurship; Philippine Daily Inquirer Columnist Rina Jimenez-David of Alaminos City, for Mass Communication; and Rodolfo Tan Cardozo, the first International Master in chess in the Philippines, from Alaminos, for sports.
A special recognition was conferred on retired Department of Trade and Industry Provincial Director Jaime Lucas of Dagupan City and Alaminos, for his role as the prioneer propagator of the Pangasinan dialect.
Arabela Arcinue, president of the Pangasinan Heritage Society Inc. and chair of the ASNA awards selection, joined Governor Amado Espino Jr. and Atty. Duque in handing the awards to the honorees. (PNA)
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