Outstanding Aklanons honored by Aklan govt

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan – This year’s outstanding citizens of Aklan will be honored at the 54th Aklan founding anniversary on April 25.

Seven awardees in the field of religion, broadcast journalism, science and technology-research, banking and finance, community service, business and industry and public service were chosen for their outstanding contribution and leadership in their respective fields of endeavor.

Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez, Vice Governor Gabrielle Calizo-Quimpo and Aklan Rep. Florencio Miraflores will lead the momentous event at the Governor Augusto B. Legaspi Memorial and Sports Center.

A native of Batan, Aklan, Rev. Fr. Regino Cortes entered the Dominican Orders as a postulant in 1956 at the Colegio Apostolico Dominicano and after his ordained as priest, he pursued studies in Rome and Jerusalem in late 1960’s.

Fr. Cortes was the Dean of the Institute of Religion at the University of Sto. Tomas and Rector of Letran College in Calamba, Laguna and Intramuros, Manila from 1980 to 1986.

The late Fr. Cortes was an appointee of the Pope John Paul II at the Vatican’s Pontifical Biblical Commission and finished his Philosophy and Theology studies at UST Manila.

He also wrote a book, “The Story of La Naval” and articles in the Philippiniana Sacra, Life Today, Emeth, and Boletin Ecleasiastico de Filipinas.

Fr. Cortes, the 2010 Outstanding Aklanon posthumous awardee in the field of Religion, died on August 28, 2006.
Another awardee in the field of Community Service is Ma. Cecile Motus of Kalibo, Aklan. Motus has worked with the United States Peace Corps in the Philippines for thirteen years and served as training director for seven years.

She is also the Assistant Director at the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.Motus served as president of the Archbishop Gabriel M. Reyes Memorial Foundation instrumental in the community development, structural and Museo it Akean programs.

She was the Asia Regional Liaison Officer of the Geneva-based International Catholic Migration Commission and Executive Director and Refugee Resettlement Director of the Catholic Immigration Center in Hawaii.

Dr. Oseni Millamena, born in Mabilo, New Washington, Aklan, is this year’s awardee in the field of Science and Technology-Research.

She started working in Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) since 1976 and was the Project Leader of collaborative research projects with ACIAR, in Australia, DAKA Amba, in Denmark and CTPP in France.
Dr. Millamena obtained her Doctor of Philosophy in Fisheries major in Aquatic Nutritional Chemistry from Kagoshima University in Japan in 1998. She was a recipient of numerous awards for her researches and works, among others, Distinguished Centralian Award in 2001 by the Central Philippine University, Most Outstanding Book Award as main author and editor from the National Academy of Science and Technology in 2001 and Best Published R & D Paper in Fisheries/Aquaculture from the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research Development in 1998.

Another outstanding Aklanon awardee is German Palmani in the field of Broadcast Journalism. Jim, a native of New Washington, Aklan is one of the founding fathers of the broadcast industry in Aklan.

Palmani worked as radio announcer with DyRX Roxas City as radio announcer and with DyKR Kalibo on June 15, 1963 as staff announcer and later station manager.

In 1981, Jim joined the IBC-DyRG Budyong and had institutionalized the DyRG Bueoligan on the air. He was the first chairman of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas-Aklan Chapter and his stint the chapter was adjudged the 1985 Most Active Local Chapter in the country.

Jim established the Radio 4EB Filipino Programming Group in 1995 after his family migrated in Queensland Australia. The awardee in the field of Banking and Finance profession is Rufino Leyson of Kalibo, Aklan. In 2006, Ruffy was elected president of Aklan Bankers Association (ABA) and currently working as branch manager of Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Kalibo Branch.
Leyson earned his bachelor’s degree in Commerce major in Accounting at Northwestern Visayan Colleges in March 1972. He was hired as employee of BPI in 1972 and rose to the positions of clerk to branch manager.

As a community service volunteer, Leyson is the first Aklanon elected as District Governor of the Kiwanis International Philippine South District and board of director of Boracay Foundation, Inc.

Ruffy is involved in religious organizations as member of Diocesan Finance Council of the Diocese of Kalibo and adviser of St. Jude Parish Catholic Church.

Stella Tejada Dy of Kalibo, Aklan is the awardee in the field of Business and Industry. She established the Dolly Joy Gallery and Museum in 2008 as wholesome venue for fieldtrips.

The museum houses her collection of thousands of dolls for almost 40 years and a gallery of the process of manufacturing of dolls.

Stella’s family owns the Dolly Joy Industries, ATOH Manufacturing Corporation and Sandy Dolls in 1977 employing more than 300 workers.

Dy was a recipient of Vendor of the Decade Award-Precious Moments Company, USA in 1999 and Outstanding Performance Award from May Department Store International in 1998.

Another awardee hails from Makato, Aklan, Geronimo Ortega in the field of Public Service. Ortega worked with the Development Bank of the Philippines for 34 years and was elected Sangguniang Bayan member in his hometown in 1988.

Ortega was appointed as Treasurer Business Manager of Iloilo Mission Hospital and worked currently as Administrative Officer of Saint Gabriel Hospital in Kalibo, Aklan and officer-in-charge Manager of Makato Rural Bank.