League of Distinction

“TO be in such distinguished company, to be awarded by such distinguished group, I, truly, am most honored.”
City of San Fernando Mayor Oscar Samson Rodriguez, in his brief extemporaneous remarks, captured most succinctly the essence of the awards given last week by the Society of Pampanga Columnists to outstanding Capampangans and companies.
Awards give honor to those upon whom they are bestowed. Of a higher value though is the honor the recipient gives to the award. Thus it was with the SPC awards.
The SPC Order of Merit is given to those whose very names invoke signal accomplishments.
World Mayor. Can there be any one hereabouts other than Mayor Oca himself? Third runner-up in the World Mayor 2005 Awards, Oca too was named fellow of the Institute for Solidarity in Asia and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Merit in his capacity as vice president for Luzon of the Consultative Commission on Charter Change.
In only his first term as city mayor, Oca has already achieved for San Fernando the 2004 Galing Pook Award and the 2005 Most Competitive City- Mid-Size Category awarded by the Asian Institute of Management and the US Agency for International Development.
Only Capampangan in the GMA Cabinet. Ed Pamintuan, that is, and as head of the Subic-Clark Area Development Council, the advocate of the development of the full potentials of the former US military bases as engines of national development.
World-class expressway. And comes to mind Jose “Ping” de Jesus, president, Manila North Tollways Corporation, that actualized the gateway to development of North and Central Luzon in the now aptly-named North Luzon Expressway.
In his past persona as Public Works and Highways Secretary, Ping was instrumental in the very salvation of Pampanga from the ravages of the Mt. Pinatubo eruptions with his determined stand to stave off the lahar rampages with engineering interventions.
The Smokey Mountain transformation from Third World blight to human development habitat. Reghis M. Romero II, chairman of the Board, RII Builders Group of Companies is the wielder of that miracle. As he is too the pro-creator of the Manila Harbour Centre that has emerged as one of the best seaports in the Asia-Pacific region.
Think socialized housing and you won’t miss thinking of Rico A. Laxa too. He is the general manager of the National Housing Authority, builder of living communities for the poor and the underprivileged, especially those displaced by the North Rail Project, affording the marginalized sectors their own place of dignity befitting every member of Filipino society.
The global parol. Robert R. David, lantern-maker, it was that took the San Fernando parol to the world stage, in the 1992 World Expo in Seville, Spain, in Australia and for three years starting in 2003 in San Francisco, California which city government bestowed upon him the title “master artist.”
Lest it be forgotten, Don Robert it was too that brokered the SM and Robinsons land deal in San Fernando.
Awarded as Distinguished Fellows for their own achievements as well as their solidarity with the SPC were:
Bacolor Mayor Romeo “Buddy” Dungca engineer of the rise of his town from the devastations of Mt. Pinatubo, and in reclaiming its glory days as the Athens of Pampanga.
Mabalacat Mayor Marino”Boking” Morales, distinguished not only by the length of his term in office, but moreso by the depth and expanse of his dedicated service to his constituency. This is patently manifest in the booming economy that has made his town exceed the qualifications for a component city.
Board Member Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales whose programs and projects, especially in infrastructure development, go beyond the boundaries of his third district and spread through the rest of the province – an indubitable proof of the supremacy of his inhered essence of service over the dictates of parochial politics.
Rox Peña, the “green apostle” with his advocacy of responsible environmentalism manifested not only in his teachings and writings, but moreso in his praxis of the green principles of composting biodegradables, and reusing and recycling other wastes.
Ma. Teresa A. Laus, entrepreneur, humanitarian, even a social worker at heart; truly, a woman of substance, and the beloved de facto Muse of the Society.
Outstanding firms were given The Good Corporate Citizenship Awards.
Metro Clark Network 3, for its pioneering efforts as cable television provider in Pampanga. Its community-based and –oriented news and public affairs programs fill the information needs, and thereby raise the level of consciousness of their audience about the day-to-day issues affecting their lives.
Family First, a leader in the pre-need industry that rises above the rest in the strength of its character, in the solidity of its resources, in its high credibility and in its solidarity with the community where it locates as manifested in its computer donation project to local government units for public schools in the City of San Fernando and the Province of Pampanga
Mekeni Food Corporation, the catalyst that took the Kapampangan processed food industry literally from the humble backyard to the world -class factory, its efficacy from the local palate to the metropolitan taste, thereby further enhancing the richness and expanding the primacy of the culinary excellence of the Kapampangan.
San Miguel Corporation, as perennial top taxpayer and for its programs geared at the uplift of the socio-economic well being of the communities where it operates.
These were the first ever awardees of the SPC. To them our gratitude for the honor they gave the Society by accepting their awards. (Published in Pampanga News, July 13-19, 2006)