11 Filipinos for ‘Dakilang Bayani Awards 2019’

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

Five Filipinos from the over 400,000-strong community in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, as determined by the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai (PCGDXB), are set to receive distinction in Community Service on Friday evening.

The five are from the 11 shortlisted for the “Dakilang Bayani Awards (Great Hero) 2019,” which the consular mission is bestowing on a Philippine citizen as its “way of giving meaningful recognition to exceptional Filipinos in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.” “What makes this different from the other awards is that, firstly, it is the highest award given to an overseas Filipino by the (PCGDXB). Secondly, it gives emphasis on community service,” Dakilang Bayani Awards Committee 2019 member Dr. Rex Bacarra told Gulf Today on Wednesday evening.

He continued: “It is the depth and breadth of the Filipino’s involvement in community service, not on one’s career excellence or personal achievements.” As such, substantial to the criteria set forth since a few years back when conceptualized, is Community Involvement/Engagement which has been allocated 70 per cent. Receipt of Awards and Recognition is apportioned 20 per cent. Career Success Story is given a measly 10 per cent.

The American College of Dubai-General Education dean said: “The thrust is to recognize transformative Filipinos. With the consulate general at the helm of the decision for the winners, we hope that other Filipinos are going to be inspired to (dispense some of their time) to community service.” The 11 finalists are Reynaldo Angulo (Dubai), whose advocacy is community development, Rashid Hospital volunteer social worker; Elena Cruz (Dubai), community development, Emirates NBD-Head Brand & Corporate Responsibility vice president; Leo Barrameda (Dubai), community development, International Collectors Programme (for Art Dubai’s international afficionadoes) manager; Capt. Conrad Quizon (Dubai), community development, Dubai Airwing (Dubai’s paramilitary airline company) pilot; Marjorie F. Nazaret (Sharjah), education, Al Alfiah Filipino Private School principal/owner; Benjamin S. Datinguinoo (Sharjah), financial literacy, Nexus Insurance Brokers LLC independent financial advisor; Zoren Y. Ico (Ajman), community development, Wesco Aircraft (aerospace industry sector) business development manager; Pastor Ruel Alaza Perez (Ras Al Khaimah), community development, RAK Ceramics Group Co.-Quality Assurance/Quality Control Division vice president; Maricar Padilla (Umm Al Quwain), physical therapist/ Coolips Balloons (trading/travel sector) entrepreneur; Zosima Palconit (Dubai), community development, house manager/Kabayan Kapit Bisig Foundation founder; and Mary Ann Andaya (Dubai), community development, Majid Al Futtaim Group-Hospitality manager.

The 11 were from 47 nominees sheared to 21, based on the initial screening by Bacarra and fellow Dakilang Bayani Awards 2019 Committee members Ben Lebig Jr., Chevron-East Mediterranean/East Africa Region-Finance & Decision Support analyst; Dr. Rommel Pilapil Sergio, Canadian University Dubai-Faculty of Management professor; Francis Medina, Innovate Create Events partner advocate; and Dr. Nino Decenerio, Institute of Management Technology-Quality Assurance manager.

The trimming for the 11 was through “another round of selection by the five-member committee.” The 11 consequently went through the “rigours of the Question-and-Answer forum” completed at the premises of the consulate general in Al Qusais, Dubai one weekend.

The judges were Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes, Labour Attache Felicitas Bay, and Dr. Yasmin Balajadia-Cortes.

The awarding ceremonies is part of the first-ever “Barrio Fiesta-Bayanihan 2019” to usher in Christmas, the most important annual event among Filipinos around the world.

A ticketed event at Area C/Gate 5 of the Zabeel Park from 10 a.m., the “Barrio Fiesta-Bayanihan 2019” will typify a centuries-old Philippine tradition—even pre-dating the discovery of the 7,107 archipelago by Spain in the 16th century—and which has been carried over to the contemporary times—leading to the institutionalization of 1,053 thus far single day to month-long festivals across the Southeast Asian country held either on the regional (18 regions), provincial (81 provinces), and municipal (1,489 municipalities or towns) levels. Even the 42,044 barangays (of 100 households) organise their mini yet grandiose village feats.