House commends two Fil-Am Papal Benemerenti Award honorees

Nellie Hizon (right) and Titus Versoza show copies of House Resolution 171 commending their feat as papal awardees. Photo courtesy of the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco

MANILA, Philippines—The House of Representatives commended two Filipino-Americans who are Papal Benemerenti  Award honorees, the  Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, California reported.

House Resolution  No. 171,    passed on October 10, was formally presented on December 23 to Bay Area community leaders and Papal Benemerenti  Award honorees   Titus Versoza and Nellie Hizon, the consulate general said in a statement.

The lower chamber passed the resolution congratulating and commending the two civic leaders “for receiving the Benemerenti Award conferred by no less than Pope Benedict XVI for their dedicated service in churches in the United States.”

Versoza  in particular   was cited  for his 17 years of dedicated and continued service and leadership as choir director,  finance council member and  coordinator of several fund raising events for St. Mary Queen of Apostles Parish.

Hizon, meanwhile, was recognized  for  being instrumental in  institutionalizing  the Simbang Gabi (midnight mass)  tradition in the Archdiocese of San Francisco since 2006.

“The Philippine Consulate General congratulates once more Mr. Versoza and  Ms. Hizon and extends sincere appreciation  to them for being  exemplary  leaders of the Filipino American community who continue to render  selfless dedication in the service to  their  faith and the community,” it said.