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CEBU CITY, Philippines - Two members of the Garcia family, a soldier, and two heads of national government offices are among the eight ?outstanding? Cebuanos whom the Cebu provincial government will recognize this Friday as part of the province?s 439th founding anniversary celebration.
Each of the ?Garbo sa Sugbu? awardees will receive a plaque of recognition for bringing ?honor and pride to Cebuanos,? said Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who revealed the names of the awardees on Monday.
The awards will be distributed during the Governor?s Ball on Friday night.
The governor?s father, Representative Pablo Garcia (Cebu, 2nd district), and brother, Government Services and Insurance System (GSIS) general manager Winston Garcia, are among the awardees.
Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano and Presidential Management Staff (PMS) head Cerge Remonde will also be getting awards, as well as Lieutenant General Pedrito Cadungog, former University of the Philippines (UP) president Francisco Nemenzo, the Nature?s Legacy furniture company, and Pachico Seares, editor in chief of Sun.Star Daily Cebu newspaper.
Governor Garcia said she did not see anything wrong with bestowing the awards on her family members because they deserved it.
?It will be more controversial if they do not deserve the award. It just so happened that their family name is Garcia. I assure you that this (selection) passed rigorous screening. In fact, I was surprised why two Garcias were included,? the governor said.
Elizabeth Francia, executive assistant of the governor, said the awardees were screened and selected by the provincial awards committee. The list of finalists was later forwarded to Governor Garcia for concurrence.
Representative Garcia, Durano and Remonde were chosen for their achievements in the field of government service, Francia said.
Winston Garcia and Nemenzo were selected for being ?crusaders of good governance.?
Cadungog, a native of Ginatilan in southern Cebu, will be recognized for becoming commanding general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Nature?s Legacy, which is owned by Pete and Cathy Delantar, gets the award for gaining international recognition for their eco-friendly designs and use of indigenous raw materials.
Seares is recognized for being this year?s recipient of the Gawad Plaridel Award from UP for excellence in journalism.
Citations will be given to the Taiheiyo Cement Co. for donating cement in support of the province?s schools construction program.
A similar citation will be given to the Korean Electric Co. (Kepco), which donated P20 million that the province used to purchase electric wires and other hardware that was used to light up 81 sitios (districts) in remote barangays (villages).
Special commendations will be given to philanthropist Ramon Chiu and the Philippine-Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
The Cebu Provincial Capitol will sport three themes during the Governor?s Ball, depicting the different eras since the province?s creation.
The Capitol quadrangle, where cocktails will be served, will be decorated in Spanish colonial era décor.
The interior of the Capitol leading to the Capitol Social Hall will be decorated in the spirit of the American era of the 1930s, complete with string quartet.
Modern Cebu will dominate the Capitol Social Hall, where the Garbo sa Sugbo awards will be given out.
