Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc
Thirty-eight individuals and institutions received the University of the Philippines (UP) Gawad Oblation for their support of the University in the past six years.
UP President Danilo Concepcion and UP Vice President for Public Affairs Elena Pernia handed specially designed medals to the awardees or their representatives in a dinner ceremony at Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman, Quezon City, on January 17, 2023.
According to the citations read by the master of ceremonies, UP Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell Capili, the awardees readily responded to the needs of the University, helping it to: expand services to internal and external publics, surmount and act on the pandemic and disasters; construct, upgrade, and preserve facilities; acquire equipment; manage utilities; and, support academic, artistic, and athletic excellence.
Batch One of the awardees consisted of: Ramon Ang of San Miguel Corp.; Juanerio Jesus Atencio of Januarius Holdings, Inc.; Lilia Ronquillo Bautista of Organo Philippines; Virgilio Bautista of the University of Baguio; Picasso Chen of the Kindness Hotel Chain of Taiwan; Francis Chua of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.; Napoleon Concepcion of UP Alumni Association-Davao; Polly Cortez of the Friends of the UP Foundation in America; Renan Dalisay of NoWhereToGoButUP Foundation, Inc.; Arthur Defensor of Iloilo Province; Sonia Delen of the Bank of America-Global Leasing; Agnes Devanadera of the Clark Development Corp.; and, Benjamin Diokno of the Department of Finance.
Batch Two consists of Ray Espinosa of Meralco; Ignacio Gimenez of Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc.; Vincent Henry Go of Top Breed; John Patrick Gregorio of the Philippine Olympic Committee; Michael Peiyung Hsu of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office; Francis Laurel of YKK Philippines and Toyota Batangas City and Camarines Sur; Rod Libunao of Chevron Philippines; Benjamin Magalong of Baguio City; Ronald Mascariñas of Bounty Agro Ventures Inc.; Venus Navalta of IPG Media Brand; Manuel Pangilinan of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.; Robina Gokongwei Pe of Robinson’s Retail Holdings; and, Emeritus Professor Ernesto Pernia, former National Economic and Development Authority Secretary-General.
Batch Three consisted of: Jonvic Remulla of Cavite Province; Agaton Uvero of Grupo Uvero, Inc.; Orlando Vea of Maya Philippines; Mark Villar of the Department of Public Works and Highways; Timothy Eing Ming Wu of Shu-Te University-Kaohsiung and Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association; Susan Yap of Tarlac Province; Huawei Philippines; the Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation Inc.; Palawan Express; Wilcon Builders; the Zuellig Family; and, the Zuellig Family Foundation.
“UP awards the Oblation Medal to those who passionately give to the University their talents and expertise, material support, financial resources, and their time, all of which are precious gifts selflessly given for the benefit of the UP community and the public,” Concepcion said in his welcome remarks.
“Our hands together enabled the University in recent years to deliver extraordinary public service in various ways. You have provided UP with the more than usual means and resources,” Pernia, UP vice president, added through her closing remarks.
The award is named after UP’s symbol, The Oblation, a sculptural rendition by National Artist Guillermo Tolentino of the second stanza of Jose Rizal’s “Mi Ultimo Adios.” For UP, the Oblation is said to signify the offering of oneself in service. The Gawad Oblation medal was designed by Leo Abaya of the UP College of Fine Arts to articulate The Oblation’s symbolism.
The dinner ceremony featured musical numbers from strings musician Solaiman Jamisolamin and the UP Singing Ambassadors.
Source: https://up.edu.ph/up-honors-benefactors-with-gawad-oblation/