Ten excelling Boholanos get TOBAW recognition

WHAT do Chatto, Du, Madrazo, Makinano, Cruz, Montano, Real, Calunsag, Daquipa and Cruz have in common? Well, they just happen to excel in their chosen fields making them larger than life icons in their chosen professions and vocations to be among the Outstanding Boholanos Around the World (Tobaw) awardees 2006, the Tobaw selection committee announced yesterday.

Efren Chatto has dug up a niche in the field of agriculture. Melecia Uy Du is respected in business. Dr. Alma Bella Madrazo founds a base in engineering. Merliza Makinano hammers fame in international labor relations. Prudencia Cruz archives a record in library science. Cesar Montano makes a stellar name in the performing arts. Atty. Isidro Real Jr., distinguishes himself in public service. Rear Admiral Rogelio Calunsag sails the rough seas of military service. Dr. Antonio Daquipa excels in medicine while and Dr. Rico Cruz braves ways in the wonderful world of science.

The awarding ceremonies Saturday at the Sandugo grand ballroom of the Bohol Tropic Resorts was sponsored by Tigum Bol-anon Tibuok Kalibutan and First Consolidated Bank, in cooperation with the Province of Bohol, Diocese of Tagbilaran, Bohol Chronicle and Radio Station Dyrd, and Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Chatto, who is the elder brother of Congressman Edgar Chatto and is now based in Baguio City , has carved a name in the commercial production of cutflowers in the Philippines. He was responsible for the cultivation and production of improved variety of cutflowers in the Philippines . He has cutflower farm in Baguio City and strawberry and passion fruit farm in Bukidnon. As president of the Cordillera Agrobusiness Research and Technology Center and the National Cutflower Growers Federation, Chatto helped farmers improve their agri-business ventures and worked for policy reforms to strengthen the cutflower industry in the Philippines.

Du, 79 years old, is chair of the Board of Directors of Du Ek Sam, Inc., DES Marketing Inc., Du Ek Sam Capital Corporation, and Melsam Management and Realty Development. Dona Melecia and her husband Ek Sam engaged in copra trading in Jagna, and expanded their business into hardware retailing, gasoline service stations, rice and corn milling and eventually into sales of motorcycles and home appliances. After the death of her husband, she steered their small family business by dint of hard work, fairness, and honesty into a multi-million peso corporation. Today, Du Ek Sam has branches in many parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.

Dr. Madrazo is country director of Tetra Tech EM, Inc. a US environmental; consulting firm, which completed the implementation of the USAID funded project. Coastal Resources Management Project (CRMP) has helped several communities including coastal communities in Bohol develop their own coastal resource management plan. Dr. Madrazo was born on December 11, 1955 in Cortes. Madrazo obtained her chemical engineering degree from the University of Mindanao and a Master in Engineering Education and PhD in Energy Engineering from the University of the Philippines. Prior to her present position, Dr. Madrazo served as associate professor at the De La Salle University. As a scientist, she was engaged in energy related research which tried to convert agricultural waste into an energy source, and was the prime mover of the initiative to eliminate the use of leaded gasoline in the country.

Makinano is director of International Labor Affairs Service, Department of Labor and Employment, and has been involved in programs and policies that help workers, particularly overseas Filipino workers. Makinano grew up in Anda. In spite of the lack of resources of her family, she studied and finished her political science degree from the University of the Philippines in Diliman. From there, she obtained masters in international relations from the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand and a diploma in Oceans Law and Policy from the Rhodes Academy of Oceans Law and Policy. Prior to her present position, she worked as senior researcher and analyst in the Office of Strategic and Special Studies of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and became consultant on strategic matters in the defense department. When she moved to the labor department in 2001, she became its youngest director.

Prudencia Cruz is director of the National Library of the Philippines . Born in Albur in 1943, she obtained her degree in library science from the University of San Carlos , her Masters in Library Science from the University of the Philippines , her post graduate studies in library and information science from the Northern Illinois University in the USA Cruz served as chief librarian of then Divine Word College –Tagbilaran from 1964 to 1970. In 1970, she joined government service as provincial librarian of the Bohol Provincial Library and then rose from the ranks in the National Library and was appointed director in 2001. Cruz has served as resource persons on library science, here and abroad and has worked hard towards the improvement of the public library systems in the country, making them accessible to the general public, and the empowering Filipinos through books and libraries.

Montano - A multi-awarded actor and director, producer and writer, Montano was born in Manila of Boholano farther from Baclayon. Montano's passion for acting was first seen in Dulaang UP's stage productions. He starred in 53 movies, including Jose Rizal, Muro-ami and Panaghoy sa Suba, the latter two were shot in various locations in Bohol . He has directed four movies, and produced Panaghoy sa Suba. In his movies, Montano has notably promoted ecological, cultural, moral and spiritual values in his movies and served as role model not only for aspiring performing artist but also for many Filipinos.

Real is congressman of the 1st District of Zamboanga del Sur since 2001 and has served as congressman of the same district from 1987 to 1992. He also served as governor of the Province of Zamboanga del Sur from 1992 to 2001. Real exemplifies a poor Boholano who succeeded in life by the time-tested principles of humility, hard work, godliness and determination. Born in Baclayon in 1936, he worked as clerk in the governor's office in Zamboanga del Sur and later as clerk in Congress, so he could pursue his law degree from Lyceum of the Philippines . He took and placed 7th in the 1961 bar examinations. Prior to holding public office, he was a successful corporate lawyer in Manila . He practiced law, rendering legal service to the poor particularly from his home province.

Rear Admiral Calunsag is a distinguished product of the public school, having graduated from Alegria Elementary School , Loay and the Philippine Science High School in Quezon City . He joined the military service as a cadet of the Philippines Military Academy where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1974. He holds a Master in Business Administration from the Ateneo de Manila University and a Master in National Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines. Rear Admiral Calunsag is presently commander of the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao. He experienced his baptism of fire as a young officer in the battlefields of Sulu during the campaign against the Moro National Liberation Front. After that he was given various assignments, including Naval Task Force 41 Commander, where he was instrumental in safeguarding Philippine territorial waters and marine resources in the Kalayaan Islands and Scarborough shoal. For his exemplary performance and distinguished services to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and to the country as a whole, Admiral Calunsag received a number of awards and commendations, including the Distinguished Service Star.

Dr. Daquipa was a board certified general surgeon and had a successful private practice in Carmichael , California , USA from 1980 to 2004. For eight years, he served in the United States Army Reserves and was honorably discharged with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Although he recently retired, Dr. Daquipa continued assisting at cardiac surgeries. As a young physician, Dr. Daquipa worked at the Bohol Provincial Hospital for one year without pay and was a medical director of Bohol Youth Core, an organization of young Boholano future leaders, led by Gov. Erico Aumentado. Dr. Daquipa has been active in surgical and medical missions in Bohol and other parts of the country since 1996 and in securing donations of medicines, medical supplies and equipment for public hospitals in Bohol .

Cruz - A scientist, engineer and environmentalist, Dr. Cruz is a leading international expert in biofuels research and development. He is president and chief executive officer of Eco-energy International, in Craigmont , Idaho , USA , and at the same time program manager and terrestrial ecologist of Laboratory and Biological Sves and vice president of S.I.O. LLC, both of Pendleton , Oregon. Born in Aguining, President Garcia on January 29, 1958 , he obtained an agricultural engineering degree from Leyte State University in 1980, an MS in Agricultural Engineering from Silsoc College , England and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Idaho , U.S.A. Dr. Cruz has over 16 years hands-on experience in biofuels research and development and over 25 years in renewable sources of energy. He has pioneered and advocated bio-diesel production and utilization, and his expertise in biodiesel production has been utilized worldwide. He is listed in the International Who' s Who of Professionals, and the 1000 World Leaders of Scientific Influence.

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