MANILA, Philippines - While many Filipinos contribute in significant ways to their chosen field of activity and to their community, not all have earned the highest honorary distinction as outstanding citizens.
On Jan. 8, 2013, The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) awards will again shine the spotlight on the country’s men and women, 41 years and above, who have contributed significantly to the upliftment of the lives of their fellow Filipinos in particular, and humanity, in general. The JCI Senate Philippines together with program partner Insular Life Assurance Co. Ltd., the country’s leading Filipino-owned insurer, will celebrate the silver anniversary of the awards since it was launched in 1988.
Joining a roster of 116 other Filipinos who have been previously recognized as Outstanding Filipinos, the 2012 awardees are: Associate Justice Adolf S. Azcuna for justice/law; Jose F. Datuin for the arts; and Police director lawyer Samuel D. Pagdilao Jr. for military/police work.
Azcuna, former Presidential Legal Counsel and Press Secretary of the first Aquino administration and a retired Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, will be honored for his acknowledged authority in Constitutional Law and his legacy in the Philippine judiciary.
Pagdilao, a two-star general and director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police, is being cited for his achievements as a law enforcer, particularly for his notable contributions to the success of the government’s anti-crime efforts and his pioneering innovations in police administration, operation and community relations.
Datuin, a highly acclaimed visual artist for painting and sculpture, is being recognized for his contributions in enhancing the country’s stature through his art and art travels across the country and abroad.