10 more Cebuanos to receive 'Garbo sa Sugbo' award

Music sensation Maria Donna Abrica Taneo and Philippine amateur astronomer Christopher Go are just two of the 10 Garbo sa Sugbo awardees who will be recognized in the awarding rites to be hosted by Capitol on December 16, Saturday.

In addition to the eight outstanding Cebuanos bestowed with the Garbo sa Sugbo award during the 437th founding anniversary celebration of the Province of Cebu last August, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has added to her list of awardees ten more distinguished Cebuanos who excelled in their respective fields.

This includes Cebuana Maria Donna, who brought honor and prestige to the country when she bested 28 other competitors in the Asia New Singer Competition, which was one of the series of activities of the Shanghai International Art Festival, held last October 29.

World-renowned concert pianist Ingrid Sala Santamaria is also one of those that will be recognized in the field of culture and arts. Santamaria founded Cebu City's Peace Philharmonic Orchestra and has developed the Cebu Youth Symphony Orchestra Development Program for training young Cebuanos to become top orchestral musicians, soloists, and winners in competitions.

In addition, Cebuana actress and movie producer Donna Villa is also included in the list. She and her husband Carlo Caparas have already received at least 20 accolades from various award-giving bodies.

Still coming from the field of culture and arts is renowned Philippine printmaker Manuel Rodriguez, Sr., who has received numerous accolades throughout his career. The printmaking industry had its beginnings with the efforts of Rodriguez when he began experimenting with printmaking in the 50's with greeting cards depicting Filipinos and their traditions.

In the field of science, amateur Cebuano astronomer will be bestowed the Garbo sa Sugbo award for photographing planet Jupiter growing a new red spot by using an 11-inch telescope and a CCD camera last February 27.

Coming from the field of judiciary is Judge Fortunato de Gracia of Branch 15 of the Regional Trial Court. He was one of the winners in the 2006 Judicial Excellence Awards in the second-level court judges category.

In the field of business, the awardees are young businessmen Jonathan Jay Aldeguer and Glenn Anthony Soco as well as Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez, Jr. and retired Judge Esperanza Fiel-Garcia.

Aldeguer, the president of Islands Souvenirs Inc., was recently bestowed with the Small Business Entrepreneur award by the professional services firm Ernst and Young for best demonstrating management excellence by innovating the concept of buying pasalubong (take home) into a totally new experience.

On the other hand, Soco, who is the president and general manager of Coffee Dream Co., Inc. was a finalist in the 2006 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, which recognizes entrepreneurs who have created and sustained successful, growing business ventures.

Also a finalist of the Ernst ang Young Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines 2005 is cooperative champ, retired Judge Garcia. Not only is she the mother of the governor, she has also helped organize the Cebu CFI Community Cooperative when she was still a Clerk of Court of First Instance (CFI). The cooperative is aimed at providing affordable financing alternatives to CFI employees.

Garcia assumed the chairmanship of the cooperative upon her retirement as CFI judge in 1988.

Finally, the vice governor is included in the list of awardees for founding the Lacto Bacillus Pafi Techno Resources Corp., that brought him the Innovation Entrepreneur award for creating a new product, and applying an innovative technology business solution, or approach that resulted in improving business processes or growing company. He developed the Lacto Pafi probiotic bacteria, currently among the superior probiotic bacillus strains in the world.

All the awardees will be honored in the annual Garbo sa Sugbo awarding rites to be led by Governor Garcia which will be on the night of December 16, immediately after the light-up ceremony at Capitol to signal the commencement of the Pasko sa Sugbo celebration.

The Daygon (Caroling) Contest will also follow after the Garbo sa Sugbo awarding ceremony. It will be participated by competing choirs from the various municipalities and component cities of the Province of Cebu. - Cristina C. Birondo/MEEV