RAFI presents finalists in 5th triennial awards

CEBU, Philippines - Of the 262 nominations, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) yesterday bared the five finalists per category of the 5th RAFI Triennial Awards for the Visayas and Mindanao next year.

RAFI presented to the public five finalists for each of two categories – Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary Individual and Eduardo Aboitiz for the Outstanding Institution.

The finalists were chosen for their work, advocacies and contribution to the community.

They were selected after a seven-month evaluation by the search committee, an independent and multi-sectoral group headed by University of the Philippines Visayas-Tacloban Dean Prof. Margarita dela Cruz.

The five finalists for the individual category are Fr. Angelo Buenavides, Prof. Estrella Cantaloppez, Apolinario Leyson, Sr., Fr. Dennis Tamayo and Rene Vendiola.

The five finalists for the institution category are SOS Children’s Villages Philippines, Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation Inc., Great Physician Rehabilitation Foundation Inc., Afri-Aqua Development Coalition-Mindanao, and Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc. (AIDFI).

The awards are conferred every three years and each awardee and finalist will receive a trophy or a plaque, and a cash prize.

The Ramon Aboitiz Award for the Exemplary Individual is open to Filipinos, natural born or naturalized citizen, at least 30 years of age, whose commitment to his or her profession or vocation contributed to the development of the well-being of his or her fellow Filipinos.

The Eduardo Aboitiz Award for the Outstanding Institution is open to institutions or organizations which have been recognized for at least three years with efficient programs and services, and have committed partnerships with other groups in bringing about comprehensive and responsible development.

For the nomination process, RAFI invites people to support candidates. Previous finalists and nominees could also be nominated again.

Nominees will be requested to indicate acceptance of their nominations. They are also requested to submit relevant information, documents, and other requirements to support the nomination.

After the nomination, they will undergo an extensive screening process.

The search committee will select the nominees and conduct the screening, evaluation, profiling and validation.

The RAFI BOT-Executive Committee will only announce the awardees for each category during the awarding ceremony on March 12, 2012.

Established in 1996, the RAFI Triennial Awards honors men and women who bring good change to their community that improves the lives of the less-privileged. — (FREEMAN)