CH to honor 75 families tonight

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government will honor tonight the 75 families that have contributed to the development of the city since 1965.

Mayor Michael Rama has ordered to ensure that the awardees will get the warmest welcome during the testimonial dinner at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino in Lahug.

At least 50 of the 75 families to be awarded confirmed their attendance in the testimonial dinner tonight where they will be given plaque of recognition and the chance to mingle with other awardees.

The search for 75 families or the “Pinalanggang Sugbuanong Banay” awards for families that have significantly contributed to the growth of Cebu City is the highlight of this year’s 75th Charter Day celebration.

They will be first introduced during the testimonial dinner tonight and all of them will be featured according to schedule for the rest of the year until February 24 next year.

They were chosen according to their achievements that have brought pride and honor to the city.

The families or clans to receive honor tonight, in alphabetical order, are the Abadia, Abella, Abellana, Abellanosa, Aboitiz, Alcoseba, Aliño, Alix, Almendras, Avila-Cañizares, Aznar, Bacalso, Barba, Borromeo, Briones, Cañete, Chiongbian, Chiu-Benedicto, Climaco, Colina, Cuenco, Cui, Dakay, Del Mar, Del Rosario, Diola, Echavez, Escaño-Garcia, Escario, Espina, Estenzo, Fernan, Gaisano, Gandionco, Garces-Gorordo, Garcia, Go Tiao Co, Gonzales, Gothong, Gullas, Hermosisima, Herrera, Inocian, Jaca, Jakosalem, Jumalon, Kabahar, Lhuillier, Ludo-Luym, Osmeña, Pacaña, Padilla, Rama, Reynes-Mercado, Rodriguez, Sala, Salvador, Sanson, Segura, Seno, Singson, Solon, Sotto, Streegan, Tabada, Tabal, Tudtud, Urgello, Uytengsu, Velez-Leyson, Veloso, Vestil, Villa, Villanueva and Ylaya.

The mayor said that he instructed all city officials who will attend the testimonial dinner to give the best accommodation to the guests to make them feel that they belong.

Some of the families are already living abroad. The organizing committee have contacted each of them and asked for representatives to be present tonight.

Every month thereafter, seven families will be featured through exhibits in Cebu malls and memorial talks in different universities. Apart from this recognition, 20 individuals and institutions will also be recognized as well as the 10 special awardees handpicked by the mayor.

Meanwhile, the outstanding City Hall officials, employees and department received its respective awards last night at the Casino Español.

The Cebu City Medical Center was chosen as the best department besting the 22 other departments of the City Hall because of its improving performance, said Rama.

Rama said the CCMC was able to deliver despite the budgetary constraint. According to the mayor, CCMC has greatly improved not only its physical appearance but its services as well.

Rama said the hospital has improved since the leadership of Dr. Eduardo Sedoripa and now under the stewardship of Dr. Gloria Duterte.

“Daku na kaayo og kausaban ang CCMC karon. Hayag na kaayo tan-awon sa gabii, limpyo na ang ospital ug arang-arang na ang serbisyo bisan og kuwang pa sa budget (CCMC has greatly changed. It now looks brighter at night, it is already clean and the service has improved despite the lack of budget),” Rama said.

The other awardees are civil registrar Evangeline Abatayo as outstanding department head, Belinda Navascues as outstanding assistant department head, Florito Dugaduga of the Public Information Office, Juanita Monina Paires of the City Treasurer’s Office Tax Mapping Division and Engineer Jason T. Bongcales of the Office of the Civil Registrar.

The outstanding section chiefs were Cebu City Zoo Animal Keeper III Giovanni Stephen Romarate, City Health Department Medical Specialist I Dr. Ilya Tac-an, CCMC Administrative Office II Rey Cris Panugaling and City Budget Office Administrative Office IV Elpidio Danilo Cortz, Jr.

      Rank and file awardees are Mark Jason Tirol of the City Accounting, Corsina Bañez of the City Treasurer’s Office, Prescilla Rastrullo of the City Traffic Operations Management, Harold Alcontin of the Management Information and Computer Services, Virgilio Cabahug of the General Services Office, Dr. Avelina Ruiz of the City Health Department, Francisco Gica of the CCMC and Ridolito Ybañez of the Civil Registrar. — (FREEMAN)