Masons urged to join "Holcim Galing Awards"

CEBU, Philippines - Holcim Philippines Inc. and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in partnership with the Philippine Contractors Association (PCA) and the Association of Construction and Informal Workers (ACIW) encourage all Filipino masons to join the search for a new champion for this year's Holcim Galing Mason Awards.

Now on its fourth cycle, organizers of the Holcim Galing Mason Awards, in a press statement, salute those outstanding masons who have shown tremendous pride and utmost improvement at work while being responsible members of their families and the community.

Holcim Philippine Inc., the leading supplier of cement, aggregate, concrete and asphalt in the country since 2003, has already produced close to 8,000 certified masons through its sustainable development project which is the Holcim Galing Mason Program.

TESDA regional director Rosanna Urdaneta expressed optimism that Cebu will again bag the award of the most outstanding mason in the country for this year.

"We want to position ourselves as a place of champions and the next capital region in the country. Cebuanos and the rest of region seven are really hardworking. I know we will win it against other regions," Urdaneta said during the AGIO-7 Forum yesterday at the Laguna Garden Café, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City.

Cebu made history in 2007 when Sergio Barliso won during the first Holcim Galing Mason Awards.

The second cycle however was topped by Rodante Andres of Capiz in 2009 and the 2011 champions were Eduardo Latap of NCR and Alejandro Tagle of Cagayan Valley.

Barliso humbly admitted how successful he is right now as a mason but said that he wanted to help his fellow masons to succeed.

 Barliso plans to conduct trainings in Cebu to further the skills of potential and existing masons. The competition is open to all Filipino masons, male or female and a holder of a valid TESDA National Certificate of Masonry and the candidates must be a practicing mason of at least one year with no derogatory records or administrative infractions.

The candidates must also be nominated by a reputable individual or legitimate organization, in good health condition and with good moral character. Once candidates meet the proper documentary requirements, they become eligible for the title.

The nominee, nominating individual or organization, may get the Holcim Galing Mason Awards nomination forms and submit the accomplished entries at the TESDA provincial and regional offices, PCA offices, ACIW chapters, Holcim CSR Department offices and selected Holcim dealers nationwide.

Deadline for submission of entries is on August 16, 2013. Prizes at stake include Holcim Cement bags and P25,000 cash for the 17 regional finalists, and Holcim Cement bags and P150,000 cash for the Holcim Galing Mason Grand champion.

There are three stages in the screening process to select the winners. The documentary screening reviews the masons' credentials and personal background, the regional search subject the masons to a masonry skills competition while the national search lets finalists undergo a panel interview with the leaders and experts of the construction industry. – (FREEMAN)