Honoring Nanays

The first-ever Best Nanay Awards was staged in a restaurant in Quezon City the same day I celebrated my birthday last Oct. 29.

That was no accident.

I figured what better way to celebrate my birthday than by honoring mothers. It truly made sense that our foundation Make Your Nanay Proud (MYNP) was able to pull off such a challenging task of coming up with a line-up of nanays deserving to win the Best Nanay trophies.

I take care of my Nanay Lesing with all my might. This is God’s major assignment for me and I have the resolve to do it the best and most loving way I can.

The Best Nanay Awards is partly a result of that love. I dream of kinder communities and a peaceful, gentle nation of citizens who are decided to make their nanays proud.

The magic circle of Best Nanays made up of hardworking, loving and nurturing mothers, practically come from all walks of life from around the country. For all their achievements, the citations they received are testaments that people have noticed their heroic deeds, regardless if those acts positively affected whole communities or just their families. Both are commendable.

The criteria for judging put premium on the mothers’ integrity and character, their inspiring stories and their good influence on people.

Three of the winners came from humble beginnings, namely, Angelita Guiteng who made a living by selling metal scraps, newspapers and other junk materials; Magdalena Aquino who sold movie tickets in a local theater to get by; and Zoraida Motil who collected kaning-baboy in the neighborhood to earn a living.

The others are just as deserving. Gloria Baltar is a women’s organization leader. Rosa Balana is founder of Kundirana who made a living for her seven children by conducting private piano lessons. Leonarda Camacho established the Metro Manila Council of Women Balikatan Movement, Inc.

A retired public school teacher, Carmen Ragonjan is a member of the federated Senior Citizen Association of Pagudpod in Ilocos Norte. Josefina Olorocisimo is headwriter of Tinig ni San Juan Bautista, the newsletter of St. John the Baptist Parish in Taytay, Rizal.

Lorna Garnace of Leyte served as coordinator of an evacuation center housing 3,000 evacuees in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda. Then last but not the least, Cecille Sibunga who consistently serves as a DSWD volunteer when typhoons and floods hit her hometown Marikina City.

Prior to getting her award, Baltar exclaimed, “I can’t believe I was chosen to win this award and here I am about to receive it. Talagang nakakataba ng puso.”

Ragonjan expressed her excitement and was almost speechless, “I don’t know how to put into words the feeling I have right now.”

Bravo to the 2014 MYNP Best Nanay awardees!