4 more Yes The Filipino Can! awardees named

MANILA, Philippines – Eleven Filipinos – men, women and institutions – will be recognized with RFM Corp.’s launching of the first “Yes The Filipino Can! Awards” tomorrow at the NBC Tent in Taguig.

As they celebrate a milestone of 50 golden years in the industry, the “Yes The Filipino Can! Awards,” spearheaded by RFM chairman Jose Ma. “JoeCon” Concepcion Jr. and RFM president and CEO Jose Ma. “Joey” Concepcion III, will recognize Filipinos who have greatly contributed to improving lives and empowering their countrymen.

Four of the awardees are former senator Juan Flavier, Solid Group Inc. founder Elena Lim, ATRIEV president Antonio Llanes Jr., and BBC news anchor Rico Hizon. They will be joining former senator Santanina Rasul, educator Onofre Pagsanghan and Colayco Foundation chairman Francisco Colayco, who were also featured in The Philippine STAR yesterday.

 ‘Let’s DOH it!’

Known as the famous “barrio doctor” who brought healthcare to the masses, Flavier served the barrios of Nueva Ecija and Cavite in lieu of a lucrative medical practice.

Flavier’s story is not new to the Philippine public. Born to a poor family, he worked his way through school until he earned a degree in Medicine at the University of the Philippines in 1960. From there, he packed his medical bag and went to serve in the barrios. To be able to give better service, he took up a postgraduate course and earned his Masters in Public Health at the prestigious Johns Hopkins University.

Flavier then became president of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement and the International Institute for Rural Reconstruction. These are two organizations dedicated to serving the masses through education, training and empowerment.

In 1992, he was chosen by then President Fidel Ramos to become secretary of the Department of Health (DOH). He pioneered the Oplan Alis Disease, a massive immunization campaign, which later resulted in the World Health Organization declaration of the Philippines as polio-free; the Sangkap Pinoy, a nationwide campaign against micronutrient malnutrition; and the anti-AIDS health information campaign and other health programs aimed at bringing health closer to the people.

Flavier was known for his tagline “Let’s DOH it!” that propelled the DOH as the lead agency during the Ramos administration.

Even as a neophyte senator in 1995, Flavier earned the title “Mr. Quorum” because of his attendance in almost all committee hearings of the Philippine Senate.

He was also one of the few senators who registered perfect attendance during Senate plenary sessions. Some of the landmark legislation he authored and sponsored are the Traditional Medicine Law, the Poverty Alleviation Law, Clean Air Act and the Indigenous People’s Rights Act.

It was due to his outstanding performance that he was reelected as senator in the 2001 elections, placing second among the 12 winning candidates. He is an excellent advocate of health, environment and development issues.

Having served as chairman of the Senate committee on health and demography during previous Congresses, Flavier is well remembered in the Senate for pushing reforms in health care delivery, regulation, and financing.

Solid Group ‘guru’

Elena Sen Lim is a well-respected name in Philippine and international business and is widely recognized for her pioneering spirit.

She started the Solid Group Inc. with her husband 50 years ago.

Solid Group, one of the biggest holding companies in the country, is responsible for bringing in big industrial and technological brands such as Sony, Aiwa, Sanyo, Samsung, TCL, and Kia Pride, among others.

Lim, together with her husband, attributes the company’s success to the capable total Filipino management and manpower.

As founder of the Solid Group of Companies, Lim has posted challenges for business in the new millennium: the challenge of entrepreneurship and creative management; reformation in private business and government; and the drive for global competitiveness.

The core of her management success lies in her faith in the Filipino. Her corporations, which employ thousands, are managed with policies deeply rooted in Filipino values.

Lim also firmly upholds her motto: “Trust in the Filipino and he won’t let you down.”

She believes that the true hallmark of success lies in the ethical values practiced in the process of doing one’s task, not the end results.

Values of fairness, decency and integrity must be in the process.

Lim was also given recognition as one of the top 50 women in business by World Business-The Global Perspective magazine, the bible of Western and Asian business. She is the only Filipino to have received such an honor.

Now taking a backseat in the family businesses as chairman emeritus, Lim actively participates in various businesses, legal, religious and social organizations aiming to do her share for the good of the country and her fellowmen.

With her unmatched business expertise, however, she remains as the “guru” of her children, who have taken the lead in moving the Solid Group into the new age of business.

Despite all this, Lim describes herself simply as “a teacher by inclination, a lawyer by circumstance, and an entrepreneur through serendipity.”

Man with ‘vision’

Pastor, pioneer, social marketing chief and president are only few of the roles fulfilled by Antonio “Tony” Llanes Jr.

He is founder and president of the Adaptive Technology for Rehabilitation, Integration, and Empowerment of the Visually Impaired, or simply ATRIEV.

Llanes has a natural knack for anything technical. Though he had poor vision since birth, his blindness did not stop him from learning how to repair audio equipment, refrigerators, even computers.

Llanes is an innate pioneer. When no one else in the Philippines dared use a computer, he was already experimenting with speech boxes so that the blind could gain access to computer-based information.

With the completion of a computer course at STI College Taft, Llanes’ passion went beyond mere exploration and experimentation. He soon made it a point to share information and skills with others.

Llanes is also a born teacher. He captivates his students – whether sightless or sighted – as he explains every topic there is about using computers.

He takes on a different persona at center stage. Llanes’ zest for the extraordinary still continues, and he presently aims to be the first blind professional photographer in the Philippines with the aid of a digital camera.

He believes that with the advances in technology, anything is possible.

Since 1994, ATRIEV has been helping blind people gain access to post-secondary education and mainstream employment. So far, ATRIEV is the only non-profit and non-government organization that has skillfully woven together private business enterprise and government agencies to support demand-driven programs for the blind.

Llanes is also proud of ATRIEV for unlocking the hidden power of the blind through the use of technology. They teach the blind to operate computers with the use of a screen reader.

They have trained and empowered young blind adults who have become medical transcribers, computer instructors, Web designers, human resource personnel, practicing social workers, and entrepreneurs, among others.

Through a benefit concert on Oct. 22, ATRIEV hopes to train 600 more blind Filipinos through the use of computers. For more information about ATRIEV, visit www.atriev.org.ph.

Good news to Filipinos

As the first and still lone male international broadcast journalist from the Philippines, Rico Hizon has reaped recognition not only for himself but for his profession and country as well.

A long-time resident of Singapore as news anchor for the world-renowned BBC World News, and previously in Hong Kong for CNBC Business News, Hizon’s accomplishments – both professionally and personally – over the last 13 years are testament to his commitment to public service and social justice.

Hizon has spearheaded many endeavors that allowed him to promote the Philippines. His website, www.GoodNewsPilipinas.com, is but one of the many projects he has pioneered in celebrating and highlighting the good in the Filipino and the Philippines.

While residing in Hong Kong from 1995 to 1998, he served as board member for the Philippine Association of Hong Kong (PAHK) where he led a number of fund-raising projects, including the PAHK Ball for various charity organizations.

He also assisted the Philippine Embassy on the awareness campaign regarding the handover of Hong Kong to China and its repercussion on the Filipinos residing there.

When Hizon moved to Singapore in 1998, he held various positions in several organizations, actively serving his term of office despite a hectic schedule.

He was an executive board member of NAMFREL Singapore Chapter (2004) and president of the Philippine Cultural Society (2002-2005). He serves as chairman of the Philippine Cultural Society (2006-present) and board member of the Philippine Bayanihan Society.

In 2004, Rico was recognized for his social-civic involvement when he was awarded Most Outstanding Filipino Community Leader.

In the same year, he was recognized as the youngest recipient of the La Sallian Achiever Award in Media and Advertising as well as the Most Outstanding Kapampangan Award in Media.

In 2005, he was named the Most Outstanding Filipino Leader in Singapore by the Philippine Embassy.

In 2006, he was named Most Outstanding Manilan for International Journalism and TOYM (The Outstanding Young Men) awardee for International Broadcasting and Community Development.

In 2008, he was honored by the Bank of the Philippine Islands as one of two BPInoy Awardees for Outstanding Overseas Filipino excellence.

Hizon’s accomplishments are tied to the country’s achievements. In the limelight as an international broadcast journalist or in his personal advocacies, his triumphs serve as a testament to the Filipino spirit and his life an inspiration to the youth.