Silliman presidentiables

Metrobank Foundation celebrated Metrobank and Trust Company’s 43rd anniversary yesterday by sharing the bank’s resources with non-government organizations that are helping improve the lives of people and communities. Present at the grants turnover was George S.K.Ty, who founded Metrobank in 1962 with the vision of becoming a leader in the business community, and the commitment to the idea that leadership in business implied leadership in community service as well. Believing that every private corporation had social responsibilities, he caused the founding of Metrobank Foundation as the bank’s philanthrophic arm.

Among the Foundation’s centerpiece projects are the annual search for Outstanding Teachers and the young Painters’ Annual, which were started in 1985 and 1984, respectively. The Foundation set up endowment funds for the recognition of Outstanding members of the Judiciary, Outstanding Military Personnel, Outstanding Policemen, and Outstanding Journalists.

The Foundation is also the majority owner of the Manila Doctors Hospital in Ermita, Manila, and actively supports its operations, including medical missions in rural areas. It maintains a grants program aimed at a wide variety of charitable organizations, and is a major contributor to disaster relief operations.

Among yesterday’s grant recipient organizations was the SOS Children’s Village-Cebu, a residential, long-term and alternative parental and family care child welfare organizations. Its founder, Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal, D.D., gave yesterday’s turnover ceremony message in which he expressed gratitude for the gifts given by Metrobank Foundation to enable charitable organizations to build lives. Other beneficiaries were the Asian Artists, Philippine Committee, Inc., with sculptor Ramon G. Orlina as chair, which will be hosting the 20th Asian International Art Exhibition in Manila this year; the Bernabe Elementary School in Pasay City, an adopted school of the Purple Hearts Club, and the Maximo T. Kalaw Institute for Sustainable Development, chaired by Sixto K. Roxas, that envisions individuals’ access to nature’s resources.

Then there is the Center for the Promotion of Peace and Development in Mindanao, with Saeed A. Daof as director general, which holds dialogues leading to bettering relations between Muslims and Christians. Another is the Philippine Canine Search and Rescue Association, which trains handlers and canine partners to help in disaster operations. Former Senator Letty Shahani’s Dairy Development Foundation of the Philippines, Inc., was found worthy, as it advocates and promotes dairy development, the raising of farm incomes and the prevention of malnutrition through carabao milk.

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Silliman University is abuzz with questions on who would replace Dr. Agustin A. Pulido, who will be ending his second and final term as president in March next year. Nineteen names have been bandied about as the possible replacement; some of them have applied for the position, others have not. Just the same, they all appear to be qualified to head this 104-year-old university in Dumaguete.

Of the 19 presidentiables, ten are women. One is Prof. Leonor Magtolis Briones, former chair of the Freedom from Debt Coalition and current chair of Silliman’s board of trustees. Then there’s former Finance Secretary Juanita Dy-Amatong who could make the university financially stable, according to Dumaguete Metro Post columnist Moses Atega. Prof. Priscilla Lasmarias-Kelso, a board director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches, is an experienced fund-raiser. The three are Outstanding Silliman Awardees.

Dr. Alice Fe Diao-Lavina, a non-Sillimanian, is an international figure in In-Service Education. Dr. Betty Abregana is a trustee of the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia. An outstanding Silliman alumna and nursing education luminary in Seattle is Dr. Luth Mendiola-Tenorio. Dr. Maria Teresita Sy-Sinda is considered the strength behind the Center of Excellence status of some of Silliman’s colleges.

Dr. Rowena Tiempo-Torrevillas in an international figure in the field of literature. An outsider, Dr. Sonia Formacion, is former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of the Philippines-Visayas. And Dr. Rebecca Torres, vice-president of Ateneo de Naga and current trustee of Silliman, is also mentioned as a presidentiable.

I’d like to see a woman running the affairs of the university for a change. But if the board of trustees decides to hire a man, he could be any of the nine male candidates. There’s Dr. Salvador Martinez, a former Silliman dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and book author. Dr. Angel Alcala, a former university president, once served the national government as Environment Secretary and chair of the Commission on Higher Education. He is reputed to be a topnotch biologist and environmentalist. Dr. Melanio L. Aoanan has written books on theology and has been connected with the Union Theological Seminary in Caviate.

Other male candidates include Dr. Efren Padilla, a 2005 outstanding alumnud, is connected with the California State University at East Bay. D. Lester Edwin J. Ruiz is associate dean and director of the Doctor of Ministry Program and professor at the New York Theological Seminary. Dr. Ben S. Malayang is an environmental scientist, and Dr. Mervyn Misajon once served as Silliman president.

Whoever will be chosen has a big task ahead of her/him, in these challenging times, and we wish her/him well.

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Visits to our alma mater are always fun as we meet college chums and talk about the days of old. I was in Dumaguete last week to be part of the festivities marking the 104th founders day of Silliman. I stayed in the home of Atty. Coleta Aranas, a lawyer held in awe by her peers, and who once served as the first woman prosecutor in the city and province. In college, Coleta was editor of the weekly Sillimanian and I was one of her reporters. Last week, we attended the traditional sunrise service (which had Rev. Fred Agnir who lives in the U.S. as speaker), and the morning worship service at the Silliman church, with Rev. Frank Somera (also a resident of the U.S.) delivering the sermon. We watched a performance by campus artists of Broadway hits at the Luce Auditorium. It was full house; I tell you, Silliman singers and thespians can outdo their counterparts in universities in Luzon.

On my last night, I went with Coleta to the Macias Auditorium in the city for the Mr. and Miss NOHS Pageant 2005. It seemed all the 4,000 students of Negros Oriental High School were present to root for their class candidates. It felt good seeing and hearing the joyous screaming of students as the representatives of the five levels (including the night shift class) marched on stage, sporting casual wear, sportswear and evening gowns as well as answering sharply questions by judges led by Coleta, an NOHS alumna. The contestants were chic and danced like any of those teenagers we see on television. Rhea Nolani R. Panot and Partocinio B. Apura were judged Mr. and Miss NOHS; Jola Ree F. Pogales and Jerome A. Diolin were first runner-up; Ma. Flor Teresa C. Sabay-sabay and Freski R. Tenchaves were second runner-up; Daryl L. Dagohoy and Antonio A. Carino III, third runner-up, and Cribbie Jean Tomaroy and Clyde D. Pantinople, fourth runner-up. Special awards were given to Aldea’s Smile.

The next day was a red-letter day for NOHS Class ’55. Coleta recalled that her class consisted of 29 valedictorians and 18 salutatorians from all over the province of Negros Oriental. The class produced four lawyers, and Coleta was one of them.

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