FEU, CSC awards / Artists help fight TB / German Club celebrates

Tomorrow, Jan. 26, the Far Eastern University, represented by its board chairman Dr. Lourdes Reyes Montinola, will receive the 2005 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for Culture Heritage Conservation.

Welcome remarks will be given by President Dr. Lydia B. Echauz; Architect Augusto Villalon, Urban Heritage Conservation consultant, will explain the background of the Philippine participation in the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award, and the urban evolution of the FEU campus.

Architect Himalchuli Gurung, program specialist for the culture section of UNESCO Jakarta, representing guest of honor Dr. Richard A. Engelhardt, UNESCO Regional Adviser for Culture in Asia and the Pacific, will relay Dr. Engelhardt’s message.

Mr. Gurung will then present the honorable mention award to the FEU campus through Dr. Montinola and Dr. Echauz. The FEU Campus Project Team will be presented with certificates of the award, after which Dr. Montinola will deliver the acceptance speech, with Vice-President for Academic Affairs Dr. Elizabeth P. Melchor giving the closing remarks.

Architect Arnulfo Dado of the FEU Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts, will serve as emcee. The awarding rites will be followed by an exhibit.

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The Civil Service Commission (CSC), which is promoting the 2006 Civil Service Awards, has launched a nationwide search for outstanding public officials and employees. The 18-year old awards program aims to continue recognizing their exceptional contributions and achievements.

The awards program has three categories: the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award for outstanding individual or group work of nationwide impact on public interest, security and patrimony; the CSC Pagasa Award for individual or group work that directly benefits more than one government department; the Dangal ng Bayan Award for exemplary conduct and ethical behavior.

The Lingkod Bayan Awardee will receive a gold (gilded) medallion and a plaque containing the citation and signature of President GMA.

The Dangal ng Bayan Awardee will receive a trophy designed and executed by National Artist Napoleon V. Abueva. Each recipient will be given P100,000.

The Pagasa Awardees will each receive a gold (gilded) medallion, a plaque containing the citation and signature of the CSC chairperson, and P50,000.

Nominations must be submitted duly accomplished and endorsed by the agency head to any CSC regional office or field office on or before March 31. Those received after March 31 will be evaluated for the succeeding year’s award.

For more details, contact the CSC, Constitution Hills, Batasang Pambansa Complex, Diliman 1126, QC.

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Several well-known artists, through their paintings, are helping to eradicate tuberculosis, the country’s number one killer. Eminent Global Village artist Manuel D. Baldemor, chairman of the Philippine Tuberculosis Society, Inc., has been inviting his colleagues to contribute paintings, on themes Baldemor himself suggests, which paintings he photographs, making seal stamps out of them. These seals, in turn, are put on sale in all post offices – at P80 per seal – with each anti-TB seal pasted alongside the regular mailing stamp or stamps.

Many stamp collectors buy an entire collection of seals, framing the collection and asking the painters to sign their names below the collection.

By inviting the artists to paint, Baldemor is giving them international exposure, especially the younger ones, while involving them in a charitable enterprise. Why? Because proceeds from the sales of the stamp seals are handed over to the Tuberculosis Society for the purchase of medicines, or for the medical treatment or therapy of tuberculous patients and others with respiratory diseases.

Last year’s stamps painted by various Filipino artists on the "Madonna and Child" theme, won first prize in Paris. These Christmas seals garnered the prize at the Union Internationale Contre la Tuberculose et la Maladie Resperatories in the French capital.

The contest is held every year at the World Conference on Lung Health in France. In 2004, the seals on the Philippine Flower Festival theme won second prize. In 2003, Baldemor’s painting seals "Mabuhay Philippines," celebrating native customs and traditions, garnered second prize.

We urge readers to buy the anti-TB seals. The following are helping eradicate tuberculosis with their Madonna paintings: Manuel Baldemor, Julius Limpe, Songcayawon, Caloy Gabuco, Noy del Mundo, Tam Austria, Jack Salud, Charito Bitanga, Rafael Pacheco, Hugo Yonzon Jr., Fred Baldemor, Vicente Manansala, Eduvigeo Huang, Remy Boquiren, Ed Santiago, Lito Beltran, Isabel Chen Limpe, Dante Castillo, Jose Joya, Malang, Ang Kiukok, Dewey Sergio, Rudy de Leon, Mario Parial, Al Perez, Ed Otis Oronos, Rafael A. Gonzales, Angel Cacnio, Vic Sison, Carlos Francisco, and Rey Contreras.

Paintings of certain deceased artists have been included.

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I missed the German Club press conference because the invitation was sent to the STAR office and not to my Makati residence; hence the delay. The invitation announced that the German Club will celebrate its 100th anniversary with a grand ball on Feb. 9. German Club president Thorsten Franz and Ambassador Axel Weishaupt presided at the conference.