The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) Award

Evangelista, Meloto, Orlina and Ramos win the 2006 TOFIL Awards

Two agents of social transformation, a wizard of glass art, and a business maverick are this year's winners of the prestigious THE OUTSANDING FILIPINO (TOFIL) awards. FATHER MARCIANO "ROCKY" G. EVANGELISTA, SDB, Service - Non-Government Organization; ANTONIO P. MELOTO, JR., Humanitarian Service; RAMON G. ORLINA, Arts; and SOCORRO C. RAMOS, Business were honored by Insular Life Chairman Vicente R. Ayllon and JCI Senate National President Severo dela Cruz, and witnessed by hundreds of guests from the business sector, art circles, non-government organizations, the religious and government agencies.

The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) awards is a joint project of the Insular Life Assurance, Company, Ltd., and the JCI Senate Philippines. The award is bestowed on Filipinos, at least 41 years old, who have led a life of excellence in their chosen field, and have contributed immensely to public welfare and national development.

The four winners, though coming from diverse backgrounds and fields, share two common values: the passion to excel and to make a difference in their community. These are evident in their lives and their accomplishments. Guest of Honor, Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Artemio Panganiban said that "with their continued zest for living and for giving of themselves, our awardees inspire us to believe that what our minds can conceive, we can achieve, whatever age we are in.

A haven for street children

Father Evangelista established the Tuloy Foundation, Inc. in 1993 at the Don Bosco Parish in Makati as a haven for orphaned and abandoned street children. He saw the human potential of these children, and recognized the transformative power that nurturing and education can bring them. Under its roof, children flourish in a caring and structured environment that encourages their growth. Their opportunity for a better future is boosted with the center's non-formal education program, which consists of five primary levels, and two vocational levels.

The bayanihan spirit in GK

Meloto's vision for Gawad Kalinga was to build integrated, holistic and sustainable communities in depressed areas. Exposed at a very young age to the dehumanizing effects of poverty, he brought to life his belief that a decent and peaceful environment "provides the right setting for people to dream bigger, and [to] work harder." Today, Gawad Kalinga is being carried out in over 850 communities nationwide, and in four other countries as well. The project now has more than two hundred thousand beneficiaries - poor families who for the first time are living in a real and decent house. Meloto's achievement, however, goes beyond having placed a roof over the heads of countless needy Filipinos. He has also been instrumental in sparking the spirit of cooperation, or "bayanihan" among diverse, and oftentimes, competing groups. He was able to achieve this through Gawad Kalinga's set-up in that it provides the framework, the principle and the spirit, but any one can be a part of it. Meloto and Gawad Kalinga aims to build 7,000 communities by 2010.

Marvels of fluidity and grace in glass sculpture

For thirty years, Ramon G. Orlina has been churning out marvels of such fluidity and sinuous grace that have caught the attention and admiration of both the local and the international art scenes. Orlina is completely self-taught, having mastered the techniques in glass sculpture through experimentation and innovation. He is notable for being the first glass sculptor in the country to employ the cold method in cutting, grinding and polishing his artwork, with improvised tools and equipment. He has made his mark using primarily green glass in his sculptures.

Grand dame of book publishing

Socorro C. Ramos co-founded National Bookstore with her late husband Jose Ramos in 1942. Through her determination and entrepreneurial skills, she has built a thriving business enterprise that has not only provided employment to thousands of Filipino workers but also helped in shaping the collective consciousness of Filipinos through quality books and reading materials within the reach of every Filipino, through her family enterprise, National Bookstore.

Common Threads, Uncommon Lives

The TOFIL Awards Night coincided with the launching of the Common Threads, Uncommon Lives: Profiles of TOFIL Awardees 1988-2005. The book is collection of stories of the lives and works of the TOFIL Awardees. At the book launch, Insular Life Chairman Ayllon said that "while the search for Outstanding Filipinos identifies the outstanding individuals and brings them to public attention, we believe the book would perpetuate and immortalize them, their contributions to society and the values they exemplify, so that the present and future generations of Filipinos would have more heroes to look up to.

Among those featured in the book and present at the book launch were Helena Benitez, Fe del Mundo, Alfredo Lim, Bobby Manosa, Flerida Ruth Romero, Jose Vitug, Crispin Maslog, Gelia Castillo, Adolfo Bellosillo, James Dy, Menardo Jimenez, Onofre Pagsanhan, and Pierre Tritz.

The book is edited by veteran writer Ancilla Mercado-Alcantara and was published by Insular Life. Insular Life will share the book to 3,000 high schools and public libraries all over the country.

Baja, Bellosillo and Farrales chosen as Outstanding Filipinos of 2005 Three remarkable Filipinos who pursued their passion and, in the process, elevated the stature of the Philippines in the international community were conferred The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) award last December 6, 2005 at the Insular Life Corporate Centre auditorium.

H.E. Ambassador Lauro L. Baja, Jr., Dr. Adolfo B. Bellosillo, M.D. and Mr. Benjamin S. Farrales were honored for their contributions in, respectively, Bilateral and Multilateral Diplomacy, Medicine, and Fashion, Arts and Culture.

Baja rose from the ranks at the Department of Foreign Affairs, and held several key diplomatic posts until finally being appointed as Permanent Representative of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations. He is the only Filipino to have been president of the influential U.N. Security Council twice.

Bellosillo stamped his mark in echocardiology, cardiac rehabilitation, continuing medical education for physicians, and lay education. However, it is with Preventive Cardiology that he is most identified with. He founded the Foundation for the Lay Education (FLEHD) that conducts workshops nationwide on the prevention of heart diseases.

Farrales integrated the use of indigenous materials and designs in mainstream fashion, concentrating mainly in the fertile culture of Southern Mindanao. He is an avowed devotee of the Holy Child, as well, and a staunch supporter of the Philippine Red Cross.

Philippine Jaycee Senate President Jorge Banal and Insular Life Chairman and CEO Vicente R. Ayllón led their respective organizations, together with family, friends and colleagues of the winners, in feting the awardees. Past TOFIL winners also graced the affair, such as Dr. Gelia Castillo (chair, 2005 TOFIL Board of Judges), Ms. Rosa Rosal, MMDA Chairman Bayani F. Fernando, and Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. who was also the night's guest speaker.

The TOFIL awards, now on its 18th year, is an annual search for exemplary men and women over 41 who have made significant contributions in their field of profession and to the Filipino society. Conceived by the Philippine Jaycee Senate and sponsored by Insular Life, with the Philippine Star as media partner, the TOFIL award has already recognized 86 outstanding Filipinos since its start in 1988.

2005 TOFIL winners with the organizers. From left: Willie Madarang, 2005 TOFIL Chairman; Mayor Sonny Belmonte, guest of honor; Jorge Banal, 2005 Jaycee Senate Philippines President; TOFIL Awardees Mr. Ben Farrales, Ambassador Lauro Baja, and Dr. Adolfo Bellosillo; Dr. Gelia Castillo, Board of Judges Chair, and Vicente R. Ayllón, Insular Life Chairman and CEO.

 

Insular Life and I-CARE spearhead Medical Mission at the Muntinlupa Itaas Elementary School

The Insular Life Assurance Company, Ltd. wrapped up its 95th anniversary celebrations through a recent medical mission it conducted at the Muntinlupa Itaas Elementary School (MIES). Teaming up with it is its subsidiary, Insular Life Health Care (I-CARE), led by president Carlos D. Da Silva.

More than 300 MIES students and residents of the community were given free medical check-up by volunteer doctors from I-CARE and from Ospital ng Makati. Multi-vitamins, antibiotics and other medicines were distributed to help remedy complaints among the patients, which include coughs, fever, allergies, wounds and nutritional deficiencies. Part of the treatment conducted was a de-worming effort, wherein children were asked to drink a de-worming medicine.

Meanwhile, volunteers put grins on the children's - and adults' -- faces as they held face painting and art sessions, and distributed hygiene kits and toys donated by Insular Life employees.

Now on its third year, the annual medical mission is Insular Life's pledge of thanks to its community. MIES is one of its adopted schools with which it conducts several corporate social responsibility projects, such as the Adopt-a-Scholar program and Book Donation campaign.

PHOTOS:

Employees of Insular Life pledged their commitment to the youth for the third consecutive year as they participated in the Medical Mission at the Muntinlupa Itaas Elementary School (MIES) last December 10, 2005.

Volunteers from I-CARE, Insular Life's health maintenance organization subsidiary, distributed free multivitamins, antibiotics and other medicines to MIES students.

Say "Ahh". A volunteer doctor checks an MIES student's tonsils.

Bottoms up. A boy gamely drinks a de-worming medicine given by I-CARE volunteers.

Little Artists. MIES students flex their artistic muscle in a coloring session while waiting for their turn at the doctor's table.

Color me cool. An Insular Life volunteer draws the logo of a popular primetime "fantaserye" on an avid MIES fan.

Goodies galore. Christmas was really in the air as MIES students received hygiene kits, toys and other goodies from Insular Life.