MANILA, Philippines – Eight public school teachers from the elementary and secondary levels, including two professors from the University of the Philippines-Diliman and De La Salle University, emerged as winners in this year’s Metrobank Foundation Search for Outstanding Teachers.
In this 26th year of the Search, Mlang, Cotabato; Calauag, Quezon; and Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay produced their first Outstanding Teacher awardees.
The awardees for the elementary category are: Grace U. Salvatus of Municipal Sector Elementary School (Calauag, Quezon); Miladith B. Polutan of Oroquieta City Central Elementary School (Oroquieta City); Conchita A. Ibarondo of San Antonio Elementary School (Iriga City); and Nancy S. Aquino of Mlang Pilot Elementary School (Mlang, Cotabato).
For the secondary category, they are: Janeth Morata-Fuentes of Philippine Science High School-Eastern Visayas Campus (Palo, Leyte); Mercidita S. Villamayor of Bukidnon State University-Secondary School Lab (Malaybalay City); Estrelita A. Peña of Kabasalan National High School (Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay); and Mercelita J. Labial of Xavier University High School (Cagayan de Oro City).
While Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara of the University of the Philippines-Diliman and Dr. Raymund C. Sison of De La Salle University are the awardees for the higher education category.
“The Metrobank Foundation believes that by giving recognition to the outstanding qualities, achievements and contributions of our beloved educators, we promote a sense of pride in and provide inspiration to the teaching profession and to the rest of the society,” said Metrobank Foundation president Aniceto Sobrepeña. “For over 26 years, we have envisioned our awardees to serve as infrastructure for continuing excellence and to provide greater impact on their respective spheres of influence,” he continued.
The national finalists then faced the final board of judges for this year’s search co-chaired by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri and Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Eduardo Nachura. Also serving as judges were: Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairman Francisco Duque III; Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Rod Smith; San Beda College president Rev. Fr. Aloysius Ma. Maranan; and Shell Companies in the Philippines country chairman Edgar Chua.
This year’s Outstanding Teachers will be conferred with gold medallions by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III in Malacañang. They will also be presented with plaques and cash amounting to P300,000 each during the formal awarding ceremonies at Metrobank Plaza in Makati, which will serve as the highlight of the 48th anniversary celebration of the Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company on Sept. 3, 2010.
The Philippine Star, August 12, 2010