MAKATI — The Sillimanians in Metro Manila (SIMM) will honor three Outstanding Silliman Alumni for their leadership and achievements during the Founders Day fellowship on Friday, Aug. 26.
This year’s awardees are: Leadership coach and popular keynote speaker, Raymund Sanchez; Philippine Nursing Regulatory Board former chair, Dr. Glenda Arquiza; and poet-author and founder of the Mindanao Creative & Cultural Workers Group, Dr. Christine Godinez-Ortega.
They will be recognized as this year’s Galing Awardees by the SIMM, the University’s biggest alumni chapter.
SIMM members includes OSA awardees former Education Sec. Leonor Magtolis-Briones, Party-List Rep. Bing Guanzon, GMA-7 Vice President Oliver Amoroso, multi-awarded actor-director Romm Woi Burlat, and Pilipinas Shell President/CEO Lorelie Quiambao-Osial.
The Galing Awards was initiated by SIMM President Ed Dames at the start of his leadership in 2017 to find global achievers among Silliman alumni whose body of work has made the most impact in the bigger community while living out “The Way, The Truth and the Life” as modeled by our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Galing awardees were carefully chosen by the SIMM Board composed of advertising veteran and DTC Promos CEO Ed Dames; Vice President Dr. Jenny Lind Elmaco, regional project director for ASEAN, EURAXESS Worldwide; Secretary Atty. Eric Joven, Treasurer Leny Tomas, Auditor Dawnie Ray Maputi, and Directors: Rev. Callum Tabada, Mendelsohn Flordeliz, and Crystal Eunice dela Cruz-Tan.
Dames said the Galing Award is not to be confused with the Outstanding Sillimanian Awards “where all three Galing awardees, for certain technicalities, were rejected outright by the University-designated committee”.
He said the SIMM Board has filed a letter of protest to the OSA 2022 Screening Committee, with a copy sent to the SU Board of Trustees, on the “capricious and whimsical” rejection of its three nominees.
In its letter, SIMM argued that “focusing too much on the a technicality instead of the character and achievements of the nominees is anathema to why we recognize these nominees in the first place.”
The SIMM Board also called for a review of the OSA nomination procedure taking into account what the Silliman Spirit is all about.
Meanwhile, the three Galing awardees gave their respective responses to the recognition.
“All glory and honor to be to God alone. Truly privileged to have studied and grown up in Silliman where I met the best of friends, was mentored by the most dedicated professors, and learned the most important life lessons. Silliman was the experience of a lifetime that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Forever grateful for my alma mater,” said Raymund Sanchez.
“This recognition from SIMM is very much appreciated on behalf of the alumni nursing community. It is by God’s providence that the Philippine Nursing Board got the highest rating from the Philippine Regulatory Commission during my watch as chair,” Dr. Glenda Arquiza said.
“This award is for Mindanao’s culture and arts community I continue to serve, always bearing in mind what my Silliman professors had taught me: to be professional, and to be compassionate because in serving humanity, one serves God as well. I heartily share this award with the Mindanao culture and arts community,” said Dr. Christine Godinez Ortega. (SIMM PR)
