After a grueling judging of the 20 finalists to the Search for the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) held on April 30, 2011 in Dumaguete City, the top 10 for Region 7 were recognized during the awards ceremony held May 1st:
Awarded were: Chic Borromeo (St. Paul University Dumaguete), Lovely Genoguin (University of San Jose Recoletos), Shiela Marie Ladroma (University of San Carlos), Alan Angelo Llevares (Cebu Institute of Technology-University), Alvin Pahati (USJR), Patricia Andrea Pateña (St. Theresa’s College), Athena Plaza (USC), Jonathan Andro Tan (Silliman University), Carla Marie Tumulak (University of the Philippines Cebu College), Marie Chielo Ybio (Silliman).
The 10 were chosen through a screening process overseen by the Commission on Higher Education in Cebu City.
The TOSP program dates back to 1961 when businessman Jose Concepcion Jr., then publisher of Student Life Magazine, aspired for an annual recognition of outstanding students. As envisioned, TOSP was launched on June 19, 1961, aptly on the 100th birthday of Dr. Jose Rizal. Since then, it has produced outstanding contributors in various fields such as Raul Roco, Victoria Pineda-Garchitorena, Ramon del Rosario, and Rene Saguisag. In 1994, regional searches in conjunction with the national level awards were spearheaded with the first regionalized search held in Region 7 particularly in Cebu City.
This year’s Search is supported by RFM Corp. and Perpetual Help Community Cooperative, with special participation of the Province of Negros Oriental, Robinsons Place Dumaguete, Page Design Services Dumaguete, EDLAW Office, and Silliman University College of Mass Communication.