2024 Traditional University Awards (Memo U2425-030)

TO:

The University Community

SUBJECT:

2024 Traditional University Awards

Ricardo G Abad†

GAWAD TANGLAW NG LAHI

Abad, a master in delicately and artfully interweaving sociology and theater, generously shared his knowledge, expertise, and passion. He dedicated his life to the art of theater, which he deemed a means for social change. With great creativity, Abad worked at inculturating, localizing, and decolonizing Western productions to reflect Philippine realities. Abad’s brilliance—on and off the stage—influenced generations of theater artists, critics, researchers, and enthusiasts, reaffirming the power of theater to inspire, instigate change, and transform for the better.

 Leila M de Lima

HONORARY DEGREE

De Lima has steadfastly advocated for the rule of law and human rights protection throughout her career. She continued her fight as chair of the Commission on Human Rights and later as a senator. Her journey was, however, with its share of unexpected challenges. Despite enduring harassment, arrest, and more than six years of incarceration, her strong sense of duty, integrity, and conscience never wavered. She has remained a beacon of resilience, relentlessly denouncing injustice and defending the rights of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of our society.

 Raissa H Jajurie

GOVERNMENT SERVICE AWARD

Jajurie, a Bangsamoro lawyer, has supported marginalized communities for over 20 years through SALIGAN (Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligal). Her journey took a significant turn when she became the first woman to join the Moro Islamic Liberation Front delegation in peace negotiations with the Government of the Philippines for peace in the Bangsamoro.  In 2019, Jajurie was appointed as a member of the Parliament, where she has since played a pivotal role in shaping the governance of the region. She has shepherded landmark legislation, including the Bangsamoro Administrative Code, the Bangsamoro Civil Service Code, and the Bangsamoro Local Governance Code.

 Fatima Garcia Lorenzo

OZANAM AWARD

With her unbridled enthusiasm and generosity of spirit rooted in a strong desire and commitment to imitate Christ, Garcia-Lorenzo co-founded Kythe as a graduate student at Ateneo de Manila. Named after the Scottish word that means ‘to manifest oneself through simple sharing and togetherness,’ Kythe provided psychosocial support to pediatric patients and their families. It is the only foundation in the Philippines offering the American program Child Life Services, which provides developmentally and psychologically appropriate interventions for children, adolescents, and their families. But that was not all. Garcia-Lorenzo has managed to institutionalize psychosocial support for patients, bringing around doctors and hospital administrators to the idea that these services are essential to the patients, their families, and caregivers. 

 Alberto M Malvar

LUX-IN-DOMINO AWARD

At Ateneo de Manila, where he spent his elementary, secondary, and college education, Malvar was heavily involved in social action activities. After graduation, he built a thriving agribusiness and government service career, but his heart lay elsewhere. Having gained knowledge in reforestation, Malvar embarked on a full-time reforestation mission in the Upper Marikina Watershed to help minimize flooding in Metro Manila. This led to the creation of the ecological park called Mount Purro Nature Reserve, a social enterprise ecotourism. The MPNR Foundation, an organization he co-founded, is a critical player in rehabilitating the Upper Marikina Watershed, working hand in hand with the Dumagat indigenous community. Malvar has remained committed to his mission despite significant challenges, fueled by the Ignatian spirit of Magis and St Ignatius's Prayer for Generosity.

 Florencio Antonio Quintos II†

GAWAD TANGLAW NG LAHI

Quintos's body of work delved into the intricacies of Philippine culture. He was a force of energy and ideas, and his spirit of joie de vivre was palpable in all his creations. Two of his most successful theatrical productions, The Kundiman Party and Reconciliation Dinner, were deeply political plays staged or restaged close to the highly polarizing 2022 presidential elections.  In Quintos's hands, a political play was never ruthless, but it may also be entertaining. An art collector and curator, Quintos also was generous in sharing his knowledge, especially on indigenous arts.

 Flaviano L Villanueva SVD

BUKAS PALAD AWARD

Known in his parish as a friend and lover of people experiencing poverty, Villanueva was one of the few who courageously spoke out against the extrajudicial killings that accompanied the government’s campaign. A former drug user, Villanueva knew that hope was not lost. He established the Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center in Manila, a holistic center for people experiencing homelessness. Named after the saint who founded his order, the center strives to help people experiencing poverty and the wounded regain a sense of self. When the drug war targeted beneficiaries of the center, Villanueva took it upon himself to ensure that their widows and orphans were cared for— demonstrating his deep spirit of compassion. But the government accused him, along with other Church leaders, of sedition and conspiring to undermine the government. But this did not stop him. Instead, he started Program Paghilom, an integrated, holistic center that helps widows and orphans of drug-related killings rebuild their lives.