LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Governor Ramon V. Guico III was one of the recipients of this year’s ‘Haribon Awards’ given by the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) last Saturday at the Manila Hotel.
He joined Pulitzer awardee and veteran journalist Manuel Mogato and Commission on Elections Chairperson George Erwin Garcia in the awards given by the country’s first and only chartered and autonomous university funded by a city government.
The Haribon award, which was given for the first time to 65 outstanding alumni, is the highest alumni award by the PLM and its alumni association.
The Philippine News Today in a report stated that Gov. Guico, a licensed pilot, was conferred a Doctor of Public Management degree by the PLM after submitting an excellent thesis on the strong potential of expanding the country’s aeronautics industry.
The report added that it resulted for the opening of the Binalonan Airport, the Sky Pasada Airline, and the WCC Aeronautical and Technological College also located in Binalonan, the governor’s hometown.
Among the governor’s outstanding feats include the establishment of two local colleges in Pangasinan – the University of Eastern Pangasinan (UEP) in Binalonan and the Pangasinan Polytechnic College (PPC) here.
Notable Haribon awardees include Pangasinan veteran journalist, author, educator and former National Press Club President Alfredo Gabot; Lawyer, journalist and industrialist Carlos Moran Sison; PLM Regent Wilma Valle Galvante; former Ambassador Constancio Vingno Jr., former United Nations Representative Richard Prado; Dr. Reynaldo Imperial; Dr. Lucas Riel Bersamin Jr. and Dr. Sybil Jade Pena of the Paris-based Doctors Without Borders.
Former PLM University Secretary and Board of Regents Secretary and current Executive Director of the Komisyon para sa Wikang Filipino Marites Barrios Taran; Director Adolfo Alix Jr.; actor Beethoven Bunagan popularly known as Michael V; New York-based lawyer Manuel Quintal; former Commissioner George Gange of the San Jose (California) International Airport; former IBC Channel 13 President Roberto del Rosario; and former RPN Channel 9 General Manager Edith Amat del Rosario.
This is not the first time that Gov. Guico has received a top-caliber award.
Earlier, he was listed by Edurank.org as among the ‘Top 79 Notable Alumni of the University of the Philipiines (UP) Diliman.
Notable recepients of said awards are: former President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, Sr., former Vice President Leni Robredo, the country’s sixth President Elpidio Quirino, ace journalist Maria Ressa, politician Jose P. Laurel, lawyer, and former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, musician Ely Buendia, broadcast journalist Jessica Soho, actor JM De Guzman, and beauty queen Venus Raj.
(Ruby F. Rayat/PIMRO)
