3 Caviteños awarded at 2018 Gawad Caviteño
Verna Ambat, Joselito Tibayan, and Porferio Lavado were awarded as outstanding Caviteños in the field of elementary education, cooperative, and voluntary work, respectively, at the 2018 Gawad Caviteño at Salrial Hall, College of International Hospitality (CIH), De La Salle University – Dasmariñas on March 9.
The annual event, which is on its 24th year, was organized by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Mission, External Affairs and Advancement (OVCMEAA) with the aim to recognize outstanding Caviteñoes in different fields.
“Layunin nitong (Gawad Caviteño) kilalanin ang kalalakihan at kababaihan ng Cavite na nagkamit ng dakilang bagay sa sarili nilang larangan at nagpamalas ng natatanging lakas at marangal na katangian ng mga huwarang Caviteño na nag-lingkod sa mamamayan at sa lalawigan,” VCMEAA Myrna Ramos furthered.
The first awardee, Verna Ambat, is a General Science educator and Master Teacher I at Silang West Elementary School-Annex and was awarded Natatanging Caviteño sa Larangan ng Pagtuturo (Elementary).
Ambat was recognized for inspiring her students to set high performance targets, delivering content knowledge using appropriate methodologies, approaches, and strategies, coaching science investigatory competitions, among others.
Meanwhile, Joselito Tibayan, a farmer and manager of Palangue Agrarian Reform Cooperative, received the award for Natatanging Caviteño sa Larangan ng Kooperatiba from Naic which operates for buy-and-sell agricultural inputs, rice trading seed nursery, micro-lending program, among others which aims for the improvement of local farmers’ lives.
Tibayan, representing the sector of farmers, shared the realities of being part of one of the poorest sectors in the country in his acceptance speech.
A previous Gawad Bayani awardee, Tibayan adds that despite not reaching high educational attainment, he was determined to develop the cooperative in their barangay, “Noong ako po ay nagbuo ng aming samahan wala akong hinangad kun’di ang aking kagustuhan na maitaas ang antas ng pamumuhay ng magsasaka,” he said.
Today, Tibayan and his co-farmers have led their children in obtaining a college degree, as well as afford simple luxuries.
In another sector of society, retired military officer Porferio Lavado was awarded Natatanging Caviteño sa Larangan ng Boluntaryong Paglilingkod from Cavite City for his religious service as head servant of St. Peter Catholic Charismatic Community.
Lavado shares the reason behind his long service in their community church, “Ginagawa ko to kasi una alam kong kinalulugdan ng Diyos ang ginagawa ko at ang aanihin ko ay magbubunga ng mabuti.”
The 72-year old further extended his appreciation to DLSU-D for the award given to him, “Ang iniisip ko noon, si Lord ang magbibigay sa akin ng gantimpala. Ngayon, emosyonal ako kasi mayro’n palang ganito (Gawad Caviteño), iniisip ko, ginagamit ito ni Lord–kayo (DLSU-D), para ipakita sa akin na dito pa lang sa lupa, may parangal na ako hindi lang sa langit.”
In his closing remarks, DLSU-D Brother President Augustin Boquer, FSC shared the influence that the awardees impart to their neighbors and the importance of inspiring others to do the same.
“When you go back to your respective communities, continue doing the good that you have begun but what is important, bring someone with you to do something much better with you and your communities so that they might have a better tomorrow with you,” the brother president said.
Gawad Caviteño started in 1994 as Gawad Bayani, recognizing awardees from only one category, and has since been changed to Gawad Caviteño, which recognizes people excelling from different fields.
