THE Datu Bago Awardees Organization, Inc. (DBAOI) has named seven Dabawenyos who will receive the prestigious award this year.
In a press statement, DBAOI Chairperson, Dr. Pilar C. Braga, with the concurrence of Mayor Sara Duterte, announced that Carlito Gaspar, Norma T. Javellana, Belen C. Laud, Aland David Mizell, Ricardo N. Obenza, Jr., Beethoven N. Sur, and Nieto L. Vitto were chosen to receive the award this year.
"The awardees are recognized for their outstanding, exemplary and selfless contribution to the growth and development of Davao City and for their invaluable contribution to the preservation of the Dabawenyo culture heritage," the organization said in a statement.
Gaspar is known to be a champion of the indigenous peoples cultural and resource rights. He has written over 20 books. He also frequently studies and features the pre-colonial Davao to provide Davao’s residents, and the rest of the country, a better understanding of Davao.
Javellana is being recognize for her contributions in the community.
"Her leadership in the Greenhills Homeowners’ Association and in the
Barangay Ma-a Federation of Homeowners’ Association led her to work feverishly with the city government to protect the Shrine Hills. She is a Dabawenyo whose vision for the community and environment made her an environmental pioneer and trailblazer and a long-term advocate for the protection of children’s rights," DBAOI said.
Laud was nominated by different cooperatives who recognized her contributions and leadership in the cooperatives. She has sat in the board of nine cooperatives for different terms and has given more than 50 consultation services as an accredited mediator-conciliator, cooperative auditor and lecturer.
Mizell is an American social scientist who spent more than a decade of his life here in Davao City serving the disadvantaged and the marginalized.
He leads the establishment of Minority Care International (MCI), which was able to put up many programs beneficial to the marginalized youth.
Since 2007, scholarships to the local colleges and universities were given to the disadvantaged minority students. Mizell also organized the student exchange program that sends two students per year to the United States of America for study and internship.
Obenza is an environmentalist, a teacher, and an artist, who has devoted more than 40 years of his life to ensure a better environment through arts and planting programs for Davao city’s children.
Sur, a Philippine Coast Guard Auxilliary (PCGA) District Director, who advocates environmental protection, support to education, and humanitarian outreach program brought him, his family, and the PCGA members to organize programs and activities such as relief operation; tree, mangrove and reef growing; coastal clean-up; books and school supplies donation; sports development; and Oplan Ligtas Biyahe.
Vitto trail blazed the education for special education and for the scholars of the Japanese government and sports development of the children with special needs.
"Dr. Vitto is the acknowledged Father of Special Education in USEP, crafting the curriculum for the first graduate program in Mindanao," the organization said.
The 48th Conferment of Datu Bago Awards 2018 will be one of the major events during the celebration of the 81st Araw ng Davao. It is set on March 13, 2018 at the Royal Ballroom, The Royal Mandaya Hotel, Davao City. (RJL with PR)