Outstanding Professional Award 2013
OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONAL AWARD 2013
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013
CREDITS
CHAIRMAN Superbrand Marketing International Inc. Karl McLean PRESIDENT & CEO Superbrand Marketing International Inc. Harry Tambuatco MARKETING DIRECTOR Superbrand Marketing International Inc. Larry Brouhard SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER Kenneth Rocete LEGAL COUNSEL Atty. Sara Jane Suguitan CREATIVE DIRECTOR Danilo B. Barrameda, Jr. GRAPHIC DESIGNER Richelle Lim MARKETING STAFF Corazon Villanueva FINANCE Nelia Villarete SMI offices are located at the Makati Central Business District with address: 1908 – 88 Corporate Center Building 141 Sedeño Street corner Valero, Salcedo Village Makati City Tel. 728-8880 Fax. 7581220 www.superbrands.com.ph The logo is subject to copyright of Superbrand Marketing International Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any other storage or retrieval system relating too all or part of the text, photographs, or logo types without written permission of the publishers.
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013
FOREWORD
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nderstanding the “Outstanding” projects of SMI, be it for professionals, dignitaries and politicians is about understanding the concept of branding outside the traditional perceptions between good, better and best. It is not about being number 1 nor is it about the amounts of monies accumulated. Simply put; branding is the consistent delivery of the brand promise generating integrity making it the brand. Outstanding is how we at SMI brand the Professionals who have been nominated into this publication. While there are no doubts the achievements of each professional stand out on their own, the nominations remain uncontested for the awards bestowed. The brand promises promoted by each of the nominees are of a firm resolve and remain without fatigue towards its delivery generating the integrity each and every participant enjoy. Our Outstanding Professionals in the Philippines are a clear manifestation of the strong character built and the proper moral grounds being captains of industry that exemplify what it takes to be the professional. The successes featured over decades are not necessarily about the financial gains accumulated or the high offices managed but to the brand they have live by. This criterion is singularly the exception to the rule for “Outstanding” to have managed their lives with dignity and the integrity inherent of their promises promoted. We congratulate the “Outstanding Professionals” for 2013 that are celebrated in this publication. This book becomes the testament of their achievements towards civil society with their contributions.
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013
CONTENTS
Ricky Alegre Print Broadcast Advocate...........................................................6 Dr. René B. Azurin Academe, Political Analyst & Print Columnist..........................10 Bernard Faustino Madrid Dy Creating Positive Change through Education............................14 Ramon Pereyra Jacinto We built this city on Rock and Roll.............................................18 John Alexander Kerr International Businessman, Sportsman and Philanthropist.......22 Joe Perez Meneses President CEO of Titania Wine Cellar, Inc.................................26 John Carlos “JC” Gordon de los Reyes Nation Builder.............................................................................30 Nandy Pacheco Nation Builder.............................................................................32 Gianello Pascalain Contemporary Artist / Hair Design............................................38 Randolf Ivan A. Ruste Engineer, Businessman, International Civic Leader...................42 Wopsy Zamora Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Amigo Entertainment Technolohies, Inc.....................................46
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013
Ricky Alegre Print Broadcast Advocate
While almost half of the Filipino consumers, regardless of age, gender, location and social class, have already turned to the internet to access media and entertainment — traditional print media still continue to be a popular platform for the general public. In fact, the most recent study conducted by media research firm Synovate revealed that newspapers remain a firm favorite in 2011, with 30 percent of the population reading one or more local language or English titles, while close to 22 percent read magazines. The country has an estimated population of 95 million. In synch with today’s digital age, the UPMG launched its new thrust “Print Connects” during the induction of its new set of officers at the Manila Hotel on January 24, 2012. “The choice of the theme was arrived at because we wanted to tell our readers that we continue to stay connected,” Alegre said. Now composed of 37 member-publication groups with over 200 titles, UPMG sees a growth in its membership. It will also organize this year the 3rd Tinta Awards that will recognize excellence and creativity in the execution of print ads. The BusinessMirror, Aliw Broadcasting Corp. and Pilipino Mirror have come up with a comprehensive plan for the coverage of the May 13, 2013 midterm elections, assuring readers, listeners and those who follow the two newspapers online of up-to-the-minute reports on the conduct of the polls.
Mr. Frederick Monsod Alegre, also known as Ricky Alegre, is currently the EVP-COO of the Philippines Graphic Publications Incorporated and Vice President Corporate Affairs of Business Mirror. Mr. Alegre was inducted by President Noynoy Aquino as the PR & Information Officer of the ADBOARD of the Philippines. He also sits in the Executive Committee of this year’s AD Congress to be held in Cam Sur this November as Co-Chairman of the Special Events Committee. He is also the Corporate Secretary of the United Print Media Group (UPMG), the umbrella organization of leading publications in the country. He was the President of the Philippine Marketing Association (PMA) in 2007. A lifetime member of the National Press Club (NPC) and a Director of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Metro Manila chapter. He has been involved in media and the marketing field for the past 25 years. Technological advancement is changing the way Filipinos receive information today. The emergence of internet empowers the general public to access their news and information at a faster pace. Nevertheless, the print industry remains relevant and powerful as it continues to become an indispensable source of content for everybody — both in real and cyber worlds. “Print has always had an edge when it comes to content. It is able to expound on issues because our format gives more space to tackle news and issues,” Ricky Alegre, BusinessMirror’s vice president for corporate affairs and president of the United Print Media Group (UPMG), said. He also said that the print has become a source for telecommunication companies and the internet when it comes to news and information.
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Ricky Alegre, BusinessMirror vice president for corporate affairs, and dwIZ’s Rey Langit presented the poll preparations at a meeting on Thursday at the dwIZ conference room at CityState Tower, Pasig City, and explained that this year’s coverage will give the electorate the latest developments in all areas covered by dwIZ, including its regional stations. The radio station is run by Aliw Broadcasting Corp. The coverage, dubbed “Bantay Halalan 2013,” Langit said, will start at 7 a.m. of May 13 and last until the last poll precinct closes at 7 p.m. It will be largely aimed at providing voters breaking news on the race to the Senate and significant local electoral contests, with reports limited to one minute for a broader coverage of the elections from all corners of the Philippines.
Outstanding Professional Award 2013
The readers and listeners will be supplied a steady stream of reports as the BusinessMirror, Pilipino Mirror and dwIZ have instructed all reporters and correspondents to provide up-to-the-minute leads to the desk and news anchors, with additional telephone lines to be made available. Langit and Alegre said the safety of reporters and correspondents is their principal concern and it is mandatory for all those covering the elections to stay out of violent confrontations and be on the safe side always.
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Volunteers will be deployed to expand the reach of the coverage and all of them will have proper identiďŹ cation. Langit and Alegre said those covering the polls should look into possible violations of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC) and the rules and regulations being implemented by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
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Langit said since it is expected that survey firms will no longer conduct exit polls, results of the elections could actually be secured two hours after the polling precincts close at 7 p.m.
it provides strategic information and advices for a portfolio of clients in the corporate, political, legal, education, government, public affairs, non-profit organizations, advocacy groups and media sectors.
Under the automated election system, the Precinct Count Optical Scan machines within the polling places will tabulate the results, which will be checked by poll watchers within 20 minutes, after which the results will be transmitted to the Board of Canvassers before the same results are sent to the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila.
It also plans, directs and manages market research activities for commercial products and services using person-to-person (face-to-face) method and web-based models and formats.
StratPOLLS, inc. is a privately-held national research and consulting firm specializing in both quantitative and qualitative research works and analysis. Rickt Alegre, Political Analyst joined StratPOLLS as
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StratPOLLS, inc. is a convergence of some of the most experienced and very knowledgeable people in the profession having proven themselves in their chosen fields of endeavor especially in political science, journalism, marketing, political polling, political economy, demography, information technology, local government and the academe.
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013
Dr. René B. Azurin
Academe, Political Analyst & Print Columnist
To the graduate students who wandered into his courses, he served up an eclectic and exciting mix of classic works in history, politics, economics, psychology, and philosophy, these with the objective of broadening the students’ perspectives of the world in which they would operate. He also taught the foundation course “Managerial Economics” at the Ateneo University graduate school of business. Currently, Dr. Azurin lectures extensively and often runs strategic planning workshops and management development programs for client organizations. He also consults for entities in both the private and public sectors and, in the recent past, he was a consultant on strategy and policy for important government agencies like the Department of Energy, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of National Defense, the Department of Interior and Local Governments, and the Philippine National Oil Company.
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r. René Azurin writes an incisive regular column (titled “Strategic Perspective”) for the newspaper BusinessWorld. He takes very strong positions against the abuse of government power and is a passionate advocate for effective justice, competitive markets, small government, and dispersed power. Essentially, he believes that “concentrated power is bad for any society because the lopsided distribution of power will produce uneven societal outcomes.” He thus argues that “the overriding object of social action should be the creation of counterweights to any power center, particularly mighty government.” Dr. Azurin’s published writings include Hacking Our Democracy: The Conspiracy to Electronically Control Philippine Elections (BusinessWorld), Power and Privilege: Essays on Politics, Economics, and Government (Anvil), Power Without Virtue: A Critical Perspective on Philippine Governance (Anvil), Stationary Bandits: Essays on Political Power (Platypus), Marginal Notes–Lectures in Business Economics (U.P. College of Business Administration), and Random Walks and Other Essays: Ruminations of a So-so Manager (University of the Philippines Press). An engineer with masteral and doctoral degrees in business administration, Dr. Azurin has had extensive experience in professional management. He was an investment banker, management consultant, and, for some 10 years, Chief Executive of a group of companies engaged in manufacturing, land development, banking, and transportation services. For many years, Dr. Azurin was also a management professor. He taught the program-integrating course “Strategic Management” and the innovative mind-expanding course “Perspectives in Strategy” at the College of Business Administration of the University of the Philippines (Diliman).
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In 2012, Dr. Azurin was a member (representing academe) and vice-chair of the “Independent Oil Price Review Committee”, a multi-sector group organized by government to study the operations of local oil companies and determine whether oil product prices in the Philippines were being fairly set and whether these companies were accumulating excessive profits. The final study produced by this Committee took four different academic approaches toward resolving the issues and arrived at the (obviously controversial) conclusion that there was no evidence that local oil product prices were not simply responding to market forces and competitive pressures or that local oil companies were accumulating “excessive” profits. The Committee then formulated a model for observers and analysts to use in predicting local oil product prices based on the values of certain key variables. In 2005, Dr. Azurin was co-Chair of the Committee on Form of Government of the “Consultative Commission to propose amendments to the 1987 Philippine Constitution” (ConCom). In that connection, he wrote a “Dissenting Report” that opposed as illogical and f lawed the ConCom majority’s proposal to shift to a parliamentary form of government and an eventual federal structure. Through his writings and media appearances, he was responsible for then framing the national debate on this issue in terms of the reallocation and concentration of political power. He was at the forefront of a subsequent citizens’ campaign to defeat a massive government effort to actually effect the shift. Dr. René Azurin has varied interests and is a founding director of the environmentalist group “Green Army”. In his spare time, he reads history and spy thrillers, enjoys the films of directors like Woody Allen and Ridley Scott, plays poker and used to play (before age prudently dictated that he stop) basketball and jai-alai, listens to classic rock music and old standards, dabbles in photography and likes travelling to historical places. Often, he may be seen taking long walks with his wife Carmela, his son Mikah, his daughter Sarah, or his dog Oscar.
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The Philippine Star
Rene Azurin: Railing against power and privilege Updated May 29, 2011 - 12:00am
Dr. Rene B. Azurin: A veritable Renaissance man as well as an indomitable Orphic spirit who melds a comprehensive knowledge of Philippine history.with a keen sense of what strategically needs to be done. MANILA, Philippines - Philippine STAR columnist Jarius Bondoc writes: “Life, it’s said, is a series of habits occasionally disturbed by thoughts. René B. Azurin habitually looks at the big picture, then writes down his thoughts in relation to hot issues of the day. That’s how he sways others to his strategic thinking.” Bondoc is referring to Azurin’s new and provocative collection of essays on various aspects of Philippine politics, economics, and government. According to Bondoc: “In his book, Power and Privilege (Anvil Publishing), Azurin tears at the trivial posturing of our national rulers.” In 2005, Dr. Azurin was co-chair of the Committee on Form of Government of the Consultative Commission to propose amendments to the 1987 Philippine Constitution (ConCom). There, he authored the dissenting Minority Report that criticized as illogical and flawed the ConCom majority’s proposal to shift to a parliamentary form of government and an eventual federal structure. He was at the forefront of the subsequent campaigna against the massive government effort to actually effect the proposed shift and was responsible for framing the national debate on this issue in terms of the reallocation and concentration of political power. Azurin is a passionate advocate for dispersed power, small government and open markets. In the preface of his new book, he says that he tries to bring to bear elements of history, political and economic theory and philosophy on public issues in an effort to extend the perspective of the reader beyond the narrow confines of his own particular interest group and into the economy at large and society in general, so that more Filipino citizens will have a better understanding of what public policies will best serve the general welfare. Philippine Constitution expert Jose Leviste Jr., a delegate to both the 1970 ConCon and the 2005 ConCom, observes: “One does not need to always agree with René Azurin’s often iconoclastic views to concede the breadth and depth of his thinking and the persuasiveness and elegance of his writing. He draws from an easy familiarity with such subjects as history, politics, technology, economics, philosophy, psychology, and business to analyze contemporary issues with a uniquely strategic perspective.” Of Azurin’s thought-provoking columns, BusinessWorld publisher and veteran journalist Vergel Santos says, “René Azurin is just the sort of inquirer and sense-maker the public needs for it to be redeemed from the confusion and obfuscation engendered these days in the service of the powers that be. It’s a role he plays with consistent grace and conviction. He is able to cut through disingenuousness with his power of deduction and clarity of thought to reveal motives and paint the big, plausible, and often absolutely true picture.” And PulseAsia founding president and distinguished political science professor Felipe Miranda clearly agrees. He writes, “Dr. René Azurin is a veritable Renaissance man as well as an indomitable Orphic spirit who melds a comprehensive knowledge of Philippine history with a keen sense of what strategically needs to be done — what, indeed, sensibly could be done — to change this country’s largely regrettable history.” Reprinted from The Philippine Star
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The Philippine Star
‘Hacking Our Democracy’ by Rene Azurin an excellent expose Updated April 21, 2013 - 12:00am
The author Rene Azurin: Veteran journalist Vergel Santos describes him as “one of the best rounded practicing intellectuals around.”
MANILA, Philippines - It was “standing room only… at the Ateneo Blue Room in Rockwell,” said STAR columnist Carmen Pedrosa at the launch last week of the book Hacking our Democracy by management professor and strategy guru Dr. René Azurin. Pedrosa describes the book as an important book that explains, “why computer experts and transparent election advocates reject Smartmatic-PCOS.” With elections just around the corner, the issue of poll automation and how it is being implemented by our Commission on Elections is clearly the topic of the day. IT industry pioneer and former Commission on Elections commissioner Gus Lagman says, “Hacking Our Democracy is a comprehensive commentary on how the Commission on Elections’ unreasonable insistence on a flawed automated election system supplied by foreign reseller Smartmatic is causing possibly irreparable damage to the Philippines’ election system. Written in elegant language laced with patriotic fervor, this book offers an excellent exposition of the technical and other issues surrounding the subject of automated polls. Every truly concerned citizen should read it.” Ateneo computer science professor Dr. Pablo Manalastas says that Azurin’s book “offers a critical, incisive analysis of the various IT issues that affect our automated elections.” A close observer of the conduct of the 2010 polls and the preparations for the upcoming 2013 polls, Manalastas notes, “In the implementation of our Automated Election Law (R.A. 9369), many of the important provisions that have to do with ensuring the accuracy of vote counts and the authenticity of election documents were totally ignored by the Commission on Elections.” His endorsement of Azurin’s book is unequivocal: “I highly recommend the book for personal and group study so that, individually and collectively, we voters may understand the issues involved and take appropriate action.” With election cheating a perennial feature of Philippine elections, BusinessWorld publisher and Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility director Vergel Santos considers the book “the most critical effort taken against any attempt to hijack the vote this time around.” Which, remarked veteran journalist Santos, “could be decisively tragic, since at stake here is the very thing that makes or unmakes a democracy — the free vote.” Of its author, René Azurin, Santos describes him as “one of the best rounded practicing intellectuals around. That’s why I don’t understand why he should not be listened to, as he is not listened to, most scandalously, by certain mere lay minds whose appointments to office are no more than an indication, not any definite assurance, of suitable specialist capacity.” Reprinted from The Philippine Star
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013
Bernard Faustino Madrid Dy Creating Positive Change through Education
• 2013 Mayor-Elect, Cauayan Isabela • Co-founder and Vice-President of University of Perpetual Help System of Isabela • Executive Committee Member / Board Member, UPH- Isabela Management Inc. • C.E.O. , Isabela Hotel & Resort Proprietor, BGD Farm Bernard Faustino M. Dy is the mayor-elect of Cauayan City, Isabela. He is the founder and Vice-President of University of Perpetual Help System of Isabela. He recently resigned as Executive Committee Member/Board Member of UPHS, Isabela Management Inc. and as Chief Executive Officer of Isabela Hotel and Resort given his mandate as Mayor of Cauayan City. He is the proprietor of BGD Farm. EARLY LIFE AND CAREER Bernard Faustino Dy was born to a family of public servants on May 30, 1979. He finished his secondary education in Ateneo De Manila University in 1997 and received his Bachelor of Business Administration Major in International Business at University California Riverside, USA in 2002. Bernard is currently earning his MA in PH.D in Organization Development at Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute. Bernard’s first business venture was with foreign suppliers who distribute Liquid Air, a product that purifies desalinated water. When that did not work as planned, he explored supplying LPG to tricycle drivers. That did not progress as well.
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013 UNIVERSITY OF PERPETUAL HELP SYSTEM-ISABELA Bernard envisioned a school in his hometown that could provide Manila-quality education at provincial tuition costs. In partnership with the owners of University of Perpetual Help, the Tamayo Family, Bernard put up UPHS-Isabela in 2004. He put up the school in what was originally their family hotel. Supporting his vision to give better education to the people of Cauayan City, his parents allowed Bernard to transform 3/4 of their family hotel into the school that is UPHSIsabela is now. To further elevate the quality of education in UPHS-Isabela, Bernard hires teachers from Manila and Cagayan. He contracted a radio
Outstanding Professional Award 2013 station to provide Mass Communication students with an actual on-air experience. He provides internship for Hotel and Restaurant Management through the family owned hotel Isabela Hotel and Resort. The school ensures that their graduates gain employment through regular job fairs and through the UPHS placement agency. UPHS-Isabela also offers courses that are apt to the opportunities provided by the emerging industries in the province such as the ethanol industry and retail industry (SM Mall). UPHS-Isabela currently offers 13 courses , elementary and secondary education and has 1,000 students UPHS-Isabela’s Corporate Social Responsibility Bernard strongly
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013 believes that the value the academe instills in their students is critical to nation building. DAY CARE CENTER FOR BARANGAYS. Apart from providing a high standard of education to their students, UPHS -Isabela gave them the venue to be of service to their community by establishing day care centers in various barangays in Cauayan City. In these centers, students experience hands on training on nursing, childhood development, business management among others while providing the Barangay members assistance on education, business and health. BALIK-ISABELA. In his commitment to contribute to provincial development, Bernard continues to spearhead projects like Balik-
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Isabela which aims to convince students to remain in Isabela instead of going to Manila or nearby cities after graduating. This remains to be a challenge but Bernard continuously shares this passion to the members of the community. JUNIOR CHAMBER INTERNATIONAL Bernard is currently the Vice-President of Junior Chamber International, a leading global network of young active citizens around the world with active participation in the United Nations. As JCI-VP, he is assigned to Japan, Korea, Hongkong, Macau, Cambodia and the PaciďŹ c. Bernard is the 2011 National President of JCI Philippines. In his term as National President, he espoused advocacy for citizen’s
Outstanding Professional Award 2013 initiative to 6,000 members around the Philippines. Bernard engaged more young Filipinos to take the destiny of their communities, their countries and the world at large by providing them the opportunity to be active citizens, solution providers through concrete action to create positive change. He was awarded by the world president as the most supportive president in 2012 and Best National Flagship Project in the World -Liter of Light. Aligned with UN MDG #7 to ensure environmental sustainability, JCI Philippines members under the leadership of Bernard Dy, started a project to bring underprivileged communities an economically and ecologically sustainable source of light. Partnered with My Shelter Foundation, JCI members provide these impoverished households with a Solar Bottle Bulb. This bulb is a form of green technology bringing light into homes while protecting the environment.
Outstanding Professional Award 2013 AWARDS RECEIVED • Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist, 2011 • JCI Best National Flagship Program Award in Asia Pacific , 2012, Hongkong • Most Outstanding Supporter of JCI, 2012, Taiwan JCI Best National Flagship Award in the World, 2012, Taiwan Other affiliations: • World Youth Alliance , Member • Gawad Kalinga, Head for Isabela Province • PetcR2 (Coalition for Clean Air Advocates), President • Philippine Field Hockey, Vice President 2013 MAYOR-ELECT OF CAUAYAN CITY, ISABELA With his selfless dedication to serve “others above self” and vast experience of community service, Bernard heeded to the call of public service in the recent elections. He was elected to office as Mayor of Cauayan City, Isabela with an overwhelming mandate from the Cauayenos.
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013
Ramon Pereyra Jacinto We built this city on Rock and Roll
The Marcos dictatorship and the declaration of martial law on Sept. 21, 1972, changed RJ’s life and the politico-economic landscape of the Philippines. RJ was Senior Vice-President of Iligan Integrated Steel Mills, Inc., with 2,500 employees reporting to him. His radio station continued, manned by his bandmate, Alan Austria. His father Fernando bravely resisted President Marcos’ attempts to take over his steel mills. But with the declaration of Martial Law on Sept. 21, 1972, all Jacinto family assets were forcibly seized and placed under military control. 2 of RJ’s radio stations - DZRJ and DZUW - were included in the sequestering. The family’s executives were jailed with no charges filed. Many stories have been written about how the Fernando Jacinto family anticipated martial law and spirited assets away to Lichtenstein, a Swiss independent municipality citizenship. The real story is that on the birthday of Don Fernando, the family was on holiday in Rome. RJ was on his way back to the Philippines through the United States, when he made a decision to stop in Tokyo. That decision saved him from jail. Martial law had been declared and his father ordered him to go back to Rome where he started a fourteen-and-a-half-year exile, twelve years of which were spent in the United States.
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orn in June 3, 1945, Ramon Pereyra Jacinto was the third of the eight children of Don Fernando Jacinto, founding father of the steel industry in the Philippines. His grandfather was one of the founding fathers of Philippine banking. RJ studied at the Ateneo de Manila - country’s premier Jesuit University - graduating with honors in Economics. After graduating from college at the age of 19, he proceeded to work for his father’s steel company (the largest in the country). RJ continued his studies by taking up law at the University of Sto. Tomas, taking night classes to accommodate all his other responsibilities. At the age of 15, RJ set up his first enterprise called RJ ENTERPRISES, which produced and released numerous record hits of his school band, “RJ and The Riots.” RJ ENTERPRISES also pioneered multi-track recording in the country, having purchased the first Amper 300-3 track machine in the country. It eventually became the studio of choice for many artists and advertising agencies at the time.RJ and the Riots at the family house, back in the early ‘60s Two years later, in his parents’ backyard, RJ established what was to become a legendary radio station - DZRJ. Manned by his volunteer group of classmates, DZRJ was the laboratory for on-air experiments of radio concepts unknown and unheard of before in Philippine entertainment history. Easily, DZRJ developed a cult-like following, doing away with rampant “payola” and introducing alternative music to the open ears of Filipino teenagers. It was the first station to give exposure to such rock legends as the Beatles, the Ventures and the Beach Boys. Likewise, RJ directed his station and put an emphasis on playing the music of local talent. Little know did he know that he planted the seeds for a full-fledged musical revolution.
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In 1977, while in exile in San Francisco, RJ was pining for his country. He got together with Filipinos, Burnell Bunch, Mike Salvador, and Edmund Ungson. Together, they recorded “Muli” and “Don’t Let Go.” RJ secretly sent the record to the Philippines for airplay. DJs of his radio station could not mention the source nor the artist, lest they be castigated by the military management. The songs became turntable hits, although no copies were available to the public. While in exile, RJ worked closely with his co-exile, the late great Philippine hero, Ninoy Aquino and provided inspirational oppositionist songs to the movement for a free Philippines. J&T Tower, Sta. MesaDuring the run up to the EDSA revolution, as Marcos Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and Philippine Constabulary head Fidel V. Ramos defected from the government, the Catholic Church-owned, Radio Veritas, a vocal critic to the Marcos dictatorship, was bombed off the air. Upon the advice of Fr. James B. Reuter, S.J. and under the guard of the St. Paul nuns, Radio Veritas broadcaster, June Kiethley, with teenage Mercado brothers, Gabe and Pablo, escaped to the tower of the J&T Building, and used the inhouse facilities of DZRJ to call the people to action. The guerilla radio station was aptly called, “Radyo Bandido.” Right after the peaceful Philippine revolution, RJ returned on March 5, 1986 and the military, led by Defense Minister Enrile, returned his radio stations and some of his family’s steel mills. On June 1986, manning his radio station for two weeks at 8 hours a day. awaiting the formal turnover from the military, RJ became the pied piper of retro/revival music. His call was straightforward enough, “Hi! This is Ramon Jacinto. Some of you know me as ‘RJ.’ Some of you don’t remember me and don’t even know there is a man behind the name ‘RJ.’ Well, I own this station but I’ve been gone for fourteen and a half years. Help me by calling in and suggesting what I should do . . .” After which, he played the music he knew best - the music of the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Outstanding Professional Award 2013 Thousands of phone calls later, DZRJ became the leader in the revival/retro wave, like K-Earth in Los Angeles and CBS FM in New York. RJ introduced and expanded on the “Baby Boomer” marketing force. The former Bistro RJ at Pasay Road On July 25, 1986, RJ once again scored big when he defied all odds and set up Bistro RJ, a phenomenally successful 60s rock n’ Roll music lounge which became the watering hole of the movers and shakers of the country. At that time, live bands were dead. Night life in the Philippines was confined to piano bars and discos. Bands had to travel abroad to make a living. Betting on his hunch that live bands would stage a comeback, he proved that nightspots could earn more by hiring live bands. RJ also bet on the guitar coming back as the instrument of choice when karaoke and Yamaha Portatones were in vogue. Getting exasperated switching between his Fender Jazzmaster and his Gibson Les Paul during performances at Bistro RJ, RJ approached low-key guitar luthier Rudy Discipulo to make a guitar versatile enough to produce all the sounds he needed. Rudy came up with the Series One Roadtone, and it met with the specifications of RJ. So impressed with the worksmanship, RJ asked Rudy to embark on a business that would blossom into the 6-store chain, RJ Guitar Center, which currently sells various, world-class RJ Guitar models and handles the exclusive distributorship of coveted Taylor guitars and Belcat products, here in the Philippines. Today, RJ continues to manage his numerous businesses and is still able to perform weekly at the RJ Bar for “Thank God It’s RJ!” every
Friday. He likewise hosts RJ Sunday Jam, which is doubly broadcast through 2nd Avenue and RJ100.3FM, come Sundays, 9am-12nn. On top of that, RJ is able to perform once a month at the Captain’s Bar of the Mandarin Hotel in Makati as part of The Greatest and The Latest Concert Series of RJ100.3FM At 64, Ramon “RJ” Jacinto remains active in music and business, displaying passion and vigor that only a few can match. Ever relentless when a good idea hits him, RJ not only seeks to expand his businesses but also to capitalize on opportunities, if ever they were to arise. Ramon “RJ” Jacinto is a pioneer and legendary figure of the Pinoy pop scene of the 60′s. It started very early on (at around age 15) when his love and passion for music prompted him to set up his own recording studio with a first multi-track recorder in the Philippines. He formed his band “RJ & The Riots” with schoolmates and played the first gig at the Ateneo H.S. Christmas Party in 1960. By age 17, RJ had also established his own radio station DZRJ which introduced what’s then the “alternative” music to Filipino youth with acts like The Ventures and later The Beatles. In those early years, the band played a lot of “Ventures” as typified by their composition and signature instrumental hit “Weightless”. Martial law would force RJ into exile overseas for fourteen years. After the peaceful Philippine revolution, RJ returned to create the RJ Bistro for live performances to help revive the night life in Manila. RJ also started a very successful guitar factory and a chain of stores - RJ Guitars. Today, RJ with his New Riots is one of most enduring acts which continues to perform regularly at the RJ Bar (“Thank God It’s RJ!” and “RJ Sunday Jam”) and other dates. An updated version of “Weightless” and a live recording of “Sugat Ng Puso” with the Manila Symphony Orchestra (2005) are selected for presentation here.
RJ at RJFM new booth.
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John Alexander Kerr
International Businessman, Sportsman and Philanthropist. and CFO among other sales, marketing and financial positions which necessitated Mr Kerr living in 9 different countries and heading operations covering a further 80 countries both large and small to include the North Korea where he opened offices in 1996. He also played golf in 72of those countries! Latterly Mr Kerr spent 15 years in Hong Kong with DHL covering Asia Pacific and President of Europe and Africa for a major Pharmaceutical Company. Having retired to the Philippines in 1999, Mr Kerr was enticed back to Hong Kong twice as Chairman and CEO of several startup companies and CEO of a multi-services company catering to the Overseas Filipino Workers but finally retired in 2005. While in retirement Mr Kerr became active in the Rotary Club of Alabanghaving previously been a Charter Member of the Rotary Club of Wanchai in Hong Kong that continues to meet regularly at the Grand Hyatt Hotel since 1991. It was at a Rotary meeting that Mr Kerr met Fr Rocky Evangelista.
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r John A Kerr is of Scottish origin and was born close to the Kerr Family seat of Ferniehirst Castle in Jedburgh. Kerr or Kerry handed alludes to being left handed and gives testament to the fact that Ferniehirst is purportedly the only castle in Europe with anti-clockwise staircases being advantageous to left handed people fighting in medieval times. SeroSedSerio is the prominent on the family crest and means ‘late but in earnest’. It does not mean tardy! It means that historically in battle the Kerr Clan we held in reserve until the appropriate time, and being left handed warriors and therefore advantageous against right handed opponents, used to turn the tide of the battle positively. Hence, arriving ‘late’ but making all the difference! Mr Kerr however, migrated to London, England at age 2 with his parents and elder sisterso does not carry a noticeable Scottish accent. He gravitated towards international commerce having spurned the lure of professional sport, and his sister is successful and famous in the arts in the traditional folk medium through song writing, singing, playing 26 instruments and teaching music at Newcastle University. Sandra Kerr also co-wrote and performed the TV program Bagpuss, voted in the top 5 children’s programs over the past 40 years throughout Europe. She continues to be very active even at age 71. After graduating from University with a degree in Medieval History, Mr Kerr took post graduates degrees in Finance and in Marketing which were the foundation to a business career spanning 10 different industries and operating in diverse markets on the major continents of Europe, USA, Asia, Middle East and Africa. Hard work and being blessed with opportunities allowed Mr Kerr to variously hold positions of Chairman, CEO, President, COO
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The Kerr Family has a tradition of focusing on social issues with Mr Kerr’s mother building an organisation over 25 years for the elderly in need that resulted in providing an 80 room facility with full medical services, counselling and feeding programs in house, plus a home visiting service providing 7,000 meals daily ( meals on wheels ). Both his parents were activists in fighting for the rights of the elderly which culminated in VAT rebates being applied nationally for retirees. On his mother’s passing , his Father continued the activism , frequently discussing issues in the Houses of Parliament in London, with the Prime Minister Tony Blair referring to him as ‘Old Warrior’ when they met.
Outstanding Professional Award 2013 Mr Kerr’s sister and husband are also active in environmental issues together with food production and healthy eating. Carrying on the family tradition Mr Kerr joined Father Rocky Evangelista in Tuloy Foundation, Inc as a Board Director and Trustee and EVP in 2002, having spent the previous 6 months raising funds for the recreational centre. ( seewww.tuloyfoundation.org )
This sat well with Mr Kerr’s advocacy in generic terms in lifting the quality of life for all Filipino’s through education, opportunity and self-sufficiency but primarily street children and other under privileged youth.
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013 This goes hand in hand with educating the next generation in preserving and nurturing the environment which they will inherit through awareness of recycling, reuse, preservation and aquaponics. Tuloy Foundation, Inc provides 4 key programs for street children and under privileged children. Residential, Educational, Values Formation and Vocational Training through to job placement to include Automotive, Electronics, Computer Science, Air Conditioning, Welding, Baking, Industrial Sewing and a Culinary Arts Program graduating chefs. Tuloy currently caters to over 900 children and recently graduated another 370.
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The facility is located in Alabang on a 4.5 hectare site which includes residential homes, school and vocational training outlets, library and learning resource centre, recreation centre, church and adoration chapel, a culinary centre and football field. It is also used as a disaster centre when necessary. Tuloy also has a 5 hectare farm to add to its mission towards self -sufficiency with pigs, fish, vegetables and fruits complemented by on site acquaponics within the Alabang Street Children Village. Outreach livelihood programs are conducted through mobile training centres using customised 40 foot container trucks allowing Tuloy to influence and assist beyond the physical walls of its facility.
Outstanding Professional Award 2013 Tuloy are fortunate to have a Board of Directors/Trustees that are very active on a daily basis. On a longer term basis, Mr Kerr is focused on self -sufficiency through prudent money management and education on investments and wealth creation for a broader spectrum of Filipinos to meet future expectations for themselves and to provide for future generations.
As COO of A2A, Mr Kerr sponsors educational seminars on wealth management with his company providing affordable investments in real estate for the average man/woman in the street that allows them to build risk free wealth and for Corporations to allow them to build wealth quicker for their staff. Mr Kerr continues that to this day. Mr Kerr is committed to the Philippines and will spend the rest of his allotted time here helping those in need of which there are too many.
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013
Jose Perez Meneses
President and CEO of Titania Wine Cellar, Inc.
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ose Meneses, or Joe as he is more commonly called, is the current president and CEO of Titania Wine Cellar,Inc. Joe was born and raised in Baguio City and moved to Manila to study mechanical & systems engineering at Mapua Institute of Technology. His growing up in the north to Ilocano parents taught him early on in life how to be frugal and to work hard for what he wanted to achieve in life. “No pain, No gain has always been his driving force and inspiration which he instilled in the upbringing of his three wonderful children and continues to do so on a daily basis to all those that are close to him. He worked for Atlas Copco Philippines, a Swedish industrial group with world-leading positions in compressors, construction and mining equipment, power tools and assembly systems as Vice-president for Sales and Marketing. In 2004, he opted for an early retirement as wanted to venture into a small hotel business in Iligan City, his wife’s hometown where he converted an old residential property into a 15 room Bed & Breakfast outfit. He then formed Harmony Resorts Corporation which runs the Corporate Inn Boutique hotel and is rated by the Department of Tourism in 2011 and 2012 as the # 1 amongst the 16 bread & breakfast inns in Iligan City. In the late 1980’s, together with his brother-in-law, Anthony Trillo who pioneered the bottled water industry in the Philippines, Joe, with his systems engineering background, helped with the mechanized manufacturing process of Hidden Springs Mineral Water which was
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later purchased by Nestle Philippines in the mid 1990’s. It was in 2005 that Joe decided to join his sister in her flourishing wine business by purchasing shares of Titania Wine Cellar, Inc. Joe’s passion for wine was triggered during his business related travels abroad for Atlas Copco where he was able to savor wines from the major wine producing capitals of the world. To further his knowledge in the art of winemaking, he trained and immersed himself at the Kendall-Jackson Winery in Napa, California under the tutelage of world renown wine master Randy Ullom. He then went on immersion in the “old world Spanish” wineries of Felix Solis Avantis, the world’s largest Spanish winery and Bodegas Aruspide renown for their organic wines from 40 year old vines. The more he learned about wines, his appetite for understanding grew. He then traversed to Tuscany, Italy to learn about the famous Chianti wines from the Piccini Family known as the number 1 selling Tuscan wine brand in the U.S, United Kingdom, France, Sweden and Norway. The benchmark of all these great wines, is the French art of wine making, where he eventually ventured and sharpened his knowledge on French wines in the VinExpo with the Baron Philippe de Rothschild known as the largest producer and distributor of quality Bordeaux wines. Joe shares his passion and knowledge for wines by taking full charge of the wine appreciation seminars conducted by Titania Wine Cellar aiming to educate and train those involved in the hospitality industry like hotels, restaurants, first class supermarkets and HRM courses at schools nationwide in the art of wine. Although Joe strongly believes that everything in life is earned by one’s devotion and unending vocation, he does not forget the less fortunate who do don’t have an edge in life for the lack of education or simply because they were
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born into poor, helpless and uneducated families. Through Titania Wine Cellar, he raises funds via charity dinners and allotting a portion of the sales of wine to fund charitable institutions that provide for the poor abandoned children in Delpan, Tondo as well as in Payatas, Quezon City as well as to the Catholic Bible Society Foundation of the
Society of Saint Paul to help propagate the Word of God by distributing copies of the Bible for free to indigent families and individuals. On his own, he together with a group of old time friends, raise funds to finance and sustain the education of several high school students in his hometown, Baguio City.
JOE, 24, RECEIVING AN AWARD AS TOP EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AT ATLAS COPCO
JOE IN THE ROLLING SLOPES OF THE KENDALL-JACKSON ESTATE VINEYARDS DURING
PHILIPPINES ON HIS 2ND YEAR ON THE JOB
HIS TRAINING AT THE KENDALL-JACKSON WINERY IN NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
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John Carlos “JC” Gordon de los Reyes Nation Builder
lone winner of the Ang Kapatiran Party, placing second among ten slots for the Olongapo City Council. This was achieved despite a decade absent from local politics. His free legal assistance program under an informal project named JUSTICE CRUSADE has been widely successful among his constituents. He is presently prioritizing the institutionalization of the Barangay Human Rights Action Centers, the office mandated by law for the protection and prevention of human rights violations in the barangay. As councilor, de los Reyes has spoken out and campaigned against illegal drugs, rampant violations of worker’s rights at Hanjin, Subic Bay and has campaigned against illegal fish cages in the area. He has also led protests against the proposed coal power plant and has been outspoken in criticizing government’s plan to open more casinos in Subic. The boldest statement he has made for good governance is the filing of numerous cases before the Ombudsman against high ranking government officials where he himself is complainant. This is in line with his political policy of alleviating the people’s suffering by addressing the problem of expensive and increasing costs of basic needs like water, electricity, medicines, health care, etc., and insuring that these basic services are kept free and far from graft and corruption. He has been nominated as Presidential candidate to the Philippines for the 2010 elections but ran in last and lost to the more popular Senator Benigno Aquino III.
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C de los Reyes was a new politician who was elected at the age of 25 in the 1995 elections. He ran under the Nacionalista Party but the party never bothered to brief him about its platform and principles. He was just a member in name but not in heart. He entered politics with a theology degree from one of the most conservative Catholic universities in the world, the Franciscan University of Steubenville. He was also the son of Antonio “Sonny” de los Reyes, 9-year National Council of the Laity president and founder of Bukas Loob sa Diyos Community. JC de los Reyes entered public service but was disappointed. President Ramos’ men were ramming down charter change as his term was to end in 1998. De Venecia’s Rainbow Coalition was the source of patronage and power. Also during these times, there was fear and uncertainty for an Estrada presidency. This was the backdrop in which the National Renewal Movement was organizing. He studied in Ateneo de Manila for his elementary education, and graduated in De La Salle Santiago Zobel School for high school. He finished his Bachelor of Arts in Theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, which is considered as one of the most orthodox Catholic Universities in the United States. In late 1993 he taught Philosophy in the Center for Research and Communication, now known as the University of Asia and the Pacific. During that time, he was under the tutelage of Father Joseph de Torre, a Spanish priest of the Holy Cross who wrote extensively on the social teachings of the Church. In 1999 he finished his post-graduate studies in Public Administration from the University of the Philippines. In 2005 he finished his law degree at Saint Louis University in Baguio City. In 1995, he was elected as the city councilor of Olongapo City. During his term, he focused on the poor, the youth and cooperatives. In the 2007 elections, among 27 local and national candidates, he was the
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The organizations he helped propagate as an active member since 1995 was the National Renewal Movement and the Ang Kapatiran National Political Party or the Alliance for the Common Good, a registered political party that seeks to promote the politics of genuine social concern. Presently, he is national animator of Solidarity Philippines, a movement to pro-actively advance the Social Justice Agenda of the Church and Executive-director of Breaking the Yoke of Poverty Foundation whose project is Jubilee homes for the Poor, a housing project for 60 families. He is also a member of Tau Gamma Phi Triskelions Grand Fraternity. De los Reyes is married to Filipino-Brazilian, Dunia Valenzueladelos Reyes with whom he has 3 children - Gabrial, Santiago, and Barbara. JC de los Reyes’s presidential bid came as a surprise even to his family who are supporting his uncle, fellow presidential bet and Sen. Richard Gordon. In the 2007 polls, he was the lone winner among the local and national bets of the Ang Kapatiran Party, a non-traditional and church-based political party. He is a two-term councilor in Olongapo City. Unlike his uncle Sen. Gordon, De los Reyes is not a veteran in Philippine politics but he comes from a long line of politicians—his grandfather is Olongapo’s first elected mayor; his grandmother, who first convinced him to run, is a former mayor of Olongapo and an assemblywoman. Olongapo’s incumbent mayor is James Gordon, Jr., the brother of Sen. Gordon. On political dynasty: Although he came from a family of politicians, De los Reyes swore to break up political dynasties. “For 23 years, the provision (against political dynasties) has been violated. I will communicate this to the whole bureaucracy and to the people so that finally we’ll have the implementing rules to give life to this provision,” he said during a presidential forum sponsored by the Inquirer. On transparency of political parties: In a heated debate between Liberal Party standard-bearer Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, De los Reyes urged the fellow presidential aspirant’s party to be more accountable and transparent. “I’m not questioning LP’s moral authority but I’m questioning the propriety of the kind of politics they’re conducting. One person believes this, but it is not adhered by the membership. There are no clear and specific aspirations.”
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Ang Kapatiran Party’s Faith Journey
Nandy Pacheco Nation Builder
Drafted by Nandy Pacheco, the gun control bills were filed separately by Senators Nene Pimentel and Alberto Romulo and the late Congressman Boni Gillego. The Senate responded favorably to the call of the President Cory, but the House version was gunned down by the President’s brother Peping Cojuangco who was the chair of the House committee on public order and security. “A gun control law will never see the light of day unless there is at least one political party that is committed to it,” Nandy said. Nandy Pacheco, as member of the welcome and reception committee for the Pope’s visit in 1995, objected to the proposal to give the Pope a 21-gun salute, arguing that “that there are a thousand and one ways of welcoming the Pope, but why in heaven’s name do we have to greet him with gunfire. The question was referred to the personal representative of the Pope for resolution. When the welcome and reception committee met again, its chair Ambassador Tita de Villa announced at the meeting that there would be no 21-gun salute. Moreover, the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCPII)) approved in 1991 a decree asking all sectors of the Church “to put an end to the production and manufacture of the technology of death and the arms trade as part of the Church’s vision of peace.” In the meantime, PCP-II called on the lay faithful “to participate actively and lead in the renewing of politics in accordance with values of the Good News of Jesus.” The CBCP in 1997 issued a Pastoral Exhortation on Philippine Politics, wherein it said: “If we are what we are today – a country with a great number of poor and powerless people – one reason is the way we have allowed politics to be debased and prostituted to the low level it is now.” (In the year 2009, another pastoral document was released by the CBCP, “Lay Participation in Politics and Peace.”)
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t was in 1996 when Nandy Pacheco, Kapatiran founder, and JC de los Reyes, 2010 AKP standard-bearer for President, first met in Elim’s National Renewal Movement (NRM). They religiously attended the Saturdaymeetings at Rolling Hills Subdivision, Quezon City to plan and prepare for the 1998 national elections. The NRM was a movement organized by Bro. Willy Nakar as a response to the call of the Catholic Church to “renew politics” in accordance with Gospel values. Prior to this, Nandy Pacheco’s NATURE/Gunless Society has been working hard lobbying for stricter gun control to no avail. In 1992, in a space of one week, Maureen Hultman and Eldon Maguan were brutally gunned down. President Cory Aquino, who declared the 1990s as the Decade of Peace, sent an urgent message to Congress to consolidate the two bills into one and urged its immediate passage.
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The National Renewal Movement was pinning their hopes on Aquilino Pimentel for President in 1998 but for some reason, he ended up running for and winning as senator under Erap’s party. It was Santi Dumlao and Nandy Pacheco who stepped up to run for President and Vice-President, respectively, under Bago Party supported as well by the Elim community. In 1998, JC did not run for reelection out of disgust for patronage/trapo politics and zealously campaigned for Santi Dumlao and Nandy Pacheco. Unfortunately, they lost but the fire and zeal obviously did not end there. It was after this that intense prayer and discernment for a genuine accountable and responsible political party was seen as the missing link for real reforms in Philippine Politics. In August 2002, a political movement called Kapatiran sa Pangkalahatang Kabutihan (KPK) headed by the indefatigable and unsinkable Nandy Pacheco was formed along with a group of citizens and ordinary lay faithful who can no longer sit idly by while they saw
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the betrayal of public trust by elected & appointed public officials, man’s inhumanity to man, the poor and the marginalized exploited by unscrupulous politicians to promote selfish ends, the deterioration of public & private morality, the decline of the family, high crime rates and increased corruption in government, and who want to put an end to dirty politics. KPK’s mission was two-fold: political action.
political education and
Because election of good leaders depends on the kind of voters we have, education was given the highest priority for action. The education component and objectives are: COMMON GOOD; CHARACTER BUILDING; CONSISTENT ETHIC OF LIFE; VALUES FORMATION and BASIC POLITICAL EDUCATION including good citizenship. On political action, the movement KPK drew up its list of people’s aspirations in the hope that existing political parties will adopt the same in their platforms. Unfortunately, not a single political party responded. In late 2003, Norman Cabrera for Central Luzon, JC de los Reyes for Northern Luzon and Fr. Leonardo Polinar for the Visayas and Mindanao gathered the needed signatures for the accreditation of
Alliance for the Common Good or Ang Kapatiran Party. It was finally accredited by COMELEC on 8 May 2004 or 2 days before the 10 May 2004 elections. Sequentially, therefore, it was the political movement – KPK – that inspired and gave birth to Ang Kapatiran as a political party. The KPK’s “Aspirations of the Filipino People” became the platform of Ang Kapatiran Party. While both organizations have their own separate personalities, their members share the same vision – “to make themselves a gift to God and to others.” 2 November 2002, Manila Bulletin. “I have always believed that it is about time for our lay faithful to be more actively involved in socio-political affairs.” He referred to Kapatiran as “a group of concerned Catholic laity who wanted to contribute to the social transformation by raising the political awareness and maturity of our people.” His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin Be Part of the Alliance Now is the time to pull together, as one people, to act, and to act decisively Participate
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Ang Kapatiran Party
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he education aspect of AKP will be undertaken at the familyBEC-barangay level, local churches in collaboration with interested non-government organizations, civic clubs, and various religious organizations.
With common good as its musical score, AKP members (elected and appointed) are musicians in an orchestra playing harmoniously and producing a perfect symphony. The President of the Philippines, as conductor, works to prevent a single discordant note.
AKP’s efforts to introduce a prophetic politics of personal and social transformation dovetail with the call: “REFORM YOURSELVES AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL” (Mark 1:15).
FOUNDING PRINCIPLES
The Philippines will change only if Filipinos first change individually. The PASSPORT, based on this premise, is designed to jumpstart the process of change. Founded on the Social Teaching of the Church, AKP focuses on moral principles, not political expediency; on the needs of the poor and vulnerable, not those of the rich and the powerful; on the pursuit of the common good, not the demands of special interests; and on the culture of life and peace, not the culture of death and violence. As an antidote to dirty politics, AKP’s approach is holistic and integral with new fervor and new methods. It has two distinct but interrelated components: education and political action. With the generous support of all Filipinos of good will in terms of “treasure, time and talent,” AKP hopes to overcome “BIG MONEY POLITICS” and provide the nation with alternative leaders who are strengthened by their commitment to God to uphold the common good.
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The AKP was founded on ten principles. 1. Belief in One Almighty God. There is only one eternal Supreme Being, Creator of us all. God’s laws are written in every human heart, summarized in the two-fold command: Love God above all, and the others as yourself. 2. Right to Life and Dignity of the Human Person. Every human person is created in the image and likeness of God. We believe that every human life is sacred from conception to death; that people are more important than things; and that the measure of every institution is whether or not it enhances the life and dignity of the human person. 3. Call to Family, Community and Participation. The human person is not only sacred but inherently social. The God-given institutions of marriage and the family are central and serve as the foundations for social life. They must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. Beyond the family, every person has a right to participate in the wider society and a corresponding duty to work for the advancement of the common good and the well-being of all, especially the poor and the weak.
Outstanding Professional Award 2013 4. Rights and Responsibilities. As social beings, our relationships are governed by a web of rights and corresponding duties. Every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things that allow them to live a decent life – faith and family, food and shelter, health care and housing, education and employment. In society as a whole, those who exercise authority have a duty to respect the fundamental rights of all persons. Likewise, all citizens have a duty to respect human rights and to fulfill their responsibilities to their families, to each other, and to the larger society. 5. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. The moral test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. The poor have the most urgent moral claim on the conscience of the nation. Our Christian faith calls on all of us to embrace this preferential love of the poor and vulnerable, to embody it in our lives, and to work to have it shape public policies and priorities. 6. Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers. The economy must serve people, not vice versa. Work is a form of continuing participation in God’s act of creation. Work is a way of fulfilling part of our human potential given to us by God. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers, owners and managers must be respected – the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to organize and join unions, to economic initiative, and ownership and private property. 7. Solidarity. Because of the interdependence of all members of the human family around the globe, we have a moral responsibility to commit ourselves to the common good at all levels: in local communities, in our nation, in the community of nations. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. 8. Subsidiarity. It is a fundamental principle of social philosophy, fixed and unchangeable, that one should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry (Pope Pius XI, Quadregesimo Anno). The principle of subsidiarity holds that the functions of government should be performed at the lowest level possible, as long as they can be performed adequately. Otherwise stated, subsidiarity means decisions being taken close to the grass roots.
9. Common Good. The common good is the “sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and easily.” “The principle of the common good, to which every aspect of social life must be related if it is to attain its fuller meaning, stems from the dignity and equality of all people. The common good is the reason that political community exists. The State is an expression of civil society, and as such must guarantee its unity, coherency and organization in order that the common good may be attained.” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.) Elements of the Common Good: a) respect for, and promotion of, the fundamental rights of the person; b) prosperity, or the development of the spiritual and temporal goods of society; and c) the peace and security of the group and its members. 10. Care for God’s Creation. The world that God created has been entrusted to us, yet our use of it must be directed by God’s plan for creation, not simply for our own benefit. Our stewardship of the earth is participation in God’s act of creating and sustaining the world. In our use of creation, we must be guided by our concern for the welfare of others, both around the world and for generations to come, and by a respect for the intrinsic worth and beauty of all God’s creation. 11. Peace, Active Nonviolence and Progressive Disarmament. The Kingdom of God proclaimed by Jesus is not a Kingdom to be imposed by the force of arms. It is a Kingdom to be built by love. A strategy of nonviolence requires solidarity as well as action. Recourse to armed violence as a method to bring about social transformation cannot be justified. The road to total liberation is not the way of violence, class struggle or hate; it is the way of love, brotherhood and peaceful solidarity. To remove social ills, active nonviolence is our moral countersign to the ideologies of today that espouse armed violence to change the status quo. “All sectors of the Church must actively work for an end to the manufacture and production of the technology of death and the arms trade as part of the Church’s vision of peace.”
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013
Gianello PascalainPascalain Gianello Contemporary Artist / Hair Design Hair Artist
over the years as a teacher, he did not really concentrate his forces on pushing the products commercially, but decided to start with it once arrived 3 years ago in the Philippines! Pascalain says that his hair care range developed with one of the most brilliant brain in Germany: Mrs. Ingrid Lorenz is extremely performant with European hair, but even more with Asian hair, which has generally the tendency to be a bit coarse! As we asked him to reveal part of the secret compared to other hair care products, he says that the blueprints are German made and we all know the reputation of German products for quality! As my partner comes from the skin cosmetics, she had a totally different approach to hair! As far as we know, all existing shampoos and conditioners have greasy ingredients and this is like a barrier for the penetration of components, which are supposed to repair our hair! So, we eliminated all that and we are treating hair over a well elaborated moisturizing concept! It does not give any heaviness to hair and is rinsed out much faster without any residues! It is ecofriendly and it is applied as a mousse for all major basic products! Pretty unusual for such products! Results are visible after a first use and increases with the time! No alcohol in styling products, which are no longer necessary to dry out the excess of greasy ingredients in shampoos and conditioners!
What the half French, half Italian artist has to say about himself; Born with creativity thanks to his European Latin origins Pascalain started in the hair industry at age 13 as an apprentice. He had a go to France for an education and joined the prestigious salon owners. But as a young man he first had to acquire the virtue of discipline which he learned from Vidal Sassoon.
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After which he created his own salons; ore than Forty Years of Passion, Dedication & Experience…
Pascalain started as an apprentice in 1970 in the profession of hairdressing! He rapidly moved to Paris and with an accomplished diploma in the pocket moved eventually (age 17) in London, the world capital of hairdressing! He did another assistant time at Vidal Sassoon, the most brilliant company of the industry! Vidal Sassoon, who unfortunately past away early this year, is well known to have liberated women from the “helmet look” of the 60’s and literally changed the world with a pair of scissors starting 1964! Pascalain travelled a lot in Europe, in America and in Asia. His work went in over 80 magazines in the world. He had salons and school in Germany for 16 years, but sold his business as he wanted more challenges! 1984, he developed an innovative hair care line, which was sold in his salons and school, but as well exclusively to other hairdressers in 14 countries in Europe! As he was mostly busy all
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PASCALAIN CRÉATIONS INTERNATIONALES and his school: PASCALAIN ACADEMY for more than 15 years; the “Teach-ins” and “Look & Learn” where shared to many hairdressers mostly from Europe. His photographic work was published worldwide and his shows were seen in almost every country in Europe including the USA and Asia.
Outstanding Professional Award 2013
According to his education in the field of the profession, as a Creative Director and as a Hair Expert; Pascalain Gianello aspires to be his best with the compliment to perform as a creative stylist but to mentor as well. This discipline brings along with it the constant precision with the geometry to create shapes following the rules of hair growth and texture. There is also the required vision towards the sensitivity for healthy hair and the basic standards for perfect hair work. His personal approach providing support to staff and students achieves this goal to generate the confidence required to complement existing hair styles. The hairstyles remain extremely feminine, creatively executed with a versatility to provide harmony with the magic mixture of wishes, taste and look. Pascalain always promotes the wildly seemingly impossible accomplishing whatever styles aspired with respect for hair structure, its uniqueness and essentially the beauty created. There is no excuse for ruined hair sculpture. Pascalain has always been the “ultra-hip” with a sharp eye for shape & style. He believes that in order to achieve perfection you need to stay professional, openly creative and inspirational if necessary but meticulous. To achieve this you must first understand hair growth, texture, and the endless possibilities together with the obvious limitations. Education is with no doubt, key.
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The Pascalain Gianello Philosophy: Every cut and color is a growing embodiment towards the Pascalain Gianello philosophy: to work with hair in its natural state, to treat hair as organic material, to shape and balance hair to reflect the individual and to reveal the beauty. To realize this philosophy, Gianello believes that the technical craft is a requirement to deliver the designed hair styles that has structure and movement, in forms that appear effortless but are intently considered. Precision Technique: At the core of precision technique is geometry, which with a series of modernist principles applied to hair, creates cuts and colors with seeming simplicity. These geometric principles define what has become Vidal Sassoon’s ‘proprietary method’, where cut and color integrate seamlessly in harmony of shape and balance. Mastering precision techniques form the foundation of a stylist’s craft, the confidence and the creativity; it is about the rules and of freedom – knowing the rules with the know-how on how to bend them.
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013 Sensuous Suitability: Pascalain Gianello creates the concept of sensuous suitability determining for each client how their bone structure, face shape, complexion and individual style interplay into a flawless fusion for his clients. An individual’s hair can be easily misunderstood, its texture redefining, its movement requiring study so it can be cut as if material shaped by the stylist for the soft structures and sensual movement colored to complement the skin. In other words, it is make-up for hair!
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Pascalain Gianello cut and color is modern but with low-maintenance, progressing from day to night with ease, functional yet fresh, moving freely but staying in shape. Sensuous Precision: It is this skillful fusion of precision technique with individuality – bone structure, face shape and complexion - this sensuous precision, which defines the essence of Pascalain Gianello.
Outstanding Professional Award 2013
World of Creative Influence
Outstanding Professional Award 2013 Pascalain Gianello’s education is always a centre of learning excellence, universally recognized and respected. Pascalain Gianello’s unique methodology is disseminated through his international system of schools and academies where new generations of hairdressers are nurtured and guided to master the “rules of freedom”. A challenging Icon: With Pascalain Gianello, hair and fashion are inextricably linked, signs of the times, reflecting the prevailing zeitgeist. However long or cropped, curly or straight, hair remains the potent force and profound influence on our lives. With more then 30 years of revolutionary looks and iconic cuts, Pascalain Gianello has a greatest influence on the world of hair. The list of innovations is endless. And the revolution continues…. An Effortlessly Sophisticated Look:
Creative Excellence: Mastering the rules of hair gives the freedom to break them, creating looks with stunning shapes and colors. The Pascalain Gianello environment actively encourages freedom of expression to develop new techniques and ideas that change the look of contemporary hair. Out of this atmosphere of creativity and uncompromising freedom evolves each season’s new collection, inspiring, informing with eager anticipation.
The superfluous is stripped away to expose Pascalain Gianello’s style - a decisiveness of cut and color that is technically precise, easy to maintain and flawlessly chic. What is revealed is a perfectly tailored cut that shines as it moves with believably natural iridescent color, an effortlessly sophisticated look of cool glamour and relaxed chic. It’s ‘less is more’ made real, unaffected, and subtly innovative. Hair that naturally looks good. Freedom: This effortlessly sophisticated look gives Pascalain Gianello’s clients a feeling of self-assured freedom – an innate confidence and liberation born of a perfectly suited and inspired haircut and color. A great stylist has the potential to significantly impact their clients’ lives. And to be a great stylist, it is essential to master the rules of freedom. Last but not least: An unusual, powerful and eco-friendly hair care system is coming soon on the market, which will improve any hair texture in simple steps!
Individual Thinking: Pascalain Gianello has maintained its position at the vanguard of fashion continuing to redefine the boundaries of hair creativity. By teaching and learning in a progressive environment, his image of hair evolves continually with a mix of modernist purity and creative experimentation. Deriving inspiration from every aspect of international art, design and fashion his eyes are wide open, cool hunters inventing techniques that transform the world of hair. Uncompromising Freedom: Pascalain Gianello follows comprehensive and committed training which enables him to consistently push back the boundaries of hair education.
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013
Randolf Ivan A. Ruste Engineer, Businessman, International Civic Leader
get one regardless of the conditions. He likewise believed that growing up required centering ones education and moral values towards religion as the root foundation. Randolf Ivan A. Ruste was enrolled at St. Anthony Maria Claret a Catholic School run by the Claretian Missionaries in Zamboanga City. By its very nature, Claret School offered a three-level curriculum: Early Education, grade School, and High School. As a Claretian Academic Institution, its basic educational philosophy is based on the principle of “Scientia Maxime cum virtue” – that the formation of individual knowledge is best with moral virtue. Randolf Ivan A. Ruste earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Geodetic Engineering at the Mapua Institute of Technology, Intramuros Manila. He also earned his post graduate degree on Master’s in Business Administration at Ateneo Graduate School of Business, Ateneo De Zamboanga University. Holding family corporations is a business of passion and leadership
R
andolf Ivan A. Ruste commonly known as the “Ivan” is a multiawarded and registered civil and geodetic engineer; an innovative leader, an environmental planner, an international civic leader, construction and developmental consultant and most of all a successful businessman. He is a registered civil and geodetic licensed engineer and businessman. He is the President of RCDG Construction Corporation. He is the present Chairman of the Board Trustees for Herbies Mansion in Waterfront Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the National Presidency for the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Philippines. He is recipient to several national and international awards for recognition. Early in Life and career – Starting young, Stepping up Randolf Ivan A. Ruste was born in Claret, San Jose and raised in Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Del Sur on a bright September day. Ivan belonged to a very close and God-centered family. He grew up in an environment sorrounded by love, respect, and understanding. Ivan believes that it is his family who taught him the core principles that he upholds as a leader. Ever since he was young, Ivan knew he was meant to be part of something bigger than himself. Seeing his father, Engr. Eleucadio R. Ruste as his role model, Ivan started actively and selflessly engaging himself in various organizations in school and in church. His journey to social engagement began. He was fortunate to have been reared by the well-known family, the Ruste’s of Zamboanga City. His father, Eleucadio R. Ruste is a licensed engineer and a resilient businessman. During Marcos Dictatorship his father decided to put up their own business over employment. Times were difficult but failure was not an option to put their family into collapse. The economy was on the rise however with turmoil and investments at stake. The environment in Mindanao was unstable and at war. Guns were ablaze and business was at risk. The free market was loosely structured and opportunity was available only to those who sought it out. Randolf’s father always believed a good education was necessary and saw to it that his family would
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Randolf Ivan A. Ruste upgrades their 34 year old construction business in the Philippines. His father Engr. Eleucadio R. Ruste who established the RCDG Construction Corporation in 1979 continues to expand its operations and construction in the Visayas and Mindanao. RCDG is a multi-disciplinary firm with expertise in engineering services; the construction of national bridges, concrete paving of primary roads as well as asphalt-concreting, paving of secondary roads, the rehabilitation of farm to market roads, the construction of spillways and bridges, the construction of modern terminals, the construction for the modernization of ports into world standards and for International Trans-shipment Seaports. There is also the multiple projects for Infrastructure construction under DAR-ADB-ARCP, government gymnasiums, athletic ovals, warehouses and modern mid-rise buildings, city project constructions, site planning as well as industrial planning and real estate. For the past 15 years, he led his family’s construction firm into the list of top performing construction companies in the country, constructing more than 100 thousand square meters of buildings, 500 kilometers of land/roads and the undertaking of large and medium scale projects in the country such as the Subic Bay Sports Complex, Mactan International Airport, the Port Americano in Zamboanga City. The company today provides opportunities for new engineers, architects, planners, designers and staffers to develop and excel in their chosen fields. Creating sustainable projects with an environmental advocacy, each project maintains a balance towards the development between the human race and Mother Earth. Meeting the needs of the times and of the present generation without compromising the future is without a doubt key towards sustainable growth. Road to Success and the JCI National Presidency Engaging today’s youth, Inspiring tomorrow’s leaders People say that the youth of today are only passive recipients of the wisdom from grown-ups. They say that young people nowadays spend their time doing things for their own benefits. “That’s what they say”but Randolf Ivan A. Ruste, along with more than 6,000 strong members of the JCI Philippines are out to prove them otherwise. Randolf Ivan A. Ruste with the desire to inspire JCI members and to embrace the world of active citizenship. His vision is clear which is to attract more people of becoming active in nation building. Ivan’s administration is determined to bring JCI forward to greater heights, wider horizons, further distances and achievements of greater dreams. One of the true marks of a leader is being able recognize that the success of the organization is not solely dependent upon one person but the many people who have taken the extra mile to pursue the goals of the organization. Ivan sees leadership as a continous process of guiding and inspiring the members towards achieving a common purpose. He believes that as a leader, he should help the other members do their best. Recognizing that the success of the organization is not his sole call, Ivan shares, “ It’s not me or the National Board who will determine the success of the group. The local organization presidents and their members will be playing a big role in this achievement of our goals. There has to be collaborative effort, I would really need their help to make this work.”
Outstanding Professional Award 2013
Witnessing the Twinning (Sisterhood) of JCI Malolos & JCI Manileña
2012 JCI Manila Induction with former President Fidel V. Ramos
JCI Sen. Tony Cerilles, 2012 JCI Senate Phils. Nat’l President
Toyama, Japan
JCI Academy, July 2011 in Toyama, Japan
Committed to promoting JCI, Ivan specifies his target towards increasing the current membership of JCI Philippines by at least 20%. NP Ivan considers membership growth as a gauge of success rather than the number of activities. To him, more members equate to more warm bodies for the volunteer workforce, more funds for future projects, and more lives inspired and to aspire. But aside from encouraging Local Organizations to increase their membership and outlining activities throughout the year, Ivan’s administration intends to evolve around the following main thrusts: advocating environmental awareness, strengthening JCI’s identity as an organization of active citizens, and demonstrating the members’ love for the organization and the community. The organization is able to uphold its unwavering commitment to JCI members sharing the belief; “that in order to create lasting positive change, we must improve ourselves and the world around us”. We seek targeted solutions to the unique problems in our communities to build a better world, creating global impact”. That faith in God gives meaning and purpose to human life. That the brotherhood of man transcends the sovereignty of nations. That economic justice can best be won by free men through free enterprise. That government should be of laws rather than of men. That earth’s great treasure lies in human personality. And that service to humanity is the best work of life. NPIvan Ruste’s Journey with JCI JCI Philippines is an affiliate of the Junior Chamber International (JCI), a worldwide organization of Young Active Citizens Creating Positive Change. It has a membership base for a nonprofit organization of over 200,000 young people whose ages are from 18 to 40 years in over 5,000 communities and in more than 100 countries around the world.
2012 JCI World Conference in Taipei, Nov. 2012
As Local Organization President: • 54 LO presidents of 2008 gracing his induction and turnover ceremony. • Hosted the 1st ACM/RCM for Area 5(MINDANAO) at no cost to the participants together with a Trade and Friendship visit to Zamboanga City in January 2008 by JCI Hamchang (South Korea) and JCI Sandakan (Malaysia). • Co-proponent and Host of the 1st ever L.O Presidents Mid-Year Academy held in June 2008 at Zamboanga City. • Awarded as the 2008 MOST OUTSTANDING L.O. PRESIDENT & MOST OUTSTANDING CHAPTER for category 2 in 2008 during the Mindanao Area Conference held in Pagadian City. • Elected AREA VICE-PRESIDENT for Area 5 (Mindanao) in 2009. As Area Vice President: • Awarded as the 2009 MOST OUTSTANDING AREA VICE PRESIDENT during the Palawan National Convention. • Delegate of the 2009 Asia Pacific Conference in NAGANO, JAPAN. • Awarded JCI Senator 69124 in June 2009 during the ASIA PACIFIC CONFERENCE IN NAGANO, JAPAN.
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013 As National Treasurer:
As 2012 National President:
• Elected NATIONAL TREASURER for 2009 during the Simultaneous Area Conference in September of 2009.
• Elected as 2012 National President during the Simultaneous Area conferences in September 2011.
• Delegate of the 2010 Asia Pacific Conference in Singapore. • A proponent of the approved “ One thousand pesos only” membership dues for every additional member declared in excess base on the previous year declaration which resulted to an additional income of Four Hundred Thousand Pesos (400,000.00) for JCI Philippines.
• Inducted into office during the National Convention in Zamboanga last October 2011. • Increasing JCI memebrship by more than 20% in 2012 with a total Registered Member of 6,307 from 5,212 in 2011.
As National Executive Vice President:
• OPLAN KAAGAPAY – A NATIONAL PROJECT AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM launched during his term at JCI, with 4,000 members to help victim of disasters and gives aid to disaster stricken communities.
• Elected as NEVP for 2011 during the Simultaneous Area conference in September of 2010.
• DENGUE-FREE CLASSROOM A NATIONAL INITIATIVE to promote national Awareness Against Dengue.
• Delegate of the 2011 Asia Pacific Conference hosted by JCI Manila.
• TOFARM 2012 -The National Launching of The Outstanding Farmers of The Philippines 2012 in partnership with Universal Harvester, Inc.(UHI) last July 24, 2012.
• Delegate to the JCI- UN Partnership Summit in New York. • Graduate of JCI Academy in Toyoma, Japan. • Supported and acted upon all the Projects of The 2011 JCI Philippines National President.
• Lifetime Leadership Achievement Award from JCI Zamboanga During the National Simultaneous JCI Week Celebration last April 21,2013 And Now with humility; the OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONAL AWARDS 2013 By SMI.
Relief operation in Iligan for Sendong victim with the JCI (world) President Daems
With different National President of JCI
Launching of Tree Planting Activity in Iligan & CDO after Sendong Calamity with JCI (world) President Daems
JCI National President’s meeting
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Japanese host family in Toyama, Japan
Outstanding Professional Award 2013 Environmental Responsibility and Projects Handled
Personal social responsibility OPLAN KAAGAPAY – A NATIONAL PROJECT AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM launched during his term at JCI, with 4,000 members to help victim of disasters and gives aid to disaster stricken communities.
National Chairman - “Green is the Color of Love Project” – a nationwide simultaneous tree-planting project on February 25 EDSA Anniversary with more than 3,000 seedlings planted simultaneously all over the Philippines.
Witnessing the Twinning of JCI Manileña & JCI Bali Indonesia
Gracing JCI Local Organization Inductions around 200 chapters all over the Phils
With different JCI National Presidents around the world
2012 JCI Asia Pacific Conference in HK , June 2012 Witnessing the Twinning of JCI Manileña & JCI Bali Indonesia
Co-host of ALAY Lakad 2012 launch in Luneta Park
JCI Manila Induction 2012
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013
Wopsy Zamora
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Amigo Entertainment International, Inc.
In recent years, Mr Zamora also lent his expertise to popular dance shows by acting as the Musical Director of “It’s Dancetime” on IBC-13 and “Let’s Dance with Becky” on RPN-9. He formed and took special interest in the rapid growth of The First Audio Resources & Management Corporation, later to be known as Amigo Entertainment Technologies, Inc., banking on his background as a long-time music collector and audio hobbyist. Professional Background Since its inception 22 years ago, Amigo Entertainment Technologies, Inc. has always maintained its leadership in industrial audio and entertainment lighting, musical programming, as well as marketing and technical support to major entertainment establishments in Asia. It stands behind a reputable record of consistently keeping pace with the pulse of a dynamic and ever-changing industry. The Company was first established under the name “The First Audio Resources & Management Corporation” on February 14, 1980, a period when night-time entertainment was rapidly growing, but largely undefined. First Audio was then to pioneer the phenomenal shift of market interest to discotheques as the major force in the entertainment industry through music programming and high technology. A Disco King Himself
A
mando Nieva Zamora is chairman and chief executive officer of Amigo Entertainment Technologies, Inc. He combines entrepreneurial ability and a natural ear for music to successfully run this pioneering company, which started offering several service packages to entertainment establishment operators, and now has led to a phenomenal growth as a major audio, lighting and LED contractor to the fastest growing conglomerate in the country today, the SM Group of Companies. He is better known throughout the industry by his nickname, “Wopsy”. Mr Zamora spent his entire education at the Ateneo de Manila University from 1950 to 1966. He belonged to the 1966 pioneer class of the Ateneo Masters in Business Management (MBM) Harvard business course, what would later become the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). He began his career in the business world in August, 1966 as an Advertising Specialist all the way up to Market Development Director of S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., whose product lines included, among many others, Johnson Wax, Glade, Raid and Pledge. He played a major role in the creation of Ponso”s “Johnson Yata Yan”, and was responsible for the introduction and launch of the J-Wax auto line and Pledge into the Philippine market. Later, he would be at the helm of the manufacturing and marketing thrust of the “Game of the Generals” during its introduction to the Philippine market in 1972. This stint also included diversified business experiences that included trading, stock brokerage, television production, furniture manufacturing, real estate and resort development Today, Mr Zamora is a respected and renowned specialist on the different aspects of entertainment operations. For a record three consecutive years from 1990 to 1992, he had been the official Philippine delegate to the most prestigious SIB Convention of discotheque operators and stage professionals held annually in Rimini, Italy.
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At the very onset, Wopsy Zamora of First Audio recognized that good music was the key to a successful disco business. As such, it started as a manpower resource company that specialized in the training and supply of professional disc jockeys. Among the pioneer clients were Another World at Greenbelt, Makati and the Pirates’ Den at the Admiral Hotel. By its second year in 1981, First Audio started to provide professional musical and technical expertise by providing disc jockeys, audio, lighting and special effects equipment and disc jockeys to fivestar outlets like the Stargazer disco and Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Club of Manila at the Silahis International Hotel (now Grand Boulevard). It expanded its business to dining establishments - notably the Shakey’s and Max’s chain of restaurants - where the Company introduced the trend of using disc jockeys to replace the traditional jukeboxes and canned piped-in music. During the following year, First Audio intensified its efforts in the supply and installation of professional audio and entertainment lighting equipment after successfully forging a tie-up with SEMCO Electronics Of England Ltd., then the exclusive equipment supplier of “disco giants” Juliana’s, Bacchus and Londontown. It was in the succeeding years that First Audio started to build its reputation designing the audio and lighting requirements of the most exclusive disco establishments, among them Louie Y’s, Gold Mine and Isis of the Hyatt international hotel chain. Expansion continued to grow nationwide, up north from Bartolina in Fort Ilocandia, Bubbles in Bataan, Tertulia in Cavite, and down south to Tivoli at the Amigo Terrace Hotel in Iloilo and Volare in Bacolod City. Its track record was so impressive that it was commissioned by the Philippine government to construct a discotheque in Malacanang Palace and another in the presidential rest house, “Palace in the Sky”, in Tagaytay City. In 1985, First Audio bought from SEMCO Electronics the Asian franchise that allowed the company to put up its own audio and lighting equipment manufacturing plant in the Philippines. The company was named ANZIA Electronics & Digital Systems, Inc. ANZIA brands are now being exported to the Middle East and other Asian countries. It is significant to note that, ironically, the biggest single purchase of 48 professional ANZIA amplifiers and 12 heavy-duty lighting slave units for a single discotheque was made by Alex Disco, a 10,000-square meter entertainment complex in Japan.
Outstanding Professional Award 2013
As First Audio was shipping out its first ANZIA products, it was simultaneously expanding its services overseas. Beginning June, 1985, the Company constructed My Place Disco and Lido Aryaduta in Jakarta, Lights in Guam, Tito Dance Club in San Francisco, Club Kurumba in Maldives, Downstairs and Blue Moon in Penang, Starlight and Executive Club at the Century Saigon Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, and several residential establishments in Oman and Saudi Arabia. Increasing business interests abroad demanded the establishment of its first overseas office in the Queen’s Central District of Hong kong in 1985, and later followed by the Selegie office in Singapore by 1986. Meanwhile, First Audio remained active in the local scene. It had worked with the disco and bar establishments that made the biggest names in the late 80’s, such as Faces, Euphoria, Mars and the Captain’s Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Makati, and Bai Disco at the Cebu Plaza Hotel. It is also interesting to note that First Audio was a major component in the rebirth of ballroom dancing in the Philippines through Kuya/Pare, Tito Dance Club and Club A. In 1990, the first SIB Convention for discotheque and club operators was launched in Rimini, Italy. It was during this period that First Audio diversified into the institutional business as O.E.M. (Original Equipment Manufacturers) contractors for Italian brands. It was appointed as the exclusive distributor for the territory of the Philippines by Italian companies Studio Due, Griven and La Novalight for high-technology lighting effects and Outline SNC. for the audio line.
Then in 1992, First Audio entered into the live music field by putting up its own music lounge, Club Amigo, at the Cebu Plaza Hotel. This was also its first wholly-owned entertainment establishment. That same year, it changed its name to Amigo Entertainment International, Inc., reflecting the company’s expanding concept towards total entertainment. True to this “total entertainment” philosophy, the company set up its own marketing and promotions arm, as well as a financial support group, to complete its service line-up. Beginning 1995, Amigo joined the fast-growing trend and popularity of the multinational food and entertainment chain market by obtaining the exclusive franchise to supply, install and service all Studebaker’s outlets in Asia (Manila in 1995, Bali and Jakarta in 1996). This was soon followed by the acquisition of two new properties, the wholly-owned Tito Dance & KTV Club at the Mercure Hotel and Club X-tacy at the Sugarland Hotel in Bacolod City. This legacy of continued innovation and expansion was consistently characteristic of the Company. Among the most significant major projects the following years were La Covia at the Island Cove resort in Cavite, now reputed to be the biggest and most innovative multi-purpose entertainment center in the country, Zu discotheque and Conway’s music lounge at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel, and an extensive audio installation project in the House of Representatives at Batasan Hills and sound reinforcement at the Office of the President in Malacanang Palace.
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Outstanding Professional Award 2013
On April, 1998, Amigo Entertainment was appointed by the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) as its official technical and musical consultant in the live telecast and production of all its games, thereby expanding its business diversification. In 1999 the company was commissioned by the Global Restaurant Management group as its official consultant and exclusive supplier for the Tequila Joe’s and California Pizza Kitchen restaurant and bar chains in Makati, Alabang, Greenhills and Guam (U.S.A.). Other behemoth projects followed, such as the innovative Caramba latin café/bar at the Fort (Bonifacio). It was also during this period that Amigo Club Entertainment engaged its most comprehensive project ever - the installation of complete audio, lighting, video, CCTV, surveillance, building computerization and the entire advertising and directional signage network at the Fontana casino hotel and resort complex, and the Expo Pilipino theme park at the Clark Special Economic Zone in Angeles City. The advent of the new millennium also saw Amigo entering the mall industry by providing high-fidelity digital background music systems (BGM) beginning with the Cinderella Group (Cinderella, Esprit, Sisley, Osh Kosh, Seventeen, Naf Naf, Momento, U2 and Mystic), the Vida Doria and Collecciones groups. This same year also saw two major events in the rapid continuous growth of Amigo – the major installation of an outdoor reinforced audio system for the El Shaddai group, and the multi-million Sound & Light Museum in Intramuros, a flagship project of the DOT / PTA, which featured a fully-computerized virtual-reality show with animated mannequins and special audio, lighting and video effects, depicting the history of the Philippines from its discovery all the way to EDSA 3. It is interesting to note that the year 2002 would start the phenomenal growth of Amigo into its multi-million core business with its eventual tie-up with the SM Group of Companies. Its first trial projects with SM during this period included audio installations in Our Home, Toy Kingdom, Watson’s and Ace Hardware. This eventually turned into bigger projects, starting with the SM City Bicutan Mall and department store. In 2003, Amigo introduced the concept of LED lighting at the SM Makati department store façade, which produced infinite color-change applications. Because of this feature, plus the extraordinary savings in electrical consumption, this became the new business of Amigo to supplement its audio core business in all SM properties, which included all their malls, department stores, supermarkets/hypermarkets, cinemas, food courts, amusement centers and other affiliate stores, such as Surplus Shop, Kultura, Sports Central, Adidas, etc.). Henceforth, the SM core business of Amigo had multiplied tenfold in a matter of three (3) years, most noteworthy among which was the Mall of Asia in 2006. It was also awarded the technical preventive maintenance service and music management contracts for all SM mails and department stores nationwide. Presently, it provides preventive maintenance and music management to 97 SM malls, supercenters and department stores, and still counting. In this same year, Amigo saw the future of LED lighting in multiple applications. It set up the Anzia O.E.M. factory in Guangzhou, China strictly for the manufacture of LED’s. Appropriately, the manufacturing company was named ANZIA Creative Electronics and Digital Systems, Inc., with Amigo as the sole distributor of its entire product line. The year 2007 saw Amigo embark on another gigantic project, the installation of the entire audio and special lighting systems at the SM Science Discovery Center & Planetarium, an P800-million milestone project located at the SM Mall of Asia, which was completed in 2007.
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In 2008, Amigo started to supply the Petron group of service stations nationwide with LED applications for industrial lighting, street/ parking lighting, signages and gas price display boxes. It was also in this banner year that Amigo was awarded the exclusive architectural and entertainment audio and lighting for the Crown Regency Hotel, a novel concept in the entertainment and leisure industry, which featured, among the standard entertainment features, amusement rides atop the hotel, like the edge coaster and skywalk in Cebu City. This was followed in 2009 by the construction of an inter-active 10-minute light and sound display of Moses’ Burning Bush located at the Baluarte in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, which was totally run “hands-free” by the Anzia-developed proprietary computer “Brain” software, which was likewise utilized at the Intramuros museum.. In 2010, Amigo was commissioned by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to design and install a lighting project for its Layag Islas rotunda monument at the Circulo del Mundo within the NAIA 3 airport premises. It was also in this year that Amigo entered into the LED video display field beginning with two (2) large installations at the Intramuros museum as part of its upgrade. Its tie-up with the LED display market leader, Daktronics of U.S.A., enabled Amigo to engage the installation of the most impressive LED display in the field of high-definition – the multi-million dollar centerhung scoreboard, scorer’s table ribbon display and shot clocks at SM’s most impressive flagship project ever - the Mall of Asia Arena, which opened on May 2012. Presently, Amigo (thru its affiliate Anzia) is undertaking a joint venture project to produce high-quality air purifying LED’s for industrial applications in conjunction with modern day “green revolution”. It has also ventured into several other LED applications, such as building, store and office lighting, street and tunnel lighting, traffic lights. Simultaneously, it has amended its corporate name to Amigo Entertainment Technologies, Inc. for a more accurate description of its expanded corporate business. MUSIC PHILOSOPHY Amigo Club Entertainment began the trend of using uncharted music on disco dance floors. It supplied 100% purely imported music from the United States and Europe, personally screened and chosen by the Chairman himself, Wopsy Zamora. In a sense, it broadened the musical taste and exposure of the Filipinos by concentrating on uncharted selections by non-commercial artists. Amigo created what is now called “Stargazer Music” in the 80’s, and over the years, it also introduced and popularized into giant local hits otherwise unknown selections like “Let Me In” by Mike Francis, “Friends” by Amii Stewart, “Nineteen Six-Two-Eight” by Europe, “Lanca Perfume” by Rita Lee, “Around My Dream” by Silver Pozzoli, “Rico Mambo” by the Breakfast Club, “Time And Love” by Tea For Two, “I Want You” by Gary Low, “Masterpiece” by Gazebo, “Angelina” by RYL, “Hypnotized” by Copyright, “Welcome” by Gino Latino, among scores of others. To achieve this objective, Wopsy had to regularly ply the streets of Champs Elysee in Paris, Rimini in Italy, the Castro district of San Francisco, the Greenwich Village at Manhattan, the Selegie and Orchard areas in Singapore, Shinjuku in Tokyo, Causeway Bay in Hongkong to personally audition and hand-pick these uncharted non-commercialized selections, which later became the authentic “Stargazer” or “80’s” music. And it took him at least one week in each area to satisfy his search. “Boy, those 12-inch vinyls were really heavy to hand-carry,
Outstanding Professional Award 2013 considering that I had to purchase at least 15 copies per selection. Can you imagine the excess baggage and customs duties.” He continues, “today’s DJ’s are very fortunate to be able to do all these things on the internet through search engines and downloads. But it was more fun my way…. no love lost Bringing in non-traditional uncharted music added a lot of variety on the dance floor by shattering old dependence on Top 40 hits. And a more interesting disco programming ensued when First Audio (Amigo) established in 1980 the First Audio Music Seminar, an extensive and intensive training program for disc jockeys where they learn to dissect music into beat, rhythm and meter compatibility. The First Audio Music Seminar infused science into the artistry of music, although taste was still the key. CONSISTENT LEADERSHIP IN TECHNOLOGY From a simple BGM/paging audio system contractor, Amigo Entertainment Technologies has long been at the forefront of technological innovations in the audio and lighting industry. Through the years, Amigo has consistently gathered all the technological firsts in entertainment establishments, and these are: • The installation of the first high-powered argon laser lighting system (5-watts) in the Philippines at Louie Y’s in Hyatt Regency Manila in August, 1984; • The construction of the first hydraulic elevator dance floor ceiling at Louie Y’s in Hyatt Regency Manila in August, 1984; • The fabrication of the first giant crawling message signboard and starlights, using 18,000 sub-miniature tivoli lamps at the Stargazer in Silahis International Hotel in July, 1986; • The construction of the first dance ledges to house sub-woofers at Faces Disco in July, 1987; • The introduction of the first video character generator and inhouse CCTV, which allowed live video projection with “freeze-frame” of the dance floor activity, at Faces Disco in July, 1987;
• The fabrication of the first acrylic neon blades at Bai Disco in June, 1989; • The installation of the first full-color white light 6-watt laser lighting system at Mars in September, 1990; • The usage of the first outdoor projection klieg skytrackers at Mars in December, 1991; • The installation of the first low-lying cold waterfall fog machine at Euphoria in June, 1994; • The installation of the first moving-head intelligent lighting fixture at Studebaker’s Of Manila in July, 1995; • The introduction of the first ultra high-powered iris-controlled 16-bit computerized intelligent lighting system at the La Covia on October, 1997. • The introduction of electronic pyrotechnics at the Tequila Joe’s bars in Metro Manila in December, 1999. • The introduction of three (3)-way high-powered (150-250watts) BGM speaker modules to replace the traditional 8-watt models to to shift emphasis and appreciate true musical programming with clarity of sound, at the Cinderella Marketing malls and stores on February, 2000, later to be utilized by the SM Group of Companies, establishments, anchor stores and affiliates in 2002. • The first color-changing LED façade color-wash installation at the SM Department Store in 2003, and eventually multiple LEDapplications to up to present. Wopsy Zamora as the brand has over the decades proven himself the true professional with the consistent delivery of products and services combined with innovative approaches earning for himself not just the perception of a guaranteed delivery but the integrity making him the brand!
• The installation of the first intelligent lighting system (“Intellabeams”) at Club Cocoon in October, 1988;
Entrepreneurship is characteristic of Wopsy who over time has reinvented himself to suit the time, the place, the business model/s and its strategic management objectives and has combined strategic innovative approaches never seen before in the industry.
• The introduction of the first CD mixer/player for DJ’s at Club Cocoon in October, 1988;
We salute Mr Wopsy Zamora to be the true Outstanding Professional for 2013.
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