RAFI Triennial
awardees to use cash prize for tree nursery, project expansion
(L-R)
Rene “Tatay Ete” Vendiola, Ramon Aboitiz Awardee for Exemplary
Individual, and Manuel Margate who serve as client service
department manager of Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation (NWTF)
that was declared Eduardo Aboitiz Awardee for Outstanding
Institution, raised the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. Triennial
Awards trophies during the award ceremony last March 22 at Marco
Polo Plaza Cebu. |
By Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.
April 3, 2012
CEBU CITY –
Preserving the environment does not need a high educational attainment
but it requires a high degree of passion and love for nature.
These characteristics
are manifested by self-made environmentalist, Rene “Tatay Ete”
Vendiola, who is a high school dropout and former kaingin farmer but
managed to set up a Liptong woodland that preserves local fauna and
species of plants and native trees.
For his effort in
biodiversity conservation and forestation in Bacong, Negros Oriental,
Vendiola was awarded with the Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary
Individual during the 5th Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI)
Triennial Awards last March 22 at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu.
For Vendiola, he was
not competing with the other four finalists – two priests, a peace
promoter in Mindanao, and a former Boy Scout master.
“Ang RAFI nangita og
tukog sa lukay nga hugpungon aron mahimong silhig. Gihimo mi sa RAFI
og silhig. Sa among pagkasilhig, kami ang mogamit sa among nahibaw-an
aron makatabang sa atong komunidad (RAFI is looking for ribs out of
coconut leaves so that when grouped together, they form a broom. We
the finalists are formed by RAFI into a ‘broom’ so that together, we
can use our knowledge and help our community),” he said.
Vendiola shared over
Pagtuki last March 24 that when declared awardee of the RAFI Triennial
Awards for the individual category, he felt like crying because it was
his first time to get an award. Pagtuki is the official radio program
of RAFI every Saturday over dyLA from
10-11 a.m.
As the awardee, he
received a trophy and a cash prize of P440,000, which he said he will
use to build his dream endemic trees nursery.
On the other hand, the
Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation (NWTF) bagged the recognition as
the Eduardo Aboitiz Awardee for Outstanding Institution for their
efforts to uplift the lives of many women.
NWTF, an organization
that provides capital to poor women to start in small scale business,
has been providing livelihood opportunities through its program called
“Project Dungganon” (dungganon is Hilagaynon or honorable).
Its executive
director, Dr. Cecilia del Castillo, was sent to India to learn the
Grameen Credit system, on which the program is based.
“We did not publicize
our work. We just did our jobs. The people we helped are those who
have little opportunities in life. They are the ones who really need
our help,” said Manuel Margate, NWTF client service department
manager, said in Bisaya.
He said NWTF will use
the Php 440,000 cash prize received during the RAFI Triennial Awards
to expand and improve Project Dungganon so that the organization can
uplift the lives of more poor people.
The RAFI Triennial
Awards was launched in December 6, 1996 during the 39th anniversary of
the foundation to commemorate the philanthropic, humanitarian, and
holistic ideals of RAFI founders Don Ramon Aboitiz and his son Don
Eduardo Aboitiz. The awards program is now on its 15th year this year,
which is also the 45th year of RAFI.
It is one of the
awards capabilities of RAFI, recognizing individuals and institutions
that go the extra mile in bringing about positive change and in
uplifting the quality of life of communities.
For more information
about the RAFI Triennial Awards, please contact (032) 418-7234 loc.
105 and look for Cathy Margate, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or
www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph.