This year’s guests of honor are Vice President Jejomar Binay and Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo. The new awardees will be led by Secretary of Justice Leila De Lima of Iriga City, Rep. Salvador “Sonny” Escudero of Sorsogon, and Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymond “LRay” Villafuerte.

Other awardees are, for Albay, Rep. Fernando Gonzalez for philanthropy and government service; Dante Jimenez for non-government organizations; Boots Anson Roa for film and entertainment; Jeannie M. Goulbourn for fashion design, health and wellness; and Rep. Francis “Al” Bichara for government service.

For Camarines Norte, the awardees are Bishop Emeritus Nestor Cariño for ecclesiastical affairs and pastoral work, and Rep. Elmer Panotes for local governance. For Camarines Sur, awardees are Pancho Mistula Piano for visual arts, Lyne Abanilla for media, Rotary Club International’s Physicians for Peace, and Justice Noel Tijam for the judiciary.

For Catanduanes, awardees are Bro. Mariano “Mike” Z. Velarde for lay apostolate and Capt. Leopoldo Arcilla for OFWs and entrepreneurship. For Masbate, awardees are Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Nestor “Nesting” Espenilla Jr. for government banking, Ambassador Antonio Villamor for foreign service, and Justice Monina Señarosa for the judiciary.

For Sorsogon, honorees are Martha Alegre-Mogul for education and Imelda M. Nicolas, presidential assistant for OFW Affairs.

Special citations

Special citations will be given to Lucio Tan for philanthropy and business; Legazpi Bishop Joel Baylon for religious leadership and pastoral work; and Naga Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi, also for religious leadership and pastoral work. The late Sen. Raul Roco will be given a posthumous award to be received by Sonia Roco. Bb. Pilipinas Universe and Miss Universe fourth runner-up Venus Raj will also receive a special citation.

Retired Supreme Court Justice Leonardo A. Quisumbing chairs the awards selection committee, which is co-chaired by Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Salvador Mison of the Metro Manila Devotees of Our Lady of Peñafrancia Foundation, Inc. The Bicol Heritage Singers, tenor Frank Aseniero, and soprano Karla Gutierrez will perform.
Source:  Philippine Daily Inquirer