(Speech delivered by the BusinessMirror President Benjamin V. Ramos at the Fourth BusinessMirror Dangal Awards for Elderly Care at the Unilab Bayanihan Center in Pasig City.)
Former Senate President Nene Pimentel, father and mentor of our current Senate President Koko Pimentel; my family’s favorite actress and social advocate Ms. Susan Roces, our friends at Unilab, our awardees and special guests, a pleasant afternoon.
Just last February, I was also here on this stage during the Unilab Networking Lunch for Advocacy Partners, where I gave a presentation on the BusinessMirror Dangal Awards for Elderly Care.
I said then that, up to now, we are still the only institution that is giving this kind of recognition at the national level, with the support of Unilab, RiteMed and United Bayanihan Foundation (UBF). I think that, up to now, that has not changed.
It is saddening because there are senior citizens at the grassroots level who, while generally unnoticed, are still persevering despite their age and condition to do good deeds for their fellow senior citizens.
There are also exceptional civic organizations and senior-citizen associations that are tirelessly coming up with programs for the elderly.
These people and organizations need to be given due recognition.
In the previous years we’ve already recognized more than 20 outstanding senior citizens and organizations.
We are now on our fourth year, so I’m proud to say that the Dangal Awards has become an institution in itself. Indeed, it is now part of the legacy of the BusinessMirror Founder, the late Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua. It was in 2013 when he directed us to organize this Awards.
Our former Editor in Chief Roy Acosta coined the branding—Dakilang Adhikain Ng Ating Lahi or Dangal Awards. Our Managing Editor Max de Leon, Unilab External Communications Head Claire Papa and Carlos Gonzaga of UBF laid the groundwork; and since then it has been a success.
Today, we are honoring the 2016 batch of awardees. Max, who is a member of the panel of judges, told me that the quality of this year’s finalists is at an all-time high. He actually gave perfect scores to nine of the 11 finalists in the individual category.
These people are the creme de la creme in today’s elderly population in Metro Manila, the best in the cities they represent.
We are giving them the honor they deserve today.
As I said before, thank you to Unilab, RiteMed, UBF and our other partners for helping us ensure, at least in our own little way, the works of these outstanding senior citizens and organizations are not left unnoticed.
Thank you!