First published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on December 08, 2011.

FORTY-SIX UP alumni were recognized in the recently held Tatak UP Awards, handed out by the alumni association of the university.

Tatak UP Awards were given to UP alumni who made significant contributions to society and excelled in their chosen fields.

The event was held during the 2011 Grand Alumni Homecoming of the University of the Philippines last Dec. 2.

The Tatak UP awardees were selected by a committee through nominations.

Awards were divided by clusters or fields.

Clusters include: science and medicine; social change and advocacy; law, public service and governance; business and entrepreneurship; art, design and culture; media and communication and Tatak UP education.

Awardees

Among the Tatak UP Awardees were the following: Dr. Ma. Virginia Abalos who served as the chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Chong Hua Hospital; Jessie Cubijano, regional manager of the Philippines Business for Social Progress; lawyer Hilario Davide III, who served as a graft investigator in the Office of the Ombudsman and north district councilor for two terms (2004 and 2007); and Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, 3rd district).

Lawyer Manuel Go also received the award because of his insights and business acumen as consultant of the Aboitiz Group of Companies.

The anthropologist Jose Eleazar Bersales, who was instrumental in the transformation of the old Cebu provincial jail into the Museo Sugbo in 2008, also received the award in the art, design and culture cluster.

Alumni in media

Among the alumni in the media and communications industry who received the awards were: Isolde Amante, editor-in-chief of Sun.Star Cebu; Thea Rinen, Cebu Daily News’ vice president for advertising, marketing and circulation; Veneranda Sy, cluster head of ABS-CBN Visayas; Rose Versoza, lawyer and co-anchor of Balitang Bisdak in GMA Cebu; and Connie Fernandez, the Visayas Bureau Chief of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
“I am honored as I share this award with my friends and classmates,” Fernandez said in
an interview.

Fernandez also added that journalism is not simply about news itself, but public service.

“For aspiring journalists, never lose that passion. Keep it burning, but always remember that journalism is public service without the politics,” Fernandez added. (Careen L. Malahay, USJ-R MassCom intern)