PH topnotchers from INorte awarded at Sirib night

LAOAG CITY, Feb. 18 – The Ilocos Norte provincial government conferred the prestigious Anastacia Giron Tupas and Josefa Llanes Escoda Awards to eight brilliant college graduates, who topped the recent national examinations for nurses and teachers.

The awarding ceremonies were held in front of the provincial capitol last Saturday as the main highlight of the 2nd Sirib Youth Awards night.

Gov. Imee Marcos bestowed the “Sirib Youth Awards” to the 19 outstanding young leaders, eight special awardees and nine group awardees.

The Anastacia Giron Tupas Award and Josefa Llanes Escoda Award were given as special citation for the youth as tribute to two Ilocano heroines. Tupas, a native of Laoag City, founded the Filipino Nurses Association in 1922 and was the Mother of Philippine Nursing. Escoda of Dingras founded the Girls Scout of the Philippines movement and a well-known Filipino advocate of women’s right of suffrage.

This year’s recipients of the Anastacia Giron Tupas Award were the topnotchers from the province in the November 2014 Nursing Licensure Examination: Ralf Jay Villanueva Retotal (Top 2), Christelle Tangonan (Top 7), Allanah Mae Bangloy Sudario (Top 10), Marianne Angelina Ramos Lorenzo (Top 10), all of Mariano Marcos State University; Jobelle Kasper Batangan (Top 3) of Northwestern University and Benigno Ruiz Gervacio of Northern Christian College (Top 10).

Noralyn Fernandez Sacoco (Top 1) of Data Center College of the Philippines and Ivy Dancel Rosete (Top 9) of Mariano Marcos State University were recipients of the Josefa Llanes Escoda Award for garnering top spots in the August 2014 Licensure Examination for Teachers.

Winners in the Sirib Express’ Love Letter Writing Contest, 15 Seconds to Fame Video Contest as well as Sirib Exhibition Debate were also awarded during the event.

Sirib Express, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte’s (PGIN) flagship youth program is administered by the Sirib Youth Office, which the Capitol created to organize various events like the Sirib Youth Awards to encourage the full participation and involvement of the young Ilocanos in governance and contribute to the province’s development.

“We look forward to the next generation, the youth—the only energy and pride that we will have for the next generations,” Marcos said. (Freddie G. Lazaro/PIA-1 Ilocos Norte)