Outstanding Young Men and Women 2016 Awards

The President honored the exemplary leadership and innovation of 11 Filipinos during this year’s The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awarding ceremonies held 12 December 2016 at the Rizal Hall, Malacañan Palace.

The TOYM award is recognized as the most prestigious accolade given to young men and women of the Philippines whose efforts in their fields made distinguished contributions to the country and fellow countrymen. The Junior Chamber International Philippines (JCIP) has been giving the annual TOYM awards for over half a century since 1959.

Eleven honorees completed this year’s list of outstanding young men and women across the Philippines.

• Atty. Carmela Andal-Castro (Law)
• Clarissa Isabelle Delgado (Community Service)
• Ryan Guinaran (Indigenous People Advocacy)
• Randy Halasan (Education)
• Richard Javad Heydarian (Social Science)
• Richard Muallil (Marine Science Conservation)
• Ronivin Pagtakhan (Youth Leadership)
• Geraldine Racaza (Medicine)
• Saturnino Tiamson Jr. (Arts in Music)
• Jhett Tolentino (Arts in Theatre)
• Earl Martin Valencia (Entrepreneurship)

The TOFIL board of judges chaired by Ilocos Norte Governor Imee R. Marcos recognized the following individuals:

• Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. for public service and diplomacy
• Willard D. Dar for agriculture
• Antonio CT. Pascual for humanitarian service, community, and cooperative

“As this year’s awardees join the elite circle of the past honorees, may you inspire other people to excel in their chosen fields of experience, to use their skills and talents, their nation-building to effect meaningful transformation that this country direly needs,” President Duterte said in his speech.

To the TOFIL winners, he said, “The people we honor here today are one of them, or any one of them, they [have] truly been visionaries, steering their respective institutions and companies in a way that led to advancement of their fields,… at the same time changing lives and changing the difference in our history.” ●