Young Mindanawons urged to join TOYM

By Cheneen R. Capon
Young Mindanawons are being encouraged to participate in the 2015 search for The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) of the Philippines, an annual search for Filipinos between 18 and 40 years old who best exemplify excellence amidst global competitiveness.
“For the past 55 years, there have been small participation from this part of the country,” TOYM executive director Larry Cruz said during the Club 888 media forum at The Marco Polo, Davao yesterday. “There have been 463 awardees but only 10 come from Mindanao.”
Among the awardees from Mindanao were musician Joey Ayala, Philippine Eagle Foundation executive director Dr. Dennis Salvador, world boxing champion Manny Paquiao, and former House Speaker Prospero Nograles.
Frances Puyod, TOYM Area 5 commissioner of the search committee, attributed the low level of Mindanao participation in the search to low level of public awareness on TOYM and the fear of people here to bid.
“It’s necessary for interested individuals to fill out bid forms,” she said.
She said self-nomination is also encouraged.
“I am quite positive that Mindanao is replete with individuals who embody excellence in their respective fields,” she said. “We just really have to actively seek out for them so that they will be recognized and be an inspiration to others.”
The Junior Chamber International Philippines (JCI), organizer of the one of the oldest search, is targeting about 100 nominations from different parts of the country.
“We’re targeting to have 10 awardees this year,” Cruz said. “They will be awarded by the president himself in the Malacañang on August 31.”
TOYM started on April 6, 1959 as a chapter project of the Manila Jaycees. On the same year, the Philippine Jaycees formally adopted it as a premier national project.
Over the years, TOYM has become an institution, having developed a reputation for its selectiveness of outstanding individuals upon whom the awards is conferred.
TOYM aims to give national recognition to young men and women, whose selfless dedication to their profession or vocation has resulted in significant contributions to the welfare of their countrymen, as well as to the advancement of their fields of endeavor.
This year, TOYM will extensively promote the search online especially through the social media. With this, the organizers hope that the search will have a broader reach and will widen the playing field.