The public announcement of the seven Datu Bago Awardees for this this year was made by Councilor Pilar Braga during the regular session of the City Council on February 27, Tuesday.
The Datu Bago Award is awarded to individuals who have contributed to the development of the city of Davao with exemplary competence and dedication. This person best serves as a model of excellence and an aspiration to the residents of Davao city.
Awarding ceremony will be held at the Royal Mandaya Hotel on March 13, Tuesday.
The awardees are Bro. Carlito Gaspar who is a missionary, theologian, anthropologist and a writer. He champions the cause of preservation of the Lumad culture and is a staunch peace advocate through interfaith dialogues.
He is also a historian and he continues to study and write about Davao City and its people, culture and experiences.
Norma T. Javellana was selected as an awardee because of her advocacy in protecting the environment particularly her tireless effort for the protection of the Shrine Hills.
She is also an advocate of green open spaces, watershed protection and other environment concern.
Belen C Laud has made a mark in the cooperative movement having served in various capacities in about nine cooperatives as an outstanding leader as consultant, accredited mediator and conciliator, cooperative auditor and a formidable lecturer.
Fr. Aland David Mizell is an American social scientist who spent more than a decade of his life here in Davao City serving the disadvantaged and the marginalized through scholarship he gave o poor students; alternative schooling t inmates in Ma-a jail. He also organizes soccer games for the poor children if Isla Verde. He also organizes foreign exchange programs for both faculty and students to student abroad for free.
Ricardo N. Obenza Jr. He is an environmentalist, a teacher and an artist. His untiring advocacy with art led to his collaboration with the Philippine Eagle Foundation, Kinaiyahan Foundation, the PNP , schools and other agencies. He initiated tree planting in Calinan and Marilog watershed. He always makes art that blend perfectly with environment and nature. He gained international exposure after having been featured in the Wochi Kochi Magazine of the Japan Foundation when Prabda Yoon wrote about him.
Beethoven N. Sur’s advocacy is centered in the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA). The PCGA is a non-government volunteer organization, the counterpart of the Organic Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). He served as commodore and District Director of the Southern Mindanao Command. His sterling leadership as district director has paved the way to promote environmental protection; assuring safety of life and property at sea. His humanitarian and outreach programs to name a few are annual coastal clean-up scholarship, relief goods during calamities, mangrove and reef growing. The PCGA has been a partner of the City Government during Calamities and disaster and in the City disaster preparedness.
Nieto L. Vitto is the champion of special children or differently-abled children through his Special Education Program for the graduate School of University of Southern Philipines (USEP). He initiated the sports for the disabled thus enabling our special children to enjoy sports to promote healing and well-being. He is an educator who blazed the trial for Special Education for which he received several awards nationally and internationally.
