PVB President Ricardo Balbido Jr. (rightmost) and PDI’s Chelo Banal-Formoso (leftmost) flank the winners (L-R) Rommel N. Padilla (5th Prize), Vincent Jude Nuñal (2nd Prize), Dixi Dawn Apigo (1st Prize), Cristella Gabiana (3rd Prize), Louis Emmanuel Morente (Consolation), and Sean Roi Cadua (Consolation). Not in the photo is Francis Thaddeus Lazaro, 4th prize winner.
Philippine Veterans Bank recently held a simple awarding ceremony for the winners of its recently held World War II True Stories Contest, a narrative-writing contest for high school students that aims to capture anecdotes and real-life accounts of Filipino World War II veterans or of Filipinos who survived those turbulent times.
The awarding ceremony held at the New World Hotel in Makati City was attended by the winners and their teachers along with members of their families. On hand to congratulate the winners and impart special messages were PVB President and CEO Ricardo A. Balbido Jr., and Philippine Daily Inquirer – Learning Section Editor Chelo Banal-Formoso. Also in attendance was Dr. Emelita Almosara, deputy executive director of the National Historical Institute.
The top winners in this year’s writing contest came from all across the country, with the top three winners coming from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, respectively.
The story of a boy from the Mountain Province and how he discovered values worth emulating from Japanese invaders penned by Dixi Dawn F. Abigo, a third-year student from Mountain Province General Comprehensive High School, won the top plum in this year’s contest.
Abigo took home a MacBook laptop along with Php 10,000 in a Veterans Bank savings deposit. Her teacher-coach also received a PVB Savings Account with Php 5,000 deposit as a reward.
Taking second place is a story written by third-year student Vincent Nuñal from the Holy Name University in Tagbilaran City about a man charged as a Japanese collaborator but who was secretly helping Filipino guerillas while third place goes to a love story that blossomed during the war submitted by Cristella Gabiana, a fourth-year student from St. Mary’s School in Cagayan de Oro.
Nuñal won an Apple iPad plus a Php 7,000 PVB savings deposit while Gabiana won a desktop computer with printer plus Php 5,000 in a PVB savings account.
On fourth spot is Francis Thaddeus Lazaro from the Ateneo de Manila High School in Metro Manila while grabbing the fifth place is Rommel Padilla from Candating High School of Arayat, Pampanga. Lazaro was not present during the awards ceremony but he receives an Acer Aspire netbook as his prize while Padilla took home an iPod touch for his fifth place finish.
Two consolation prizes were also awarded in this year’s contest. Sean Roi Cadua of Camarin High School in Caloocan City and Louis Emmanuel Morente of the Manila Waldorf School of San Mateo, Rizal each received an iPod shuffle as their entries were chosen to receive the consolation prizes.
The World War II True Stories contest is a joint undertaking between PVB and the Philippine Daily Inquirer, in cooperation with the Department of Education. Aside from recording and compiling little know facts and stories about World War II, the contest also aims to highlight the bravery, determination, and love of country demonstrated by World War II veterans and other Filipinos who lived under three years of Japanese occupation.
This year’s contest was deemed successful by the organizers as almost half of all entries received qualified. In previous years, almost 60% of entries were disqualified due to incomplete requirements.
All qualifying entries were screened by a select panel of judges that ultimately deliberated and chose the winners.
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For any questions or clarifications, please call:
Mike Villa-Real
Vice-President
Corporate Communications and Marketing Services Dept.
Tel: 902-1670
Email: mcvillareal@veteransbank.com.ph
