Four days before the UP General Alumni Homecoming, close to a hundred individuals, families, and organizations convened at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni in UP Diliman (UPD) as recipients of this year’s UP Alumni Association (UPAA) awards, hosted by UP President Angelo A. Jimenez.

They were welcomed by Alumni Regent and UPAA President Robert Lester F. Aranton.

Aranton said, “Tonight, this entire space [referring to the Luciano E. Salazar Hall] belongs to all of us.” He added, “I hope you feel at home.”

Aside from the awardees, Aranton, with Jimenez, also recognized Eing Ming Wu, PhD, visiting professor at the UPD National College of Public Administration and Governance.

Wu was presented with a plaque of appreciation, which, according to Aranton, was “in recognition of his innovative advocacy of the bayanihan spirit and his invaluable contribution to the development of UP, UPAA, southern Taiwan universities, local government units, and business sectors in Southern Taiwan.”

Wu is the executive director of the Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association and Chair Professor of Shu-Te University in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Seven past UPAA presidents, who also served as alumni regents, were recognized for their continued service and support not just to the UPAA as an organization but to the University in general.

Event host Kara C. David, chair of the UPD Department of Journalism, said that the recipients of the UPAA Presidential Merit Award for Service continued “to serve and embrace ideas of the association even beyond their terms of office as president.”

Honored with the merit award were Jaime S. Delos Santos, Edgardo B. Espiritu, Reynaldo C. Laserna, Estelito P. Mendoza, Alfredo E. Pascual, Ponciano E. Rivera Jr., and Gladys San Juan-Tiongco.

Aside from the UPAA Presidential Merit Award for Service, the UPAA also granted awards in seven other categories: Presidential Award, Multigenerational UP Alumni Family Award, Distinguished Service Award for an Alumnus, Distinguished Service Award for an Alumni Chapter, Distinguished Alumni Award, Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award, and Most Distinguished Alumnus.

Three alumni that made a great impact in their respective fields each received Presidential Award. Meanwhile, each of the families who have UP alumni up to three and four generations was awarded with the Multigenerational UP Alumni Family Award. The award was conferred upon 17 families: eight families with four generations of UP alumni and nine families with three generations.

Former Philippine Red Cross secretary general Oscar P. Palabyab is the recipient of this year’s Distinguished Service Award for an Alumnus.

Two alumni chapters were each given the Distinguished Service Award for Alumni Chapter: the UP School of Economics Alumni Association and the UP College of Business Administration Alumni Association, Inc.

This year, 53 UP alumni were recognized in 32 categories of the Distinguished Alumni Award: agriculture education (1); business continuity and disaster resilience planning for micro, small, and medium enterprises (1); community empowerment (3); community service (1); community service for women empowerment (1); corporate management excellence (1); culture and the arts (4); education innovation (1); economic development: foreign direct investment generation (1); economic and social development in the seafaring industry (1); entrepreneurship and employment creation (1); environmental conservation (1); food manufacturing and marketing management excellence (1); geosciences (1); good governance (5); improving competitiveness in Philippine business (1); industry innovation (1); journalism (1); leadership in education (1); leadership in nursing (1); leadership in information technology development: private and public (1); medicine: pediatric cardiology (1); nursing education (1); overseas Filipino worker empowerment (1); public health (2); public health promotion (1); public service (6); science education: chemistry (1); science and technology (7); social entrepreneurship (1); social entrepreneurship and banking (1), and television arts and media (1).

Twelve alumni were each awarded the Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award.

For his achievements in the real estate, construction, and mining industries, Isidro A. Consunji, was honored as this year’s Most Distinguished Alumnus.

“While we come from different generations and our paths diverged after graduation, the ideals and aspirations instilled in us at UP have remained constant. Whether in the academe, business, media and the arts, public service, or science and technology, we have strived to exemplify honor, excellence, service, and leadership to make meaningful impact on the lives of others,” Consunji said.

Addressing the alumni, Jimenez said, “What we have here tonight is a gathering of personages who have helped shape Philippine history. I certainly hope that as you continue to fulfill the demands of your profession, kindly do whatever you can to help your alma mater in whatever way you can.” The dinner for the UPAA awardees was held on Aug. 14, while the awarding ceremony was held on Aug. 17, one day before the general alumni homecoming. Both events were held at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni.