Press Release
March 4, 2008

Villar to award this year's Gawad Haydee Yorac

Senate President Manny Villar is among the personalities who will bestow the annual award for outstanding public service to Dr. Milwida "Nene" Guevara for her outstanding contribution in the improvement of basic education in the countryside.

"It is heartening to know that Dr. Guevara's initiative in Mindanao through the private foundation that she heads is showing quantifiable results. She is demonstrating that the challenge of upgrading the quality of basic education is a priority concern that transcends ethnic and religious differences," Villar said. Guevara is former Program Officer of the Ford Foundation and former Undersecretary of the Department of Finance. She is now Chief Executive Officer of Synergeia Foundation, Inc., a coalition of individuals, organizations and institutions working together to improve the quality of basic education in the country. The Gawad Haydee Yorac organized by the Manila Electric Company and the University of the Philippines, is an annual award recognizing "leaders from the private sector, government service and volunteer organizations whose attributes, personal work ethics and service to the nation are worth emulating."

Villar is Chairman of the Board of Judges who selected the second recipient of the prestigious award. He will be joined by Manuel Lopez, Meralco Chairman and CEO and Dr. Emerlinda Roman, UP President, in the presentation of the trophy by National Artist Napoleon Abueva and the P300,000 grant to Guevara Today March 4, 6 pm at the Meralco Theater.

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