The JCI Senate Philippines and The Insular Life Assurance Co., Ltd. announce the winners of the 2009 The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) awards.

The winners and their respective fields are: Teotimo M. Aganon, Ph.D. for Science and Technology; Senen C. Bacani for Agriculture; Arturo C. Cunanan Jr., M.D. for Public Health; Lydia B. Echauz, Ph. D. for Education; Oscar M. Lopez for Business. The 2009 TOFIL awards night will be held on December 11, 2009 at the Insular Life Auditorium at the Insular Life Corporate Centre in Alabang.

Teotimo M. Aganon has distinguished himself a scientist, research and development administrator, socio-civic leader, and educator. Aganon contributed greatly to the development of pest management technology, particularly in rodent control and locust containment in central Luzon. In partnership with other scientists, Aganon and his group were able to develop environment-friendly, off-season vegetable technologies, and methods that lessen the use of insecticides on leafy vegetables. Their eggplant-grafted tomato variety, for instance, is bacterial wilt- and flood-resistant. He is also the author and co-author of multiple publications, for which he has won citations and awards. As present, he is a professor at the Central Luzon State University of the Philippines, with the distinction of being the only faculty with a Scientist I conferment from the Department of Science and Technology.

Senen C. Bacani began his career at the Dole Group of Companies where he rose from the ranks to become the first non-American General Manager of two Dole companies, first in Costa Rica (1978), and in the Philippines (1983). His experience in Dole as an organization man and his exposure to the company’s vast banana and pineapple operations served him well during his appointment as Secretary of Agriculture under the administration of President Corazon C. Aquino. During his watch, the country met targets in rice, corn and sugar sufficiency, and was in fact able to export these products. Bacani, after his government stint, returned to his passion of uplifting the plight of marginalized farmers and fisherfolks.

Dr. Arturo C. Cunanan has dedicated himself to the cure, care and reintegration of Culion inhabitants into mainstream society. He was born and raised in Culion, a third-generation descendant of leprosy victims who were sent to the island. His firsthand experience of discrimination and ostracism has fueled his passion as a doctor and as a human rights advocate. He is responsible for strengthening the leprosy control program in Culion by implementing the Multiple Drug Therapy (MDT) method, a World Health Organization-recommended treatment modality.

Lydia B. Echauz is described as exemplifying “the new breed of university presidents – professionally qualified, organizationally active, and nationally engaged.” Echauz’s understanding of and active involvement in the academe and in the business communities have made her an effective bridge between the two. One of her most significant achievements is in solving the disparity between industry needs and qualifications of graduates, through re-designing academic programs and bringing about linkages in schools where she has served. During her deanship of the Graduate School of Business of the De La Salle University (DLSU), she actively worked for its recognition abroad, making it one of only two Philippine graduate schools of business to be ranked internationally.

As the patriarch of one of the most respected families in Philippine society, Oscar M. Lopez has proved his commitment to his family’s heritage, his Filipino roots, and his community with his guiding principle: “To survive, any business or corporation must be useful to the society it serves.” Thus, aside from capably steering the Lopez Group of Companies – among which is the behemoth ABS-CBN network – he has ensured that their various businesses are positive contributors to Filipino society. Using his hands-on on management style, he spearheaded the establishment of the Lopez Group Foundation, Inc. The foundation now serves as the umbrella group for all of the companies’ corporate social responsibility initiatives.