Unfortunately, despite all the efforts and sacrifices educators make, most of them remain unrecognized and unappreciated.

To be able recognize the valuable role that teachers play in imparting proper values and cultivating the skills and intellect of young Filipino students who represent the country’s future, Metrobank Foundation, Inc.—the corporate social responsibility arm of the Metrobank Group of Companies—came up with the Search for Outstanding Teachers (SOT) in 1985.

An annual search that aims to bestow honor upon the teaching profession by recognizing teachers who devote their lives to the development of the youth with exemplary competence and dedication, the SOT selects outstanding teachers who will serve as models of excellence in their respective spheres of influence yearly. "Through this annual search, we hope to put our teachers at the forefront of our efforts to provide quality education to our children and inspire many others to strive for higher standards of performance for the benefit of the greater majority," says Metrobank Foundation, Inc. president Aniceto Sobrepeña.

In the awarding ceremonies held at the Metrobank Plaza Auditorium in Makati City, Metrobank Foundation chairman George S.K. Ty conferred the award to this year’s winners together with Sobrepeña, Vice President Noli de Castro, The Bank of East Asia, Limited Chairman and Chief Executive Dr. David K.P. Li, Senator Richard Gordon, Department of Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, and Commission on Higher Education acting chairman Romulo Neri. Each of the awardees received a trophy, a gold medallion, and P250,000 cash prize.

For this year, Metrobank Foundation continues to honor outstanding teachers who have dedicated their lives to mentoring the youth and extols teaching as a noble and rewarding profession by presenting the 10 outstanding teachers of 2007.

According Metrobank Group and Metrobank Foundation, Inc. chairman Dr. George S. K. Ty, the award is a fitting tribute to the outstanding men and women who have chosen to live their lives in the service of others, notwithstanding the difficult circumstances in which they perform their duties and responsibilities. "These winners represent the teaching profession in our country and we hope that their track records and achievements will motivate their peers to likewise strive for higher standards of performance in their work," he says.

The 2007 SOT awardees include Fredo Laureles, a Master Teacher in Work Education for Grades IV and V from Ateneo de Manila Grade School in Quezon City, Jeneluj Cunanan, a Master Teacher I in English for Grade VI in Lanao Central School in Kidapawan City; Madeline Rivera, a Master Teacher I in HEKASI for Grade VI of San Pablo Central School in San Pablo City; and Leticia Palle, a Master Teacher II for Mathematics in Grade VI, of Malaybalay City Central School in Malaybalay City for the elementary level.

In the secondary level, awardees include Glendale Lamiseria, a Master Teacher I for Mathematics in 3rd and 4th year of Dulag National High School in Leyte; Ruben Abucayon, PhD, a Teacher III for General Science in 2nd and 4th year) of Alegria National High School in Surigao del Norte; Norma Pacaigue, a Master Teacher II for History in 4th year of Novaliches High School in Quezon City; and Cynthia Banngero, a Master Teacher II in English for 1st and 2nd year of Barotac Viejo National High School in Iloilo.

For the higher education, the awardees were Benilda Santos, PhD, a full professor for Filipino Department, School of Humanities for Loyola Schools at Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City and Caesar Saloma, PhD, a professor 12 for National Institute of Physics in the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.

2007 SOT Final Board of Judges chairperson Senator Richard Gordon says that he was truly privileged to meet so many Filipino teachers and review their work over the years. "It is a pity that from the scores who made it to the final round of judging, we had to make a final selection who are in our view are truly exemplars of the teaching profession…they are all outstanding in every sense of that often used word," he says.

The awardees underwent a very rigorous selection process and were chosen based on their personal qualities and character, instructional competence and teaching effectiveness, and professional and community involvement.

Secretary Lapus commended the Foundation for acknowledging the hard work of the Filipino teacher. He says that to improve and enhance the learning competencies of the Filipino youth, the expertise and dedication of the mentors should be recognized. "If we wish to be at par with the rest of the world, we must ascertain that the people who instruct and greatly influence the success of our students are competent and driven."

For the past 28 years, the Foundation has been promoting a culture of excellence among Filipinos not only through SOT but to its various programs that celebrates Filipino excellence and presents wellsprings of hope in the future of the nation.