CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 28, 2014) – The Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan awarded several personalities for their various contributions to society during its 75th Commencement Exercises here.
Among those who received the awards were Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Isabelle Salazar, theatre and musical director Lutgardo Labad and Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman.
Father Roberto Yap, who is also the university president, handed the Fr. William F. Masterson S.J. Award to Salazar, in recognition for her exceptional work in local governance and public service; the Fr. Francisco R. Demetrio SJ Award to Labad for his outstanding contribution to Philippine culture and arts, especially in the field of music, theatre and film, but most of all for revitalizing communities through the arts; and the Doctor in Humanities to Soliman for her exemplary contributions to social work and community development, and for her untiring, unflinching and methodical service to the Filipino people, especially in Mindanao.
Members of El Circulo Zamboangueno de Cagayan de Oro led by producer Mike Banos also turned over to Salazar the proceeds of the November 21, 2013 advance screening of the movie ILO-ILO shown in SM City Cagayan de Oro during the awarding.
Salazar, accompanied by her husband, Trifonio Salazar, also met with her former colleague in the Lower House and now Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno. (Mindanao Examiner)
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