Six individuals were honored in this year’s Ramon V. del Rosario (RVR) Awards for having exemplified outstanding corporate citizenship and a fervent commitment to nation-building across various industries—proving that business can indeed be a force for good.
The ceremony, held last night at The Fifth at Rockwell, combined two categories: the Award for Nation Building, which pays tribute to PHINMA founder Ambassador Ramon V. del Rosario’s legacy of shaping modern Philippine industries by celebrating trailblazers from their respective sectors; and the Siklab Award, which recognizes promising entrepreneurs for impacting their communities and industries through their businesses or social enterprises.
The RVR Awards are organized by PHINMA, Junior Chamber International (JCI) Manila (formerly Manila Jaycees, Inc.), De La Salle University RVR College of Business, and the Asian Institute of Management RVR Center for Corporate Responsibility.
Traditionally held on July 25 annually to commemorate Mr. del Rosario, Sr.’s birth anniversary, this year’s awarding ceremony was postponed after PHINMA shifted its efforts to disaster response and relief operations for victims of Super Typhoon Carina.
Ramon V. del Rosario Nation Buliding Award 2024 This year, businessman and philanthropist Ambassador Howard Q. Dee received the Nation Building Award for his dedication to social development and peace. From playing a key role in the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and brokering the 2001 Tripoli Agreement to co-founding ASA Philippines and Assisi Development Foundation, Mr. Dee’s work testifies to his lifelong commitment to eradicating poverty and pursuing peace and social justice. A true example of taking patriotic duty to heart, he impacts countless lives here and around the world to this day.
The RVR Nation-Building Award recognizes men and women who have demonstrated outstanding traits as Entrepreneurial Spirit, National or Global Impact. Corporate Citizenship and Social Responsibility. The recognition also marks sixty years of driving positive change within communities by JCI Manila, whose founding president was none other than the “Father of Philippine Modern Industry” himself: Mr. del Rosario, Sr. Ramon V. del Rosario Siklab Award 2024
The following individuals received the Sikiab Award for their profound passion for entrepreneurship and social change:
Ariestelo A. Asilo | Co-founder and CEO, Varacco Inc. Chief Thinnker Officer and President, ThinnkFarm ThinnkFarm and Varacco provide livelihood to 400 coffee farmers in Cavite and Mindanao. Varacco was recognized in 2021 as one of the 50 Best Small Businesses for the United Nations’ “Good Food for All”. His leadership not only empowers farmers, but also inspires the Filipino youth.
Victor Mari C. Bagullat, Jr., | Founder, CEO, and Creative Director, Kandama Social Enterprise Victor Baguilat founded Kandama to empower indigenous Ifugao women weavers by connecting their traditional hand-loomed fabrics to the global market. Kandama has been featured in fashion events in New York, Paris, Melbourne, and Hong Kong. It provides sustainable livelihood while preserving the precious weaving tradition of these communities.
Rafael Ignacio S. Dionisio | Co-founder and President, Make A Difference (MAD) Travel MAD travel partners with the Aeta community to build forests of native and fruit trees in Zambales. MAD travel creates fulfilling experiences that enable communities to develop sustainable products. The company also supported local farmers and entrepreneurs through and despite the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 epidemic.
Ann Adeline G. Dumaliang | Co-founder and Managing Trustee, Masungl Georeserve Anne Dumaliang co-founded Masungi Georeserve, a conservation area that is home to over 500 species. Her innovative approach combines conservation, eco-tourism, education, and community engagement. Masungi has planted 100,000 native trees and established ranger stations to protect the watershed that benefits millions.
Alvin C. Ong | Founder and CEO, Fredley Group of Companies Fredley Group of Companies is a F&B company behind brands like Macao Imperial Tea and Nabe. Coming from humble beginnings of packing hangers, Ong built a billion-peso empire of more than 260 restaurants and 3,000 employees all while adopting inclusive hiring practices for differently abled people.
Business as a force for good
During his remarks, PHINMA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ramon R. del Rosario, Jr. reminded that the RVR Awards will continue making an impact even beyond tonight’s ceremony through its recipients.
“Our awardees will do this nation an even greater service by telling your stories especially to our young idealistic youth who day-in and day-out are bombarded by negative information giving them less and less reason to be hopeful. We will fill that void with your stories of entrepreneurial peace-building, agriculture and tourism innovation, cultural preservation, environment protection and inclusive growth,” said Mr. del Rosario, Jr.
The awardees’ stories could also serve as case studies in the recently launched PHINMA-DLSU Center for Business and Society, which aims to champion among students business as a force for good by driving prosperity and socioeconomic development one community at a time.
For more information, you may visit the Ramon V. del Rosario Awards Digital Museum at https://www.rvrawards.org/
