The genesis of the President Elpidio R. Quirino Leadership and Humanitarian Award

And God said: “Let there be light”. And there was light.

Martin Luther King said: “I have a dream”. And his dream came true.

This reality of light, and the memory of the heroic act of dreaming are the ingredients of the President Elpidio R. Quirino Leadership and Humanitarian Award.

 

It is history at its best. It is history making at its first and finest.

And it is our salute to our community leaders who, time and again, have made us remember that light must be there, and that a living dream must orient our lives even if we have traversed distances from home found a new home over here in the United States—in the State of Hawaii, in particular.

As one of the ISAH advisers and as often as we do meet with Ilocos Surian Association of Hawaii president Danny Villaruz, in putting together the rationale of the award, the first for the association, said: an award of distinction, prestigious and eminent, ought to recognize the extraordinary work of those who came from Ilocos Sur, and who have called Hawaii their home.

For the first award, ISAH chose Felipe P. Abinsay, Jr., a former member of the State House of Representatives, and Dr. Charlie Y. Sonido, a prominent medical doctor and a champion of medical missions in the Philippines, feted in a banquet held in their honor.

Dr. Sonido, chaired the medical mission since 2005, with Dr. Elizabeth Lim Abinsay, co-chairing. ISAH had three medical missions in 2005, 2007, 2009 in Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and Paranaque City.

Proceeds of the three Mrs. ISAH Pageants (2003, 2005, 2008) produced medicine and equipment for the medical missions.

The pageants had the following queens: Nancy Vallejo Clemente (2003) from Cabugao; Helena Puesta (2005), from Santa; and Davelyn Ancheta Quijano (2008) from Sinait.

The fundraising efforts of ISAH has shifted to “Dance with the Mission” and to the holding of “Distinguished Award and Fundraising”

At the ISAH board meeting on March 1, 2011 members presented the idea of having a “Distinguished, prestigious and eminent Award” along with the several names of prominent Ilocos Sur leaders, heroes and figures with distinguished background and achievements.

The board decided to name the “award” after the 6^th president of the Republic of the Philippines, Elpidio Rivera Quirino, a native of Vigan.

Hence, the official name came into being first as President Elpidio R. Quirino Humanitarian Award and at the second awards event, organizers added the word “Leadership”.

Mr. Quirino, a graduate of law from the University of the Philippines, though raised in La Union, always looked to Vigan for part of his Ilokano roots and heritage.

Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Quirino was a barrio school teacher, an orator, a debater, a painter, a constitutionalist, as statesman and a lawmaker.

In 1934, Mr. Quirino joined the Philippine Independence Mission to Washington, DC. The mission headed by Manuel L. Quezon, secured the passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Act that set the date for Philippine Independence in 1945. The Independence of the Philippines declaration from the United States was on July 4, 1946.

Mr. Quirino was born on November 16, 1890 and died on February 29, 1956.

The first awarding ceremonies with the theme: “Aggapu Iti Puso” was on August 27, 2011 at the Hawaiian Hilton Village Coral Ballroom. Honorees are Dr. Charlie Y. Sonido and Rep. Felipe P. Abinsay, Jr.

The second awarding ceremonies with the theme: “Dayawmo, Dayawmi” was on June 5, 2015 at the Hawaii Prince Hotel.  Honorees: Jeremias Singson, Danny Villaruz (Quirino Award) and Luis Angelo Artates Abregas (Benito Soliven Award).

To these days, Mrs. ISAH is one of the major projects to support programs and other significant projects the Danny Villaruz’ administration put into place since he took the reign of presidency on November 5, 2001 and as officially installed by then Ilocos Sur Governor DV Savellano on February 22, 2002 [ 2-22-2002- a magic number] at the Pacific Beach Hotel.

The third awarding ceremonies with the theme: “Experience Ilocos Sur Celebrating the 200^th Anniversary of the Great Province of Ilocos Sur” honorees: Maria Etrata, Amado Yoro (Hawaii); Congressman DV Savellano, former governor; and former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson (Ilocos Sur) scheduled in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, January 31, 2018.