Laoag
City—Recognizing and incentivizing
successful Ilocano families, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN)
through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) and Gender
and Development (GAD) Office awarded the 2018 Model Families on September 28,
2018, at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena, this city.
Congratulating the awardees
and finalists, Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Eugenio Angelo M. Barba said, “Kayong lahat ay may kanya-kanyang kwento ng
hirap at tagumpay. We are proud to see you here today, the overcomers, the
victors, now triumphant over everything that threatened your families.
“You have each won a battle
for the very foundation of our society.”
Model Families is an annual
program for families who have successfully trumped socio-economic difficulties
as well as involve themselves in the community and are responsible in
environmental and waste management. It comprises three categories:
professional, non-professional, and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Mark Nhel Jerard Doren,
youngest son in the OFW family first-placer, shared, “I would always pray to
God that someday, I would share the same stage with my father... that we would share
our great achievements with each other.
“Today, after 20 long years,
I am sharing the same stage with my father. It is really beautiful in His
[God’s] time.” His father, Nelson Doren, had worked in Saudi Arabia for decades
to earn for and support the family.
Doren added, “Para sa lahat ng pamilyang OFW: alam ko ang dinadanas natin. Damang-dama
natin kung paano ang hirap ng pamilya ng isang OFW, pero alam ko na we always reap what we sow.”
Meanwhile, Geraldine Ortal,
whose family won in the non-professional category, emphasized that “It’s not
about the award. It’s about inspiring lives and giving back the glory to God.
[My parents] courageously hurdled all the storms of life just to give us the
education that they were not able to have.”
Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Ortal,
from Brgy. Baay, City of Batac, together toiled through farming, raising
livestock, and carpentry, along with other jobs, to put three of their children
through college. Franklin is currently a member of the Federation of Senior
Citizens Associations in the Philippines, while his wife, Jacinta, is a
barangay health worker (BHW).
“Pudno: awan aniaman a rigat a makatubeng iti aniaman nga arapaap,”
said Geraldine.
Likewise, Engr. Amelita Josol
from the professional-category winner, encouraged her fellow awardees and
Ilocanos, “Let us continue to be model families, because our families are not
only our treasures, but also our joy, our happiness, our enlargement, our
expression, and even our next generation.
The Doren family hails from
Pias Norte in Currimao. At second and third place in the OFW category,
respectively, were Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Garcia from Burayoc, Pagudpud, and Mr.
and Mrs. Crispin Gajes from Puritac, Pinili.
Following the Ortals, Mr. and
Mrs. Amado Labasan from Dagupan, Vintar, and Mr. and Mrs. Victor Portela from
Bacsil, Dingras, garnered second and third place in the non-professional
category.
Engr. William Josol and his
wife Amelita bagged first place in the professional category. They are from
Caraitan, Badoc. Other winners were Mr. and Mrs. Rodolfo Duldulao of
Cal-laguip, Batac City, and Mr. and Mrs. Expedito dela Cruz from Talugtog,
Solsona.
Mr. Barba encouraged, “Each
of your stories is a testament to the strength of the Ilocano: defying the odds
in the face of countless difficulties, challenges, and obstacles.
“You have maneuvered the
dynamics of family even under stress, proving and living out the principle of
dealing with problems and crises not individually, but as a family—as one
unit.” (Mizpah Grace Castro)
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