Alumni Updates April 17 – 23, 2017

Alumni Updates April 17 – 23, 2017

Newly elected officers of the Silliman Alumni Association, Inc. (SAAI) Dumaguete Chapter were inducted by SAAI National President, Atty. Mikhail Lee Maxino on April 16, 2017 at the residence of Rolando and Helga Magdamo in Talay, Dumaguete City.   

The new Chapter officers are: President – Leo Dennis G. Mamicpic, Vice President for Internal Affairs – Atty. Pristine Matinez-Raymund, Vice President for External Affairs – Rep. Josy Sy-Limkaichong, Secretary – Rosewell R. Cataylo, Treasurer – Atty. Niña Rica Ruperto-Teves, Auditor – Minerva Mae B. Magdamo, PRO – Moses Joshua B. Atega. The Chapter’s Board of Directors are: Rolando Venturanza Magdamo, Dr. Profiteza Lim, Rodolfo D. Juan, Lorna Peña Reyes-Makil, Joselyn Somoza-dela Cruz, Luzvimida Camacho-Forbes and immediate past president, Roberto D. Montebon as ex-officio. 

(L-R) Immediate Past President, Roberto D. Montebon, Alumni and External Affairs Director, Ruben N. Bokingo, Silliman University President Dr. Ben S. Malayang III, Michael Ossie Bokingo Jalandoni, Ester Windler, Cecilia Hofmann and Rene Vendiola

The SAAI – Dumaguete Chapter recognized three environmentalists with the Kinaiyahan Award during their summer fellowship.  The three awardees are Cecilia Hofmann, Ester Windler and the late Benjamin Bokingo. 

Ms. Hofmann, recognized for her lifetime dedication to advocacies protecting women and children, is also a staunch environmentalist. She’s a co-founder of the Friends of the Banica River and the Environment (FBRE) which was later expanded to cover all provincial concerns under the Friends of the Environment in Negros Oriental (FENOr).  

Ms. Windler, known for her generosity in sharing her wisdom in the care of the home surroundings as well as to protect the environment within and beyond her riverside dwelling, is also much admired for her leadership of both FBRE and FENOr.  Both Ms. Hofmann and Ms. Windler focused on volunteer works against environmental destruction.   

Mr. Bokingo, on the other hand, served the community through his leadership and generous sharing of resources in the greening programs of various church, socio-civic, academic and youth organizations in Negros Oriental. This generosity was particularly marked by the transfer of agricultural technology and the provision of seedlings of various species of Philippine trees and other species leading to the success of many fruit farms, landscaped gardens, and tree planting projects –giving this side of the island a second generation forest cover. Michael Ossie B. Jalandoni, his grandson, received the posthumous award. 

Previous Kinaiyahan Awardees were Dr. Nona Calo for her reforestation work in the CARAGA Region, Congresswoman Belma Cabilao for her environmental programs in Zamboanga-Sibugay, Rene “Tatay Ite” Vendiola for his Save-The-Forest advocacy in Liptong, Bacong, Negros Oriental, and National Scientist Dr. Angel C. Alcala for his pioneering work in the concept of community-based Coastal Resource Management.  

Silliman alumnus, triathlete, and environmental lawyer Ingemar “Pinoy Aquaman” Macarine has successfully conquered Siquijor Island by swimming nonstop for 11 hours and 21 minutes, the 24.65 kilometer stretch between Silliman Beach, Dumaguete City to Tambisan Port, San Juan, Siquijor on Tuesday, April 19, 2017.  He set a record as the only individual to swim between the two island provinces. 

Macarine’s latest Dumaguete-Siquijor open water swim was to promote voter registration. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has opened voter registration in connection with the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on October. Voter’s registration ends October 29, 2017.  Macarine is the COMELEC’s election officer Tubigon, Bohol. 

He went into open water swimming as part of his lifetime advocacy for cleaner seas, marine resource protection, environmental tourism, and climate change awareness. This is his 27th successful open water swim since December 31, 2013. 

Macarine earned his AB Political Science degree from Silliman in 1997 and was a member of the Silliman University Varsity Swimming Team.