2 SU students bag ‘Mga Bagong Rizal: Pag-asa ng Bayan’ 2021 award
Silliman University (SU) students Jay Louie L. Jarbonido and Enzo Miguel Kho were named 2021 Mga Bagong Rizal: Pag-asa ng Bayan Awardees by the Philippine Center for Gifted Education, Inc. (PCGE).
Jarbonido, a fourth-year College of Education student, and Kho, a Grade 12 student, were among the 25 awardees from all over the country.
According to the PCGE Facebook page, the Search for the Mga Bagong Rizal aims to identify, recognize, and help further develop high-ability and potentially gifted Filipino youths in the areas of cognition, the arts, creativity and leadership, and other multiple intelligences, and foster in them the mindset of commitment in helping towards national development.
Jarbonido and Kho received their award virtually last November 30, 2021 via Zoom.
Jarbonido and Kho are both student leaders and honor students.
An instrument for change
“[Ang] isang makabagong Rizal [ay] sinasalamin ang buhay ng ating pambansang bayani, handang maging inspirasyon at modelo sa lahat ng tao at isang instrumento para sa pagbabago at sa isang progresibong bansa,” said Jarbonido. (A modern Rizal is someone who emulates the life of our national hero, ready to be an inspiration and role model to everyone and be an instrument for change and a progessive nation.)
Jarbonido is currently the council officer of the Teacher Education Student Council and president of the SU Samahang Maharlika and SU Ablazer International. He was the chairperson of the SU Student Government (SUSG) Executive Committee in 2020-2021; and SUSG Spiritual Life Committee vice-chairperson and College of Education representative of the SUSG Assembly in 2019-2020. He has organized various campus events and led two projects: Project Hatag Lipay and Happy Birthday Pantry Project 2021.
Jarbonido was also a scholar of the Cora Woods Scholarship-Australia in 2020-2021 and the Howard and Dorothy Wickler Scholarship in 2019-2020.
Off-campus, Jarbonido serves as the founder and executive president of the Canlaon Youth Leaders and Advocates; Global Mobility chairperson of the Canlaon City Local Youth Development Council; and chairperson of the Alliance of Empowered Youth Philippines.
Jarbindo was also among the Top 10 Outstanding Youth Leaders & Volunteers of the Year 2021 of The Voice of the Youth Awards.
Jarbonido participated in various leadership events such as the Filipino Youth Summit 2021, Youth of Southeast Asia Leadership Initiative (YSEALI) #ParasaDagat 2021, and the Philippine Model Congress 2019.
Being transformational
“Being a Bagong Rizal means being transformational. As our society progresses, faced with various unexpected problems, there comes a need to go beyond societal norms in addressing societal concerns. Moreover, in these trying times, Rizal’s life reminds us to use our talents and gifts for the betterment of our country,” said Kho.
Kho is currently the Senior High School representative in the SUSG Assembly and the external event director of the Renaissance Youth Leaders Forum. Last school year, he was the Humanities and Social Science mayor of the Senior High School student council and received the Highest Honor in his Grade 11 batch, ranking first among 741 honor students.
Kho was among the top 12 finalists of the AIESEC Youth Awards 2021 and the top 6 finalists of the CSR Youth Awards 2021 by the Benita and Catalino Yap Foundation. Serving as the team captain, his team won a gold medal in the National Techfactors Robotics Competition 2019 and ranked Third Most Outstanding Team in the Make-X World Robotics Competition 2019 at Guangzhou, China.
Outside the SU campus, Kho serves as the executive director and co-founder of ALLEY Philippines and a senior volunteer and organizer of the Gaba-an Youth Lead. In 2020, he served as the founding regional director of the Youth Advocates for the Philippines – Central Visayas. He has also participated in various leadership events, such as the Harvard College Project for Asian and International Relations, National Saceda Youth Lead 2019, and Filipino Youth Summit 2019.
Kho said he is also passionate about the performing arts, such as ballet, dancesport, contemporary, and hip hop.
Launched in 2011, the Search for the Mga Bagong Rizal is a national program organized by PCGE and sponsored by the Mercury Drug Foundation, Inc.
