OSA: A Celebration of Stewardship
What makes a Sillimanian outstanding? Excellence in one’s field? Character espousing Silliman’s motto? Selfless service? On August 28, Francisco Noel R. Fernandez III, Manuel L. Logroño, and Nella Fe L. Pineda-Marcon join the roster of Outstanding Sillimanian Awardees who have demonstrated how embracing stewardship requires a combination of excellence, character, and service.
A Steward of People
Francisco Noel R. Fernandez III’s proclivity for discipline, hard-work, and excellence was evident even when he was in Silliman University High School (SUHS). As a student, he was engaged in many activities that contributed to his holistic development: he was corps commander of the Citizens Army Training, an assemblyman of the Student Government, an active member of the Christian Youth Fellowship, among others.
After graduating from SUHS in 1985, he was admitted to the University of the Philippines, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and later a bachelor’s degree in Law. While admission to these programs is an indication of scholastic aptitude, he proved his academic prowess further by topping the Philippine Bar Exam in 1994 and then acing the Foreign Service Examination conducted by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Since then, he has carved an illustrious career in foreign affairs and diplomacy.
He has served the DFA in different capacities and his contributions to different posts have always been recognized. When he was a diplomat in China, he was credited for helping draft many agreements that led to what is known as the Golden Age of Relations between the Philippines and People’s Republic of China. When he was assigned in London, he represented the country in the International Maritime Organization.
However, his strongest suit as a diplomat is his heart for the Filipino workers. He has championed the poor and the oppressed, assisting overseas foreign workers get out of distressing situations like poor working conditions, human trafficking, etc. He has facilitated massive evacuations of Filipino workers in hazardous places plagued by war and pandemic.
For his competent stewardship of the Filipinos overseas and sterling performance as a representative of the country in the international stage, Silliman University recognizes Fernandez as an Outstanding Sillimanian in the field of International Relations and Diplomacy.
A Steward of the Earth
Knowing about the works of Manuel L. Logroño leads one to understand what Wendell Berry meant when he said, “We have neglected the truth that a good farmer is a craftsman of the highest order, a kind of artist.”
Logroño’s strong affinity to the earth is clearly manifested in his choice of academic track. In college, he entered Silliman University, enrolled in its BS Agriculture program, and earned the degree with great honors (magna cum laude) in 1979. He then proceeded to earn his post-graduate degrees from the University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB) (MS Agronomy, Plant Breeding) and from the University of Hawaii at Manoa (PhD Agronomy and Soil Science, majoring in plant breeding and genetics).
Early on in his career, he set his eyes on the cultivation of maize. In fact, in his first academic assignment at UPLB, he was part of the team that focused on maize breeding and genetic development. This team was instrumental in developing corn varieties that were high yielding and disease resistant.
After completing his further studies in the US, he returned to the country and initiated major hybrid corn breeding programs that had high produce and yielded hybrids that were pest resistant. These were adopted by the Department of Agriculture in its efforts to increase corn production in the country.
Because of his pioneering efforts that capitalized on his knowledge and expertise, new varieties of corn have been developed, providing consumers with produce that have improved nutritional qualities. Not only that, his expert use of science, technology, and innovation has helped the farmers improve their livelihood.
Indeed, Logroño has proven himself “a craftsman of the highest order,” and Silliman University recognizes his contribution to crop research and development, plant breeding and genetics.
A Steward of the Environment
Nella Fe L. Pineda-Marcon has extensive medical training. She is a licensed nurse, an alumna of Silliman University College of Nursing (Batch 1981). She is also a medical doctor who earned her degree from Perpetual Help College of Medicine.
However, aside from being a medical practitioner in the United States of America, she is also a staunch advocate of climate and environmental justice. Her advocacy focuses on social reforms that safeguard public health and the environment because she believes that there are factors from both that directly and indirectly cause major diseases. Aside from this, she explores other facets of life that affect climate change and the environment; thus, she is also interested in the link between migration and climate change with social justice, the connection between labor unions and environmental justice activism, among others.
A well-respected figure in her community and beyond, she was invited to testify before the New York State Committee, leading to the enactment of the Climate Leadership and Climate Protection Act in 2019. Said act is dubbed as the most ambitious and comprehensive climate and clean air legislation in the US.
Cognizant of the devastating effects of climate change, she also coordinates medical missions, especially to areas affected by natural disasters. She and her team provide psychosocial support to the victims.
A medical practitioner and an environmental advocate, she unceasingly reminds people that their well-being relates to how they care for the environment. For this, Silliman recognizes her contribution to disaster relief and climate justice advocacy.
A Call for Responsible Stewardship
Every year, the Outstanding Sillimanian Awards (OSA) are given by the university to recognize the contributions of its alumni to their fields of specialization. They are also an invitation to its students to emulate those who have gone before them in combining excellence, character, and service in their attempts to be better stewards of the resources entrusted to their care.
OSA 2021 will be streamed on Silliman University’s official Youtube and Facebook accounts on August 28 at 10:00 a.m.
(Story by Dr. Warlito Caturay)
