Seventeen Sillimanians cited as Outstanding Dumagueteño Awardees
Silliman alumni constitute the majority of the current crop of recipients of the Outstanding Dumagueteño Awards given last 28 June 2025 at Brooke’s Place in Batinguel, Dumaguete.
The awards, which were given to 25 individuals, were spearheaded by the City Government of Dumaguete, and took place in the remaining days of the term of Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio B. Remollo. The ceremony was part of the celebration of the diamond anniversary of the Dumaguete city charter.
Among this year’s Outstanding Dumagueteño Awardees were several prominent Silliman University alumni, honored across all five categories.
In the Leaders and Statespersons category, the awardees included economist and Outstanding Sillimanian Awardee (OSA) Leonor Magtolis Briones, former Secretary of the Department of Education, former Chair of the Silliman University Board of Trustees; diplomat and OSA MacArthur Corsino; and former Negros Oriental Governor and OSA Emilio C. Macias II.
Prof. Leonor Magtolis Briones
Ambassador MacArthur Corsino
Gov. Emilio Macias II
In the Artists and Entertainers category, the list featured theatre artist and singer Evelyn Rose R. Aldecoa; poet and educator Merlie Alunan; screenwriter, director, and OSA Cesar Jalandoni Amigo; fictionist and cultural worker Ian Rosales Casocot; National Artist for Cinema and Broadcast Arts Eddie Romero; and National Artist for Literature and OSA Edith Lopez Tiempo.
Asst. Prof. Evelyn Rose Aldecoa
Prof. Merlie Alunan
Cesar Jalandoni Amigo
Asst. Prof. Ian Fermin Casocot
National Artist Eddie Romero
National Artist Edith Tiempo
Recognized under Builders and Titans was Josephine Bejar Ng, co-founder of Jo’s Chicken Inato, for her contributions to the local business and food industry.
Josephine Bejar Ng
Under Scientists and Thinkers, honorees included philosopher Claro Rafols Ceniza; medical doctor Maria Salud F. Kho; sociologist and SU Research and Development Center director Enrique Oracion; and historian and former SU Vice President for Academic Affairs T. Valentino Sitoy Jr.
Claro Rafols Ceniza
Dr. Maria Salud Kho
Dr. Enrique Oracion
Dr. T. Valentino Sitoy
In the Heroes and Icons category, the awards were given posthumously to World War II heroes Placido A. Ausejo and Lorenzo Cimafranca, as well as to journalist and broadcaster Ely Dejaresco.
Placido Ausejo
Lorenzo Cimafrance
Ely Dejaresco
Rounding out the full list of 25 awardees were non-Sillimanian honorees, including tourism advocate and anesthesiologist Prospero “Rico” Absin and lawyer Marcelino C. Maxino (Leaders and Statespersons); visual artist and photographer Hersley-Ven Casero and APO Hiking Society member Boboy Garrovillo (Artists and Entertainers); businessman Julio D. Sy Jr. and Sans Rival founder Trinidad Teves Sagarbarria (Builders and Titans); church historian Fr. Roman C. Sagun Jr. (Scientists and Thinkers); and Bishop Epifanio B. Surban, the first bishop of the Diocese of Dumaguete (Heroes and Icons).
This is only the second time that the Outstanding Dumagueteño Awards were ever given by the Dumaguete LGU. The first awards were handed out in 1998 during the golden anniversary of the Dumaguete charter, also under the mayoralty of Atty. Remollo.
In that awards ceremony, sixteen Dumagueteños were honored, including Senator Lorenzo G. Teves, Canuto “Cate” V. Villariza, Jose “Tatang” Garcia, Ma. Concepcion M. Roble, Vicente G. Sinco, Dioscoro S. Rabor, Martin “Ting” Matiao, Ramon Fernandez Ponce de Leon, Obdulia S. Tangente, Agapito L. Cang, Caridad Aldecoa-Rodriguez, Venancio D. Aldecoa Jr., Angel C. Alcala, Dionisio “Bob” R. Flores, Norma C. Ybañez, and Mariant Escaño Villegas. This year, 27 years after that first ceremony, thirteen out of the 25 recipients are posthumous honorees.
The Awards Committee for this year’s selection was chaired by SU College of Law Dean Atty. Mikhail Lee Maxino, with former SU VPAA Dr. Earl Jude Cleope, Negros Oriental President Dr. Noel Marjon E. Yasi, Foundation University Chancellor Dr. Charlotte V. Cariño, former St. Paul University Dumaguete VPAA Sr. Helen Malubay, and Assistant Schools Division Superintendent of the of the Department of Education Dumaguete City Division Dr. Juditha O. Mapue serving as co-vice chairpersons. Diamond Jubilee Chair Dr. Dinno T. Depositario also served as an ex-officio member of the selection committee.
