5 outstanding individuals honored at the 2023 Traditional University Awards

^{Br Armin Luistro, FSC, Bukas Palad Award; Maria Anna Ignacio, Ozanam Award; José Tence Ruiz, Gawad Tanglaw ng Lahi; Sen Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, Government Service Award; and Atty Koronado Apuzen, Parangal Lingkod Sambayanan. Photo: Aaron Vicencio}

On 7 December 2023, Ateneo de Manila honored five outstanding individuals across different sectors of Filipino society at this year’s Traditional University Awards: Atty Koronado Apuzen, Hon Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, Maria Anna Ignacio, Br Armin Luistro, FSC, and José Tence Ruiz. An annual university tradition, the special academic convocation has regularly recognized the life and works of Filipinos who exemplify the values of the University.

Previous honorees include Onofre Pagsanghan (Ozanam Award in 1969), Bienvenido Lumbera (Gawad Tanglaw ng Lahi, 2000), Jesse Robredo (Government Service Award, conferred posthumously in 2013), Jesuit Volunteers Philippines Foundation Inc (Parangal Lingkod Sambayanan, 1995), Bishop Pablo Virgilio S David DD (Bukas Palad Award, 2019), Cecilia Muñoz-Palma (honoris causa, Doctor of Humane Letters, 1979). 

This year’s awards coincide with the 50th anniversary of Fr Pedro Arrupe’s groundbreaking “men for others” speech, an important call that Jesuit universities all over the world heeded and took to heart. In his opening remarks, University President Fr Roberto C Yap SJ said: “All our awardees personify Fr Arrupe’s vision of being persons for and with others. These are men and women who pursue their passion with an indefatigable spirit, bold courage, and a steadfast desire to help and uplift others.”

“Even in a time of brokenness and chaos,” he continued, “our honorees have given themselves wholeheartedly to their mission, seeking God’s love and goodness with gratitude, humility, and urgency.”

Parangal Lingkod ng Sambayanan awardee Atty Koronado Apuzen has dedicated his life advocating for indigenous peoples, agricultural workers, and agrarian reform, his efforts most clearly culminating in the establishment of FARMCOOP (Foundation for Agrarian Reform Cooperatives in Mindanao, Inc) in 1995. The grassroots, not-for-profit organization has been providing services to farmers’ cooperatives in the form of organizational development, access to credit, technical services, market linkage, and research and development.

In his response, Atty Apuzen said: “In my fifty years within the labor and cooperative movements, my commitment to serving the least among us—the tillers of the soil, the factory workers, the tribal farmers—remained unwavering. As a labor organization and lawyer in the 70s, when ideological unionism dominated the labor movement, the National Federation of Labor, or NFL, to which I was a part, championed a brand of genuine unionism, an ethos of the union of the workers, by the workers, and for the workers.”

“I express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to Ateneo de Manila University for this award, which honors the least among us, and those who serve them,” he ended. 

Hon Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, legislator and activist, was conferred the Government Service Award, which honors men and women in government who have rendered exemplary service or have developed and implemented policies or programs that are innovative and significant for the common good. 

Sen Hontiveros, who was elected to the Senate in 2016, has been responsible for the passage of 25 laws that protect and advance women’s rights, family welfare, and public health—all within her first term. An activist since her days as a student in Ateneo de Manila, Sen Hontiveros is unceasing when it comes to the causes she champions. She was the principal author of the landmark legislation Philippine Mental Health Law, which upholds the protection and promotion of the rights of all Filipinos with their psychiatric, neurologic, and psychosocial health needs.

“What drives me, what fires me up as a legislator, the reason I get up in the morning for government service, every day for almost twenty years, is that justice and democracy must transcend the abstract realms of philosophy and debate,” Sen Hontiveros said in response. “As a legislator, I intend to make things happen for our kababayan, for all Filipinos. If every individual, regardless of their socioeconomic background, gender, race, or any other distinguishing characteristic, deserves to be heard and have their thoughts and concerns acknowledged and respected, then our laws should reflect that.” 

The Ozanam Award, given only to laymen or laywomen, honors Christians who have given distinctive and continued service to their fellowmen in accordance with the principles of justice and charity. 

Maria Anna “MeAn” Ignacio, this year’s recipient, has made social and community development her life’s work through different means and non-governmental organizations over the years. Her work has placed importance on enabling or improving access to social housing and microfinance loans, livelihood and enterprise development, health and wellness, education, social protection, and more.

“Nais ko po kayong anyayahang maglakbay sa paglilingkod o manatili sa lakbaying ito,” Ignacio said in her response. “Marami akong nakakausap na madalas magbahagi ng kanilang pagkadismaya sa kabagalan ng pagbabago.”

“Matagal ang lakbayin na ito,” she continued. “Baguhin lang nga ang sarili ay napakahirap na. Ano pa kayo ang buong sambayanan? Subalit hindi dahilan huminto sa biyahe ng pagtulong, sa biyahe ng patuloy na pagsusumikap, sa biyaheng patuloy na mag-aral at tumuklas ng mga pamamaraan na makakagaan sa mga hirap na dinaranas ng kapwa.” 

The Bukas Palad Award, given to members of the clergy and the religious community, or religious orders, recognizes individuals who exhibit the “Ignatian spirit of Generosity, manifested in unconditional and dedicated service to the Church and God’s people, especially the poor, oppressed, marginalized, sick, and suffering.” 

This year, the Board of Trustees selected Br Armin Luistro, FSC for the award for his tireless work in the education sector over the decades. The former DepEd secretary and president of the De La Salle University System and the De La Salle University has long championed children in his vocation as both religious and teacher, with a particular emphasis on the poor and the disadvantaged. He has led educational reforms, including K-12, and pushed for a learner-centered DepEd, all while working towards addressing the inadequacies in the Philippine education system. 

In his response, Br Armin acknowledged the injustices and suffering happening around the world, as well as our own country. He enjoined everyone to remain generous—bukas palad—for children, for the nation, for God. “Nasanay na siguro tayo sa makitid na pangarap. Ayaw na nating lumayo sa kinagisnan nating pampang o kinasanayang kinatatayuan,” Br Armin said. 

“Mahirap mamulat sa kalawakan ng pangarap ng Diyos para sa isang daigdigan, pangarap ng Diyos para sa bawat Pilipino,” he continued. “Ito rin ang paalala sa atin ng Maylikha: muling pumalaot sa kabilang dako ng karagatan, abutin ang mga liblib na kabahayan, at makipag daupang-palad sa mga nasa laylayan ng lipunan. Makinig bago mangaral. Magmahal bago humusga. Kapit-bisig nating itayo ang Kaharian ng Diyos.”

The final honoree that evening was artist José “Bogie” Tence Ruiz, known for his fearless social commentary present in his work, whether as painter, editorial cartoonist, illustrator, writer, curator, or performance artist. A member of Kaisahan, an artist group established by socio-realist painters during the Martial Law years, Tence Ruiz has been an important voice in Philippine contemporary art. 

In the citation for this year’s Gawad Tanglaw ng Lahi recipient, Maria Victoria Herrera, Director of the Ateneo Art Gallery, wrote: “Tence Ruiz continued a prolific art practice and produced various works informed by the issues and actual social and political problems besetting every citizen, our society, and the world. His versatility as an artist is evident not only in the handling of a wide range of materials and art forms but also in his capacity to integrate everyday concerns with the familiar with the allegorical.”

Tence Ruiz, in response, said: “I personally have tried to operate by seeking a truth that directly always goes back to equilibrium, to balance. More concretely, to democratic participation, to equality, fairness, justice. It may be flimsy in this universe of multiple truths but it has worked for me and my art in the last five decades.”

“Five decades—that’s just the blink of an eye in the face of eternity. I have attempted to comprehend it, and have failed. But from this truth of opaque endlessness, I may have gotten some perspectives and tools, which makes the indeterminate search for good and truth workable. If I took instead of eternity, this totally long thought that I cannot wrap my head around, and I said, ‘I’ll break it into a minute nano-fraction and say, May I just practice more patience? May I prolong my tenacity?’”

“May we have repetitive determination rising whenever we fail. Maybe this notion, even as it may run out as time runs out on us, and even if that does so, there is still enough of it for us to try, and to try, and to try ever again, until we might not anymore, but that continuum may still reflect all the time we have spent trying.”

Cardinal Luis Antonio G Tagle, the sixth and last honoree of the 2023 Traditional University Awards, will be conferred his honorary degree in June next year.