6TH MARIANG MAYA AWARDS
ARCELIA ALFONSO ALEJAR ‘55
Outstanding Achiever in Natural Sciences
Her unwavering perseverance as a global scientist and a premier agricultural scientist of the Philippines; Distinguished national and international scientific scholarship and exemplary research particularly in plant nutrition, azolla experimentation, and the hormonal aspects of abiotic stress physiology in plants; lifelong dedication to science education as lecturer, textbook writer, and extension agent in support of outreach, service-oriented extension activities, and youth apprenticeship programs; and nurturing guidance and wise mentoring of talented Filipino scientists from their high school through postgraduate degrees in areas such as molecular biology and other highly-advanced techniques of 21st-century importance; provide timeless and inspiring example of Sigma Delta Phi values in action.
MARIA ELISA FERNANDEZ ALLADO ‘68
Outstanding Achiever in Hospice Care and Community Service
Her magnanimous, humble, and contagious spirit of volunteerism to benefit the health of the less fortunate; Dedicated practice of family medicine with its emphasis on the holistic perspective and the bio-psychological approach to wellness for individuals, families, and communities from all socio-economic profiles; kind and caring commitment to palliative care for the chronically and terminally ill in the Philippines; and remarkable ability to unite people, organizations, government, and private sector towards community upliftment through livelihood training, feeding programs, free clinics, and diagnostic support provide timeless and inspiring example of Sigma Delta values in action.
ELIZABETH LORENZANA DIAZ ‘56
Outstanding Achiever in Broadcast Communication Education/Arts
Her pioneering responsibilities at the University of the Philippines created an academic program that has been used as a model by all broadcast communication programs in the country since 1963 making her a pillar of broadcast communications education in the Philippines; Unceasing advocacies through government legislation as well as private sector sponsored awards and other interventions to promote efficient, relevant, responsive, and responsible mass media in the public’s interest; and dedicated, lifetime service as professor who fosters practitioners’ awareness of the ethical importance, social significance, and responsibility of media has boosted the role of communication as a science, an art, and a service for the common good provide timeless and inspiring example of Sigma Delta Phi Values in action.
MERCEDES TAN GOTIANUN ‘47
Outstanding Achiever in Urban Development and Finance
Her steadfast leadership in finance making her the first Filipina to become president of a commercial bank and then of a universal bank in the Philippines, Corporate foresight pioneering for the Philippine banking industry computerized computation of interest daily since 1970 and compound interest daily since 1977; Keen anticipation of the future resulting in the design and development of a satellite city for Metro Manila, as well as a full range portfolio of urban real estate projects; and persistent forging of dynamic, inspiring viewpoints in development and concern for the disadvantaged thereby making her a consistent model of success for women around the world provide timeless and inspiring example of Sigma Delta Phi values in action.
PACITA UYBOCO JUAN ‘73
Outstanding Achiever in Business and Enterprise
Her steady commitment to sustainable development as a goal for enterprise most recognized in her efforts to save the Philippine barako coffee variety from extinction and support organic farming; Innovative application of franchising not only as a means of expanding business but as a rewarding option for aspiring entrepreneurs; Active support of corporate social responsibility as an essential component of 21st century business and enterprise for both small and big business; Trailblazing efforts t introduce barako into new markets around China, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East; and inspiring example of steadfastness and conviction for the new youth provide timeless and inspiring example of Sigma Delta Phi values in action.
FILIPINAS JUAN LOWERY ’55 (†)
Outstanding Achiever in Nursing and Community Service
Her life that was committed to improving the rights of nurses particularly those from the Philippines working in the United States of America; Dedicated over four decades, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, to lobbying successfully for passage of the Immigration Nursing Relief Act that addressd the acute nursing shortage in the USA and enabled foreign nurses to fill the need; Pledged to designating the Philippines as a new National Council of License Examination (NCLEX) test site and that was approved in 2007; and promised to helping Filipina nurses newly arrived in the USA adjust to the nuances of their new surroundings provides timeless and inspiring example of Sigma Delta Phi values in action.
VIRGINIA ALVAREZ MIRALAO ‘63
Outstanding Achiever in Social Sciences and Social Research
Her significant accomplishment in social science research for almost two scores acknowledging her as a leading social scientist in Asia Pacific and Europe; Unwavering and inspired leadership of the premiere umbrella organization of the Philippines’ leading social and human science associations and related institutions; national development strategies and programs particularly in curriculum reform, migration concerns, as well as human rights and peace initiatives; Unselfish sharing of her knowledge, professionalism, multicultural understanding, and kind spirit as an international lecturer, visiting professor, and visiting scientist provide timeless and inspiring example of Sigma Delta Phi values in action.
SALVACION ZALDIVAR PEREZ ‘55
Outstanding Achiever in Public Administration
Her inspiring example of an elected provincial leader who maximizes an holistic management approach to good governance as a strategy against poverty alleviation; Dedicated efforts to conserve Kinaray-a cultures as a means of unifying Antiqueños and empowering them towards self-reliance, self-expression, and self-reform; Faithful commitment to integrating the dynamic cultural approach in regional development towards positive social transformation; Consistently outstanding and multi-awarded implementation of relevant social welfare and development programs; and care and concern for the plight of stakeholders, taxpayers, voters, and small communities thereby strengthening civics and citizenship at the crucial local level provide timeless and inspiring example of Sigma Delta Phi values in action.
RIZALINA BONIFACIO VERA ’46 (†)
Outstanding Achiever in Law and Jurisprudence
Her strong sense of fairness, firmness of character, and courageous commitment to the law thereby raising standards for the Philippine judiciary she served for two decades; Personification of bravery as the first woman Assistant Director for legal evaluation and investigation at the National Bureau of Investigation and as a Justice at the Courts of Appeals thereby supporting equal opportunity legislation during its infancy; Pioneering initiatives in juvenile and women’s penal reform based on prevention and psychology research and in mediation as a legal resolution method; and unselfish sharing of principled legal expertise through legal education and volunteer work provide timeless and inspiring example of Sigma Delta Phi values in action.
VICTORIA VERGARA WIENEKE ‘61
Outstanding Achiever in Community Development and Social Work
Her tireless service to the poorest of the poor through nutrition, health, and livelihood initiatives successfully institutionalizing the partnering of private volunteerism with government social work; Exemplary leadership and unrelenting efforts to assist communities in need particulary those most isolated or war-torn and thus most vulnerable and underserved, abandoned, or overlooked; Compelling commitment to a healthy citizenry as imperative to nation building; and multi-awarded examples of best practices and community success stories thereby providing models for others seeking to give back or answer a call of the spirit provide timeless and inspiring example of Sigma Delta Phi values in action.
GLORIA LUCERO MONZON ‘33
Mariang Maya Platinum Award
Together with Catalina Abad Santos Manguera, Alicia Palma Bautista, Lourdes Paredes San Diego and Luisa Stevenson Isidro, co-founded Sigma Delta Phi at the University of the Philippines; in 1933 became one of the Sorority’s 18 Charter Members and thereby initiated, for the first time in the Philippines, the concept of sisterhood as a vehicle for character formation and a support system of the alma mater; as a resident sister served as Grand Archon encouraging talented coeds to strengthen the budding society; and as an alumnae sister has inspired generations of women in her family to sustain the Sorority as members , served as Beacon of Traditions and Core Values, and nurtured sisterhood throughout the scores.
ANITA MAGSAYSAY HO ‘35
Mariang Maya Golden Award
She pioneered the modern ethos in art for the Philippines and strengthened the field of visual arts as a profession for Asian Women; Celebrated the traditions and substance of our homeland sharing it with audiences and collectors around the world; Captured the quintessence of Filipino women, especially those who work with their hands and excel in using joy as a mechanism to cope with harsh reality; exemplified the maturing value of fidelity to beauty as a way of life; and since joining the sorority in 1935 provided immense inspiration to countless generations of sisters to overcome challenge with humane enlightenment and to excel in all that one does with an elegance of spirit.
