THE ATENEO conferred its traditional university awards for excellence in service to the academe, church, culture, country and community during the 2014 Special Academic Convocation held at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater on September 16.

The 2014 Special Academic Convocation was set alongside the 200th year of the restoration of the Society of Jesus, focusing on how the journey of the Jesuits’ return to service after 41 years of suppression draws parallels with the lives and work of this year’s awardees.

The 2014 awardees are Teresa Banaynal-Fernandez, choreographer Agnes Locsin, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Cardinal Orlando Quevedo, Professor Emeritus Mari-Jo Ruiz, PhD and American missionary and pastor Delbert Rice, who was awarded posthumously.

Save for the Honorary Degree, which was awarded as a degree of Doctor of Humanities earlier this year to Hans-Gert Pöttering, PhD, all of the Ateneo’s traditional awards were handed out at the convocation.

“The six people we honor today have been on the journey of restoration for most of their lives, and we are graced to meet them in the flesh,” said University President Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ in his opening remarks.

The awards

Each of the Ateneo’s traditional awards recognizes outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions in their field and have provided outstanding service to their respective communities in line with the Ateneo’s vision on nation-building.

The Lux-in-Domino Award was given to Ruiz, the first female recipient in 28 years of the award’s history.

The award, named after the Ateneo’s motto, honored Ruiz’s dedication and service to over 4,000 Atenean students over the course of her 47-year tenure.

Ruiz was a mathematics and operations research teacher and a member of various administration offices in the Ateneo.

She also served as the dean of the former College of Arts and Sciences, and helped in transforming the college into the four Loyola Schools and in enhancing the core curriculum.

The Lux-In-Domino Award is the highest recognition bestowed upon alumni who embody the ideals of the Ateneo through their work and service.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Quevedo, Doctor of Divinity, member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, was awarded the Bukas Palad Award in honor of his efforts in promoting inter-religious harmony through bilateral discourse and education in Mindanao.

During the time he served as a bishop of several Mindanaoan provinces since the 1980s and through his appointment as cardinal last January, Quevedo has been devoting his life to enhancing the cooperation and mutual understanding between the indigenous Moro people and the Christians.

The Bukas Palad Award is given to religious leaders and figures who, through their service to their communities, embody the Catholic and Ignatian ideal of generosity.

Afterwards, Banaynal-Fernandez was given the Ozanam Award in recognition of her services to the marginalized sectors of the poor and the oppressed, of her advocacy to end domestic violence, and of her drive to uphold the rights of women and children.

Banaynal-Fernandez is the founder of the Lihok Pilipina Foundation and the Bantay Banay (Community Watch), two initiatives created to empower impoverished women and to reduce domestic violence, respectively.

The Ozanam Award, created in 1937, was named after Blessed Frédéric Ozanam in honor of his service for the poor in Paris.

In line with Ozanam’s work, the said award honors lay men and women who serve their communities and manifest the Christian ideals of justice and charity.

The Gawad Tanglaw ng Lahi was awarded to Locsin for her efforts in enhancing and promoting Philippine culture through dance.

One of Locsin’s most significant achievements was the creation of a form of Filipinized ballet, combining Western technique and form with local themes and culture.

This creation allowed Locsin to create pieces that showcase indigenous folklore, stories and mythology to the Filipino and beyond, helping to push forward the definition of a Philippine identity.

The Gawad Tanglaw ng Lahi is awarded to those who contribute to the pursuit of defining Filipino identity and to those who promote Filipinism through culture and the arts.

Meanwhile, Ombudsman Carpio-Morales was conferred the Government Service Award for her contributions to the country through her work in eradicating corruption and improving governance.

Carpio-Morales is noted for her efforts in the recent trial of former Supreme Court Chief Justice (CJ) Renato Corona, where she presented a report on the former CJ’s transactions that proved conclusive to his prosecution and, eventually, paved the way to his impeachment.

The Government Service Award is granted to public servants in recognition of excellent service through either the implementation of a successful and innovative policy or through efforts for the common good.

Lastly, the Parangal Lingkod Sambayanan was posthumously awarded to Rice for his endeavors in supporting the Ikalahan people of Nueva Vizcaya in their efforts to protect and develop their ancestral homelands through the Martial Law years and beyond.

The Parangal Lingkod Sambayanan is awarded to individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to their community in the form of public service, often complementing or exceeding government efforts.