On the Dot
By Helen J. Camarista

‘Twas a grand slam for Western Visayas !

It was a grand slam for Western Visayas entries with fifteen (15) out of  twenty-seven (27) winners  in the recently-concluded European Union (EU)-Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) Multi-Event Competition. The theme of the competition was “Building a Culture of Integrity and Excellence”. The three events included in the competition were on-the-spot  poster making, essay writing and slogan making. It was a Visayaswide competition with three separate contests held recently in Cebu for Region 7, Iloilo City for Region 6 and in Tacloban City for Region 8. These contests were participated in by students, government employees and those from the general public/private sectors.

The EU-OMB project aimed to solicit the cooperation and commitment of the wider public in search of ways on how to prevent corruption, as well as, to create an impact relative to the responsibility and accountability of the people in taking some action to prevent the said social menace.

This writer, as Resident Ombudsman of the Department of Tourism Region VI and President, Assembly of Resident Ombudsmen in Western Visayas attended the  awarding ceremonies held in Cebu City Thursday last week to escort the winners and confer with the officials of the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas on related matters.

Resident Ombudsmen Agustin Cabahug of the Department of Education Region VI and Perfecto Yap of the Department of Trade and Industry Region VI also joined us there.

The winners from Western Visayas  of the Essay Writing Contest were John Leon Moya (3rd Prize) of Fellowship Baptist College, Negros Occidental  (Student Category), Early Sol Gadong (First Prize) of  UP in the Visayas, Iloilo City (Gov’t. Category), and Leo Cicero Pelleso  (First Prize) of Diocesan Social Action Center, Bacolod City, Francis Romulo J. Moya (2nd Prize) of Kabankalan City, Negros Occ. And Lester Mark P. Carnaje (3rd Prize) of Visayan Tribune, Iloilo City.

Winners of the Slogan Making Contest from Western Visayas were Adrienne Joy B. Cerbo (First Prize) of Fellowship Baptist School, Negros Occidental (Student Category), Early Sol Gadong (First Prize) of UP in the Visayas, Iloilo City (Gov’t. Sector) and Rodolfo Gumabong (2nd Prize) of Jaro, Iloilo City  and Joey Frank L. Ausan  (3rd Place) of La Paz, Iloilo City (Private Sector Category).

In the On-the-Spot Poster Making Contest, the winners were Alex P. Ordoyo (First Prize) of West Visayas College of Science and Technology, Iloilo City, Cletus C. Dapatnapo (2nd Prize) of Western Institute of Technology, Iloilo City and Alexis G. Jover (3rd Prize) of West Visayas College of Science and Technology, Iloilo City (Student Category), Leoniel R. Cerbas (2nd Place) of Brgy. Ortiz, Iloilo City  (Government Category) and Ric Isiderio (2nd Place) Pulso Ilonggo Advertising, Iloilo City and Ronnie C. Granja (2nd Prize) of Arts association of the Philippines-Iloilo (Private Sector Category).

The First Prize winners of  all three contest categories shall represent the Visayas in the National Essay Writing Contest, National Slogan Making Contest and National On-the –Spot Poster Making Contest in Manila on October 20, 2005. Funds for the participation of the national contestants from Visayas will be provided by the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.