5 students from Region VI made it to TOSP nat'l finals
Every year, the RFM Foundation together with the Commission on Higher Education and other sponsoring agencies launch the search for the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP). It is a nationwide search for the brightest students who displayed extraordinary academic achievements, unparalleled leadership skills, deep sense of community involvement and moral values worthy of emulation.
Last April 9, 2006 at the Iloilo Grand Hotel, the Ten Outstanding Students of Region- VI were named and they automatically qualified for the national search. However, after several months of screening and deliberation by the TOSP National Executive Committee with their invited judges of significant societal stature, only thirty (30) finalists emerged to be the potential awardees in this year's search. Out of the thirty finalists who were named, five (5) came from Region VI, the most number of finalists coming from regionalized areas. This is not the first time that the Region VI has such record.
The five finalists from Region VI are: Ma. Kristina L. Alpon (Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, University of Negros Occidental -- Recoletos), Brian T. Lim (Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, University of St. La Salle), Michael Vincent A. Palacios (Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, West Visayas State University), Allan Jane Defante (Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, major in Business, Central Philippine University), and Richard J. Catedral (Diploma of Technology, major in Electronics and Technology, Western Visayas College of Science and Technology).
Region VI finalists will be joining the other finalists coming form top colleges and universities in the Philippines such as the De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Southern Mindanao, San Pedro College, Far Eastern University, Wesleyan University -- Philippines, Cebu Institute of Technology, Notre Dame of Marbel University, Saint Mary's University, University of San Carlos, Samar State University, University of La Sallete, Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific, Concordia College, University of Baguio, Miriam College Foundation, Leyte Normal University and Mindanao Polytechnic State College.
All thirty finalists will be experiencing a series of activities that will highlight the true vision of the TOSP Program with national figures as invited speakers and TOSP alumni as facilitators. The activities will give the finalists a rare chance to bond and form a vision together as the outstanding students of the week. Final determination of the top ten students will be based on the result of final interview to include the points obtained based on their submitted documents.
Rodolfo P. Gumabong