Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday lauded the world class talents and dedication to service of Negrenses, that, he said, with unity of purpose similar to that of the Cinco de Noviembre heroes 114 years ago, can bring the province to the top of the world.

Marañon and his wife, Marilyn, led in honoring the five outstanding Negrenses at the 114th Cinco de Noviembre rites at the provincial Capitol Social Hall last night.

Honored were Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano Soliman for public service, Antonio Agustin “Tony Boy” Montilla Escalante for culinary arts and business, Dr. Cecilia Dreyfus Del Castillo for women empowerment and microfinance, Araceli “Bukay” Garcia Ramos for community health service, and Romeo Reyes Belmonte for agriculture.

Soliman, who was represented by her nephew, Randy Nervez Gamboa, told the DAILY STAR she is grateful and humbled to be named an outstanding Negrense, and is thankful to the governor for the honor.

She was sad that she was not able to attend the awarding rites, but had to stay in Manila because she had to attend a meeting as United Nations rapporteur on trafficking of persons, Soliman added.

Escalante, who gave a response in behalf of his fellow awardees, thanked the governor and the award giving body for honoring them.

“Among the many accolades… this award is really special for me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for acknowledging my achievements, I am really proud to be a Negrense,” Escalante said.

Escalante was honored as a multi-awarded chef whose restaurants have consistently been rated among the top 20 restaurants in Asia since 2008, while Soliman was recognized for her achievements as an advocate of the social development agenda and for implementing poverty alleviation programs.

Del Castillo was recognized as a frontrunner in empowering women to become independent entrepreneurs, while Ramos was honored for her charity work through the Volunteers for the Handicapped and the Disabled Inc.

Belmonte, a former carabao caretaker (“bakero”) and sugarcane worker who did not finish his primary education, was honored for being a successful palay seed grower who now owns more than 60 hectares of rice and sugarcane lands.

Marañon said the Negrense leaders of the 1898 Cinco de Noviembre bloodless revolution were intelligent, shrewd, determined and focused, whose characteristics should be emulated by Negrenses today.

Cinco de Noviembre refers to the revolution staged on Nov. 5, 1898, by Negrense revolutionaries led by General Juan Araneta from Bago City and General Aniceto Lacson from Silay City.

The revolutionaries carried nipa stalks that looked like rifles and cannons that were actually bamboo mats painted black that deceived the Spaniards into surrendering.

Marañon said yesterday was also a day to honor the province’s modern day heroes who, through sheer hard work and dedication, have also helped propel Negros Occidental forward.

He cited the province’s dedicate teachers who work in remote and far flung areas to prepare Negrenses for a better future, and the thousands of Overseas Filipino Workers who send their earnings home, which helps boost the local economy.

The governor also cited the thousands of civil servants, law enforcers and workers in the farms for their contribution to the progress of Negros.

“If we all work together as one our province will further progress,” he said, and stressed the importance of a concerted effort in the fight against poverty, unequal distribution of resources and injustice.*CPG

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