The Search for 2011 Outstanding Pangasinenses is On

Do you know a Pangasinense who excelled in government service, community service, arts and culture, medicine, agriculture and aquaculture, mass communications, business and entrepreneurship, law, education, science and technology, and sports; and contributed to the welfare of the people using their field of specialization? 

Nominate him/her for the 2011 Asna Awards. 

The Agew na Pangasinan Executive Committee has just launched the search for this year's  Outstanding Pangasinenses or the 2011 Asna Awards.

The ASNA Awards is the highest recognition given to outstanding Pangasinenses who have excelled over a lifetime in their respective fields of endeavor, who have established a reputation that cuts them above the others, and for this reason have brought pride and honor to our province.

The ASNA Awards also seeks to give recognition and focus public attention to outstanding Pangasinenses whose selfless dedication to their profession or vocation has resulted in outstanding contributions to the welfare of the people in Pangasinan and to our country at large.

Secretary Francisco Duque III

Santiago Villafania

Last year's ASNA awardees were former Health Secretary and now Civil Service Chair  Francisco Duque III (government service/public health); Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist/writer Rina Jimenez-David (mass communications) COA Commissioner Reynaldo Villar (government service/accounting and auditing); Santiago Villafania (arts and culture); Dr. Westly Rosario, BFAR-National Integrated Fisheries Technology and Development Center (NIFTDC) chief (aquaculture); lawyer Menardo Jimenez of the GMA Television Network (business and entrepreneurship); Police Supterintendent Eric Noble (community service) and Rodolfo Tan-Cardozo, the first international chess master for Pangasinan (sports). 

Former President Fidel V. Ramos with SiRVis 

F. Sionil Jose with SiRVis

Former President Fidel V. Ramos and writer and novelist F. Sionil Jose were conferred the Balitok Award, a special category for the truly outstanding sons of the province. Both in the Ilocano and Pangasinan language, balitok means gold or treasure.

Former DTI director Jaime Pasagoy-Lucas received a special citation for being the founding president of Ulupan na Pansiansia’y Salitan Pangasinan (Association for the Preservation of the Pangasinan Language) which champions the “preservation, development and spread of the Pangasinan language in all sectors of society in Pangasinan and for Pangasinenses anywhere in the world.

Deadline for submission of nominations by any individual or organization is March 15. The award ceremonies will be held during the Agew na Pangasinan celebration commemorating the 431st Foundation Anniversary of the province on April 5.

For inquiries and submission of nominations, contact the 2011 ASNA Awards Secretariat or the Provincial Tourism Office at (075) 542-8007 or tourismpangasinan@yahoo.com.

"ASNA" an old form of the Pangasinan word "asin", also used to describe the good quality of a man's character or his demeanor; Asin a mabli na Pangasinan, Silew ed bilonget, Nabang ed kaluyagan, Antabay na kalangweran.