Top Pinoys

Musician, physicist, priest honored as top educators

Inquirer News Service

A MUSICIAN, a scientist and a priest are this year's honorees for the "A Tribute to Teachers," which continues the tradition of giving recognition to exemplary Filipino educators who have touched the lives of their students and have given deeper meaning to their vocation.

Alma Fernando-Taldo, Dr. Caesar Saloma, and Father James Reuter, SJ, were given this year's recognition for going beyond their duties to improve the lives of their students and uplift their profession, according to organizers from Bato Balani Foundation.

Devoid of any musical talent, Taldo saw the potential in an unknown children's choir from a small town in Bohol province, and single-handedly honed their talents.

Today, the 30-member Loboc Children's Choir has won accolades and recognition from various international chorale competitions.

The awards include first prize in the 2003 Europe and its Songs 6th International Folksong Choir Festival (Children's Choir Category), and the Europe and its Songs 2003 Cup for having achieved the overall highest mark in all categories.

Saloma, a physicist and executive director of the University of the Philippines' National Institute of Physics, earned the respect of the academic community for his patriotism and zeal for guiding the NIP towards attaining outstanding work in physics.

He was the recipient of the 2004 Galileo Galilei Award from the International Commission for Optics in recognition of his outstanding contribution in optics.

"Teachers end up molding souls," were the words of Father Reuter, who has found a unique way of serving the Church -- by teaching. He is the national director of the National Office of Mass Media, an office under the auspices of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

Today, Father Reuter is not only teaching in the classroom but is also putting into better use the influence of mass media -- television, radio and newspapers -- to affect the lives of more people.

The 2005 "A Tribute to Teachers" is part of the Bato Balani Foundation's advocacy to improve the quality of Philippine education by providing role models for teachers and helping them find meaning in their vocation.

For the first time, the foundation is also bringing this year's Tribute outside Metro Manila. It will be held in Cebu City on Sept. 10.

"A Tribute to Teachers" is sponsored by leading academic publisher Diwa Learning Systems Inc., Cebu Pacific, and Microdata. For more information, call Sheng Segura at 893-8501 or e-mail tribute@diwamail.com. Also visit www.diwa.ph.