PAPI feted Bataoil as ‘Outstanding House Solon’

8 solons make it as ‘TOCP 2015’

By MELVIN TIANGSON SAMSON

MAKATI CITY - The Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) has selected and awarded Pangasinan’s 2^nd Dist. Representative Leopoldo N. Bataoil as one among the eight of “The Outstanding Congressmen/women of the Philippines” (TOCP) for 2015 during its Mid-Year Convention at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in this city last Friday, August 28.

The Outstanding Congressman of the Philippines (TOCP) 2015: Pangasinan’s 2^nd Dist. Representative Leopoldo N. Bataoil receives his award from the Publishers Association of the Philippines (PAPI) during its recent Mid-Year Convention at the Asian Institute Of Management (AIM) in Makati  City, as among the eight outstanding House solons of the country in 2015.  With Bataoil in this photo are Johnny Nuñez, Editor-in-Chief of “The Publisher”;  Luis T. Arriola, outgoing PAPI President and Chairman of “The Publisher”;  outgoing PAPI Treasurer Estrella Gallardo, a publisher of a newspaper; and the newly elected treasurer of the PAPI. Representatives Bataoil, Amado Bagatsing and Celso Lobregat are the only three regular House Member-Awardees. Five other awardees are party-list representatives. (Photo courtesy of CLNB staff; Caption by Melvin Tiangson Samson)

PAPI president Louie T. Arriola said that based on the Search’s defined criteria and records of the House of Representatives, their TOCP Search Committee had chosen only eight winners from among the many nominees. Significantly, he added, majority of the chosen awardees were party-list representatives.

Only three regular House Members/Awardees were chosen by the PAPI TOCP Search Committee.  Rep. Bataoil of Pangasinan’s 2^nd District, Rep. Amado Bagatsing of Manila’s 5th district and Rep. Celso Lobregat of Zamboanga City.

Five other awardees are party-list representatives led by Bayan Muna Rep. Neri I. Colmenares.  The four other TOCP party-list representative-awardees are Representatives, Gary Alejano of Magdalo, Jonathan dela Cruz of ABAKADA, Luzviminda Ilagan of Gabriela, and Samuel Pagdilao of ACT-CIS.

PAPI suspended the TOCP Search in the last two years following the expose’ on the alleged scams on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) where some House members were implicated.

Arriola clarified the TOCP Search intends “to publicly distinguish and honor commendable members of the House of Representatives who have exemplarily discharged and performed their mandated duties, obligations and in both quantitative and qualitative terms, and have contributed significantly and meaningfully to the promotion of the public welfare.”

Under the Search mechanics, nominees may be submitted by any individual, organization or institution. The nominees are screened and evaluated by a TOCP Search Committee based on a set of quantitative and qualitative criteria, official records of the House of Representatives as well as public and private demeanor of the nominees.

The qualitative criteria include personal integrity, honesty and candor; sense of moral responsibility and fairness; statesmanship and leadership; initiative, creativity and responsiveness; quality of bills and resolutions filed; active and objective participation in public discourses on cogent and vital issues; initiatives designed to address Climate Change and environmental concerns; and substantive contribution to the people’s enlightenment and the public welfare.

The five-member TOCP Search panel, chaired by Tytana Colleges president and former UP Chancellor Dr. Jerry Cao, includes PAPI President Arriola, Dr. Met Palaypay of the environment advocacy groups Zero Waste Coalition and Mother Earth, National Press Club of the Philippines President Joel Egco and Philippine News Agency Senior Editor Faye Velasco.

Bataoil has been consistent in maintaining his perfect attendance in the House plenary sessions and committee hearings from his first term to the second term of his office.  Weeks before the PAPI’s awarding ceremonies, “The Outstanding Congressman of the Philippines Leopoldo N. Bataoil (TOCP-2015) representing the people of Pangasinan’s 2^nd district was stricken with influenza and over-fatigue and was confined in a hospital in Metro Manila but still managed to attend the daily House Plenary Sessions with his predicament.  (By Melvin Tiangson Samson with reports from CLNB Staff)