Leonardia is Man of the Year at Asia Leaders Award

BACOLOD City – Mayor Evelio Leonardia was chosen Man of the Year at the Asia Leaders Awards 2019, dubbed “Global Excellence,” at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel in Manila Tuesday which was keynoted by South Korea Ambassador Han Dong-man.

Leonardia’s co-awardees for Man of the Year were Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, businessman Dennis Uy, chief executive officer of Dito Telecommunity; former Senate president Manuel Villar, chairman of the board of VistaLand; Joey Concepcion, founder of Go Negosyo; William Belo, founder and chairman of Wilcon Depot; and Sam Verzosa, chief executive officer of Frontrow.

The Man of the Year award was presented by The Manila Times.

This year’s Asia Leaders Awards, with a capacity crowd at the Rizal Ballroom, was co-presented by the Embassy of Malaysia and the Embassy of Korea.

Last year, the Asia Leaders Awards gave Leonardia two awards: Lifetime Excellence – City Governance, and Mentor of the Year.

Leonardia said, “While our public service is motivated by the desire to improve the delivery of basic services and enhance good governance, these awards and recognitions we received this year nevertheless serve as our inspiration and guidance. We now feel, more than ever, more challenged to live up to our people’s expectations.”

Joining Leonardia at the awarding ceremony were Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, Councilor Renecito Novero, Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez and other City Hall executives.

Leonardia is currently the national president of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), an organization of the mayors of the 145 cities in the country.

He has also recently been appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council [LEDAC] as the lone representative of all local governments in the country in the council. The LEDAC is the highest advisory body to the President for economic and development.

As LCP national president, the Bacolod mayor recently represented the Philippines at the World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders, organized by the United Cities and Local Governments, held in Durban, South Africa on Nov. 11 – 15.

Meanwhile, Engr. Grace Bondad-Nicolas, co-founder of TAG Media Group that organizes the Asia Leaders Awards, said, “The Asia Leaders Awards, a culmination of Asia Leaders Forum, recognizes and acknowledges leading men and women in various industries who have exhibited exemplary leadership and contributed in promoting the country as a premier business hub in Asia.”