The year Ilonggos soared to unprecedented heights

By Sean Rafio

Following years of uncertainty—and a global pandemic that has proven to be one of the most challenging events in history—we forged on.

Through courage and determination, we saw stories from topnotchers, artists, and communities.

Daily Guardian looks back on the achievements that made Western Visayas proud this year.

Ilonggo student wins in int’l photo contest

De Angel’s winning photo entry that was taken in the waters of Estancia, Iloilo featured a clown fish tangled with a piece of plastic waste.

Ilongga pediatrician is one of 2022 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees

Dr. Bernadette Madrid was cited by the Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation for her “competence and compassion in devoting herself to seeing that every abused child lives in a healing, safe and nurturing society” in choosing her for the award, considered Asia’s highest honor.

19 students from West Visayas State University top the Nurse Licensure Examination

WVSU’s Jezrel Cabasis Alijid made it to second place in the nurse board exam with an 89.80% score rating.

Emmanuel John Dorado Aggabao came in third with an 89.60 rating, while Carlos Jose Estacio Cerrada, Pauline Marie Robide Haro, Terese Angel Mispeñas Lee, and Emielle Salinas Ong tied in fourth place with a rating of 89.40 percent.

‘John Denver Trending’ screens in South Korea

“John Denver Trending,” the award-winning film by Pandan-based director Arden Rod Condez, was released in cinemas in South Korea on November 23, 2022.

The movie follows the life of 8th-grade pupil John Denver Cabungcal, played by Jansen Magpusao, who found himself in the center of a town’s turmoil when he was accused of stealing a classmate’s iPad.

“John Denver Trending” was shot in its entirety in Pandan, a town in the northern part of Antique. The dialogue was all in the local language, Kinaray-a.

Return of festivals

Thousands of domestic and foreign visitors packing various festival activities as popular festivals like MassKara, Ati-Atihan, and Dinagyang returned to the streets and exceeded expectations.

Miss Iloilo crowns three queens to represent Iloilo City in nat’l pageants

Miss Iloilo 2023 first runner-up Chloei Darl Gabales (left) was hailed Miss Iloilo-Universe, newly crowned Miss Iloilo 2023 Raniele Shaine Saulog (center) was given Miss Iloilo-World, second runner-up Tracy Lois Bedua got Miss Iloilo-Binibini.

Ilonggo moot court team wins SEA environmental law tilt

A team from the University of San Agustin-College of Law (USA COL) in Iloilo City is the regional champion of the South East Asian Regional Rounds of the 27th International Environmental Moot Court Competition (IEMCC) of Stetson Law on Friday, Feb 3, 2023.

The 5-member team beat the National University of Singapore on Friday to clinch the championship. The team reached the finals after beating erstwhile top seeders from the University of the Philippines-College of Law in the semifinals.

The team’s speakers – Blessie Marie Cawaling and Marco Giorgione Dava – also garnered Second Overall Best Speaker and Best Speaker (Preliminaries), and Best Speaker (Finals), respectively. The team researchers are Quemel Charles Malte, Rency Joseph Ponce de Leon, and Descartes Roldan.

Colegio de San Agustin Bacolod grad tops Medtech Board Exam

Hard work and perseverance paid off for 23-year-old Sidrey Mel Aldeguer Flores, son of a barangay chairman in Bacolod City, as he topped the March 2023 Medical Technologists Licensure Examination (MTLE) with a 92.10 percent rating.

‘Beating all odds’: Food vendors’ daughter passes 2022 Bar Exam

Maria Joan Mecono, daughter of food vendors in Lambunao, Iloilo, proved that nothing is impossible with hope and determination as she passed the 2022 Bar Exam.

In a Facebook post, Mecono proudly told the public that she is a daughter of a ‘carinderia’ owner and thanked her parents for the sacrifices they made to support her studies.

“Ladies and gents, I am the youngest daughter of Mr. Paterno Amid Mecano (kilala niyo ni tanan kay amo ni may pinakanamit carinderia sa Lambunao) and late Maria Flordeliza Magallardo Collado (kilala niyo man ni gabaligya saging sa tinda kag duru-duru dya anay manugsukot nga bombay), Juris Doctor, and I just hurdled the bar,” Mecono said.

With humility, Daily Guardian is grateful for all the accomplishments we had over the year.

Daily Guardian named SSS’ Best Media Partner for Print

Daily Guardian was named Best Media Partner for Print by the Social Security System (SSS) during its Balikat ng Bayan Awards held at the Ramon Magsaysay Hall of the SSS Building in Diliman, Quezon City on September 30, 2022.

Instituted in 1995, the SSS Balikat ng Bayan Awards acknowledge the valuable contributions of individuals and organizations in helping SSS deliver quality service and programs to its members here and abroad.

DG shares insights on FactsFirstPH

Daily Guardian Social Media Correspondent Sean Rafio shared with Rappler the first time he met with other fact-checkers under #FactsFirstPH, and his fact-checking experience during the 2022 National Elections.

DG editor, reporter join international trainings

Editor-in-chief Francis Allan L. Angelo flew to Stockholm, Sweden for Phase 4 of the International Training Programme (ITP) on media development and self-regulation initiated by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

Angelo is the lone Ilonggo representative to the programme, along with fellow journalists in the Philippines and Asia.

Daiky Guardian senior reporter Joseph Bernard A. Marzan went to Sydney and Canberra, Australia for a week-long Media Benchmarking Study Tour in the land down under, together with 9 other journalists from other parts of the country.

Daily Guardian among finalists for PPI’S Civic Journalism Community Press Awards

Daily Guardian has been named a finalist for the daily category in the 2022 Civic Journalism Community Press Awards of the Philippine Press Institute (PPI).

The winners of this year’s awards will be announced on April 25 as one of the highlights of the annual National Press Forum at Citadines Bay City in Manila.

The future offers a lot of uncertainty and challenges, but opportunities abound too. Daily Guardian is clearly set to work on these opportunities.