TOSIA 2026 honors 24 Ilonggo student leaders

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

The Outstanding Students of Iloilo Awards (TOSIA) held its 17th edition May 30, honoring 24 young Ilonggo student leaders at a ceremony at Robinsons Place Pavia.

The annual Salute to Excellence, TOSIA’s culminating activity, recognized individuals across the junior high school and college categories who excelled in academics, leadership, community involvement, and faith.

Honorees underwent a rigorous process, from nomination by their schools to essay and interview challenges, where they shared their journeys across those four areas of achievement.

A five-person Top Circle was also named in each category, selected based on bid books and performance in the essay and interview rounds.

The junior high school Top Circle included:

• Burj Querian Capacillo (PAREF Westbridge School Inc.)
• Eena Mikhaela Luces (Philippine Science High School–Western Visayas Campus)
• Unah Angel Gabrielle Robante (West Visayas State University–Integrated Laboratory School)
• Ryder Johann Ledesma (Colegio de San Jose)
• Erica Anne Debura Pauchano (Colegio de San Jose)

For the college category, the Top Circle included:

• Lovely Joy Palis (PHINMA University of Iloilo)
• Elaisha Pomida (Central Philippine University)
• Romavil Abelarde (West Visayas State University–Main Campus)
• Jan Michael Alayon (West Visayas State University–Main Campus)
• Fritz Jaime Sumbo (West Visayas State University–Main Campus)

Other junior high school awardees included:

• Eliana Lyka Catedral (Philippine Science High School–Western Visayas Campus)
• Liela Marielle Eusoya (Philippine Science High School–Western Visayas Campus)
• Alex Kriel Noquez (Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School)
• Erylle Janeen Ortega (Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School)
• Patrice Janella Chua (Ateneo de Iloilo–Santa Maria Catholic School)
• Cheyenne Margarette Jacomille (Iloilo Science and Technology University–Laboratory School)
• Zoe Alexandria Lanceta (West Visayas State University–Integrated Laboratory School)

Other college category awardees included:

• Arcel Vinz Agudo (West Visayas State University–Main Campus)
• Hannah Joy Borja (Central Philippine University)
• Pamela Jane Florencio (PHINMA University of Iloilo)
• Nathan Gaviola (St. Paul University Iloilo)
• Prince Ezekiel Moreira (John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (Arevalo), Inc.)
• Zedrick Wynne Que (University of San Agustin)
• Milagros Therese Tutanes (Iloilo Science and Technology University–Iloilo City Campus)

Special awards were also given for achievements highlighted in bid books and for performance in the essay and interview rounds.

Pomida swept several college category special awards, including TOSIA Writer, TOSIA Speaker, TOSIA Worker, and TOSIA Leader, for her essay and interview performances and her community involvement and leadership accomplishments.

She also received the TOSIA Hall of Fame Award, given to those who earned recognition in both the junior high school and college categories. Pomida was part of the junior high school Top Circle in 2019, representing the then-St. Joseph School.

In the junior high school category, Luces received the TOSIA Scholar and Best Advocacy Video awards, while Capacillo garnered the TOSIA Worker and TOSIA Leader awards.

Eusoya was named TOSIA Writer, and Ledesma received TOSIA Speaker for the junior high school category.

Lanceta and Agudo each received the TOSIA Artisan Award for achievements in culture and the arts, as indicated in their bid books.

Agudo and Moreira each received the Best in Advocacy Video award, which highlighted their individual advocacies implemented in communities outside their schools.

Sumbo was named TOSIA Scholar, recognizing achievements in academic excellence.

The TOSIA Elite award was given to schools whose students have been awardees in the last five editions.

For the junior high school category, these schools were Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School, PAREF Westbridge School Inc., and Philippine Science High School–Western Visayas Campus. For the college category, the recognized schools were Central Philippine University, John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (Arevalo), Inc., University of San Agustin, and West Visayas State University–Main Campus.

TOSIA was started in 2010 by the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Regatta, a Iloilo City-based chapter of the global JCI network, which has held the honors annually since.

In his opening remarks, JCI Regatta 2026 President Steve Navigar Jr. said this year’s honorees, collectively called Batch ‘Igpat’—after the Hiligaynon word for firefly—were being recognized for how they have become a light for others.

“Like fireflies that create their own light from within, true leadership begins in the self. But light becomes more powerful when shared. Fireflies communicate through their glow, reminding us that leadership is rooted in connection, compassion, and authenticity,” Navigar said.

“Just as fireflies shine brighter together, communities flourish when individuals unite toward a shared vision,” he added.

‘Work in progress’

Lawyer Erika May Draper, a TOSIA 2014 junior high school Top Circle awardee, delivered the keynote address.

Draper reflected on her journey since being honored as a graduating high school student from St. Joseph School, and said the process of drafting her speech stirred both self-doubt and inspiration.

“I found myself asking, am I too young? Am I credible enough just yet? What wisdom can I possibly share with some of the brightest minds here in Iloilo? But I reflected on these questions, and I felt humbled,” Draper said.

“I came to believe that it is, perhaps, because I represent something that many of these awardees can relate to. We are a work in progress. Some of us are still learning. We are still growing and we are still making mistakes, and definitely, we are still chasing dreams,” she added.

Connecting this year’s theme to her remarks, Draper said even the faintest firefly light can guide through the darkness—and sometimes, that is enough.

She drew from her own experiences, from running for student council at the University of San Agustin and impersonating the character ‘Valak’ from “The Conjuring” film series, to the weightier chapter of moving to Maguindanao as a lawyer, wife, and mother.

“Life became more serious—but I learned that seriousness does not mean losing your joy. The same curiosity that led me to try new things, the same willingness to take chances, and the same faith, despite conversion, that guided me through uncertainty remained with me. The difference was that the stakes became higher. The decisions became heavier. The responsibilities became greater,” she said.

“Yet through it all, I realized that every stage of my life—from the fun and carefree moments to the challenging and demanding ones—was preparing me for the next chapter. My Firefly was using every experience, even the ones that seemed random at the time, to shape me into the person I needed to become,” she added.

Top Circle speeches

Top Circle awardees were given time to address the crowd after being recognized, with several sharing personal stories of struggle they credited for their achievements.

Pomida said her decision to re-enter TOSIA in the college category was unplanned, having stopped schooling for a year for health reasons.

“Coming from someone who has stopped schooling for a year to take care of myself and my mental health and my wholistic health, I felt that I did not fit into the standards of what it meant to be outstanding,” Pomida said.

“To everyone who thinks that they don’t deserve to be called outstanding—you can be outstanding even in the smallest things that you do, as long as you put your heart into everything that you do. […] Even the smallest thing can be an act of service,” she added.

Sumbo recalled failing to qualify as a TOSIA awardee during his junior high school years at Santa Barbara National Comprehensive High School, and growing up as the son of a vendor of ibos, a native rice cake.

“One important lesson this journey taught me is this: When many doors close, knock on every succeeding door. Try. Apply. Show up. Even when you feel unqualified. Even when you feel out of place. Even when people make you feel small. Because I am telling you, you belong,” Sumbo said.

“This is for every community I served, every person I met, and every soul who inspired me along the way. This is for the people working quietly in the sidelines. For those who had to shrink themselves just to fit into spaces not built for them. For those who constantly feel ‘too different’, ‘too loud’, ‘too soft’, ‘too much’, or ‘not enough’. Padayon lang,” he added.