By Kristine Ann Fernandez
THE PRESIDENT OF the Silliman Junior Business Executives was chosen as one of the 17 “Mga Bagong Rizal: Pag-asa ng Bayan”
awardees.
Jason Capundag, a senior business management student, said in an article published in the Manila Bulletin that he is honored
because Jose Rizal is “like a statue of greatness.”
“I truly believe that one can be a ‘bagong Rizal’ even without the award. As long as you have the compassion and the willingness to
show concern and service for others and for the country then you are living a life like that of Jose Rizal,” he said.
Given by the Philippine Center for Gifted Education, the said title is given to Filipino youths who have made an impact in society through an existing project that shows concern for others.
Capundag will devote two years of community service as part of his “bagong Rizal” duties. He and the other awardees will be formally awarded in Intramuros, Manila on November 24.
Initially, Capundag garnered two nominations—one from Sonia Sygaco, a faculty member of the SU English and Literature Department and one from TESDA-Siquijor after rendering his services last summer.
For his advocacy, Capundag pushes for coastal and marine conservation starting in his hometown of San Juan, Siquijor.
“Our family’s livelihood is fishing and it’s a way of giving back to the sea. Since San Juan is a coastal municipality, I want it to be a role model municipality when it comes to marine conservation,” he said.
Capundag is also a cochairperson of the SU Student Government (SUSG) Scholarship committee and minority floor leader of the SUSG assembly.
Awardees will undergo leadership trainings from November 22-23
