DOT names Balikbayani awardee

Monico Mateo, Jr., a long-time resident of San Francisco, California was declared the grand prize winner of the Department of Tourism's Balikbayani Program along with the town of Morong, Rizal which won the DOT's Community Enhancement Program prize.

The awards were presented at the “Hawaiian Night” Community Ball held recently at the Morong Town Plaza with over 200 Morongan Balikbayans in attendance. The grand prize consists of a house and lot donated by Rep. Manual Villar, round-trip airline ticket to the Philippines courtesy of Philippine Airlines, Jewelmer southsea pearls, Taiping rug, complimentary holiday stays at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Amanpulo Resort, gift certificates from Goodwill Bookstore and Bookmark as well as HBC and Chateau 1774.

Mateo, who has been president of the Morong Balikbayan Association for the past five years, has successfully organized balikbayan returnees coming from all over the U.S.A., Canada, Australia and Saudi Arabia. The Awards Night capped the Morongans week-long activities which included excursion tours and religious activities for Lent.

Each year, the Morong Balikbayan Association meets at Easter time to renew their commitment to their town, visit friends and relatives and rediscover the many scenic attractions of their country of birth. Last year, the Morong Balikbayans inaugurated the two-storey Balikbayan Hall built through contributions received from the members. This year, they plan to build a Balikbayan Park complete with police outpost, toilet facilities and kiosk with the proceeds the town has won from the DOT’s Community Enhancement Program.

The DOT’s year-long contest which was launched in March 2000 and ended February 28, awards a grand prize to the individual residing abroad, of Filipino ancestry, who is able to bring in the most number of tourists to the country. The municipality or town in the Philippines which has contributed the most number of tourists wins the community enhancement prize worth R500,000 donated by PAGCOR to be used for the improvement of the town.