TIPS prexy receives a National Award

The alumni association for the Japanese cultural exchange program called Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP) International Philippines (SIP), Inc., held its ceremony for SIP National Awards on November 12, 2011 during the Reunion on Board the Fuji Maru at Pier 13, Port of Manila. The said awards aims to recognize alumni members who make exemplary contributions to society.

One of the alumni is no less than Dr. Edwin V. Antonio, president of The Ilocandia Photographic Society (TIPS). For his active membership to arts and cultural organizations and his outreach project made him bag the award Excellence in Arts and Culture.

The awards committee made the following citation:

”SSEAYP National Awardee for Arts and Culture

DR. EDWIN V. ANTONIO
Batch 2002

... “ To share my experiences in life, to help others hone their talents, to impart knowledge and art skills in visual arts to the less fortunate and to the young minds and to preserve, develop, promote culture through my blog and my work at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA)”

Our Awardee is the Secretary, Executive Council (Execon) National Committee on Northern Cultural Communities, Subcommission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts (SCCTA), NCCA until Dec 2013. Their activities include among others Capability Building Seminars/Policy Making for the Cultural Communities/Participation in Indigenous Peoples events and activities. In this area, he has tapped blogging as a new media to reach more people in promoting the culture of Ilocandia. He is a cultural & travel blogger in the site www.ilocandiatreasures.com.

He is also the VICE-PRESIDENT, TAWID CULTURAL TROUPE – Ilocano cultural organization and presently, he is the PRESIDENT, THE ILOCANDIA PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY (TIPS), INC. It will warm your heart to know that the awardee is also the proponent and founder of KIDS ON PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHY - a project that teaches cultural photography to kids in the orphanages.”

The award was handed in by SIP Board Chairman Yvette Ledesma and President Greg Alcera. Dr Antonio is so grateful and honored to receive the award and he dedicates it to his associations. It’s a validation of his efforts to promote the Philippine culture especially indigenous arts and culture.