The General-October 2003 news article. After the LOM won Major Awards in the Tgaytay national Convention
Ends 15-year national awards drought
After three relentless years, three of the four scrapbook-entries of the General Santos “Twin Star” Jaycees won two Major Awards and an Award of Merit in the Bidbook Competitions in the recently concluded Philippine Jaycees National Convention in Tagaytay City on October 9-12, 2003.
“The General”, the LOM’s monthly publication was awarded as the Most Outstanding LOM Publication, while the “PRO-Dog”, a monthly anti-rabies vaccination drive of the LOM with the Rotary Club of Midtown Dadiangas and the City Veterinary Office was adjudged as the winner in the Public Safety Award Category. Meantime, “BATMAN (Be A Total Man) Returns”, a mass circumcision joint project of the General Santos “Twin Star” Jaycees with the Bombo Radyo Phils., Councilor Odjok Acharon, Antonino Foundation, and Mahintana Foundation snatched the runner-up honors in the Future of the Children Award by garnering an Award of Merit.
The awarding ceremonies held in the plush and newly built Tagaytay International Convention Center which is located in a sprawling and landscaped complex owned by the Local Government of Tagaytay became more meaningful and nostalgic as the “Twin Star” Jaycees ended an almost 15-year national awards drought in the Jaycees Bidbook Competitions. The last national award garnered by the LOM previous to these was the Most Outstanding Seminar Speaker which was won in 1986 by the then LOM Secretary-General, “Twin Star” Jaycee Historian and now JCI Senator Larry Sevilla.
JC Sonny Sagalongos, the LOM’s Incoming President, and Past Presidents JC Jose Lasalita, Jr. and NVP Nestor Nolasco received the awards amidst the cheery adulations and ovations of more than a thousand Jaycee delegates all over the Philippines, as the “Twin Star” Jaycees becomes the only LOM in Mindanao to join the Manila Jaycees and Perlas Pasay Jaycees in the elite circle of winners of the Most Outstanding LOM Publication of the Philippine Jaycees.
More or less fifty (50) chapters submitted a record-breaking two hundred twenty (220) bidbbook pre-entry bids, of which one hundred twenty-eight were finished and submitted by at least thirty-eight (38) chapters beating the NatCon’s Opening Ceremony deadline set for the said competitions.
Past President JC Allan Licera, the Bidbook Committee Chairman was not able to join in the receiving of the award as he was appointed as one of the Bidbook Competition jurors by the Records and Recognition Commission of the Philippine Jaycees, Inc.
The other entry which got badly beaten by more than ten other Chapter Bidbooks was the The National Jaycee Week bidbook, which ironically garnered the Most Outstanding Jaycee Week Award in the Iligan Mindanao Area Conference last September 6-8, 2003.