Annually the City Government of Vigan recognizes the achievement of Bigueñas in all sectors of the society. According to Mayor Eva Marie S. Medina, the program is part of the Women’s Month celebration to pay tribute to outstanding Bigueña in various fields of concern. It also aimed to inspire the women of Vigan
The City Government of VIgan lined-up activities for the month long celebration of Women’s Month in the city. The celebration highlighted the significance of women’s issues in the development of government policies as emphasized in this year’s theme: “Kapakanan ni Juana, Isama sa Agenda”. As a kick off activity a Gender Advocacy Parade was held on March 4, 2016.
A Women’s Product Trade Fair was set up at the parking lot of the City Hall from March 14 – 18, 2016 to give Bigueño women the opportunity to showcase their entrepreneurial abilities, as well as their potential to sustain a livelihood and support their families.
Another highlight of the event is the holding of the Women Take-Over City Government Day, where women are given a day to become a city official and city department head. Self-defense training, dance exercise, extra challenge and community picnic were among the few activities participated in by women organizations of the city.
2016 Bigueña Awardees
1.) 2016 BIGUEÑA AWARDEE FOR PEACE AND ORDER BRGY. CAPTAIN MARILYN REMOLETE OF PANTAY LAUD, VIGAN CITY. SHE IS THE PUNONG BARANGAY OF PANTAY LAUD, VIGAN CITY. THOUGH IT IS JUST HER FIRST TERM AS BARANGAY CAPTAIN, HER DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE THE PEACE AND ORDER SITUATION IN THEIR BARANGAY HAS RESULTED IN THE ZERO CRIME FOR 2015. BORN ON JANUARY 7, 1962 AT KABACAN, NORTH COTABATO.SHE IS MARRIED TO MR. TOMAS REMOLETE AND IS MOTHER TO HANNAH HASHLEYN.
SHE BELIEVES THAT HER REGULAR MEETINGS WITH HER CONSTITUENTS HAS HELPED IN THE ACHIVEMENT OF A SAFE AND PEACEFUL BARANGAY. 2.) 2016 BIGUEÑA AWARDEE FOR RELIGION MRS. REMEDIOS SOMERA FORMOSO. A VERY ACTIVE LEADER IN THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY. A RETIRED GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE OF THE REGISTRY OF DEEDS. SHE WAS THE PAST PRESIDENT OF THE PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL AND THE CATHOLIC WOMEN’S LEAGUE-VIGAN UNIT AND THE ARCHIDIOCESE OF NUEVA SEGOVIA. SHE WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE PARISH FINANCE COUNCIL. SHE IS THE LOVING WIFE OF THE LATE JESUS FORMOSO JR AND MOTHER OF MSGR. GARY NOEL FORMOSO- PARISH PRIEST OF ST. AGUSTINE PARISH IN BANTAY, ILOCOS SUR AND MR. JOSEPH FORMOSO.
AT PRESENT SHE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARENTS OF PRIESTS ORGANIZATION OF THE ARCHIDIOCESE OF NUEVA SEGOVIA AND BOARD MEMBER OF THE CWL VIGAN UNIT AND ARCHIDIOCESE OF NUEVA SEGOVIA. OUR EMPOWERED WOMAN IN THE FIELD OF RELIGION.
3.) 2016 BIGUEÑA AWARDEE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP – MRS. INES DAMIAN PASIMIO. THE NEXT AWARDEE WAS BORN ON APRIL 20, 1942 IN BANGUED, ABRA, FELL IN LOVE AND GOT MARRIED TO THE LATE JOSE BILGERA PASIMIO JR.OF VIGAN CITY. THEY WERE GIFTED WITH FOUR CHILDREN ERNANIE , MARIA FELICITAS ,. JOHANES AND. LORELEI ALL OF WHOM ARE PROFESSIONALS.SHE IS ALSO A DOTING LOLA TO SIX GRANDCHILDREN. SHE TOOK OVER THE MANAGEMENT OF GRANDPA’S INN AFTER THE DEATH OF HER HUSBAND IN 1999 AND SHE ALREADY HAD A VISION TO MAKE GRANDPAS INN A HOME FOR ALL VISITORS COMING TO VIGAN. HER FAMILY IS ALSO THE PROUD OWNER OF CAFÉ UNO, KUSINA FELICITAS AND UNO GRILLE, THREE OF THE GOOD RESTAURANTS IN VIGAN CITY.
4.) 2016 BIGUEÑA AWARDEE FOR HEALTH – MRS. MYRNA NOLASCO CARANTO. OUR NEXT AWARDEE WAS BORN AT PAGPARTIAN, VIGAN CITY. SHE IS A GRADUATE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF STO. TOMAS. SHE ENTERED THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE IN APRIL 1972 AS MEDICAL TECHNICIAN AT THE GABRIELA SILANG GENERAL HOSPITAL AND WAS PROMOTED TO MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIST THE FOLLOWING YEAR. MARRIED TO VICTOR CARANTO. THEY WERE BLESSED WITH THREE SONS BIMBO, ZANDY AND TONG WHO ARE ALL SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR CAREERS OVERSEAS. SHE WAS DESIGNATED AS HEAD OF THE LABORATORY WHEN THE HOSPITAL WAS DEPARTAMENTALIZED IN 1982. SHE INITIATED THE CONDUCT OF MASS BLOOD LETTING IN DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES OF ILOCOS SUR, SCHOOLS AND HEADQUARTERS OF CIVIC AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS MAKING THE GSGH BLOOD BANK, A TRUSTED REPOSITORY FOR BLOOD NEEDS. SHE RETIRED LAST NOVEMBER 2015 AFTER 43 YEARS OF BEING A CIVIL SERVANT.
5.) 2016 BIGUEÑA AWARDEE FOR MASS MEDIA – MS SHIELA MARIE R. MEDINA. OUR NEXT AWARDEE IS THE EPITOME OF A SUCCESSFUL CAREER WOMAN. MARRIED TO THE FUTURE MAYOR OF VIGAN CITY JUAN CARLO MEDINA AND MOTHER TO UNO AND TUNA. A REGISTERED NURSE BY PROFESSION BUT A DEDICATED MEDIA PRACTITIONER BY CHOICE. HER LOVE FOR THE MEDIA STARTED WHEN SHE WAS ASKED TO HOST A WOMEN TALK SHOW, THE SHOW WAS A SUCCESS AND THE REST IS HISTORY.
SHE IS NOW THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF TVIGAN CHANNEL 9, THE OFFICIAL TV STATION OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT OF VIGAN. ASIDE FROM BEING THE EP, SHE IS ALSO THE HOST OF ONE OF TVIGAN SHOW“VIGAN LIFE” A LIFESTYLE/TALK SHOW WITH INTERVIEWS FROM DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE. TVIGAN STAFF AND PERSONNEL CONSIDER HER AS THEIR “MOMMY, FRIEND, BOSS AND ADVISER. FROM BEING A BUSY WIFE, A MOTHER AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF TVIGAN, SHE ALSO MANAGES THEIR RESTAURANT RHYSS AND ROBIN.
6.) 2016 BIGUEÑA AWARDEE FOR LITERATURE AND THE ARTS – MS. AGATONA CACHERO. OUR LITERATURE AND THE ARTS AWARDEE IS A NATIVE OF PONG-OL, VIGAN CITY. BORN ON DECEMBER 26, 1919. AT THE AGE OF 96, SHE CONTINUALLY UPHOLDS THE PRESERVATION OF ONE OF THE CITY’S TRADITIONAL INDUSTRY WHICH IS THE TERRA COTTA OR DAMILI INDUSTRY BY TEACHING IT TO THE YOUNGER GENERATION. AS A MANIFESTATION OF HER LOVE FOR LITERATURE AND THE ARTS, SHE WAS INVITED TO BE THE RESOURCE PERSON OF THE HISTORIA ORAL COMPETITION DURING THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE CITIES SOLIDARITY AND CULTURAL FESTIVAL IN 2014.
7.) 2016 BIGUENA AWARDEE FOR PUBLIC SERVICE – MRS. MARIA SUMABAT. OUR NEXT AWARDEE IS FROM BARANGAY IX, VIGAN CITY. MARRIED TO THE LATE DELFIN SUMABAT SR.THEY WERE BLESSED WITH SIX CHILDREN ALL OF WHOM ARE PROFESSIONALS. SHE IS NOW 87 YEARS OLD BUT IS STILL A VERY ACTIVE MEMBER OF OUR SOCIETY. IN FACT SHE HAS BEEN THE FEDERATED PRESIDENT OF SENIOR CITIZENS ASSOCIATION IN VIGAN CITY FOR 23 YEARS NOW. SHE INITATED THE MORTUARY AID FUND FOR DECEASED ELDERLY. SHE WAS ONCE ELECTED AS SECRETARY AND REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE FSCAP ILOCOS REGION AND IS PRESENTLY THE AUDITOR OF THE SAME ORGANIZATION. IN 2009 ,SHE WAS A QUIRINO MEDALIST AS AN OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR AND REGIONAL LINGAP AWARDEE AS AN OUTSTANDING ELDERLY FOR LEADERSHIP. HER VISION IS TO CONTINUE HER SINCERE, HONEST, COMPASSIONATE AND DETERMINED SERVICE FOR THE ELDERLY.
8.) 2016 BIGUEÑA AWARDEE FOR EDUCATION – DR. SOCORRO PILOR. OUR NEXT AWARDEE FINISHED HER BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION MAJOR IN MATHEMATICS AND MINOR IN ENGLISH AT ST. PAUL COLLEGE OF ILOCOS SUR AS CUM LAUDE. SHE FINISHED HER MASTERS OF EDUCATION MAJOR IN MATHEMATICS AT THE DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY AS A SCHOLAR OF THE MATHEMATICS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. SHE TAUGHT MATH IN BOTH HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE DEPARTMENTS OF THE ST PAUL COLLEGE AFTER GRADUATION. SHE APPLIED AT THE DIVISION OF CITY SCHOOLS AND WAS ASSIGNED TO TEACH AT THE MANILA SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL IN 1976. SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE MANILA SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL COACHING TEAM THAT TRAINED STUDENT-CONTESTANTS IN VARIOUS MATHEMATICS COMPETITIONS. IN RECOGNITION OF HER DEDICATION TO HER TEACHING PROFESSION, THE MATHEMATICS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILS AWARDED HER A PLAQUE OF RECOGNITION AS AN EXEMPLARY SECONDARY MATH TEACHER IN 1989. SHE HAS BEEN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS COUNCIL SECRETARIAT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FROM 2002 UP TO HER RETIREMENT IN NOVEMBER 12, 2014.
9.) 2016 BIGUEÑA AWARDEE FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY- MS ANITA CRISTE. OUR AWARDEE IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HAILS FROM CABAROAN LAUD, VIGAN CITY. A GRADUATE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CHEMISTRY AT THE FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY AND EARNED 30 UNITS IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF STO. TOMAS. SHE PASSED HER CHEMIST LICENSURE EXAMINATION IN 1980. SHE WAS A CHEMISTRY TEACHER AT THE DIVINE WORLD COLLEGE OF VIGAN FROM 1980-1990.A MEMBER OF THE INTEGRATED CHEMIST OF THE PHILIPPINES, PHILIPPINE ASSOCIATION OF FOOD TECHNOLOGIES, REGIONAL INTER AGENCY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH AND REGIONAL NUTRITION PLANNING AND EVALUATION TEAM. AT PRESENT SHE IS THE SCIENCE RESEARCH SPECIALIST II OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REGION I.
10.) BIGUEÑA AWARDEES IN AGRICULTURE – MRS DANIELA RAGASA.
OUR AWARDEE IN AGRICULTURE CAME FROM THE FAMILY OF FARMERS IN BULALA, CALUMBUYAN VIGAN CITY. MARRIED TO CIRIACO RAGAS AND WERE BLESSED WITH 5 CHILDREN. LIFE WAS NOT EASY FOR THEM BUT DESPITE OF THAT THEY HAD RAISED THEIR CHILDREN WELL. ONE OF THEM EVEN GRADUATED AS MAGNA CUM LAUDE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES. SHE BELIEVES THAT PRAYERS AND HARD WORK COME HAND IN HAND TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE.