TOFA awardees honored Sept. 13

August 28, 2008
Written by News Team, in Around DC

WASHINGTON D.C. – The 2008 Twenty Outstanding Filipinos Abroad (TOFA) awardees will be honored Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008 at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in this city, the TOFA Panel Board of Judges of the Filipino Image Magazine (FILIM)
and the Pinoy Global Online News (PGON) said in a press release.
In advance of the celebration, Ambassador Willy C. Gaa in a message congratulated the awardees. He said the awards “affirms the achievements of our fellow kababayans and acknowledges the dedication of each of their respective fields.”
It said bio-data and photographs of the 2008 honorees, initiated in 1990, as well as the 380 Past TOFA Awardees are found in the 24/7 worldwide PGON web site WWW. FILAMIMAGE.COM. The web site is viewed by Filipinos globally in the Americas, including the United States and Canada; Asia, including the Philippines; the Middle East; and the European countries.
The 3-day 15th annual event starts on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008 with an
informal get -together for the 2008 awardees; followed on Friday with a VIP Luncheon at J.W. Marriott Hotel and in the evening a Courtesy Call Reception at the Philippine Embassy. On Saturday morning, a VIP Photo Ops at various historical monuments in the Nation’s Capital. In the evening of Sept. 13th, is the formal prestigious gala Banquet and Ball Award Ceremony; capped by the traditional Filipino breakfast immediately after the ball. All 2008 TOFA Awardees are Special Guests of Honor (gratis) to all the activities. Guests wishing to attend any functions are asked to donate entrance fee. As a tradition since 1990, net proceeds to all the TOFA functions are donated to charitable Filipino organizations contributing to humanitarian projects in the Philippines.
The TOFA 2008 Awardees are Em Legaspi Ang of Bacolod City, Philippines;
Mark Asperilla of Port Charlotte, Florida; Bob Dacanay of Falls Church, Virginia; Carmencita Quesada Fulgado of Jamaica Estates, New York; Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi of Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Will Grant of San Diego, California; Eusebio C. Kho of Scottsburg, Indiana; Rozita V. Lee of Las Vegas, Nevada; Debra Aguinaldo Nakama of Maui, Hawaii; Nena Nera of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Dolores “Dolly” Ortal of Honolulu, Hawaii; Leby Mendoza Paler of Norfolk, Virginia; Elvira G. Phelps of Reno, Nevada; Jun Anthony Quion of McLean, Virginia; Edmundo Relucio of Coal City, Illinois; Francis
Talangbayan of Penn Valley, Pennsylvania; Dante Raul (DR) Teodoro of New York, New York; Sonny Ungco of Jersey City, New Jersey; Dalisay “Dely” Villalon of Northbrook, Illinois; Peter L. Yu of Granger, Indiana.