06 Nov. 2025 – Ten (10) Outstanding Senior Citizen Achiever Awardees (OSCAA) are honored during the elderly Filipino month culminating activity, afternoon of Nov. 5 at the Baguio Cultural and Convention Center (BCCC).
The activity which is spearheaded by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) aims to honor the accomplishments of the elderly, and to showcase their talents in song and dance, as they perform for their peers and family.
The awardees were chosen after the elderly month steering committee carefully considered their education (15%), business/job (5%), personal qualities and character traits (15%); achievements and accomplishments (30%); community involvement and service (30%) and awards received (5%).
The awardees are: Shirley Aptimes Arukod of Upper Brookside, Virgilio Floresca Bautista of Upper QM, Erlinda Calisura Erardo of Fort del Pilar, Marilyn Flordeliza Martinez of Greenwater Village, Mercedes Ordinario Natarte of Upper San Vicente, Josephine Mad-et Ngolab of East Gibraltar, Alex Garcia Reyes of Pinsao Pilot, Arsenia Balisong Tudlong of Upper Rock Quarry, Regina Supsup Valencia of Lourdes Proper, and Bernardo Mangaoang Vergara of Upper QM barangay.
All have complied with the requirements, being 65 years old and above; accomplished, supported and initiated projects for Senior Citizens; nominated by recognized SC organizations in the barangay/city level, met the deadline, Sept. 30, for the submission of pertinent documents, and that there is only one nominee in the family.
Shirley Aptimes Arukod is a retired teacher and a 15-year resident of Brookside where she is a Lupong Tagapamayapa member, a daycare teacher, a barangay clean and green advocate, garden caretaker and a very responsible member of the community. She joins fund-raising socialization activities where the proceeds are used for the barangay senior citizen hall. She also active in the nutrition and Barangay Anti-Drug Action Council.
Atty. Virgilio Floresca Bautista has served as city secretary, councilor and later as city administrator. In retirement, he is active in church through the holy name society, and serves the senior citizens as member of the Philippine Government Retirees Association (PGRA)
Pastor Erlinda Calisura Erardo, has spent 26 years in Baguio and with her husband Pastor Jonathan, raised their brood of eight, now professionals. She is fully emersed in church and community work ministering not only to senior citizens but also to teen-agers, parents, Persons with Disability (PWD), Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs), Solo Parents and to local and overseas participants through online sessions.
She is a facilitator and speaker in public schools, parent effectiveness session (PES), anti-graft and corruption/values and discipline discussions, and worked with the Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD), CSWDO Philippine National Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), churches in Baguio and other agencies.
The Erardo family was recognized in 2024 as Natatanging Pamilya for their ministries and other activities, including sharing breakfast to the solid waste management team, since 2015.
Marilyn Flordeliza Martinez is an active senior citizen member and the business manager and vice-chair of the cash assistance program of the Federation of Baguio Senior Citizens Association (FBASECA).
A resident of Greenwater village, she renders service to her fellow senior citizens, letting them know of their rights and privileges, and leads the association in worthwhile activities and programs.
Mercedes Ordinario Natarte is an active member of Upper San Vicente barangay where she attends various community trainings and seminars to keep her updated as she cascades the information to her co-senior citizens.
She is also a member of a choir and dance group and is active in ministering to her fellow senior citizens. She is involved in the yoghurt business, a source of livelihood for senior citizens.
Natarte is a barangay senior citizen official for a day (BSCOFAD) in 2023 and 2024.
Josephine Mad-et Ngolab a resident of East Gibraltar barangay for 44 years is a dedicated senior citizen, active in community activities: tree-planting, clean-up drives, vacation bible school, a lay minister, volunteer during elections, a member of the katarungang pambarangay, Barangay sr. citizen official for a day (BSCOFAD) of Gibraltar. She was recently proclaimed as an outstanding senior citizen of Gibraltar barangay.
She is an advocate for sr. citizens’ benefits, health initiatives, spiritual well-being, speaker and for various trainings in organizational management, livelihood, ordinances, nutrition, drug prevention and control and values education.
At 77, Dr. Atty. Alex Garcia Reyes has lived in Pinsao for 52 years and has given services through being a dentist and lawyer. For senior citizens, he has lectured on how to prevent Alzheimers disease, a resource speaker on aging gracefully, and healthy lifestyle.
With his wife former Health Services Office (HSO) head Dr. Florence, Dr. Atty. Reyes invented the iodinated pure healthy water (iodi-pure) and which is primarily used to lessen iodine deficiency disorder. For this, they were accorded the first place Likha award by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in 2013.
According to Dr. Atty. Reyes, the advantages of the product iodi-pure is key points KKK: Kalusugan; Kalinisan at Kalikasan; and Kaunlaran.
Arsenia Balisong Tudlong of Upper Rock Quarry is an awardee in community service for exceptional, committed and inspiring leadership with results to the strengthened camaraderie and belongingness in the senior citizen organization.
Now in her senior years, she works to promote the crucial privileges and sustainable programs, facilitate access to social pensions, Philhealth membership and benefits for co-senior citizens.
She helped establish the free maintenance medicines, sustainable livelihood programs, microlending, liquid soap making and a mutual aid fund.
Regina Supsup Valencia is a widow with six children, who has been a volunteer barangay nutrition scholar and health worker for three barangays for nine years, has joined medical missions, feeding programs and after retirement as Sanitation Inspector at the Health Services Office, is now a Kagawad of Lourdes proper.
For senior citizens, Valencia advocates health and wellness through medical missions, assures that LGU and Department of Health services are available and that workshops are available with vocational course, livelihood and skills sharing.
Senior Citizen Engr. Bernardo Mangaoang Vergara served the Baguio community as the former general manager of the Philippine Tourism Authority, former mayor and congressman, and through the Alay Sa Kalinisan (ASK), the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc. (BFFFI), the establishment of the Baguio City School of Arts and Trades (BCSAT), the Cordillera Association of Regional Executives (CARE), and other groups.
He has received numerous awards from recognized bodies, for his accomplishments such as: Builders of Baguio, Likas Yaman, Most Outstanding in Public Service, Achievement, Special Recognition, Leadership, Excellence in Service, Totem, Achievement for Community Development.
The steering committee is led by Committee Chair on Women, Social Services and Urban Poor, Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda, and CSWDO head Liza Bulayungan represented by Social Worker Raquel Madlon. The members, among others are Grace Bandoy representing Atty. Luz Balisong of the National Commission on Senior Citizens, Ms. Edita Ibarra of the Federation of Baguio Senior Citizens Association, Ms. Flora Balaba of the Philippine Government Retirees Association (PGRA), and Mr. Laurito Alinao of the Office of the Senior Citizens Association (OSCA).
The theme for this year’s elderly Filipino week celebration is, “Embracing Age, Living a Life With Dignity and Purpose.” ** jgfianza with reports from the CSWDO
