SPEAKING OUT
Muntinlupa City recently celebrated its annual search for 10 Muntinlupa Outstanding Students (10MOST) 2024, recognizing the city's best and most exemplary young students. Mayor Ruffy Biazon praised the achievements of each finalist, encouraging them to relentlessly pursue their dreams and emphasizing the transformative power of their dedication and hard work. He urged them to embrace challenges and opportunities, as these experiences will shape their success and inspire others.
John Reyn Villaester, a robotics enthusiast from Muntinlupa National High School, secured the top spot at the 10MOST 2024 awards ceremony held on May 24 at the Muntinlupa Sports Center. In his acceptance speech, Villaester expressed deep gratitude to his mentors and supporters, thanking God for granting his long-held prayer.
Each of the 10 awardees received a P20,000 cash incentive, a medal of excellence, a plaque of recognition, and a college scholarship worth ₱30,000 per semester. The final ranking is as follows:
1. John Reyn R. Villaester (Muntinlupa National High School)
2. Zachary Alexander T. Panlilio (PAREF Southridge School)
3. Joedi M. Costes (De La Salle Santiago Zobel School)
4. Gielian Lorice A. Suyat (South Mansfield College)
5. Samantha Bianca V. Salazar (PAREF Woodrose School)
6. Nathan B. Lopena (Miraculous Medal School)
7. Jasmine Caye V. Raymundo (Muntinlupa Science High School)
8. Henrique L. Arevalo (San Beda College Alabang)
9. Krystal V. Ursal (Muntinlupa Business High School - Sucat Annex)
10. Yuan Mark Lawrence C. Bamba (Tunasan National High School)
Congressman Jimmy Fresnedi, in his speech, challenged the awardees to use their “Lakas, Talino at Buhay” to establish meaningful relationships, practice gratitude, and remain teachable. Former 10MOST 1997 awardee, Jermian Verdera, also advised the students to be grateful and pay their success forward.
The 10MOST program is an annual initiative by the City Government of Muntinlupa, under the Muntinlupa Scholarship Division, to recognize junior high school students who excel academically, demonstrate leadership, and are actively involved in their communities. This initiative is part of Mayor Biazon's ‘Karunungan’ program under the 7K Agenda, aimed at investing in the future of young Muntinlupeños by providing quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for a productive and progressive city.
Munti scholars give back
Scholars from the Muntinlupa Scholarship Division (MSD) are volunteering their time to teach young readers, showing their gratitude for the support they received through scholarships.
The scholars are participating in the Brigada Pagbasa project and various community reading programs aimed at improving literacy and reading proficiency in Muntinlupa.
The tutoring efforts primarily target elementary students, a critical stage for developing reading skills and literacy. The scholars and other volunteers use the MARUNGKO method (which starts with letter sounds and the letters m, s, a, l, o, etc., instead of the traditional "abakada,") which has proven more effective in helping young readers learn faster.
The Brigada Pagbasa project is a collaborative effort involving the Department of Education (DepEd), MSD, and the School Parent-Teachers Association.
In addition to Brigada Pagbasa, other volunteer opportunities include the MOVE program at Muntinlupa Elementary School, Basa Batang Munti at the Muntinlupa City Public Library, and the Muntinlupa Reading Book (MRB) Club by the Tourism, Culture, and the Arts Department.
These reading initiatives are part of the city's comprehensive Womb to Work program, which aims to ensure the holistic development of Muntinlupeños. ([email protected])