TOWER Awards recognize Filipino workers for innovation in industry
TOWER Awards recognize Filipino workers in innovation industry
By Trixee Rosel
Outstanding Filipino workers were recognized for grassroots innovations that enhanced productivity, safety, and sustainability during the 2025 TOWER (The Outstanding Workers of the Republic) Awards held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma led the ceremony, joined by Rotary Club of Manila President Eduardo V. Enriquez III, People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) President Lydia Lily G. Quintans, and TOWER Awards Chairman Jesus M. Pineda Jr.
The awards honored both individual and team achievements by non-supervisory employees whose practical initiatives delivered measurable improvements within their organizations.
Among the individual awardees were Eddie A. Alagaban, senior plant operator at Energy Development Corporation, cited for modifying risers at the Palayan Power Plant, and Shirley S. Gonzales of Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing, Inc., who enhanced production efficiency through a customized fuse guide holder.
In the team category, the Franklin Baker Company of the Philippines – Emerald Plant was recognized for its project “Muling Ibalik ang Dapat Ibalik,” led by Elsworth M. Gempesaw and Krish Syrus C. Micabalo, which restored key operational systems.
Another Franklin Baker team received recognition for the initiative “Waste isn’t waste until we waste it,” a sustainable waste management effort involving Michael C. Dasalla, Mark Felnor T. Butaya, and Ronald B. Quiñones.
Each awarded project had been implemented for at least two years and produced concrete results in cost-effectiveness, environmental responsibility, and operational performance.
Awardees received P100,000 in cash, underscoring the program’s commitment to recognizing the vital yet often overlooked contributions of rank-and-file workers.
Organizers emphasized that the TOWER Awards serve as a national reminder that innovation can begin on the ground—transforming practical ideas into long-term solutions for industry-wide challenges.
Supported by partners including PAGCOR, Jollibee Foods Corporation, and Philippine Airlines, the program remains one of the few national platforms dedicated to honoring the achievements of non-supervisory workers.