E. Rodriguez Jr. High School Alumni Association president Ramon Ferreros of Batch 73 and ERJHS Principal Ernest Ferrer receive the prestigious “Gawad Kaagapay Award” given by the Department of Education at the Great Eastern Hotel-Aberdeen Court in Quezon City last month.
Ex-PBA star, chess champ lead top ERJHS alumni nominees
FOUR notable alumni-athletes lead the early nominees for the “10 Most Outstanding Alumni” of the E. Rodriguez Jr. High School for the year 2025.
ERJHS Alumni Association president Ramon Ferreros of Batch 73 said the awardees will be formally honored during the ERJHS 73rd Foundation Day and Grand Alumni Homecoming scheduled Feb. 24-25 at the school quadrangle in Mayon Ave., Quezon City.
The four alumni nominees from sports are Marcelo de Guzman of Batch 72, who represented the school in the International Youth Sports Assembly during the 11th Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan in 1972; chess champion IM Angelo Young of Batch 80, who shone brightest during the World Seniors Chess Championships in Portugal and other local and international competitions; Junn Abriza of Batch 91, a well-known taekwondo champion and now coach-instructor; and basketball star Leo Avenido of Batch 96, who made history by becoming the first ERJHS student to play in the PBA.
The announcement of the list of nominees came a few weeks after the ERJHS Alumni Association was presented with the prestigious “Gawad Kaagapay“ award by the Department of Education held at the Great Eastern Hotel -Aberdeen Court in Quezon City.
“As one of the pilot schools in Quezon City, ERJHS has consistently produced a lot of outstanding alumni now doing their good works in different fields. All of them are deserving, but we will again choose only 10 outstanding alumni this year,” said Ferreros, also one of the “10 Outstanding Alumni” awardees during the 72nd Foundation Day and Grand Alumni Homecoming in February last year.
Ferreros, owner-proprietor of Monchie’s Lechon, also appointed ERJHS Principal Ernest Ferrer and Ed Andaya of Batch 81 to co-chair the awards committee.
The other nominees are:
–Fernando Modesto of Batch 70 (Communication Arts).
— Dr Zeny Yangco-Bernardino of Batch 73 (Medicine).
–Bernadette Manahan-Sta. Maria of Batch 75 (Communication Arts).
— Tess Vallester Montalbo of Batch 77 (Public Service).
— Jocelyn Alcantara Navarro of Batch 78 (Education).
— Ato de Guzman of Batch 81 (Public Service).
— Imelda Gines of Batch 82 (Community Works).
— Egmedio Castillon, Jr. of Batch 84 (Government Service/Law).
— Benjamin Tapeno of Batch 85 (Public Service/Police).
Aside from Ferreros, the other “Outstanding Alumni” awardees last year were Philippine Navy Commodore Albert Mogol of Batch 78 (military service), Tany Joe “TJ” Calalay of Batch 95 (public service), Sct. Roberto Castor and Castor family (scouting), Lorenzo sisters (education), Jess Asistin of Batch 76 (alumni affairs), People’s Tonight Sports Editor Ed Andaya of Batch 81 (journalism), Eric David of Batch 71 (community service), Philippine National Police Lt. Col. Emmanuel Gomez of Batch 88 (public service) and former Bureau of Fire Protection Chief Gen. Enrique Linsangan of Batch 69 (public service/posthumous).
