The Outstanding Women in Nation’s Service (TOWNS) award is presented by the TOWNS Foundation to outstanding Filipino women ages 21 to 45 years old who have contributed positively to strengthening national capability and shaping the nation’s future and served as catalysts for economic, social and cultural development, national security and national unity by providing their time, talent and resources. The award is given every three years during the last week of October. Since its inception in 1974, TOWNS has cited 189 women (as of 2022).
The Awardees
Year Awardee Field Notes 1974 Medina H. Delmendo Agriculture Aida D. Eugenio Science Perla S. Ocampo Medicine Elisa (Boots) A. Roa Arts Cinema Flerida Ruth Romero Law Rosa Rosal Humanities Leticia Ramos-Shahani Foreign Service Editha A. Tan Economics Mona D. Valisno Education 1977 Zenaida Amador Performing Arts Edwina K. Arroyo Arts Lilia R. Bautista Public Administration Rosario C. Manalo Foreign Service Emily Marohombsar Education First awardee from Mindanao Julia B. Pantastico Science Elsa V. Payumo Tourism Delia E. Torrijos Science 1981 Isabel R. Aleta Humanitarian Endeavor Teresita K. Briones Medicine Elnora Cabalfin Science Elizabeth P. dela Fuente Tourism Zenaida G. Gordon Business Roqaiya H. Maglangit Public Administration Leticia J. Magsanoc Journalism Alice Reyes Arts Amelou B. Reyes Education Ingrid S. Santamaria Arts Evelyn R. Singson Business Mercedes C. Teodoro Law 1983 Nora Aunor Performing Arts Carmen J. Barredo Performing Arts Julie Y. Daza Journalism Victoria de Guzman Tourism Corazon Santos de la Paz-Bernardo Business Lilia B. de Lima Law Olivia Aguinaldo Ferry Business Evelyn A. Magno Education Nora Z. Petines Humanitarian Services Tricita H. Quimio Agriculture Thelma T. Ramos Medicine Patricia A. Sto. Tomas Public Administration Marlene H. Tamano Social Work Rosalinda V. Tirona Diplomacy 1986 Sister Bellarmine Bernas Education Esperanza Cabral Medicine Olivia "Bong" Coo Sports Lourdes J. Cruz Biochemistry Ruby Q. Gonzalez Social Service Cora C. Jacob Business Cecile Licad Music Magda Carolina V. Llamanzares Nursing Alicia O. Lustre Food Technology Maria V. Montelibano Media Miriam Defensor Santiago Law Zenaida Y. Ubaldo Rural Development 1989 Cecille G. Alvarez Performing Arts Rowena S. Arrieta Performing Arts Lydia B. Brown Educational Television Ma. Rosa U. Carrion Business Corazon P.B. Claudio Science and Technology Sister Teresa R. Dagdag Community Development Celeste L. Gallardo Performing Arts Cheche Lazaro Broadcast Journalism June Caridad P. Lopez Psychiatry Evelyn Mae T. Mendoza Science Lisa Macuja Performing Arts Margarita J. de la Rama Business Aurora G. del Rosario Agriculture Paulynn P. Sicam Print Journalism Vivien M. Talisayon Performing Arts Luzviminda Santos Valdez Social Work Imelda Virginia G. Villar Education 1992 Zorayda Amelia C. Alonzo Government Service Teresita Ang See Cultural Integration Mediadora Claudio Saniel Medicine Ma. Nieves R. Confesor Government Service Virginia C. Cuevas Agriculture Teresita Q. Deles Community Service Elena J. Golez Drug Abuse Prevention Elizabeth P. Marcelino Child Rehabilitation Corazon Soliman Community Development Ma. Beatriz P. Tesoro Cultural Revival Mel Tiangco Broadcast Journalism Cristina L. Yuson Education 1995 Ma. Cynthia Rose B. Bautista Government Service Ma. Karina A. Bolasco Book Publishing Emilia T. Boncodin Public Administration Gloria T. Climaco Business Management Rina J. David Women’s Rights Advocacy Ma. Leonora V. de Jesus Public Administration Cynthia E. Dominguez Medicine Lorna P. Kapunan Law Millie L. Kilayko Entrepreneurship Development Yolanda V. Ong Communications Loren Legarda Broadcast Journalism Aida D. Solsoloy Agriculture 1998 Rhodora R. Aldemita Science Carmina Noela A. Aquino Medicine Tessie C. Nunez Agriculture Ester B. Ogena Education Lilian F. Patena Agriculture (Plant Tissue Culture) Maria Lea Carmen I. Salonga Performing Arts Ma. Lourdes A. Sereno Law Evalyn G. Ursua Law Monica Anne E. Wilson Performing Arts Ma. Helena T. Yap Science 2001 Maria Victoria M. Abesamis Medicine Clarita P. Aganon Government Service Grace N. Aves Contemporary Culture Queena Lee Chua Education Olivia P. Damasco Agriculture Bernadette J. Madrid Medicine Maria Antonette J. Menez Science Clarissa Emerita G. OcampoExtraordinary Public Service Leah Victoria R. Reyes Education Jessica Soho Broadcast Journalism 2004 Alicia Rita Arroyo Business Maria Josephine Barrios Arts Madonna Casimero Science and Technology Ces Drilon Journalism Raquel Fortun Medicine Catherine Guballa Public Service Chin Chin Gutierrez Environment Protection Marichu Lambino Law Aura Matias Industrial Engineering Deanie Lyn Ocampo Education Blessilda Raposa Education Fernandina Sandico-Ong Arts 2007 Glecy Cruz Atienza Arts and Culture Eva Maria Cutiongco-de la Paz Medicine Maria Corazon de Ungria Science Elizabeth H. Lee Business Dina S. Ocampo Education Alyssa M. Peleo-Alampay Science Hilly Ann Maria Roa-Quiaoit Environmental Conservation Maria A. Ressa Broadcast Journalism Alexandra Prieto Romualdez Print Media Catherine P. Vistro-Yu Education 20102010 awardees:
Therese Badoy Education Founder, Rocking Society through Alternative Education Arlene Bag-ao Law Member, House of Representatives Kara Patria Constantino–David Broadcast Journalism Journalist Laura David Oceanography First among five oceanographers in the country to earn the award Therese Fernandez Social Entrepreneurship President, Rags2Riches Jo Enrica Enriquez Humanitarian Endeavour Executive director, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (Asia-Pacific) Regina Hechanova–Alampay Psychology Research specialist Carmela Lapitan Urology First female urologic surgeon admitted as diplomate in the Philippine Board of Urology Stella Quimbo Economy Economic professor Marissa Romero Agriculture Research specialist Myla Villanueva Information & communications Technology President, Global Telecom Women's Network 20132013 awardees:
Atty. Darlene Marie Berberabe Government Service Chief executive officer, Pag-IBIG Fund; lawyer Noraida Abdullah Karim Social Work Deputy Director for Philippine Programme of the Community and Family Services, International Ani Karina Brown Sports Women empowerment program manager; tri-athlete Karen Davila Broadcast Journalism ABS-CBN journalist Rachelle Gerodias Performing Arts Country's premier soprano Gemma Narisma Atmospheric Science Eleanor Pinugu Social Entreprise; Education Founder of a non-profit school Ma. Amihan Ramolete Theater Arts Manager, Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas Maricor Soriano Physics President, Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas 20162016 awardees:
Cherrie Atilano Social Development Founder of an agri-social enterprise in Marinduque Hidilyn Diaz Sports First Filipino female Olympic medalist Patricia Evangelista Media First Filipino winner in an annual public speaking competition in London; journalist Luisa Lorenzo Arts Established the first photography gallery in Southeast Asia Marissa Martinez Government Service Commissioned officer, Philippine Navy Aisa Mijeno Social Enterprise Founder, Sustainable Alternative Lighting Corp. Sabrina Ongkiko Education Public school teacher Jocelle Batapa–Sigue Information and Communications Technology One of the creators, National Information and Communication Technology Confederation of the Philippines 20192019 awardees:
Ma. Regina Justina Estuar Science and Technology Working for Ateneo de Manila University as an ICT-based center executive director and a social computing laboratory head Stephanie Sy Technology Entrepreneurship Founder, Thinking Machines Data Science, Inc. Carmina Bayombong Entrepreneurship Founder, InvestEd Dr. Gay Jane Perez Science and Technology UP Diliman professor who led a program that sent Diwata-1 into orbit in 2016. Bai Rohaniza Sumndad–Usman Education Founder, Teach Peace Build Peace Movement, Inc., involved in the programs for Marawi siege evacuees Samira Gutoc Peace Advocacy Organizer of a volunteer group for Marawi siege evacuees; former ARMM legislator and former commissioner, Bangsamoro Transition Commission; journalist Karla Patricia Gutierrez Performing Arts Founder, Philippine Opera Company Clarissa Isabelle Delgado Education Founder, Teach for the Philippines Geraldine Zamora Health and medicine Rheumatologist; pioneered the Philippine Vasculitis Study Group, as well as programs for cancer patients, for indigent patients, and for the treatment of lupus Atty. Patricia Ann Prodigalidad Law Lawyer; local and international arbitrator; 1996 Bar Examination topnotcher Chiara Zambrano Journalism ABS-CBN News correspondent Xyza Bacani Humanities Photographer for various international companies 20222022 awardees:
Ani Rosa Almario Education and entrepreneurship From the Adarna House Rubilen Amit Sports Billiards World Champion Dr. Pia D. Bagamasbad Medicine and public health Molecular biologist Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho Medicine and public health From the Department of Health Dr. Erika Fille Legara Data science Keisha Alena Mayuga Transport planning Ana Patricia Non Community service Community pantry organizer Anna Rosario Oposa Marine ecology conservation Environmentalist Patricia Marie "Pia" Ranada Investigative journalism Rappler journalist Georgina Romero Women empowerment through Information and Communications Technology Dr. Aletta T. Yñiguez Marine science
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