PORAC, Pampanga — Mekeni Food Corporation continues to recognize children of its employees for academic excellence for the school year 2022-23, with a Summa Cum Laude topping this year’s batch of awardees.
This year, Mekeni conferred the Galing Ng Batang Mekeni Award (GBMA) to 155 children who have excelled in various levels of education. The award also honors parents for their guidance and hard work as they provide for children’s needs and education.
This year’s topnotcher is Catherine Labandaria who graduated as Summa Cum Laude in BS in Aeronautics Engineering at the Holy Angel University. She was just in 1st Grade when she received her first recognition as Galing ng Batang Mekeni first batch awardee. She has not missed making it to the GBMA every year. Her father, Ariel Labandaria, a Quality Assurance Specialist, was also honored.
“We are glad that children of our employees get better with each passing year and we can only appreciate them and their parents for putting high premium on education,” Mekeni President Pruds Garcia said.
GBMA is an annual recognition program of Mekeni that was first given on May 31, 2008 to only 25 students at that time.
Now on its 16th year, the award is given under the company’s Employee Engagement Program that is aimed at motivating the children of Mekeni employees to excel in their education and to appreciate the hard work of their parents as they provide for their daily needs.
In her speech, Labandaria shared her appreciation of this special program and encouraged all awardees to inspire others in pursuing their dreams despite their fears, difficulties, and challenges.
She said that she looks forward to the annual recognition as it reaffirms the fruits of hard work, discipline, perseverance and dedication of both parents and co-awardees. The event also serves as a venue for the awardees to showcase their talents such as playing musical instruments, singing and dancing.
All the awardees took home a “Galing Medal” and cash awards from Mekeni.
Before this in-house recognition, the company initiated a similar program extended to public schools in the community that honored top graduates and students who won district-level competitions. The said recognition was extended to their mentors/teachers who guided the winning students.
The Galing ng Batang Mekeni Award program is dedicated to the founders, Tatay Felix Garcia and the late Nanay Meding Garcia, both public educators, who are strong believers that education is key in uplifting the quality of life of every Filipino family.
