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Pistang Pinoy highlights young achievers
In celebration of the 119th Philippine Independence Day, the traditional Pistang Pinoy highlights the achievements of young people born and raised on the island with Filipino roots. (Kimberly A. Bautista)
In celebration of the 119th Philippine Independence Day, the traditional Pistang Pinoy, a daylong festival on Saipan, highlighted Sunday the achievements of young people born and raised on the island with Filipino roots.
Recognitions were handed out at Sunday’s Pistang Pinoy to 13 young men and women in categories such as government, sports, medical research/science, arts, education, military, entertainment, and music.
Two were honored under the government achievements category: acting press secretary Kevin Bautista and the first non-indigenous representative elected to the Legislature, Rep. Edwin Propst (Ind-Saipan).
Three young people were recognized in the sports category: soccer player Enrico Del Rosario, golfer Leina Kim, and tennis player Thea Minor.
In the medical research/science achievements category, the honorees were Hazel Doctor, who graduated magna cum laude at the Emory University, and Ryan Ortizo, president of the Asian Pacific Medical Student Association and Emergency Medicine Student Association.
The arts category recognition went to Amy Hudkins, who graduated magna cum laude from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2016.
In the education category, the honorees were Robert Malate and Lyn Mendiola.
Jamie Rochelle Lao Vales was recognized under the military category.
Coraleen Waddell was recognized under the entertainment category, while Erica Tubera, who was recently cast as Fantine in an upcoming Les Miserables production in Guam, was honored under the music category.
