Dr. Merian Catajay-Mani, President II of Marinduque State College System emerged as one of the awardee of the Ten Outstanding Movers of the Philippines given last February 05 at the Malacañan Palace.
The award given to Mani recognizes her exemplary involvement in forging coordinated action in response to the challenge of climate change and related disasters.
It is in connection with the 10th Annual National Convention on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and 1st International Research Festival on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management sponsored by the Students’ Actions Vital to the Environment and Mother Earth Movement (SAVE ME Movement) in partnership with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
The convention was held at Boracay Ecovillage Resort and Convention Center, Brgy. Yapak, Malay Aklan on January 27-29, 2018 with the unifying theme: “Bracing for the New Normal: Honoring Outstanding Filipinos and Benchmarking the Best Practices in Community-based Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Management”.
The “iron lady” as her friends and colleagues fondly called her hails from the town of San Agustin in the Province of Romblon. An educator, climate change advocate and environmentalist. Dr. Mani was lined by her co-awardees such as GMA News and Public Affairs’ Arnold Clavio, Vivian Velez and Atty. Larry Gadon to mention a few.
“It is of great pleasure and privilege to be an awardee of such prestigious national award, I am so blessed! We owe our children not money nor education but a much better world, than what it is now”, said Dr. Mani.