Bohol tourist driver Augusto
“Gus” Pascual was declared champion at the Pinoy Tsuper Hero (PTH) Year 4 grand
finals on November 21, 2019 at ABS-CBN Dolphy Theater. PTH awards outstanding
drivers who are able to show concrete evidences of how driving was able to
create a difference in their families’ lives, showed leadership in their own
transport groups, and have contributed to their respective communities.
The other nine finalists were George
Pasicolan of Tuguegarao City, Ronnel Historia of Tuguegarao City, Manuel Racoma
of Ilocos Sur, Joseph Membrillo of Tacloban City, Eusibio Fabia of Tacloban City, Victor Deloy of Cagayan De
Oro City, Roland Castrodes of Cabadbaran City, Richard Gulle of National
Capital Region, and Anthony Hidea of Sorsogon City
A collaboration between Phoenix,
Inc., ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. (AFI), and Bayan Academy for Social Entrepreneurship
and Human Resource Development, Inc. (Bayan Academy), PTH is an advocacy
program for the protection of the environment, formation of more cohesive and
stronger Filipino families, and development of an accident-free community.
The PTH grand
champion expressed his gratitude to the organizations involved in this
competition. “Malaki ang aking pasasalamat ko dahil nakaisip sila ng ganitong
proyekto kung saan binabago nila ang imahe ng mga drivers. Mula sa negative
image na walang disiplina, ngayon nakikita natin na ang mga driver pala hindi
lahat ganun, marami pa rin ang matitino at mapagkakatiwalaan at may dignidad,”
said Pascual.
(I am very thankful that they
thought of creating this project where they are able to transform the image of
drivers. From being seen as undisciplined, the public will know that there are
still those who are disciplined and can be trusted, and that there is dignity
in what we do.)
Pascual was born in Nueva Ecija
but lived in different cities because of work. As a medical representative for
a big pharmaceutical company, he was assigned in Tagbilaran City, Bohol in
1989. He had plans to relocate his family to Manila. But on his sixth year in
Bohol as a medical representative, his request to be assigned in Luzon was not
granted, but instead, will be assigned in Zamboanga.
In 1995, being fully committed
to his family, Pascual decided to turn down the new assignment and pursued
other opportunities in Bohol. In April 2012, he joined the Bohol Island
Operators and Drivers
Multi-Purpose Cooperative
(BIODMPC), a company that offers tourist packages in the island. In just a
month, Pascual was voted by the board as BIODMPC’s chairman. The cooperative
experienced a lot of breakthroughs, such as acquiring Php 3.7 million in assets
by December 2018, under his leadership.
Pascual received an accumulated
Php 145,000 cash prize, a brand new vehicle, Php 50,000 worth of Phoenix
Petroleum fuel and lubes products, and a livelihood package sponsored by Super
Phoenix LPG and Posible as the PTH
grand champion. He is also the official Phoenix Petroleum Ambassador for one
year.
This year’s competition
received more than 12,000 nominations nationwide. After deliberation, only the top
30 drivers were sent to Metro Manila for a 5-day training that included lessons
on defensive driving, road safety, environmental protection, and
entrepreneurship. This year’s training included financial literacy lessons to
further empower finalists who were given cash prizes to implement their pitched
community projects.
Henry Albert
Fadullon, Chief Operating Officer of Phoenix, Inc., shared how these drivers
inspires and motivates their company. “Everyday, we can be a hero. And it’s
actually these everyday, simple things, simple activities that were done well
and were done from the heart and with all selflessness, that’s actually what
moves the country. Kami sa Phoenix Petroleum, we are delighted, inspired, and
motivated to be part of people whose everyday lives are made better. I think
our country has more than enough. It can fight its way with the giants in the
world. We just need to come together and be patriotic and show little acts of
heroism in our everyday lives. I think the stories that I’ve heard today
demonstrate that we have what it takes if only more and more of us demonstrate
this in our everyday lives.”
“PTH has been a very good
exercise to show how true Bayanihan spirit works,” said Susan Afan, Managing
Director of ABS-CBN Foundation. “Phoenix, Inc., ABS-CBN Foundation, ABS-CBN
Network Regional and Bayan Academy, collaborated with various local government
and private agencies to provide training and seminars: DENR, Philippine Red
Cross, SSS, PhilHealth, all together have made these 4 years happen—all of us
united to help uplift and raise awareness towards Responsible Driving &
Engaged Citizenship,” Afan added.
The competition was open to all public utility
vehicle or PUV drivers (jeepney, tricycle, bus and taxi drivers), AUV or
express drivers, truck drivers, driver-operators, entrepreneur/owners of
vehicles, PUV operators, government drivers, company drivers, private vehicle
drivers, family drivers, ex-overseas drivers who are presently working as
drivers or operators in the Philippines, and loyal Phoenix driver-customers.
The Pinoy Tsuper Hero
competition started in 2015 with the goal of bringing out the “super hero” in
every Filipino driver. It has produced PTH
ambassadors like Reynaldo Samonte of Batangas (Year 1), Edwin Escamos of Iloilo
(Year 2) and Alberto Abad of Rizal (Year 3) who have become role models in the
transport industry.
Since its inception, PTH has
reached more than 68,000 drivers from 58 sites nationwide. It aims to change
the perception towards drivers from being offenders to defenders. Pinoy Tsuper
Hero Year 5 will start accepting nominations next year together with the launch
of Pinoy Tsuper Hero Academy that will offer trainings and seminars for those
working in the transport industry.
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