Ramon V. del Rosario Award for Nation Building recognizes Dado Banatao
Global Filipino techpreneur and innovation champion, Diosdado “Dado”
Banatao is the 2018 Ramon V. Del Rosario Sr. Awardee for Nation
Building. Marking the 100th birth anniversary of PHINMA founder, Ramon
V. Del Rosario, Sr., Mr. Banatao accepted the award at a ceremony held
at the recently opened National Museum of Natural History last July 25,
2018. Under the spectacular Tree of Life of the museum, Mr. Banatao’s
lifetime work was aptly honored together with some 200 guests from the
business community.
The Ramon V. Del Rosario Sr. Award for Nation Building is an annual
program of the Junior Chamber International Manila (JCI Manila) together
with the Asian Institute of Management’s Ramon V. Del Rosario Center
for Corporate Social Responsibility and with full support and blessings
of the PHINMA Group. It recognizes men and women who demonstrate
outstanding traits, such as entrepreneurial spirit, national or global
business impact, good corporate citizenship, and social responsibility.
Among
its past awardees are Amb. Jesus Tambunting, Senen Bacani, Oscar Lopez,
Washington Sycip, Vicente Paterno, Jaime Zobel De Ayala, Manny V.
Pangilinan, Henry Sy, Sr., and Dr. George S.K. Ty, who have each
embodied the spirit and vision of Ramon V. Del Rosario, Sr. for nation
building by successfully managing their businesses.
In his welcome remarks, Ramon Del Rosario, Jr, PHINMA President and
CEO, cited Mr. Banatao’s contributions towards building our country’s
innovation ecosystem as a key lever for nation building. “Mr. Banatao is
recognized as one of the most successful technology entrepreneurs of
this generation. His commitment to excellence in science and technology
has inspired innovation among younger entrepreneurs,” said Mr Del
Rosario.
For his part, Ayala Group CEO, Jaime Zobel de Ayala commended Mr.
Banatao’s “continuing efforts in championing disruptive and
entrepreneurial thinking among Filipinos, illustrated by his work with
AIM in incubating high-impact start-ups; as well as with the Department
of Trade and Industry, and Department of Science and Technology on the
inclusive innovation agenda.” Mr. Zobel acknowledged Mr. Banatao as the
inspiration behind Ayala Innovation, the internal disruptive thinking
unit of the Ayala Group.
In accepting his award, Mr Banatao underscored the role of education
when he said, “Education comes before innovation.” He also shared his
belief that “Filipinos can compete with the best in the world and the
best in Silicon Valley.” He was clearly speaking from his own personal
journey from a barrio in Cagayan Valley to Silicon Valley and from the
experiences of the many young Filipinos he has helped become
techpreneurs and innovators like him through scholarships and mentoring.
Inspired by the stories of the RVR Awardees like Dado Banatao, who
were all started out as young visionaries, the PHINMA Group further
honored their founder by launching the Ramon V. Del Rosario, Sr. Siklab
Awards for young leaders. The search begins this August and the selected
young leaders will be honored come July 2019.
