Manila, Philippines – PACES President Dr. Jane Gerardo-Abaya delivered her acceptance speech at a Testimonial Dinner for the 2024 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO). The Testimonial Dinner was held at the Diplomatic Hall, Marriott Grand Ballroom, Pasay City, Philippines on13 Dec 2024.
Dr. Gerardo-Abaya received the Presidential Pamana ng Pilipino Award for 2024 from Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at an award ceremony held on Dec 11 at Malacañang Palace. She was among 12 Filipino individuals and one Filipino organization based overseas that received a PAFIOO Award that evening.
“This award holds a deep meaning for me”, Dr. Gerardo-Abaya stated in her acceptance speech, saying that she was truly humbled and honored by the Pamana award bestowed on her by President Marcos Jr.
“PAMANA, the Filipino word that means heritage, inheritance, legacy, or hand-me-down, to me signifies not only being given or being a recipient, but also a responsibility to bequeath or to pass on something useful, valuable, inspirational and cherished,” Dr. Gerardo-Abaya said.
“Many Filipinos are doing remarkable actions that deserve recognition. May the PAMANA award inspire those to continue their work fuelled with Passion, to put them into generous Action in the sincere unselfish service for our fellowmen and the humanity”, she added.
A retired Director at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria, Dr. Gerardo-Abaya received the Pamana award for her exemplary achievements and groundbreaking contributions to the advancement of geology and geothermal hydrology and her relentless advocacy for the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear technologies.
She briefly outlined the highlights of her 43-year professional career which spanned such highly specialized fields like geochemistry, isotope hydrology, management and provision of technical cooperation projects, and in a wide variety of peaceful applications of nuclear technologies, Her work spanned several continent and influenced thousands of lives in many countries around the world.
“Indeed, nuclear technologies play a unique role in development that must be better understood and appreciated” Dr. Gerardo-Abaya said.
As to her most rewarding undertaking, she alluded to the introduction of nuclear science and technology in secondary education with over 1 million beneficiaries in 17 countries of Asia and the Pacific, including the Philippines.
“It is thus my humble hope for these endeavors to be a “PAMANA” that inspires the future generation for science that is needed for our country ́s development and from which more ambitious programmes can arise”, Dr. Gerardo-Abaya said.
