STAR editor wins Tourism Award

MANILA, Philippines -  Philippine STAR section editor and PeopleAsia editor-in-chief Joanne Rae Ramirez was honored Thursday at the Rotary Club of Manila’s Tourism Awards 2017 (media category) at the New World Hotel in Makati City.

RCM director-elect and Tourism Awards chairman Robert Lim Joseph Jr. said Ramirez was honored for her “extraordinary contributions in the promotion and advancement of the tourism industry in the Philippines.”

“The heart of Philippine tourism is its people. And by training the light on its people, perhaps I have underscored how great the country really is – from the smiles that you not only see but feel, to the sincerity that you don’t only feel but see,” said Ramirez, editor of the Allure and Newsmaker sections of The STAR. She also writes her twice-a-week column titled “People.”

Joseph added, “When Joanne Ramirez writes about local and international travel destinations, her prose is a comprehensive study of both enticing travelogues and insightful reflections.  Her inspiring and uplifting writings are filled with breeze, wit and wisdom.”

Ramirez was one of 15 awardees that the 13th Tourism Awards honored this year. Other awardees included Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo, who was also the guest speaker at the event; US Ambassador Sung Kim, Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua and Japanese Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa (for tourism arrivals hosting in the Philippines category).

Also honored were Philippine Airlines president and CEO Jaime Bautista (airline category); Grab Philippines country head STAR editor... From Page 7

Brian Cu (transportation category); Melco Resorts and Entertainment chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho (integrated resort category); RAKSO Travel & Tours president Jin Woo Jung (foreign tour operator category); and New World Hotel Makati GM Farid Schoucair (hotel category).

Other awardees included former tourism secretary Roberto Pagdanganan (tourism personality award); former tourism secretary and International School of Sustainable Tourism founder and president Mina Gabor (sustainable tourism category); Trade & Investment Promotion Group assistant secretary Rosario Virginia Gaetos (tourism and trade events category); and Narvacan, Ilocos Sur councilor Chavit Singson.

Former congressman and minister of tourism Jose Aspiras was also given a posthumous award.

“With RCM Tourism Awards, we recognize these personalities who have certainly made their respective marks in making the Philippines the place to be in the world,” said RCM president Teodoro Ocampo.

The RCM is Asia’s first Rotary Club.