Pia Wurtzbach and Zig Dulay (right) are among 2024 TOYM awardees —INQUIRER.net/Jessica Ann Evangelista
Beauty queen Pia Wurtzbach and director Zig Dulay have been announced as among the recipients of the 2024 The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awards.
During the announcement ceremony in Quezon City on Sunday, Dec. 15, Wurtzbach was named as one of this year’s TOYM awardees for her noteworthy contributions to humanitarian service and social work.
Since winning the Miss Universe 2015 title, the beauty queen-actress has been actively involved in humanitarian work, speaking out against cyberbullying and supporting people living with HIV.
Meanwhile, Dulay was recognized for his remarkable contributions to arts and culture for film and television. He is known for his work in the award-winning film “Firefly” and series “Maria Clara at Ibarra.”
Aside from Wurtzbach and Dulay, the other eight exemplary Filipinos who have just been named the newest recipients of the prestigious TOYM awards are as follows:
- Jenica Beatriz Dizon-Mountford (Humanitarian Service and Social Work)
- Billie Crystal Dumaliang (Environmental Leadership and Community Development)
- Roscinto Ian Lumbres (Forestry, Agriculture, and Other Applied Sciences)
- Venazir Martinez (Arts and Culture)
- Jose Gabriel Mejia (Arts and Culture)
- Pia Ranada (Journalism and Mass Communications)
- Dennis Umali (Veterinary Medicine)
- Brent Andrew Viray (Rural Medicine and Surgery)
Bienvenido Tantoco III, Chairman of the TOYM foundation, underscored that this year’s awardees have reached “high levels” in their respective fields.
“When I compare winners from the past and the ones today, I see a few differences. In the past, which was maybe a more linear and binary world, it was enough to be excellent in one chosen field. The winners of this year have reached high levels of mastery include sometimes three chosen fields that on the surface look like these fields have no logical relationship with one another,” he said.
“With that, they need our encouragement to stay on their path. They need an extra boost to continue to be on purpose and also on character,” the chairman added.
Since its inception in 1959, TOYM annually honors Filipinos between the ages of 18 and 40 who have made significant contributions to their field and community.