FLAMES OF PASSION.

We are Red Dot Juanderers. And this is our Singapore story.

True greatness lies in finding and appreciating radiance in others. Each person is amazing in his or her own little way, owning a unique luster. By recognizing and celebrating everyone’s uniqueness, you naturally become a bigger and better person. That is what Gawad Sulo Foundation Singapore is all about. Now on its second year, Gawad Sulo Foundation Singapore continues to seek unique individuals whose drive and passion in life have carried flames of hope and torches of inspiration to their fellow Filipinos working overseas.

What is Gawad Sulo Foundation?

The organization was founded by Mr. Danny Mangahas in the Philippines with the objective of giving recognition to individuals, organizations, and companies who do extraordinary work/service for Filipinos. These individuals can come from various fields such as arts, culture, politics, public service, and entrepreneurship. This is also to help inspire other people to do good for the community. The organization tried to expand overseas and our Singapore chapter is now headed by Ms. Zeny Leong together with Mr. Regor Barozzo.

Last year (2016), we organized our first Gawad Sulo Awards in Singapore and the awardees were: Yolanda Pascual (nanny of 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Joseph Schooling), Angela Barotia (house helper who won Best Actress for her appearance in the indie film “Remittance”), and Fr. Angel Luciano (Catholic priest in Singapore for 17 years), the Filipino Dance Club Singapore, OFW Global Movement, and San Lorenzo Ruiz Choir.

We have also tied up with other like-minded organizations such as OFW Global Movement and SHEG (Secular Humanitarian Egalitarian Group) and our groups created “Sulo ng Overseas Filipino” to create cooperation among these organizations in Singapore. SULO/SULONG technically stands for Serbisyo (for those who need help in the community), Ugnayan (for more an efficient sharing and transfer of information and knowledge), Liderato (to inspire new leaders), Organisado (all organizations should help each other), Natatangi (for distinct individuals/organizations) and Gawad Parangal (for the recognitions we give out to them).

Symbolism Behind The Organization’s Logo

Sulo means torch in English. If you look at the flame in our logo, it bears the two letters, “OF,” (which stand for Overseas Filipinos). As the volunteers/organizers in Gawad Sulo, we are considered the torches while the flames are our awardees.

Difference With Other Organizations:

We are primarily an award-giving body but at the same time, we also organize charity works. Whether you are a big or small person, we believe that you can inspire other people.

What Are The Unique Traits Of A Gawad Sulo Awardee:

As long as they do good for the community and they contribute to the betterment of the society, then they can be awardees.

What Is The Definition Of A Modern Overseas Filipino Worker:

Filipinos will always be Filipinos wherever they go. The most important element is how the person adapts to his/her environment. We are a resilient nation and we can easily adapt to whatever circumstances are presented to us. We adjust easily to our enviroments, especially here in Singapore. Magaling tayo makisama.

Future Gawad Sulo Projects:

We organize Volleyball and Badminton tournaments and there will be another awarding event planned in September 2017.

What’s One Thing We Wish We Could Have Implemented In Singapore:

It will be great to have standard introduction seminars and briefings on basic embassy/consular/employment matters (e.g. employment passes, government paperwork such OWWA/Pagibig/SSS, etc.) for Filipinos who have just moved and are newly employed in Singapore.

About the Red Dot Juanderer:

We are constantly on the lookout for inspiring, aspirational, and relatable stories from our fellow Juans living and working in the Little Red Dot. If you know any Filipino in Singapore that should be our next Red Dot Juanderer, email us at randomrepublika@gmail.com // Interviews and photos by Paolo Avis; Assisted by Jaypee Quitco.