MikeLigalig.com

Published by Bohol Chronicle

Three first-degree cousins, all grandchildren of 2012 Ulirang Ina national awardee Fancy S. Baluyot, have brought pride to their Boholano roots for excelling in their studies in prominent schools in the United States and Cebu.

Two of them stay in the US where their parents have since worked.

Kevin Jude Matthew Alagon Climaco graduated cum laude with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Economics with double minors in Chemistry and Public Health at the Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts on May 19, 2013.

He was also awarded the Scarlet Key, the university's highest non-academic honor.

Just recently, Climaco was commissioned to the US Army as a second lieutenant after he received a full scholarship as an incoming medical student at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Maryland.

He is the eldest son of retired Capt. Ismael Climaco (PN, AFP) and Cates S. Alagon- Climaco, a registered nurse in New York. His younger brother, Kyle, is a high school student.

Matthew “Matt” Alagon Novick graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration at the Gabelli School of Business, Fordham University in New York on May 18, 2013. He was a decorated student leader who became president of the Fordham University Philippine American Club.

Novick met with no less than Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III during the latter's visit to the Fordham University in September 2011.

At present, he is an associate manager of Who's Who Online Ltd. and a budding entrepreneur.

Novick is the son of Andrew Novick and Judy S. Alagon-Novick, also a registered nurse in New York. His sister, Ann Frances, is a nurse, too, based in Utah.

Francesca Victoria “Cheska” Alagon Ruiz graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the Cebu Doctors' University in Cebu City on April 21, 2013.

After completing her arduous hospital training, she successfully hurdled the June 2013 nursing board examinations together with 16,218 other new registered nurses out of a total of 37,887 examinees nationwide.

Ruiz is the eldest child of Col. Ramon Ruiz and Dr. Mary Ann S. Alagon-Ruiz, a pediatrician. Her sister, Mara, is a senior at the University of the Philippines in Diliman. Her brother, Enzo, is a freshman at the De La Salle University in Manila.

Their mothers are daughters of Baluyot, the only Boholana national winner of the Ulirang Ina Awards in 2012. A former Red Cross-Bohol administrator, Baluyot is the president and chief executive officer of the Philippine Gift of Life and consultant to Gov. Edgar M. Chatto on medical missions.

Climaco, Novick and Ruiz are among Baluyot’s 12 granchildren. They belong to an age and a generation that not only hope to achieve continuous successes in chosen fields but to give back to the lineage of their cradle and the society that nurtures their dreams.

They have no doubt in their faith and efforts to reach higher goals---a fitting attribute in keeping with their cherished Boholano identity.

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