Holy Angel University's Outstanding Alumna December 27, 2008
17TH GRAND ALUMNI HOMECOMING AT HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY

Ms. Ninfa A. Ong was born on November 10, 1955. She is lucky to have as parents a disciplinarian and industrious businessman-father, the late, Mr. Moises C. Agapito and a dedicated teacher and mother, Mrs. Socorro M. Agapito who was a recipient in 1984 as Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awardee, Teaching category.

Ning as most people fondly call her, began her secondary education at Holy Angel University in 1967. She was just 12 years old then but was able to prove her academic acumen to her older classmates by being constantly in the Honor Roll list of the best section of their year level. She was not even a full-time student since she was helping her father in their pawnshop and jewelry business.

She finished her high school education graduating Second Honorable Mention, making her parents proud and happy for having a responsible, industrious, intelligent and charming eldest child among 8 siblings.

Her college education was also at Holy Angel University taking up Bachelor of Science in Commerce with Accounting as her major. Though she continued helping her father in their business, she managed to graduate as Magna Cum Laude in 1975. She then passed the board exams for Accountants the following year.

She decided to work in several banks starting with Bank of Commerce as bank teller in 1976. Within ten years, she worked with three bigger banks, Philippine Commercial Industrial Bank, DEvelopment Bank of the Philippines and Philippine National Bank assuming more responsible positions in that span of time. Her banking experiences helped a lot when she finally decided in 1986 to work full time in their jewelry and pawn shop business.

She got married on April 8, 1979 to Mr. Francisco Q. Ong also an alumnus of Holy Angel University and were blessed with 4 children.

From an initial one stall pawnshop in 1965 it became two in 1991. It was on fateful December 1990 when robbers ransacked their original stall and even fired and killed her husband and father.

Despite of the pains and loneliness that followed, she persevered together with her siblings to improve and made decisions for their business to flourish so that the tragic event that happened won't be in vain. Now, after 18 byears, they have 4 well secured jewelry and pawnshop buildings serving the needs of those who needed money. THey have treated their clients fairly, thus their pawnshops continue to have new and loyal clients despite having new big competitors coming from other parts of the country.

Notable among her accomplishments is her major part in forging closeness and unity among the HAU High School Batch of 1971 they call "Forever Young". She is one of those who have been instrumental in having many of the children of their less fortunate classmates to become scholars of their batch. There are already several graduates and are gainfully employed and thus able to help their families and be productive citizens of our country. Also, she was able to hire many of the children of her batch mates and thus helping them in their financial needs.

She desires to help others who want to improve their lots without them becoming dependent on dole-outs. She is considerate and reach out to those who need comfort especially during trying times such as death and sickness of her batch's relatives and others. Her family can be relied on through their financial support to churches and other charitable institutions.

Endorsed By: H.A.U. Batch 71

Reynaldo Pamintuan
President

“Fidelity to the Law emanates from fidelity to God, who is the Supreme Lawgiver. While fidelity to the law is expected from everybody, lawyers are duty-bound to abide by it.” - Judge Ma. Rosario Manalang-Demigillo

This is the personal credo that has shaped and guided Atty. Rosario Manalang-Demigillo’s professional life. And she is one of our own. “Ross” as she is known among those closest to her, is a graduate of Holy Angel University High School, Class 1971. She comes from a closely-knit, pious family of 5 girls and 2 boys from Mabalacat, Pampanga and is the fourth daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Servando E. Manalang. Ross is married to Atty. Roberto "Bobby" Demigillo and together they have four children: Ma. Rosario Fidelis, Roberto, Jr., Jose Maria and Beatrice. To those of us who knew her in high school, she is a person who possesses unremitting principles and solid values, tempered with compassion. In class, she was the leader in discussions and lent her voice to those who were intimidated by a situation. As one classmate, remembers, “she was quick to offer me a helping hand –the only one in our class- by volunteering her sisters and their co-workers as potential buyers, when, as a youth I was trying to help augment family income by selling shoes.” Her heart always goes out to the underdog. To her acquaintances, she is a towering figure, both literally (one of very few tall girls in our batch) and figuratively (whether in or out of the classroom, her “voice” resonated in discussions). She has known since high school that she wanted to make a difference by becoming a lawyer.

It was no surprise to many when Ross chose to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Political Science at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila after high school. She proceeded to take up law at the prestigious Ateneo de Manila University College of Law immediately after graduating from UST. She found her niche at Ateneo, where she consistently made the dean’s list for the entire duration of her law studies. In 1979, she graduated second honors with a Bachelor of Law degree. That same year, she took her bar exams and was ranked among the top 20 of those who passed, and she placed first in her Remedial Law Subject exams.

Ross’s exemplary academic standing, among other qualifications, merited her an offer from the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), a government agency under the justice department, which services government-run corporation and agencies (e.g. Philippine Export and Foreign Loan Guarantee Corporation, Philippine National Construction Corporation, National Housing Authority, Light Rail Transit Corporation, Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation, to name a few). Ross started working for the OGCC a year before graduation. She spent the first 19 years of her law career here drafting and reviewing codes, rules and regulations, important contracts and agreements, and licensing for the government-run corporations and agencies. She rose to the rank of State Corporate Attorney. While with OGCC, she was offered another great opportunity as a Senior Vice President and Legal Counsel in the Corporate Sector at Philippine Export and Foreign Loan Guarantee Corporation, now known as Trade and Investment Development Corporation. In 1999, she received a Top Performer Award for superior performance. Currently, she is the Senior Vice President in Credit Policy Compliance and Supervision Office.

As one of the most senior corporate lawyers in her job, Ross became privy to many important government agreements affecting government policies. “She learned of some plans by prominent government officials of entering into an agreement using millions of government funds,” which, she considered, “would place the government in a very disadvantageous position.”

True to her values and principles – and after weighing all considerations aimed at maintaining the integrity of her work for the benefit of the greater good – she counseled against the contract. This put her at great odds with some powerful people and placed her position in a very precarious situation. Her deep faith in God, her inner strength, uncompromising solid values and immense family support helped her through this life-changing period. They say, a person’s true character is manifested in the decision one makes when one’s values are challenged and compromised. Ross’s success is not only measured by the achievements she has attained. More importantly, it is measured by the choices she has made using her position to do the right thing by others. She deserves to be one of our outstanding alumni.

Article Written by:
Juh

A salute to SGM Noriel DeLeon. Pictured below with former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (2001-2006) and the staff of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA). Noriel brings honor to all the good men and women of the HAU Batch71 alumni who have chosen the pathway to a military career


SGM Noriel DeLeon, second from left, front row.

Noriel: second from right, front row