FORMER senator and climate visionary Heherson Alvarez was conferred the Social Innovation Leadership Award by the organization of Asia’s top marketing executives and professionals.
CMO Asia conferred the award during the Asia Social Innovation Excellence Awards 2016 at the Pan Pacific Marina Square in Singapore over the weekend for his distinguished record in both public service and civil society action.
His record in public service covers 45 years as a constitutional convention delegate, freedom fighter against dictatorship, ambassador, legislator and former Cabinet member under four Philippine presidents.
In the international arena of civil society action, he founded the EarthSavers (honored as Unesco Artist for Peace) and is the first Asian chairman of the Climate Institute AdvisoryBoard and a founding trustee of the Ocean Security International expanded as a South-South Cooperation Council.
According to Andrew Kelly, CMO Asia’s chief patron and program chairman, the Asia Social Innovation Excellence Awards “are the Asia’s highest recognition of individuals and corporate organizations that have a significant and positive impact on the lives of people.”
Kelly said the Social Innovation Leadership Award is intensely researched, and drawn from a shortlist of individuals who are doing extraordinary work with record achievements. “The shortlist is then reviewed by a jury comprising of senior professionals from across the globe.”
The criteria for the Social Innovation Leadership Award include the following: Effective and sustainable mobilization of resources in support of program and project work, including support from local communities, incorporating ethical values, efficient management of financial and human resources, good governance practices, transparency and accountability, and effective communication, and finally, involvement in communities and protection of the environment.
Alvarez’s human rights based principled passion revolves around climate change, poverty alleviation and sustainable development.
He crafted the Philippines Framework Strategy on Climate Change when he was the secretary of the Climate Change Commission in 2010 and continues to chair an official side event on Tricontinental intercultural interfaith dialogue.
An outstanding alumnus awardee of the University of the Philippines, he has a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University. He has been given a honorary doctorate from the Mindanao State University on environmental science and a honorary juris doctor from the Stratford International School of Engineering and Environmental Management.
Alvarez is also a recipient of the Order of Lakandula-Grand Cross Bayani, one of the highest honors conferred by the Philippines on individual whose life is worthy of emulation by the people.