This year’s winners of the Metrobank Foundation Search for The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers (TOPS) will officially be announced to the public in a press conference to be held at the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines at Camp Aguinaldo on June 16, 2014 highlighting the 116th celebration of the Philippine Independence. The winners will be presented to AFP Chief of Staff General Emmanuel T. Bautista AFP and other members of the AFP during the flag raising ceremony. In partnership with the Rotary Club of Makati Metro (RCMM), the search process culminated with the final interview of the twenty (20) finalists last May 22-23, 2014 with Sen. Juan Edgardo "Sonny” M. Angara heading the multi-sectoral panel of judges. The other members of the final board are: Hon. Mujiv Sabbihi Hataman, regional governor of ARMM; Atty. Alexander A. Padilla, president and CEO of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth); Atty. Theodore Te, Assistant Court Administrator and Chief of Public Information Office of the Supreme Court of the Philippines; Therese "Gang” Badoy Capati, Founder and Executive Director of Rock Ed Philippines; and Ed Lingao, Director for Multimedia of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. The members of the preliminary board of judges for the commissioned officers are Dr. Enrique A. Tayag, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health; Dr. Gilberto M. Llanto, president of the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS); Cherie Mercado-Santos, senior anchor of TV5; and Zak Yuson, director of Move.PH of Rappler. Meanwhile, comprising the preliminary board of judges for the enlisted personnel are Hon. Jose Manuel S. Mamauag, Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights; Conchita Ragragio, executive director of the Corporate Network for Disaster Response, Jose "Jay" R. Taruc III, TV host and reporter of GMA News and Public and Affairs.
