Dolores Sison
Dr. Dolores "Dollie" Hernandez-Sison (October 2, 1919 - September 28, 2011) was an eminent Filipina educator, philanthropist and community leader in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. She also acted as a goodwill ambassadress and diplomat during her years in the Batasang Pambasa (Interim National Legislature) (1978-1984) while she was designated as the Minister of Tourism. During her tenure as woman president of the University of Nueva Caceres, she held the distinction of being the third woman to become a university president in the entire Philippines.
Biography
Dr. Dolores Hernandez Sison must have been really meant to be a woman for all seasons. She finished high School as valedictorian at the Philippine Women's University where she also graduated cum laude in both A.B. and B.S.E courses. While at the PWU she was president of the student council in high school and college and editor of the PhilWomenian and PWU annual. Her crowning glory as a student was her being chosen the Intercollegiate Girl of the college Editors gild of the Philippines, considered then as now as the true epitome of beauty and brains. |When it became imminent that the stewardship of UNC was to fall squarely on her shoulders she took up M.A in Administration of Higher Education at Columbia university in New York City. On March 25, 1977 the PWU conferred upon her the degree of Doctor of Education, Honoris Causa.
What has so endeared Mrs. Sison to people? An old hand at the UNC curly puts it this way; she is articulate, brilliant, beautiful and most important, she routinely comes up with a sound discretion on every issue. She is kind and gentle, stunning simple and loves people, remains unaffected by the grandeur that has been through from childhood as a daughter of the late Finance Secretary Jaime Hernandez and by her own kilometric list of achievements. When she dabbed in politics she won hands down as Assemblywoman for Region V. She was later to become Minister of State for Tourism. She was definitely also a factor when her husband, the late Dean Antonio Moran Sison, won as delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1971. She was Philippine delegate to the 33rd and 34th UN General Assembly in 1978 and 1979 and to the world Tourism Organization Conferences in India in 1983. Mexico, 1982; Italy, 1981; Manila, 1980; and Spain 1979. In Seoul, Korea she was guest speaker in June, 1982 at the Asian Women Parliamentarian Seminar.
Despite her tremendous workload, she always has time for people, For twenty years she was member for the Board of Governors of the Philippines National Red Cross, a prolonged dedicated involvement in humanitarian work that earned her in 192 the Gold Humanitarian Service Cross, the highest Red Cross Award for volunteer service excellence. Deeply religious, she was a member of the Association of our Lady of Penafrancia and Cristian Maturity Formation Seminar and adviser of the Mother Butler's Mission Guild her in Camarines Sur.
Awards
- Doctor of Education, Honoris Causa (PWU)
- Salute to Women YMCA (1977)
- Mayoral distinguished Service Award (1977)
- Special Mayoral Award (1984)
- Gold Humanitarian Service Cross, highest award of the Philippine National Red Cross
(1992)
- Aurora Aragon Quezon Medal for distinguished leadership in the cause of humanity.
- People's Republic of China Red Cross Medal for being the first Filipino to visit the Red
Cross Headquarters in Beijing in 1996.
- CAPA Award as outstanding alumna of the PWU (1980)
- National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women: Outstanding Bicolana Award (1996)
- Presidential Citation of Recognition and Commendation.