PhilDev Foundation Announces 2024 Honorees at Gala and Awards Ceremony on October 12

The Foundation for the Development of Filipinos (PhilDev) announced the 2024 PhilDev Awards, which recognize outstanding contributions to education, innovation and entrepreneurship.

This year’s gala will be the inaugural event for the Dado Banatao Legacy Award, named in honor of our esteemed founder and Silicon Valley pioneer, Diosdado “Dado” Banatao.

The winners included:

Education: Sheila Coronel, director of the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism and Stabile Professor of the Professional Practice of Investigative Journalism at Columbia University, for her unwavering commitment to investigative journalism and her efforts to create institutions that support free and independent journalism.

Innovation: Ayesha Vera-Yu, CEO and Co-Founder of ARK Solves, for her pioneering work in community-based ventures that enable rural communities to achieve self-sufficient food security.

Enterprise: Eros Quesada Resmini Jr., Founder and Managing Partner of The Mini Fund, for his commitment to helping young entrepreneurs build lasting foundations for their startups through hands-on mentoring and investment.

Enterprise: Susie Quesada, third-generation owner and president of Ramar Foods International, for leading the Filipino food company and introducing the flavors of the Philippines to supermarkets and restaurants worldwide.

The Dado Banatao Legacy Award will be presented to Eric Toda, Meta’s Chief Social Marketing Officer and Executive Director of Meta Prosper. Eric is recognized for his visionary leadership, tenacious advocacy, and transformational contributions to the Asian American community and the technology industry. This award honors an individual who has made a significant and lasting impact, both locally and globally, in alignment with the mission and values established by PhilDev’s founder, Dado Banatao.

“We are honored to celebrate these extraordinary individuals who have made significant strides in their fields,” said Maria Banatao, PhilDev Trustee and Gala Chair. “Their work embodies the spirit of innovation and excellence that we strive to promote at PhilDev.”

The awards will be presented at the PhilDev Gala and Awards on October 12, 2024 at 5:30 PM at the Westin SFO in San Francisco, California. The evening will be an unforgettable celebration with live performances by R&B artist Zeyonce Brown and Justin and Jeremy Garcia of The Voice USA. Guests will also have the opportunity to participate in a live auction to benefit PhilDev’s initiatives in education, innovation and entrepreneurship.