In recognition of Mr. Roberto L. Montelibano’s impressive and outstanding accomplishments in upholding humanitarian principles and values in the fields of business, education, agriculture, and social development and for his contributions to society, Providence University conferred upon him the honorary Doctoral Degree, “Honoris Causa”.
Excerpts from the remarks of Dr. Matthew Teh Yu, Providence University President:
Mr. Roberto L. Montelibano is a true Roman Catholic and hails from Bacolod, in the southern part of the Philippines. While he is a Filipino, his Chinese ancestry on both the paternal and maternal sides of his family can be traced to Amoy, China. He has served with great integrity in the government of Negros Occidental as a highly respected Congressman and Assemblyman . Currently, he holds high positions and memberships in civic as well as private associations, such as President of Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Negros Japan Human Resource Exchange Association, Inc., People’s Economic Council of Bacolod, Inc., Central Negros Electric Cooperative, and Children International Summer Village.
In addition, Mr. Montelibano has several business affiliations. To name a few, he is the President and Chairperson of the Biofuels International Philippines, Inc, and Prism Import Export; furthermore, he is a committed innovator in large projects advocating business entrepreneurship and agri-business in order to provide jobs in poverty-stricken areas. He has addressed the urgent need to correct anomalies in the socio-economic strata.
As a renowned developer of society, and a compassionate servant of the people, he continues to empower and to raise the dignity of workers in the urban centers as well as in the countryside. He has initiated the development of grassroots economic councils, various enterprises, and technological training for local and foreign skilled workers.
He is a major advocate of agricultural diversification, providing sufficient training to support technological advancement and creating productive networking. As a responsible citizen of the Earth, he has addressed environmentally-friendly strategies by promoting biofuels.
Finally, Mr. Montelibano and his family have generously provided resources to the Monks of the Congregation of St. John the Baptist whose centerhouse is located in Taichung, Taiwan. In total, they have donated 30 hectares of agricultural land to be utilized for a monastery, a center to assist the local farmers, and for the Lux Mundi Institute, which offers secondary and tertiary education in agriculture in Negros Occidental. |
