Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan conferred an Honorary Doctorate in the Humanities on Most Rev Orlando B Quevedo, OMI, DD during the university’s 72nd graduation convocation on March 25. Quevedo was also be the commencement speaker.

Quevedo is the Archbishop of Cotabato. He was responsible for setting up the Colleges of Nursing, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, and the Socio-Economic Research Center at Notre Dame University. In 1973 he was one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines.

The Honors and Awards committee of the University selected Quevedo for his “knowledge and understanding of Mindanao and his continuing involvement in the search for peace in the region….”

Quevedo defended and promoted justice and peace issues, grassroots empowerment and Basic Ecclesiastical Communities (BEC) during the Martial Law years when he was bishop of the Diocese of Kidapawan. He was also instrumental in renewing the Church in Nueva Segovia by building a BEC and modifying the tithing system in the Archdiocese. It was also his idea to create a Public Affairs Committee in the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

In 1991, he received an Award of Appreciation at the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines as the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Acts and Decrees and in 1994, he earned the highest vote to membership in the General Council of the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops in Rome.

Presently, Quevedo is the principal drafter of several CBCP Pastoral Letters and Statements.

Apart from bestowing the honoris causa on Quevedo, Xavier University also honored exemplar organization and individuals during the graduation convocation.

The Society of the Oblates of Notre Dame was selected to receive the Archbishop Santiago TG Hayes SJ Award for the Society’s dynamic missionary spirit, quality Catholic education, and its work with and for the poor and marginalized sectors, and women.

Accepting the Fr William F Masterson SJ Award this year was Sister Eva Fidela Maamo, SPC, MD.  Maamo was a recipient of the 1997 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership. She is a surgeon and the president of the Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission, Inc. She is a strong advocate of the right of the poor to a decent health care.

The Fr Francisco R Demetrio SJ Award was presented to Steven Prince C Fernandez, DFA. Fernandez is the director and head pedagogue of the Integrated Performing Arts Guild Integrated Arts and Training/Development Projects. He was a 2006 Palanca Awardee. He has performed in over 30 plays, concerts and films, and published a number of books, monograph, papers and lectures, and essays on the performing arts.

The Society of the Oblates of Notre Dame, Maamo and Fernandez were recognized alongside Quevedo at the Xavier University gymnasium.