MIIS pioneers Multiple Intelligence Award that encourages the youth to make a difference in society

MI Linguistic Intelligence Award 2013 recipients, (from left) Howie Severino, Resz Valdez, Efren Penaflorida, Anna Metoto Wilk, Ogie Alcasid, Peter Amones and Mark Ruiz. CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

Multiple Intelligence International School (MIIS) pioneered the multiple intelligence approach in education in the country, which stresses the importance of honing and nurturing the various intelligences of children to make a difference in society. In its drive to provide young people with role models they can emulate, MIIS launched the biennial Multiple Intelligence (MI) Awards that recognizes those who have not only used their intelligences to succeed in life but to contribute to nation-building as well.

Carefully selected by the MI School Parent Body and Faculty, the MI Studentry, sponsors and a host of experts, the MI Awards’ roster of awardees is composed of recognizable names in different fields and sectors.

The Multiple Intelligence Award is one of the MI School’s pioneering efforts in its 20-year-history of providing progressive education to children and developing them to become global leaders and future-ready citizens.

Linguistic intelligence, as described by Dr. Howard Gardner who developed the multiple intelligences theory, is “the capacity to use language, one’s native tongue and perhaps other languages, to express what’s on your mind and to understand other people.”

Among those conferred with the MI Linguistic Intelligence Award are award-winning broadcast journalist Cheche Lazaro in 2005, the late Palanca Hall of Fame awardee Rene Villanueva in 2007, Atty. Alexander Lacson in 2009, TV host and children’s book author Christine Bersola-Babao in 2011, broadcast journalist Howie Severino in 2013 and journalist Maria A. Ressa in 2015.

Logical-Math Intelligence uses numbers, math, and logic to find and understand various patterns that occur in their lives. Professor and newspaper columnist Queena Lee Chua was the first MI Logical-Math Intelligence Awardee in 2005, followed by businessman Jose Concepcion in 2007, business magnate John Gokongwei Jr. in 2009, Peter Angelo V. Perfecto, Executive Director of the Makati Business Club in 2011, social entrepreneur Mark Ruiz in 2013 and Rags2Riches co-founder Reese Fernandez-Ruiz in 2015.

2011 awardees (from left) Pedro Abraham Jr., Emmanuel Mercado, Peter Angelo Perfecto, Tin Tin Bersola Babao, Herbert Bautista, Robert Quilla and Jasper Inventor. CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

Spatial intelligence can be used in the arts and in the sciences. People who are strong in spatial intelligence are excellent at performing tasks that require “seeing with the mind’s eyes,” such as visualizing, pretending, imagining and forming mental images. The following are the MI Spatial Intelligence Awardees: Art director CJ De Silva in 2005, painter Rafael Pacheco in 2007, prominent sculptor Rey Paz Contreras in 2009, artist Robert R. Quilao in 2011, Armado G. Sano in 2013 and architect Paulo G. Alcazaren in 2015.

People who have strength in the bodily kinesthetic tend to have a keen sense of body awareness. The MI Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence Awardees are prima ballerina Lisa Macuja in 2005, six-time World Bowling champion Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno in 2007, the Filipino Women Mt. Everest Team in 2009, Fil-Brit footballers and brothers James and Phil Younghusband in 2011, FutKal (Futbol sa Kalye) founder Peter Amores in 2013 and Climate Walk in 2015.

The Musical Intelligence Awardee recognizes, remembers, and interprets sounds asn uses it though meaning. The MI Musical Intelligence Awardees are renowned violinist Coke Bolipata in 2005, music icon Joey Ayala in 2007, actress and environmentalist Chin-Chin Gutierrez in 2009, performance artist Pedro R. Abraham, Jr. in 2011, singer-songwriter Ogie Alcasid in 2013, and folk singer Noel Cabangon in 2015.

People with interpersonal intelligence show a great deal of empathy for other people and exhibit a deep understanding of other points of view. The MI Interpersonal Intelligence Awardees through the years are the late President Corazon “Cory” Aquino in 2005, Congressman Sonny Belmonte in 2007, entrepreneur Cecilio K. Pedro in 2009, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista in 2011, CNN Hero of the Year recipient Efren Penaflorida in 2013 and Senator Pia Cayetano in 2015.

2009 awardees Illac Diaz, Ganafield Auste, Chin Chin Gutierez, John Gokongwei JR,, Alexander Lacson, Rey Paz Contreras, Noelle Wenceslao. CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

The Intrapersonal Intelligence Awardee is someone who has great belief in his/her philosophies and values and is willing to share these with others for the betterment of their lives. The MI Intrapersonal Intelligence Awardees are noted physician Dr. Alendry Cavilles Jr. in 2005, Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto in 2007, advocate for cancer-stricken children Gamaliel James Auste in 2009, Emmanuel Mercado in 2011, 13-year-old International Children’s Peace Prize winner Kesz Valdez in 2013, and philanthropist and new media advocate Jay Michael Ortuoste Jaboneta in 2015.

People with strong naturalist intelligence have a profound love and fascination for outdoors, animals, plants, and almost any natural object. The MI Naturalist Intelligence Awardees are Greenpeace Southeast Asia Executive Director Von Hernandez in 2005, environment crusader Narda Camacho in 2007, social entrepreneur Illac Diaz in 2009, climate and energy campaigner Jasper Inventor in 2011, Human Nature founder Anna Meloto-Wilk in 2013 and Filipino teacher Dr. Josette T. Biyo in 2015.