The Regional Development Council Region 2 (RDC2) recognized two regional winners of the 2025 Search for Outstanding Volunteers (SOV), Mr. Jemerson Eugenio and Mr. Gilbert Ryan Chan, during its 137th Full Council meeting held at the Cagayan Provincial Capitol on 9 December 2025.

Mr. Eugenio received the Outstanding Regional Volunteer Award under the youth category. Among his meaningful accomplishments is the Project Ahon, the longest-running disaster response volunteer project in Isabela. In 2020, the project was able to reach and support 10,000 individuals affected by Typhoon Ulysses, including indigenous peoples.

Mr. Chan was adjudged the outstanding volunteer under the adult category. His most significant accomplishments centered on his dedication to restoring lives. He provided livelihood assistance to former communist terrorist groups (CTG), as well as a house to a PWD family in Abulug, Cagayan. He also organized Project WISHKOLAR, which provides ₱20,000 cash assistance per semester to underprivileged college students, and laptops and other IT support to schools. He also donated financial support for the rehabilitation of the PNP unit’s firing range and the construction of communal comfort rooms in Pamplona, Cagayan.

Mr. Chan also clinched the National Outstanding Volunteer Award, besting the 51 other national qualifiers. The awarding ceremony will be held at the Ayala Museum in Makati City.

The awards were presented by RDC Chair Governor Edgar B. Aglipay, Regional Search Committee (RSC) Chair Regional Director Dionisio C. Ledres, Jr., and other officials of the RDC2.

The winners were evaluated by the RSC among 17 nominees. The evaluation criteria focused on the project’s scope, impact, and sustainability. Project visits and interviews were conducted in September 2025 to validate the documents and information submitted.

The RSC is composed of representatives from the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), Civil Service Commission (CSC), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), Department of Education (DepEd), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). DEPDev-MED