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Kenney confers on Gov Padaca Int’l Women of Courage Award
BY JOAN CAPUNA

ILAGAN, Isabela – US Ambassador Kristie Kenney personally conferred an international award to Gov. Grace Padaca here on Dec. 3.

Kenney, along with other US Embassy officials awarded to the governor the prestigious International Women of Courage Award.

The award, which was also conferred to US Secretary of State Condoleza Rice, was given to Padaca in recognition of her distinguished efforts for the continued development of her province since she assumed the governorship following a colorful stint as a broadcast journalist.

Despite all odds, Padaca, who walks with the aid of crutches, won as governor in 2004, defeating then Gov. Faustino Dy Jr., whose family held the governorship for more than three decades.
She won her second term last May elections against Dy’s younger brother, former thee term Gov. Benjamin Dy.

Padaca’s victory was considered one of the most successful upsets in the country’s political history, as many thought then that she was spearheading a foolhardy campaign to trounce one of the well-entrenched political families.

Padaca described her victory as liberating the province from the clutches of a long-entrenched dynasty that had seemingly total control over this country’s third largest province, which is also a top-most rice and corn producer.

Upon assumption, Padaca started to implement processes in the provincial government that would wean away her constituents from those things they had been used to during the previous administration and put them back on the track to self-confidence by allowing residents to participate in local governance.

Padaca’s re-election last May was believed to have been an imprimatur by the Isabelinos for her efforts to improve their lives.