Ruthlane Uy Asmundson | |
---|---|
Mayor, City of Davis | |
In office 2008 –June 2010 | |
Succeeded by | Joe Krovoza |
Personal details | |
Education | Adamson University Wilkes University University of California Davis |
Ruthlane Uy Asmundson (born September 21,1945) served as mayor of the City of Davis,California from 2004 to 2006 and again from 2008 to 2010. [1] A native of Gamu,Isabela,Philippines,Asmundson was the first female Filipino immigrant to be elected into the position of mayor in an American city. [2]
In 1968,Asmundson graduated with a BS in chemistry from Adamson University,a private Catholic institution in Manila. She went on to become a Fulbright Scholar in the US,earning an MS degree in chemistry from Wilkes University and a PhD in Agricultural Chemistry from University of California Davis in 1972,again as a Fulbright Scholar. She subsequently returned to the Philippines to teach at Adamson University.
On her return to the Philippines to teach,Ruthlane was accompanied by Vigfus Asmundson,a prominent lawyer in Davis who became the city mayor in 1970. During their time in the Philippines,he proposed,and the pair wed following their arrival back in the United States,during Vigfus's term as city mayor. The Asmundsons had four children themselves,and also raised two children of Vigfus's sister,who died of breast cancer in 1990. [2] With the encouragement of her husband,Ruthlane entered local politics herself. [3] Vigfus was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in his later years [3] and died on April 28,2003.
Asmundson was first elected to the City Council in 2002 and then reelected in 2006. She served as mayor pro tempore until 2008,when she took over as mayor. In her first try at local politics in 2002,she garnered the highest number of votes among her fellow candidates. Hence,she became mayor pro-tempore from 2002 to 2004 and sat as mayor from 2004 to 2006. As mayor,Asmundson has been an advocate for stronger sister city relations throughout her tenure. Since her election,she had inked sister city relations with 4 cities in Asia,two of which are in the Philippines Los Baños,Laguna and Muñoz,Nueva Ecija.
Asmundson regularly visits the Philippines and has provided assistance to projects in her hometown. The Uy family was responsible for building and furnishing a community library in Barangay Mabini Gamu,Isabela in 1998. Since the early 1990s,Asmundson has provided annual scholarships for needy students and supported faculty scholarship chairs in Adamson University.
Asmundson was named Davis Citizen of the Year in 1990 [1] and one of the "100 Most Influential Pinays in the U.S." in 2007. [4] Her alma mater conferred on her the Outstanding Alumni of the Year in 2000 and 2003 for her contributions to the university and her achievements as a public official.[ citation needed ] She received the 2006 Pamana ng Filipino award. [5] In 2010,she received a UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Award of Distinction. [6]
The Cagayan River,also known as the Río Grande de Cagayán,is the longest river and the largest river by discharge volume of water in the Philippines. It has a total length of approximately 505 kilometres (314 mi) and a drainage basin covering 27,753 square kilometres (10,715 sq mi). It is located in the Cagayan Valley region in northeastern part of Luzon Island and traverses the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya,Quirino,Isabela and Cagayan.
Isabela,officially the Province of Isabela,is the second largest province in the Philippines in land area located in the Cagayan Valley. Its capital and the largest local government unit is the city of Ilagan. It is bordered by the provinces of Cagayan to the north,Kalinga to the northwest,Mountain Province to the central-west,Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya to the southwest,Quirino,Aurora and the independent city of Santiago to the south,and the Philippine Sea to the east.
Ilagan,officially the City of Ilagan,is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Isabela,Philippines. According to the 2020 census,it has a population of 158,218 people making it the most populous city in the province and the second most-populous in Cagayan Valley after Tuguegarao. As of 2022,it also had the most number of voters in the province with 101,050 electorates.
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Cabatuan,officially the Municipality of Cabatuan,is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Isabela,Philippines. According to the 2020 census,it has a population of 39,990 people.
Gamu,officially the Municipality of Gamu,is a 4th class municipality in the province of Isabela,Philippines. According to the 2020 census,it has a population of 30,655 people.
Naguilian,officially the Municipality of Naguilian,is a 4th class municipality in the province of Isabela,Philippines. According to the 2020 census,it has a population of 33,788 people.
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Adamson University is a private Catholic university operated by the Congregation of the Mission located in Manila,Philippines. The university has academic programs in graduate school,law,the liberal arts,sciences,engineering,nursing,pharmacy,architecture,business administration,and education,as well as secondary,elementary,and preschool. It is one of the universities in the country to receive an autonomous status by the Commission on Higher Education.
Lourdes J. Cruz is a Filipino biochemist whose research has contributed to the understanding of the biochemistry of toxic peptides from the venom of fish-hunting Conus marine snails. Throughout the Philippines,she is known as the Sea Snail Venom Specialist. The characterization of over 50 biologically active peptides from the snail's venom had been made possible,in part,by her studies. Scientific findings regarding the peptides found in snails have applications in diagnostic tools for cancers and the development of drugs for the treatment of neurological disorders. She has also contributed to the development of conotoxins as tools for examining the activity of the human brain. Her contributions to science have earned her several awards and acknowledgements including being named a National Scientist of the Philippines in 2006.
Feliza Teresita "Liz" Nuesa Miro is a Filipino model and beauty pageant titleholder. She was born on May 11,1953 in Manila,Philippines to Engr. Antonio Santos Miro of San Pablo,Isabela and Feliza Teresita "Tess" Pimentel Nuesa of Santa Cruz,Ilocos Sur. She was the eldest of 8 siblings.
Gubernatorial elections were held in the Philippines on May 10,2010. All provinces elected their provincial governors for three-year terms that will begin on June 30,2010. Governors that are currently serving their third consecutive terms are prohibited from running as governors.
A special election for Isabela's 4th district seat in the House of Representatives of the Philippines was held on May 12,2003. Held due to the death of Antonio Abaya,Giorgidi Aggabao won the special election,beating Abaya's widow Asuncion,to succeed him in the House of Representatives.
Mutya Johanna Fontiveros Datul is a Filipino fashion and commercial model,actress,and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Supranational 2013,making her the first Asian and first Filipino to win Miss Supranational.
Gwendoline Gaelle Sandrine Ramos Ruais is a Filipino-French actress,model,TV presenter and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss World Philippines 2011. She represented the Philippines at the Miss World 2011 pageant in London,England and placed 1st Runner-Up.
Merenciana "Ewon" Arayi is a Filipino former basketball player,who has served as the longest-tenured player and team captain of the Philippines women's national basketball team since the SEABA Championships in 2007. She is also the founder and president of the pioneering women's basketball league in the Philippines,the Pinay Ballers League and a member of Athletes in Action Christian ministry.
The Our Lady of the Visitation of Guibang,is a 20th-century Roman Catholic icon enshrined in the town of Gamu in the province of Isabela,Philippines. It is considered to be one of the most venerated Marian images in northern Philippines. The statue was Episcopally Crowned by the Most Rev. Carmine Rocco,Papal Nuncio to the Philippines on 26 May 1973. As closing of the Diocesan Marian Congress of that same year. The Coronation was held at St. Ferdinand College,beside the St. Ferdinand Cathedral in Ilagan,Isabela.