QUEZON CITY Philippines — Former Guam governor Carl T.C. Gutierrez will likely be the last recipient of the Gusi Peace Prize from Guam as the foundation which oversees the awards looks to the Polynesian and Micronesian islands for nominees from that region.

Barry S. Gusi chairman of the Gusi Peace Prize Foundation; told the Journal that Gutierrez will be one of the 15 recipients of this year’s awards which was established by his late father Capt. Gemeniano Javier Gusi. The Gusi Peace Prize styles itself as the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize and recognizes international achievement in various areas of expertise.

“(Gutierrez) will probably be the last awardee from Guam. They are plenty already. He is the fourth. Next year we will look at Kiribati Tuvalu — Polynesian countries ” said the younger Gusi. Gutierrez is being recognized for his public service. Previous awardees from Guam include Madeleine Z. Bordallo Guam’s delegate to Congress; Sen. Jesse A. Lujan chairman of the Committee on Aviation Immigration Labor and Housing; and John M. Quinata. former senator.

This year’s awards will be held on Nov. 22 at the Meralco Theater along Ortigas Ave. Pasig City with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo invited as guest speaker. Gusi said about 1 800 people are expected to attend the awards night among them “people from the upper society former Malaysian President Mahathir Mohammad former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos … with 28 ambassadors confirmed [to attend]. [The awards night] will be televised live via satellite over GMA-7 PTV-4 and internationally through BBC in London.”

Asked why the foundation had considered a number of Guamanians to receive the award Gusi said “because there are a lot of Guamanians deserving of the award.”

In her address Arroyo is expected to speak of “peace all over the world unity of the people in Asia and the world ” said Gusi.

Gusi a former honorary consul to the Northern Marianas and the Federated States of Micronesia said the foundation was established in 1967 while the peace prize was initiated in 1999. He said the foundation raises funds from the “elite society” and enables its doctors to conduct medical missions and “child learning care counseling ” as well as distribute food and medicines to indigenous peoples and disaster-stricken areas in the Philippines. MBJ