To quoted City Administrator Loreto S. Amante, “Inspired by Muhammad Yunus, of Bangladeshi who funded the Nobel Prize-Winning Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, Dr. Alip, a San Pableño, founded in 1986 the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) Mutually Reinforcing Institution, that eventually led to the opening of CARD Bank that cater to the poor, and ‘for their effort to create economic and social development from below,’ he was chosen as a 2008 Magsaysay Awardee for Public Service.
Sinimulan ang palatuntunan sa pamamagitan ng isang dasal-awit o doksolohiya, na sinundan ng pambansang awit na parehong pinangunahan ng San Pablo Central School (Teachers) Chorale. Si former Vice- Mayor Palermo A. Bañagale na ngayon ay Pangulo ng San Pablo Historical Society ang nagbigay ng pambungad na pananalita, na sinunda ng pagpapaliwanag ni Dr. Enric T. Sanchez, City Schools Division Superintendent, sa kahulugan at kabuluhan ng pagdiriwang tungo sa katatagan ng hinaharap ng bansa.