72-year-old TFT Rizal Awardee Advocates Post-Grad Studies Among OFWs
Image Caption: “Serving the OFWs especially the school children and the professionals who are taking postgraduate courses are what I consider my greatest achievements.”
By Gelin Castro
DUBAI: Dr. Eduardo Malagapo, Dean and Professor of graduate school at Philippine Christian University (PCU) and Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas, has already achieved great things at 72, having touched and changed the lives of not only a handful in their existential quest for higher education.
Dr. Ed, as he is fondly called, is a respected educator and entrepreneur, a man of vision who has helped so many professionals in the UAE the Middle East in over the past decade to take up masters’ and doctorate degrees, making them globally competitive.
He currently heads the Board of Trustees and is School Principal of Waha Al-Andalus International School (AAIS) in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, providing OFWs’ children their K+12 basic education.
As vice president and dean of Aldersgate College, he gives opportunity to Filipino high school graduates Saudi Arabia pursue their college degrees through the Blended Learning System. He also provides scholarship program to deserving students.
Because of his achievements, Dr. Ed has received the highest award the Philippine government bestows to achieving overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) – the Presidential Bagong Bayani Award – at ceremonies in Malacañang on December 11, 2011. President Benigno Aquino III gave him the commendation.
Dr. Ed, who hails from Cebu, is this year’s recipient of the TFT Awards Educator of the Year and the TFT Rizal Award.
“Learning for me is a continuous process of sharing with what you have for the benefit of your people (Filipinos) and those other nationalities who want to learn and acquire related skills and talents for themselves, the community and the universe,” Dr. Ed told The Filipino Times.
“Serving the OFWs especially the school children and the professionals who are taking post graduate courses are what I consider my greatest achievements,” he said.
“According to God’s tenure I already received 12 years bonus and through His will, He will let me continue His legacy in providing education to our OFWs’ children and overseas Filipino professionals as well as providing employment to our OFW teachers and staff, and scholarship to deserving K+12 students, college students and graduate school students,” he added.
(Source: FilipinoTimes.net)