This Academic Year 2024, I have received the School of Management Excellent Impact Award from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University.

It is a humbling recognition of my lifelong commitment to inclusive education and empowerment. More than a personal milestone, this moment is a quiet affirmation that work grounded in service, equity, and community truly matters.

My advocacy has always been about creating space for learners who are often overlooked and unheard. In my work with public schools, teacher communities, and grassroots education programs, I have come to understand that inclusive education is not only about accessibility. It is also about dignity, belonging, and the power to dream.

Through community partnerships, I have helped design outreach programs that provide both learners and teachers the tools and encouragement they need to succeed. I have also worked to bring these values outside the classroom. My collaboration with the Department of Tourism Region 12, for instance, has allowed me to champion sustainable tourism as a platform for empowerment. By immersing young people in local heritage, culture, and livelihood, we nurture a deeper sense of responsibility, identity, and pride in their roots.

The award is a moment of gratitude. It is a pause to reflect on the many hands and hearts that have walked with me in this journey. It is a reminder that we never truly work alone. Each classroom visit, each community engagement, and each project is part of a larger movement to open doors and expand possibilities.

To my students and colleagues at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, thank you for growing alongside me. To my partners in government and civil society, thank you for your trust. To the children who learned to dream, and the teachers who taught them how—this recognition belongs to you.

May we continue to serve with compassion, with courage, and with purpose.

Padayon sa pag-alagad, uban ang kasingkasing.

Michael Angelo A. Cortez Professor, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University