By Stewart C. Ocampo

Good fruits come from good seeds. Rewards start from good deeds.

A Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Mathematics graduate of Mariano Marcos State University – College of Teacher Education Batch 2011, and now a teacher in Dingras National High School, Dingras, Ilocos Norte, is set to be awarded as the Philippine recipient of the prestigious Princess Maha Chakri Award (PMCA).

The third child of the majesties King and Queen of Thailand, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is the founder of the PMCA Foundation, organizer of the biennial international award meant to honor outstanding teachers in ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste. It recognizes their dedication and internationally recognized achievements that resulted to significant impact on students’ lives and have forwarded a better education system.

Out of the eight nominees from various Schools Division offices throughout the Philippines, Mr. Valencia from the Schools Division of Ilocos Norte emerged as rank 1. He was chosen by the screening committee of the Department of Education.

Mr. Valencia’s flagship project for community development is AgBALAYgi Project, a housing project for less fortunate families and fire victims. He is also the proponent of the Project M.A.T.H (Make A Tremendous Help), where students are immersed in doing household chores and in extending services in their communities.

His other initiatives include Project Sagut-Ayat para iti Arapaap, a project that provides inspiration for children in the community through series of activities such as, gift-giving, distribution of school supplies, groceries, and clothes; Project Iligtas, a school Disaster Risk Reduction Management that conducts activities such as community relief operations during disasters; and Backyard to Kitchen Project and Urban Gardening, which strongly supported the gardening projects of the International Professionals Association of Dingras  and the Boy Scout of the Philippines.

“I am both honored and humbled by this award. MMSU molded me to become a leader and a teacher, who continues to believe that we all can make a difference in the lives of learners. This is for all of us,” Mr. Valencia told the MMSU Chronicle in an interview.

His former college mentor and adviser, Prof. Edelyn Asuncion shared, “Mr. Valencia has always been a remarkable leader. As YMCA Club president, he exhibited utmost responsibility and diligence. When I learned that he is the country’s recipient of such honorable prize, I was overjoyed.”

Mr. Valencia is the fifth Filipino and first ever recipient of the award from Ilocos Norte and in Region 1. Other Filipino recipients were Mr. William Moraca of General Santos City (2015); Mr. Jesus Insilada of Iloilo City (2017); Mr. Sadat Minandang of Cotabato City (2019); and Mr. Marcelo T. Otinguey of Benguet City (2021).

Other recipients of this year’s awards are Mohamad Amir Irwan Bin Hajimoksin (Negara Brunei Darussalam); Hay Chakriya (Kingdom of Cambodia); Harisdayani (Republic of Indonesia); Kimfueang Heuangmany (Lao People’s Democratic Republic); Saifulnizan Che Ismail (Malaysia); Daw Aye Su Win (Republic of the Union of Myanmar); Madam Chong Luan Penny (Republic of Singapore); Filomena Da Costa (Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste); Mr. Nawat Ngerngammesuk (Thailand); and Nguyen Manh Hung (Socialist Republic of Vietnam).

He will personally receive his cash prize and award from the Thai princess on October 17, 2023 in Thailand. (HLY/JVBT, StratCom)