CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE. J. Prospero De Vera III, the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), was recently honored with The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) Award on December 5, 2024. This prestigious accolade recognizes Filipinos who have made significant contributions to their fields, positively impacting the nation. (Image provided by CHED Philippines)
MANILA – J. Prospero De Vera III, the head of CHED, received the TOFIL 2024 Award for his dedication to enhancing the quality of higher education across the Philippines.
De Vera, in a statement released on Friday, expressed gratitude for the recognition and emphasized the collective efforts of CHED. He also shared his experiences from the Padyak campaign, a nationwide cycling initiative by CHED, where he connected with students and their families.
“This award is a tribute not only to me but to my family, my colleagues at CHED, and especially the students I’ve met during my travels across the country. I accept The Outstanding Filipino Award on behalf of the students whose dreams have been realized through free higher education,” De Vera remarked.
De Vera’s notable achievements include advocating for the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017, ensuring educational continuity during the Covid-19 crisis, maintaining CHED’s status as a top-performing government agency, and fostering international collaborations for higher education institutions.
Currently, over 2 million students benefit from free tertiary education, and more than 700,000 receive financial aid, as reported by CHED.
The TOFIL Award, bestowed by the Junior Chamber International Senate Philippines (JCISP), is often referred to as the Philippine equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
Alongside De Vera, other distinguished recipients of the TOFIL Award include former senator Lorenzo Tanada, Rosa Rosal, former president Diosdado Macapagal, National Scientist Dioscoro Umali, National Artist Jose Joya, former Senate president Jovito Salonga, and Dr. Fe del Mundo. (Philippine News Agency)