One of the country’s outstanding teachers from the Cordillera was named an awardee of the international award-giving body, Princess Maha Chakri Award 2021.
Marcelo Otinguey, head teacher 5 of Governor Bado Dangwa Agro-Industrial School in Kapangan, Benguet, was chosen as one of the 11 teachers in Southeast Asia, including Timor Leste to receive the prestigious award.
Otinguey went through a stringent screening process, from the level of the Department of Education-Benguet and then to the DepEd central office, where the agency chose from among the 16 regions who to endorse to the PMCA.
“We will be awarded the Thailand’s 2021 Princess Maha Chakri Award by God’s grace; and to you brothers and sisters, different institutions, agencies, organizations who in one way or another supported our various endeavors for a noble cause, thus, this award. Thank you for supporting our projects, programs and activities,” Otinguey said.
The virtual awarding is set on Oct. 29 at the Thailand Embassy in Manila. The other awardees are from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor Leste.
Otinguey, a native of Bakun, Benguet is no stranger to awards as he was also a recipient of the Metro Bank Foundation’s annual search for the outstanding teachers in 2013.
He has been instrumental in promoting culture and the arts and is an active organizer of various school and community activities.
The PMCA award is being accorded to exceptional teachers who contributed greatly to education, whose dedication and internationally recognized achievements have resulted in significant impact on the students’ lives and a better education system.
The awardees underwent rigid selection using guidelines set by the PMCA Foundation. The award is given every two years. – Ofelia C. Empian
