Further affirming its commitment to strengthening the international presence of Philippine Higher Education, Rizal Technological University (RTU) served as the host institution for the First Quarter Assembly of the Passage to ASEAN (P2A) Philippines Chapter on February 12. In the same juncture, Assoc. Prof. Donato Z. Estocada, Director of the International Affairs and Linkages Office (IALO), was elected as the new President of P2A Philippines.
True to its promise of support to P2A, RTU welcomed representatives from other member institutions across the country. RTU President Dr. Ma. Eugenia M. Yangco welcomed the participants, emphasizing the honor of serving as the host of the platform that drives cross-border collaborations toward quality higher education and a smarter ASEAN.
The gathering was also graced by Former CHED Commissioner Dr. Ethel Agnes Valenzuela and Dr. Amado L. Magsino, P2A Director for Planning and Advancement. Dr. Valenzuela expressed her delight in having an assembly of P2A Philippines, revealing that the members rarely had the chance to meet. She also shared key updates from the P2A Headquarters, urging member institutions to participate in upcoming P2A activities, including the ASEAN AI Hackathon 2026, which she hopes will allow the Philippines to shine. She also encouraged the participating institution to build a stronger international network and to lead the way toward a more prominent international presence for Philippine institutions.
In line with Dr. Ethel’s wishes, the assembly featured discussions with Ms. Abegail O. Leseca, Corporate Social Responsibility Leader at IBM Philippines, and Ms. Rhea-Luz Valbuena, Executive Director of Asia Pacific College’s School of Computing and Information Technologies. Both keynote speakers discussed how AI can be leveraged to strengthen and promote micro-credentialing, highlighting their respective institutions’ featured platforms and programs for upskilling and reskilling the workforce. They committed to aid the participating institutions and P2A Philippines in advancing higher education goals in the country.
The organization did not waste the opportunity to hold an election to select its new officials. Dr. Magsino initially presided over the election until the participating institutions unanimously supported Assoc. Prof. Estocada to be the new president. Dr. Sally Jarin of the University of the Northern Philippines nominated Estocada. At the same time, Dr. Dick O. Eugenio of World Citi Colleges closed the nomination with no other nominees—a testament to Assoc. Prof. Estocada’s strong representation of RTU in P2A affairs.
Alongside Assoc. Prof. Estocada, P2A Philippines welcomed a new roster of officials, including Dr. Jarin, the new Executive Vice President; Dr. Anna Ruby Gapasin of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, the new VP for NCR; Dr. Julieta Borres of Bicol University, the new VP for Luzon; Dr. Faustito Aure of Eastern Visayas State University, the new VP for Visayas; Dr. Anna Marie Matalines of Davao del Sur State College, the new VP for Mindanao; and other key officials. The newly elected officials immediately took their oath, with Dr. Valenzuela as the Administering Officer.
The assembly signified the enduring eagerness of Philippine HEIs in bolstering the international presence of Philippine higher education. Their active participation as member institutions of P2A Philippines is a strong sign of a more active ASEAN participation of Philippine HEIs. Moreover, RTU’s role in P2A just took a turn for the better as Assoc. Prof. Estocada now serves as the helm of the P2A Philippine Chapter.
