December 13th, 2016: Dr. Rommel Sergio, Associate Professor and Chair of Human Resource Management at Canadian University Dubai (CUD), has been selected as one of 23 outstanding international Filipinos to receive the prestigious Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO) 2016.
Dr. Sergio has been identified among nationals and organizations based in 11 countries around the world as an exemplary member of the global Filipino community. Recognized in the Pamana ng Pilipino (Legacy of the Filipino Nation) award category for his contribution to the heritage of the Philippines, Dr. Sergio is the only PAFIOO recipient based in the Middle East. The Award particularly acknowledges his role in bringing honour to the country through excellence and distinction in the pursuit of his work overseas.
Coming from a disadvantaged background, Dr. Sergio has always sought to promote access to education and to inspire young people to fulfill their potential. Having had to source his own scholarships from high school to college, he has now set up a foundation for underprivileged but deserving students in his home country, providing full tuition for ten college scholars across ten campuses.
Dr. Sergio’s selection for the Presidential Award follows a number of accolades from the global academic community, recognizing his outstanding contributions in both teaching and research. Earlier this year, Dr. Sergio was named among the top 50 educators in the world by business and economics publication, the Oxford Journal, and recently received the Outstanding Global Research Leader Award from the International Association of Scholarly Publishers, Editors and Researchers. In previous years he has taken the titles of Outstanding World Researcher at the International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research, and Outstanding Asian Faculty at the Education Leadership Awards.
With two PhDs, academically qualified certification from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, and an extensive research portfolio, Dr. Sergio represents a source of great pride among Filipinos, both at home and overseas. He has also demonstrated his strong commitment to supporting the Filipino community in the UAE, providing pro bono training to officials from the Philippine Consulate General and the Philippine Overseas Labour Office in Dubai, to enhance the psycho-social support system available to afflicted Filipino residents.
PAFIOO was institutionalized 25 years ago and is a biennial event celebrating overseas-based Filipinos that have dedicated their efforts to the service of their country. This year, more than 100 nominations were received from 22 countries, each of which were comprehensively reviewed by four different committees from the Philippine Diplomatic Posts, the inter-agency technical committee, multi-sector executive committee, and the President’s Office.
Speaking about the Presidential Award, which is the highest honour conferred by the Philippine government to citizens overseas, Dr. Sergio said, “The award affirms the peak of influence in terms of quality teaching, research, and community service. Far more than the laurel, the inspiration this recognition brings to the community where I belong defines the true essence of excellence.”
Dr. Sergio will receive the Award from President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on December 19th at the Malacañan Palace, Manila, Philippines.
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