Filipino educator honored as Teacher of the Year, gets invited to White House

NEW YORK - Another Filipino has been honored as Teacher of the Year in New Mexico, USA.

He is Dr. Roy Basa, who started his career as an educator in his hometown of Murcia, Negros Occidental.

The New Mexico Public Education Department and the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association recognized Basa for his work as a technical education and science instructor at Twin Buttes Cyber Academy.

Basa's teaching approach emphasizes collaboration with local, state, and national institutions and industries, resulting in outstanding student success.

He and 54 other State Teachers of the Year joined President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden in a dinner at the White House last May 2, 2024.

Basa said he dedicated the award to his family and his students

“Winning in any endeavor is never an 'I' but rather a 'We' victory,” he said.

With a background in science education, Basa spent 15 years teaching at Negros Occidental High School's Night Class Department.

He also worked as a part-time professor at colleges and universities in the Philippines, further developing his teaching skills and expanding his knowledge of science education.

Basa has received local, national, and global recognition for his dedication and excellence in education.

Some of the accolades he received include the 2024 Award for Continuing Excellence and Service from the Metrobank Foundation in the Philippines, the 2023 and 2024 SHELL Urban Science Educator Development Award from the National Science Teaching Association, USA, and the 2023 Outstanding Science Educator Award from the New Mexico Academy of Science. —KG, GMA Integrated News