She is a woman of few words, but full of action, a woman who talks less but is full of wisdom. She is Sr. Merceditas Orosco-Ang of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, the present President of St. Paul University Philippines (SPUP).
Her achievements even when she was just a student prove how she could make it big in her future. She was Magna Cum Laude at Silliman University, with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, before taking her Bachelor of Laws at San Beda University.
She finished her master’s degree in Educational Management with high distinction, and her doctor’s degree in Educational Leadership and Management, also with high distinction and an Outstanding Dissertation Award at De La Salle University, Manila. She was also a recipient of the Education Leadership Award in 2017 in the 8th Asia Excellence in Education by CMO Asia in Singapore, and the Global Education Leadership Award (2019) by the World Education Congress in Mumbai, India.
The fruits of her published research on the aspect of servant leadership, school management, and global education have now been used as a guide and reference in different universities in the country and abroad.
With her competencies in various fields, she is one of the most sought-after resource speakers. Among those she conducted are seminars on diverse topics global competencies for 21st Century learning, servant leadership, internationalization in higher education, school leadership in the 21st century, creative and value-laden marketing strategies, ASEAN integration, strengthening leadership in health education, effective stress management, time management and productivity, and work ethics in public service.
Her leadership in SPUP bolstered the global presence of the university through its internationalization program vis-à-vis the thrust towards transformative learning and sustainable development, Sister Merceditas fostered opportunities for employees and students to actively engage in activities and advocacies relevant to Global Citizenship Education and Sustainable Development Goals.
As she advocates for global citizenship education, Sr. Merceditas initiated programs to enhance the global and intercultural competencies of the faculty, staff, and students of SPUP. These include international immersion and exposure, work and travel programs, and cultural and academic exchanges in various countries around the world.
At present, the international community at SPUP, composed of international and exchange students and professors, is continuously growing, while its international linkages and partnerships are extensively expanding.
She also pioneered educational innovations in SPUP such as ASEAN studies, Global Citizenship Education, Adult Education, Coding Education for artificial intelligence and robotics, the use of Augmented Reality books, the offering of Foreign Language as part of the curriculum, and the e-Learning platform of delivery.
Through her leadership, SPUP has advanced towards the attainment of its global education by aligning its initiatives and projects with the Sustainable Development Goals. She has expanded scholarship assistance, service learning, livelihood projects, health, nutrition and wellness programs, community extension services, child development centers, research, functional literacy, and family-based disaster management to the partner communities of the University.
She led the academic community in sustaining SPUP as the “Most Environment-Friendly and Sustainable School in Region II” by the Environment Management Bureau.
She also spearheaded the utilization of affordable and clean energy through the Clean and Green Charcoal project,
in partnership with the Embassy of Japan to the Philippines, which utilizes corn cob as an alternative to wood-based charcoal, and the Solar Energy project, in partnership with Buscowitz Group Company, making SPUP the first educational institution in Region II to use solar power as a source of renewable energy.
As the University heralds its holistic and quality education, Sr. Merceditas trailblazes the path of SPUP to continuously enhance academic excellence with spirituality, advocacies, research skills, care for people and environment, community service, ethics and morality, life skills and competencies, global citizenship, and passion towards creativity and innovation.
Sr. Ang’s recent awards include Education Leadership Awardee during the 8th Asia Excellence in Education Awards given by the CMO Asia in Singapore on August 2, 2017.
She was the Global Education Leadership Awardee during World Education Congress in Mumbai, India on July 4, 2019 and Outstanding UNESCO Club Educator of the Philippines conferred by the UNESCO Philippines on December 5, 2019.
For the second time, she received the Outstanding Leadership in Education by the Global Education Summit and Awards on June 06, 2021 and another Outstanding Educational Leader award during the World Education Leaders Summit and Award on March 7, 2021.
This is aside from the number of local awards and recognition she received from various organizations.
At present, Sr. Merceditas is affiliated with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), World Council on Curriculum and Instruction (WCCI), Philippine Chapter and International Board of Directors where she is the president; Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU),
as a Board of Trustee and Corporate Secretary; Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP); St. Paul University System (SPUS); and Servant Leadership Philippine Chapter.
With all her contributions in the field of education, her advocacies, research skills, care for the people and environment, including her community service, ethics and morality, life skills and competencies, global citizenship, and passion towards creativity and innovation, she is no doubt a woman of excellence.#(GVB/OTB/ALM/JKC/PIA Region 2)
