PARAÑAQUE CITY, Philippines (May 2026) — Success isn’t just about the diploma on the wall, but what you do with it when the real world starts calling. Eleven remarkable graduates recently took the stage at Solaire Resort to show exactly what that looks like in practice.
The 2026 STI Distinguished Alumni Awards celebrated stories that began in classrooms and ended up in government offices, professional kitchens in Sydney, and even on Netflix film sets. These awardees represent different industries, but they all started with the same foundation of practical education.
From the farm to national databases
Wilfred Mogado, an alumnus of STI College Novaliches, once spent his days as a working student in the early 2000s. He considered the school computer lab his sanctuary, a far cry from his family’s farming background. Today, he serves as the Chief of the Department of Agriculture’s Network Operations and Management Division.
Mogado is a key figure behind the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture, a database that helps the government identify which farmers and fisherfolks need subsidies the most. For him, education was the passport that allowed him to contribute to the nation.
Building a BBQ empire in Mindanao
In the south, Mayette Bagaforo of STI College Koronadal turned her discipline into a thriving business. She is the mind behind Samgyupsaab Korean BBQ, a restaurant venture she managed to scale to seven branches despite the challenges of the pandemic.
Bagaforo now employs over 150 people and uses her success to support charities for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. She credits her time in college for the confidence and communication skills needed to lead a large team.
Taking Pinoy talent to the global stage
The awards also recognized those making waves abroad. Erica Beatrece De Leon, a graduate of STI College Las Piñas, moved from local hotels to the United States before landing her current role as a Chef de Partie at Shangri-La Hotel Sydney.
De Leon admits that building a career far from home is difficult, but she relies on the resilience she learned during her studies. She notes that the secret is to keep showing up and working with humility, even when things get tough.
Trusting the creative process
For Leiser Bautista, the founder of Filmstrip Pictures, a single moment of trust from a mentor changed everything. A professor once cast him as a lead in a campus play at the last minute, giving him the confidence to pursue a creative career.
That confidence eventually led him to Malaysia, where he served as the Director of Photography for a Netflix documentary series. He encourages current students not to give up on their dreams, noting that every photo and video tells a story, and the best ones are about persistence.
STI Alumni Association President Hernan Alar highlighted that success today is about opening doors for others. Vice President for Academics Karen Tabije added that the school’s progress is best measured by the lives and careers its graduates have built.
