DepEd Memorandum 109, s. 2025
Call for Nominations for The 2026 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos - Award for Teachers
DEC 12 2025
No. 109, s. 2025
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2026 METROBANK FOUNDATION OUTSTANDING FILIPINOS - AWARD FOR TEACHERS
To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau and Service Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Division Superintendents
Public and Private Elementary and Secondary School Heads
Attached Agencies
All Others Concerned
1. The Metrobank Foundation, in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos - Award for Teachers.
2. The Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos program annually recognizes 10 Filipino exemplars - four teachers, three soldiers, and three police officers who have gone over and beyond the call of duty to serve their profession and their community.
3. The 10 awardees shall receive a medal, a trophy, and a cash incentive of one million pesos (Pl,000,000) each, net of tax. National finalists and national semi-finalists shall also receive cash incentives.
4. The Award is open to public or private school teachers in the elementary (including Kindergarten level, provided it is part of the integrated curriculum or part of an elementary school system) and secondary levels, including Alternative Learning System (ALS) teachers.
5. To ensure that all schools division offices (SDOs) are well-represented in the search, all DepEd schools divisions are required to submit to the Metrobank Foundation a minimum of three nominees (one elementary, one secondary, and one ALS) comprised of either private or public school teachers.
6. Though the SDOs are required to choose their nominees, each school can also nominate one nominee per level - one for elementary (Kindergarten-Grade 6) and one for secondary (Grades 7-12). In cases where one school has two nominees, where one is endorsed by the division and the other chosen by the school head, the division's chosen nominee shall be submitted to the Metrobank Foundation.
7. The eligibility requirements for teachers are as follows:
a. Nominees must have been actively teaching in the Philippines for the last 10 years with full-time or permanent appointments and with a full teaching load;
b. Those holding administrative positions (except school administrators, school heads, district and division supervisors, regional directors, campus directors, executive directors, presidents, and chancellors of schools) may join, provided they carry a minimum of six hours/week teaching load during the school year they are joining in;
c. Nominees must have earned or at least completed the academic requirements for a master's degree for both the elementary and secondary categories. The academic requirements for the master's degree must have been taken within five years from the time of nomination;
d. Nominees must have attained performance ratings of at least Very Satisfactory or its equivalent for the past 10 years of teaching. For those who have been on official/study leave or on secondment, performance ratings for the 10 years closest to the period of nomination should be provided;
e. Nominees must not have been on leave for more than two years immediately prior to nomination and must still have at least two years of remaining service before retirement;
f. Nominees must have exhibited good moral character and must not have been adjudged guilty in any administrative, civil, or criminal case; and
g. Nominees must have a valid or renewed Professional Regulation Commission identification card in the elementary and secondary categories.
8. All past national finalists under the program's previous iteration, the Metrobank Foundation Search for Outstanding Teachers, may still join, provided they meet the eligibility requirements of the program. However, those who have been national finalists two times and/or those who have been national semi-finalists three times under the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos - Award for Teachers (starting 2017 onwards) cannot join anymore.
9. School administrators, school heads, and campus directors can serve as nominators. For DepEd schools without principals, the Teacher-in-Charge (TIC) or Officer-in-Charge (OIC) can nominate. If the nominee is the TIC or OlC himself /herself, the school division superintendent (SOS) shall endorse the nomination. Nominators must be of legal age and should not be related to the nominee within the third civil degree of consanguinity (relationship by blood) or affinity (relationship by marriage). Self-nomination shall NOT be accepted and will not be given due course.
10. Each nominator may endorse only one nominee for the program. In cases where multi-level/integrated schools have one entrant per level, each nominee should have a different nominator.
11. Aside from the abovementioned nominators, the following may also nominate and endorse a nominee:
a. Presidents of universities and colleges;
b. Chancellors of autonomous campuses;
c. Campus executive directors/campus directors;
d. Regional directors;
e. Regional/ division level chiefs;
f. Regional/ division/ district supervisors;
g. Leaders of unions related to education;
h. Parents teachers and community association/parent-teacher association presidents;
i. Student council/pupil government presidents;
j. Government officials and leaders (elected officials, heads of agencies, and individuals holding the rank of at least a division chief) with Salary Grade 24 or its equivalent;
k. Journalists/members of the media;
1. Business leaders;
m. Religious leaders;
n. Presidents of duly chartered rotary clubs in the Philippines;
o. Leaders of civil society groups, nongovernment organizations, foundations, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, community groups, labor unions, indigenous groups, among others; and
p. Awardees of the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos (1985-Present).
12. Below are the links to the forms and guidelines for the nominees:
Item and Description | Links |
Nomination Portal Official digital platform for submitting nominations
Submit by January 23, 2026, 11 :59 p.m. | Primary: https://bit.ly/2026OF-Nominate
Mirror: |
Submission Portal The designated platform for submitting the completed nominator's endorsement
Submit by January 23, 2026, 11:59 p.m. | Primary: https://bit.ly/2026OF-SubmitCertification
Mirror: |
Official Website The primary source of information about the program | |
Program Guidelines (Brochure) Outlines key information about the program | Primary: https://bit.ly/2026OF-Guidelines
Mirror: |
Eligibility Chart (Poster) Presents a summarized overview of the program’s eligibility requirements | Primary: https://bit.ly/2026OF-Eligibility
Mirror: |
13. All nominations must be submitted by January 23, 2026, Friday.
14. For more information, please contact
Head, Excellence Awards Unit
Metrobank Foundation
Telephone Number: (02), 8898-8757 or 7255-1612
Email Address: kenny.fernando@mbfoundation.org.ph
Mr. Rally V. Soriano
Project Development Officer IV
Department of Education - External Partnerships Service
Telephone Number: (02) 8637-6462/63
Email Address: rolly.sorian@deped.gov.ph
15. Immediate dissemination of this Memorandum is desired.
By Authority of the Secretary:
(Sgd.) ATTY. FATIMA LIPP D. PANONTONGAN
Undersecretary and Chief of Staff
Reference:
DepEd Memorandum No. 006, s. 2025
To be indicated in the Perpetual Index
under the following subjects:
AWARDS
CONTESTS
OFFICIALS
PRIZES OR AWARDS
SCHOOLS
SEARCH
SOCIETY OR ASSOCIATIONS
TEACHERS
A full copy of DepEd Memorandum No. 109, s. 2025 below:
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