SENATOR Joel Villanueva has been awarded the degree of Doctor of Public Administration, honoris causa, by the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) during its 113th Degree and 129th Non-Degree Commencement Exercises held at the NEUST Sumacab Campus in Cabanatuan City.

The honorary degree recognizes Villanueva’s 23 years of dedicated service in the Philippine government.

He began his public service career as a representative of the Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) Partylist.

In 2010, he was appointed Secretary of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), where he led key reforms in vocational and technical training.

Villanueva was first elected to the Senate in 2016 with over 18 million votes and won a second term in 2022.

NEUST officials praised the senator’s consistent advocacy for education, skills development, and good governance, saying it has significantly improved opportunities for Filipino workers and youth.

In his acceptance speech, Villanueva expressed gratitude and reaffirmed his commitment to public service and inclusive development.