EDUCATION Secretary Sonny Angara has conferred the Department of Education (DepEd) Hero Award on the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF) in recognition of its transformative investments in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and teacher development.

DepEd cited the foundation for “directly uplifting the lives of Filipino learners and educators” through sustained programs that strengthen the country’s education system.

The 2026 DepEd Hero citations were awarded to GBF’s leadership, including Lance Y. Gokongwei (Chairman), James L. Go (President), Robina Y. Gokongwei-Pe (Trustee and Secretary), Lisa Y. Gokongwei-Cheng (General Manager), Grace R. Colet (Executive Director), and Kristine Tinette T. De Asis (Head of Educator Programs). They were recognized for their visionary leadership and long-standing commitment to education reform.

In his remarks, Angara emphasized the importance of partnerships in driving meaningful change in education.

“The DepEd Hero Award recognizes individuals and organizations that go out of their way to do extraordinary work for our learners and teachers, and to advance education reform in the country—something the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation has consistently championed,” he said.

Accepting the award on behalf of GBF, Gokongwei-Cheng expressed gratitude and reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to improving its programs.

“As we look ahead, our commitment only deepens. We will continue to review and strengthen our programs to remain responsive to emerging challenges, and constantly ask how we can do more,” she said.

She added that beyond metrics, the foundation values the real-life impact of its initiatives—helping teachers gain confidence, enabling students to grasp difficult concepts, and empowering schools with sustained support.

According to DepEd, GBF has supported more than 3,500 scholars through its scholarship programs, expanding access to quality education and creating pathways from learning to employment.