COMMISSION on Higher Education Chairman J. Prospero E. De Vera III has been named a 2024 recipient of The Outstanding Filipino award for his significant contributions to advancing higher education in the Philippines.

Presented by the Junior Chamber International Senate Philippines, the TOFIL award honors individuals aged 41 and older who have demonstrated exemplary dedication to public welfare and national development.

De Vera is celebrated for his pivotal role in championing Republic Act 10931, also known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which was enacted in 2017.

Under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, CHED reports that 2 million students now benefit from free higher education, with an additional 700,000 receiving financial aid. De Vera’s legacy continues to inspire the academic community and beyond.

He also led the higher education sector through the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic, ensuring continued learning opportunities for students nationwide.

“This award is not just for me. It is also for my daughter, my granddaughters, my colleagues in CHED, and most of all the students whom I have met as I padyak around the country,” De Vera said during his acceptance speech.

“I received The Outstanding Filipino Award on behalf of the Filipino students whose dreams and aspirations turned into reality because of free higher education,” he added.