A London-based Filipino teacher was named a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) by His Majesty King Charles III for his contributions to the education sector in the United Kingdom (UK).
Addison David, an executive headteacher in the London Borough of Lambeth and a lead inspector at Britain's national education body Ofsted, was part of the 2025 New Year Honors list published in the Gazette, the Crown's official newspaper.
“I didn't go into my job thinking I would one day get an MBE; I never dreamed I would get an MBE because it is an absolute honour,” Mr David said. businessworld In an interview on Tuesday.
He said, “I make sure that I work hard on a daily basis, I always give my best in whatever I do because if I don't start anything at the point of excellence, there is no point in doing it.”
Before going abroad, Mr. David started his teaching career in 1994 in a public school in Tarlac City.
“I think my experience is proof that anything and everything is possible if you work hard,” he said. “It's not something that happens overnight, you have to work really hard for it; accolades come as a result of your hard work.”
He said, “I never dreamed that first of all I was going to be a school leader in the United Kingdom, but also that I would be given Membership of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.”
Excluding knighthood/damehood, the MBE is the third highest ranking Order of the British Empire, behind Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE).
An individual is recognized as an MBE for their “outstanding achievement, or service to the community which has had a long-term, significant impact”.
Well-known figures appointed MBE include English singer-songwriter Adele and professional football manager and former player Steven Gerrard.
In 2023, Filipino nurse Brenda Decampo was also awarded the MBE medal for her excellence in managing the inpatient ward during the COVID-19 pandemic at Charing Cross Hospital.
PHL's recommendations to education leaders
Before receiving his accreditation from the UK, Mr. David said he had already reached out to various government officials in the Philippines to help improve the country's education system, including Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, who heads the Senate Education Committee.
He said, “I think what's most important for the Philippines is probably the recognition that there are Filipinos out there who have acquired a lot of knowledge and wisdom that they can share within the Philippine education system.”
He added, “The recommendations I have given are really very clear, they are very precise.” “If they have the time to read these, they will find wisdom and intelligence in it because it's actually supported by evidence.”
One of the major recommendations made by Mr. David discussed the importance of synthetic phonics and systematic approach for its implementation across the country.
He said, “I think every single school in the country, in the Philippines, should be able to teach synthetic phonics.” “There should be a comprehensive reading program, relying, first and foremost, on synthetic phonics.”
He adds, “The ability to understand and actually understand what the text is telling you involves improving the skills around inference and deduction, and most fundamentally, the ability to decode as fluently as possible.”
Data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) revealed that approximately 24.8 million Filipinos are functionally illiterate or those who struggle to understand and use written information in daily tasks. , Almira Louise S. Martinez