After working for five years in Sakkeo and Nakhon Pathom provinces in the Kingdom of Thailand, a former OFW teacher now serves as a head of a technical college and a foundation that provides free services to the poorest of the poor in Cotabato Province in the Philippines.
“I had first-hand experience on what poverty looks like. Growing up at a farm, I had witnessed how some farmers worked and toiled just to make both ends meet. That scenario motivated me to strive and do well with my studies”, said kabayan Ian Leo S. Domingo, who went back to the Philippines in late 2019 to serve his home province.
Ian, as he is fondly called by friends, was born and raised in Mlang, Cotabato, one of the country’s cleanest municipalities and where the province’s rice granary is located. He completed his Bachelor of Secondary Education major in English from Southern Baptist College in 2008 where he received the Leadership Award.
“After finishing my education degree, I moved to Davao city to teach in a private high school for 3 years. Then an opportunity to work in Thailand was offered to me by a friend so I took a shot. In Thailand, I worked for 3 years as a primary school teacher in the Intensive English Program (IEP) of Anuban Wat Sakaeo School, in Sakaeo province, eastern part of Thailand. Afterwards I worked for 1 year as a secondary English teacher in the Education Hub program of Sakaeo Secondary School. I was one of the pioneers who opened the EducHub program in our school. In 2019, I was hired as an instructor in the Multidisciplinary College of Christian University of Thailand where I handled ESP courses for International and Thai programs,” shared Ian.
In 2018, kabayan Ian started taking up Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) major in English from Ifugao State University Transnational Program thru St. Robert’s Global Education, Bangkok Thailand.
After completing his master’s and while teaching in the university, Ian also worked as an adjunct faculty of a private university in Bangkok thru Bellarmine Global Education (St. Robert’s Global Education) teaching professional education courses and other English major subjects.
To further quench his thirst for learning, Ian also enrolled at the Ateneo Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship Program for OFWs in Bangkok where he graduated with merit. ALSE also known as ATENEO OF-LIFE is an Ateneo De Manila University’s executive program for OFWs which aims to transform the mindsets of the target participants and their families and build their capacities on leadership, social innovation, financial literacy, and Social Entrepreneurship skills. It is under Ateneo School of Government.
With all his professional accomplishments, Ian finally decided to settle in the Philippines for good and joined a non-government organization (NGO) With Love Jan, Foundation, Inc.. He was also appointed as administrator of the PNJ Technical School, a school which offers free technical courses and training to students and out of school youth in the city of Kidapawan and in the neighboring municipalities in the province of North Cotabato.
Concurrently, he also serves as the administrator of With Love , Jan Foundation, Inc. –a non-stock, nonprofit institution that helps the underprivileged citizens, especially the groups of indigenous peoples and other cultural communities in the province. The foundation provides assistance in medical, optical, dental, health education, infrastructure, scholarships, and feeding programs and other free services to the poorest of the poor through the generosity of their benefactors.
Just this year, he received the Gintong Parangal Awardee 2021, Outstanding Educator of the Region and Inspiring Advocate for the Disadvantaged.
Congratulations kabayan Ian. We are so proud of you!