DAVAO CITY — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed Davao educator as Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao.
Leo Tereso Abellera Magno, the Chairman of the board and Chief Operating Officer of Rizal Memorial Colleges Inc. took his oath on Tuesday before executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin which was witnessed by Presidential Assistant Anton Lagdameo at the Palace.
Magno is a believer of youth empowerment through education. He pioneered the Sunday school to allow househelp acquire education at a lower cost as his school offer affordable and quality education, a reason they recently opened the Tagum City, Davao del Norte Campus.
In his early years as the leader of RMC, Magno introduced institutional changes pulling the best teachers and professors to join RMC’s line of brilliant educators and opened doors to a wide array of scholarships.
Magno is the grandson of the late justice Leopoldo Abellera who served as justice Secretary during the years of the late president Ferdinand E. Marcos.
He is the long serving chairman of the board of RMC. He served as the regional director of the Land Transportation Office XI (LTO XI) under the administration of former president Joseph Estrada and served as the administrator Philippine Industrial Authority (PHIVIDEC) during the term of the late president Benigno Semion “noynoy” Aquino until he was replaced during the Duterte administration.
Aside from his professional record, Magno also served as past president of Hijos de Davao, an association of Davao’s old rich families, he is the President of Eaglemasters, among others.
Magno carries the leadership torch of his family’s educational institution’s vision which pursues the dreams of Jose Rizal to make educational opportunities available for everyone. Magno is a strong advocate of youth empowerment.
The RMC through Magno has been partnering with various appropriate organizations in support of his advocacy to empower the youth of Davao City through good and quality education.
Standing on his personal advocacy to be a man for others. At the height of the pandemic, the young Magno heeded the request of the local government for the free use of the RMC Gym as an isolation facility for those people infected with COVID-19.
With his new appointment, his family and the people he is serving expect the best of him, this time for the people of Eastern Mindanao and for the Filipino’s in generai..-Editha Z. Caduaya
