Photos courtesy of Ms Zaskia Singson, Dr Charity Rose Pagara, and Dr Samuel Macagba III
21 June 2025 marked a homecoming of hearts and minds at AVR 1, Xavier University–Ateneo de Cagayan, as the triennial IDEA Summit gathered together students, alumni, faculty, and institutional partners for a day of reflection, inspiration, and deep connection. Anchored on the theme “Innovate, Connect, Lead: Celebrating the Legacy of IDEA,” this year’s summit honored the growth and transformation of IDEA stakeholders—educators and changemakers who continue to shape their institutions and communities with purpose and passion.
For over five decades, the Institute for the Development of Educational Administrators (IDEA) has quietly but powerfully shaped the future of educational leadership in the Philippines. Founded in 1972, IDEA is a special formation program under the School of Education at Xavier University–Ateneo de Cagayan. Its mission goes beyond training school heads to manage—it forms transformational leaders who serve with vision, authenticity, and a deep sense of community. As part of a CHED-recognized Center of Excellence in Teacher Education, IDEA contributes to the broader mission of forming educators who lead with courage, conscience, and compassion. The IDEA Summit, held every three years, is a testimony to this legacy in motion.
More than just a culminating event, the IDEA Summit 2025 served as a space of remembering, rekindling, and reimagining. It brought together generations of IDEA fellows and mentors in a shared space to affirm how research, innovation, and deeply grounded leadership continue to evolve and inspire. The summit highlighted implemented development plans and personal narratives of transformation, demonstrating how the IDEA program remains a catalyst for sustainable impact in the field of education and institutional development.
The day’s conversations were rich with testimony and lived experience. Among the featured alumni speakers were Bro Mark Roberth Laurea, School President of Marist School in Marikina; Ms Menchie Libo-on Pagay, Assistant Principal for Middle School at Ateneo de Iloilo; and Sr Jesusita “Sr Jessie” Bernate, School President of St Rita’s College of Balingasag in Misamis Oriental. They shared compelling updates on their implemented practicum projects, offering honest reflections on their transformative leadership journeys. Their stories reflected the powerful integration of theory and practice and how the IDEA journey has meaningfully shaped their leadership approaches. These development plans, once drafted in classrooms and coaching sessions, are now embedded in the systems and cultures of their respective institutions—leading to real, lasting change. Their presentations were not simply about outcomes, but about process: the courageous decisions, small wins, and persistent commitment behind every achievement.
Photos courtesy of Ms Zaskia Singson, Dr Charity Rose Pagara, and Dr Samuel Macagba III
Keynote speaker Dr Dixon Yasay gave emphasis to the importance of flourishing in the workplace, a timely reminder that transformative leadership cannot be sustained without care for the self and the community. His reflection added another layer of depth to the day’s discourse—affirming that innovation and leadership must always go hand-in-hand with well-being, purpose, and a shared sense of humanity.
Dr Samuel Macagba III, the Assistant Principal for Formation of the Xavier Ateneo Junior High School, who facilitated the roundtable discussion, captured the spirit of the summit when he said, “Thank you to the IDEA Program for allowing me to hold space for these stories and bring them to life through meaningful conversations during the IDEA Summit.” These spaces, where stories are shared and meaning is co-created, lie at the heart of what makes IDEA not only a leadership program but a journey of accompaniment.
Beyond the formal presentations, the gathering was marked by a genuine atmosphere of warmth and familiarity. IDEA alumni reunited with faculty mentors who once guided them, while new fellows were welcomed into a wider network of support and kinship. For many, it felt like a return home. Jhes Pace captured this beautifully when she shared, “A family I never thought I’d find at this stage of my life, one that brings comfort, laughter, and genuine connection. With no toxicity, just healthy bonds and moments that remind us it's okay to pause, to laugh, to forget our worries even for a while, and to simply be human. Thank you, my IDEA family, for being that rare kind of home.”
Ms Geraldine Alugar echoed this sentiment, saying, “I have once again seen and heard our professors who have inspired me to trust myself and widen my perspective as a transformative leader. Also, I heard new insights from keynote speakers and was able to listen to stories, takeaways, and laughter.” Her reflection, like many others, reinforced how the summit was not only a professional development forum but also a deeply personal moment of affirmation and renewal.
Photos courtesy of Ms Zaskia Singson, Dr Charity Rose Pagara, and Dr Samuel Macagba III
For speaker Bro Mark Roberth Laurea, being part of IDEA Summit 2025 was an opportunity to give back. “Honored to be one of the speakers at the IDEA Summit 2025 at Xavier University–Ateneo de Cagayan! The theme ‘Innovate, Connect, Lead: Celebrating the Legacy of IDEA’ resonated deeply with me. It was such a joy sharing my experiences and learning with the talented, service-oriented fellow trailblazers at the summit. Thank you, IDEA, for the opportunity to contribute to a community of educators committed to innovation and leadership.”
The IDEA Summit 2025 reminded everyone that innovation is not only about new models or programs—it is about courage, commitment, and community. Connection is not merely about meeting again but about drawing strength from shared values and shared journeys. Leadership, in the IDEA spirit, is always in the service of others—rooted in discernment, sustained by reflection, and directed toward collective transformation.
As the day came to a close, there was a quiet confidence in the room—a sense that while the summit may have ended, the legacy continues. The IDEA community remains a living movement of educators and leaders who will continue to innovate, connect, and lead—together.