In the heart of Urdaneta City, Pangasinan, Principal Nerissa Tabion, lives a story that began with her mother’s unfulfilled dream. “My mother always wanted to be a teacher, but because of life’s hardships, she never finished her studies. As her eldest, I took it upon myself to pursue her dream,”she shares. That promise became the driving force behind a remarkable career that has now spanned almost two decades.
Nerissa’s journey was not easy. When she began teaching in 2008, she was assigned to one of the farthest schools in the division. With no car or tricycle of her own, simply reporting to class was already a challenge. Yet, this did not hinder her from fulfilling her role as an educator. Through persistence and dedication, she rose from Teacher I to Teacher III, then to Head Teacher III, and eventually passed the National Qualifying Exam for School Heads in 2016—the only one in her division to do so at that time.
At a young age, she was entrusted with leading schools, a role that tested her ability to earn the trust and respect of both seasoned and new teachers, students, and stakeholders. Guided by compassion and fueled by purpose, she proved that leadership is not about age but about integrity and commitment.
In 2023, another turning point came when she joined Security Bank Foundation’s Mentoring Future Leaders for Nation-Building Program. Initially, she was not even the original participant—she was asked to take over for someone about to retire. With so many responsibilities already on her plate, she hesitated. But realizing the potential to grow and to bring back learnings that could benefit her school, she embraced the opportunity.
What she gained went beyond technical skills. “The most valuable lesson for me was to know yourself first—your strengths and weaknesses. When you recognize and work on them, they become your best tools for transformative leadership,” she shares.
From this insight grew a mission at Labit National High School—her Transformational Action Plan (TAP): Project LABIT (Learners’ Acceleration through Bridging Instructional Targets). She saw two groups of students: those falling behind and those ready to excel. Determined that no child be left behind, she organized teachers, parents, students, and community volunteers into a tutoring brigade, where all volunteers were trained and guided to effectively provide one-on-one support for struggling learners and group tutorials for advanced ones.
Among them was Marife Roman, a Grade 11 student who struggled with reading. With the help of her adviser, Rio, and PTA officer, Remy, she practiced daily, her progress tracked word by word. After five months, tutors recommended her completion of the project during the monthly assessments, where feedback and progress were reviewed. Marife had advanced from a frustrated reader to an independent one, and like other improved learners, she was rewarded with school supplies from the local government—a practice that has since become part of the project.
For her dedication, Nerissa has been recognized with awards, including the 2025 Gawad Lam-Ang Region 1 Most Outstanding School Head and the 2023 Amadeo P. Perez Sr. Division Most Outstanding School Head. Under her leadership, schools she has served earned distinctions for excellence in school-based management, sanitation and hygiene, and gender and development programs. She also passed the Career Executive Service Written Examination (CESWE) in 2024—the first step toward eligibility for higher-level executive roles in the Department of Education or other government agencies.
As the country celebrates Teachers’ Month, her story is a powerful reminder of the resilience and heart that define Filipino educators. From fulfilling her mother’s dream to shaping the dreams of countless students, Principal Nerissa Tabion continues to prove that being a teacher is not just about teaching, it is about leading with heart, serving with purpose, and inspiring generations.
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