NOTABLE Filipino Legislator and Cagayan De Oro 2nd District Representative, Rufus Rodriguez, was recently bestowed with an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Letters by the prominent Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in India.
The prestigious ceremony was even witnessed by an impressive audience of over 40,000 students and distinguished academicians.
The award was a recognition of Rodriguez's commendable contribution to educational cooperatives and global-reaching legislative successes.
KISS, a prominent institution acknowledged by India's Ministry of Education as a 'Deemed To Be University', is celebrated for its empowerment of tribal students and remarkable alumni contributions to socio-economic development.
With a student population of 40,000 tribal scholars, KISS offers comprehensive residential education completely free of charge.
This includes an on-campus community of 30,000 scholars along with an additional 10,000 across satellite campuses.
The ceremony was graced by KISS founder Dr. Achyuta Samanta, a renowned philanthropist, educator, and Member of the Indian Parliament.
Dr. Samanta is devoted to the elevation of the underprivileged through quality education.
Also present at the ceremony were Prof. Deepak Kumar Behera, Vice Chancellor of KISS University, and Dr. P.K. Routray, Registrar, who acknowledged and praised Rep. Rodriguez’s commitment and contribution to the advancement of education.
In his acceptance speech, Rodriguez reflected on receiving the honor not just as a personal accomplishment but as recognition of the shared pursuit of knowledge and social progress between the Philippines and India.
Rodriguez attested to his commitment in initiating laws aimed at building a more inclusive society, which include support for indigenous and marginalized sectors, free education initiatives, free medical services as well as educational scholarships for needy students.
Furthermore, he expounded on his future plans of proposing a bill in Congress to establish a school providing free education to individuals of indigenous communities.
The Congressman accentuated parallels between KISS's mission and the cultural fabric of the Philippines, a nation that is home to over 101 indigenous communities, making up over 16 million individuals spanning across 13 regions.
This honorary recognition applauds Rodriguez’s significant role in public service, particularly in creating a shared vision for enhancing educational opportunities and cultural relations between the Philippines and India.
Profound mutual respect and shared cultural aspirations between the Philippines and India were highlighted during Rodriguez's conferment, which was also attended by his wife Nenen Rodriguez and Mark Dizon from the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi.
