Straight Talk with RITQ Deputy Director Dr. Thei Manicio
The RITQ Communications team had the opportunity to catch up with our newly appointed Deputy Director, Dr. Thei Manicio, where she shared her journey in the field of education, the value of research, and her thoughts on her new role.
RITQ Comms:
Please briefly share your career journey that led you to this work now.
Dr. Manicio:
I began my career with six years as a high school English teacher, including four years with DepEd. For the past 15 years, I’ve been a teacher educator at PNU, teaching both general education and methodology courses within the Faculty of Languages and Literature. I also had the opportunity to serve as Associate Dean of the Faculty of Education Sciences for over a year.
Throughout my journey, I’ve been deeply involved in curriculum development, teacher training programs, instructional materials creation, and supervising teaching practicums. These experiences have kept me closely connected to the realities of basic education classrooms. My ongoing interactions with learners, pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, and fellow educators have continually fueled my passion to contribute even more to the field of education.
The opportunity to work on one RITQ project led to a chance to be part of the institute. I saw the impact the projects can make for teachers and learners. I feel privileged to be part of these projects that aim to support teachers in different levels.
RITQ Comms:
What excites you the most about this new position, and what do you aim to bring to the institute?
Dr. Manicio:
I am fortunate to be part of a strong and passionate team. The leaders, researchers, staff, champions, and partners at RITQ all share a common goal: to support teachers. This collective mission constantly motivates me to give my best.
It’s an honor to assist Dr. Palomar, with whom I’ve had the privilege of working since our time as Associate Deans. I deeply admire his leadership style, and together with Dr. Ali Anudin and Dr. Allan Reyes, I believe we form a cohesive and effective team.
Dr. John Pegg, Dr. Jor Hardy, and Dr. Jennie Jocson have been a tremendous source of inspiration. Our regular dialogues with them on important issues have been invaluable. They encourage open discussions, challenge our thinking, and promote receptiveness to new ideas. Their expertise, experience, and work ethic continuously push me to strive for more.
The entire RITQ team—research analysts, program officers, communications team, technical assistants, and the administrative and finance staff—are not only skilled and reliable but also bring a great deal of energy to our work. I am committed to ensuring that teamwork remains at the core of everything we do moving forward.
RITQ Comms:
How does your role as Deputy Director complement the work of the Director, and what are your specific responsibilities? How does your new role differ from your previous work as RITQ senior program manager?
Dr. Manicio:
As Deputy Director, my role is to complement the work of the Director by ensuring the smooth implementation of our strategic vision and operational goals. While the Director provides overall leadership and strategic direction, I focus on the day-to-day management of key projects, team coordination, and ensuring alignment between our research outputs and the needs of our stakeholders, including teachers and policymakers. I also play a vital role in managing collaboration within the team and with external partners, ensuring that we meet our objectives efficiently.
In my previous role as Senior Program Manager, I was primarily focused on the planning and execution of specific projects. My new role as Deputy Director broadens that scope—I now have a greater responsibility for overseeing multiple programs, providing leadership across the board, and directly supporting the Director in decision-making processes.
RITQ Comms:
How does research influence the strategies and programs you’re working on at RITQ?
Dr. Manicio:
The projects I lead have development components. We recently completed and packaged a training design and currently doing coursebooks for teachers. In all the development projects, the starting point is always reviewing literature, examining available data, and gathering more data to draw insights from — all to inform development. I work with a really good team of researchers. It is clear that if we want to come up with quality knowledge products that would be of practicable use for teachers, we need to understand their contexts. At the end of the day, all research efforts have no impact unless teachers are appropriately supported in improving learning outcomes.
RITQ Comms:
What has been your most rewarding experience in the field of education so far?
Dr. Manicio:
For me, working in education is itself the most rewarding experience. Every time I witness student teachers excel in their practicum, it’s a moment of pride and fulfillment. Seeing students in my methods courses develop strong, thoughtful lesson plans is equally gratifying. I also treasure the moments when teachers from training programs share their insights and takeaways—it’s a reminder of the impact we make together. Collaborating with fellow teacher educators who share the same passion and aspirations is truly inspiring. In every role I’ve taken on, I’ve come to realize that being a teacher is, without a doubt, the most rewarding part of my journey. I love what I do because every day holds the potential for growth, both for myself and for the educators I work with.
RITQ Comms:
Lastly, what advice would you offer to educators and aspiring leaders who want to make a meaningful difference in improving teacher quality?
Dr. Manicio:
It’s important to make sure that our initiatives are connected to the realities of classroom practice. These realities can be unsettling. We have to recognize them and do something practicable. Our teacher quality issues can be overwhelming but we do what we can to really support teachers.
