At just 26 years old, when most young professionals were only beginning to build their careers, Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. was already building an institution.
In 2006, driven by gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility to give back, he founded the SouthEast Asian Institute of Technology (SEAIT) in Tupi, South Cotabato.His motivation was personal.
Before becoming a governor, before entering public service, Tamayo was once a scholar himself - a beneficiary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) scholarship program during his college years at the Cebu Institute of Technology - now, a university.
He knew firsthand what it meant to be given a chance.
And at 26, instead of simply advancing his own success, he chose to create opportunities for others.
SEAIT was his way of paying it forward.
What began as a bold vision of a young scholar has now grown into a 20-year legacy of transforming lives. Built on the belief that education should not be limited by poverty or politics, SEAIT opened its doors to students not only from South Cotabato but from across Mindanao - with no political boundaries.
Since 2006, the institution has produced thousands of professionals across various fields. Many of them were first-generation college graduates whose families once believed higher education was out of reach.
Today, as SEAIT celebrates its 20th year this 2026, more than 20,000 scholars are currently enrolled - continuing the mission that started with one young man’s gratitude.
Governor Tamayo’s story is not just about founding a school.
It is about remembering where you came from.
It is about honoring the scholarship that helped shape your future.
It is about ensuring that others receive the same opportunity.
From being a DOST scholar to becoming the founder of a college that now educates tens of thousands for free, his journey reflects a simple but powerful principle:
When you are given a chance, you create chances for others.
And for two decades now, SEAIT has been doing exactly that - changing lives, one scholar at a time.
