Zacarias Mansing Jr. Named 2025 Happiest Pinoy for Championing Literacy and Inclusion

Cebuana Lhuillier has crowned Zacarias Mansing Jr., a passionate literacy and disability inclusion advocate, as the 2025 Happiest Pinoy. His inspiring story of turning personal challenges into a mission to promote children’s literacy stood out among more than 500,000 entries nationwide, making this one of the most remarkable wins in the program’s history.

 Zacarias Mansing Jr., is Cebuana Lhuillier 2025 Happiest Pinoy

 

The awarding ceremony on December 2 at Dusit Thani Manila highlighted the depth and diversity of this year’s finalists. Zacarias first became one of ten national category winners before moving on to the final round. He competed with other inspiring individuals representing youth, senior citizens, entrepreneurs, persons with disabilities, OFWs, workers, the LGBTQ+ community, creatives, indigenous peoples, and Cebuana Lhuillier clients.

A panel of respected judges—including public servants, media professionals, social innovators, athletes, and former Happiest Pinoy winners—assessed the finalists based on four key criteria: Resilience, Optimism and Genuine Happiness, Champion of Hope and Impact, and an X-Factor reflecting authenticity.

Cebuana Lhuillier 2025 Happiest Pinoy finalists

 
Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier Inc., shared the significance of Zacarias’s achievement: “Zacarias reminds us that true strength is not the absence of hardship but the courage to lift others as we rise. His life—rooted in faith, grit, and service—captures exactly what the Happiest Pinoy seeks to celebrate: joy that transforms communities and inspires lasting change.”

Zacarias’s journey is a testament to this vision. After an accident abroad in 2012 left him paralyzed, he returned home determined to turn adversity into purpose. Guided by his DRISO values—Determination, Resilience, Inspiration, Service, and Optimism—he founded the Books for Kids Project in 2017. From his wheelchair, he has visited over 300 remote public schools and reached more than 50,000 students, promoting literacy, disability inclusion, and hope across Negros Oriental.

As Zacarias shared: “Being a Happiest Pinoy is about having a spirit that trusts God in all circumstances, and hands that are always ready to reach out to those in need.”

More than a personal victory, Zacarias’s win is a reminder that purpose can emerge from pain. His work continues to inspire communities, empower young learners, and strengthen Cebuana Lhuillier’s mission—celebrating joy that heals, uplifts, and transforms lives.